Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
Although most people come to St. Maarten/St. Martin for sun and fun, they leave praising the cuisine. On an island that covers only 37 square miles (96 square km), there are more than 400 restaurants from which to choose. You can sample the best dishes from France, Thailand, Italy, Vietnam, India, Japan, and, of course, the Caribbean.
Many of the best restaurants are in Grand Case (on the French side), but you should not limit your culinary adventures to that village. Great dining thrives throughout the island, from the bistros of Marigot to the hopping restaurants of Cupecoy to the low-key eateries of Simpson Bay. Whether you enjoy dining on fine china in one of the upscale restaurants or off a paper plate at the island's many lolos (roadside barbecue stands), St. Maarten/St. Martin's culinary options are sure to appeal to every palate. Loyalists on both "sides" will cheerfully try to steer you to their own favorites, and it’s common to cite high euro prices to deter exploration, but quite a few restaurants still offer a one-to-one exchange rate between dollars and euros if you use cash, and main-course portions are often large enough to be shared.
During high season, it's essential to make reservations, and making them a month in advance is advisable for some of the best places. Dutch-side restaurants sometimes include a 15% service charge, so check your bill before tipping. On the French side, service is always included, but it is customary to leave 5% to 10% extra in cash for the server. Don’t count on leaving tips on your credit card—it's customary to tip in cash. A taxi is probably the easiest solution to the parking problems in Grand Case, Marigot, and Philipsburg. Grand Case has two lots—each costs $4—at each end of the main boulevard, but they're often packed by 8 pm.
What to Wear: Although appropriate dining attire ranges from swimsuits to sport jackets, casual dress is usually appropriate throughout restaurants on the island. For men, a jacket and khakis or jeans will take you anywhere; for women, dressy pants, a skirt, or even fancy shorts are usually acceptable. Jeans are fine in the less formal eateries.
Located above the Casino Royale, in the heart of the Maho Reef entertainment area, Alina is known for its delectable Japanese dishes infused with local flavors. Enjoy classics like crispy shrimp tempura and teriyaki salmon, or sit at the sushi bar and let Chef Ken surprise you with his selections. After dinner, head to the rooftop Mimosa Skylounge for a postprandial cocktail and lovely views.
Beachside calm with a side order of chic is on the menu at this lovely restaurant and beach club, which was designed with the environment in mind. Dishes are based on what's fresh and readily available, but there are always salads, sandwiches, mussels, grilled fish, and steaks, as well as amazing desserts (be sure to try the crepes). You can dine and lounge all day, either in the restaurant or on the beach, but if you don't rent a beach chair here, pick a sandy spot a little away from the restaurant. There is safe, private parking available. Reservations are essential in high season.
Located in a hilltop villa overlooking Simpson Bay, Bamboo House offers stunning views and top-notch sushi created by chefs from spots like Nobu and Morimoto. The wine list is fairly extensive, and the lounge and bar stay open till late. There's also an on-site spa.
Emilio Wilson bought the plantation where his grandparents worked and died as enslaved people, which is now the location of the Rainforest Adventure park and this award-winning restaurant housed in an 18th-century sugarcane boiling house. The knowledgeable owner of this family-run establishment, Norman Wathey, is more than happy to talk to you about the "old days" while you dine on nouveau Caribbean cuisine. Dishes might include charred garlic octopus with spicy avocado puree, rosemary rack of lamb with mushroom risotto, or snapper en papilotte. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available, and the wine cellar has more than 100 options.
Rainbow brings a bit of wit and Instagrammable boho panache to the beach bar genre. Although it's open for breakfast and lunch—with an eclectic menu of burgers, steaks, grilled fish or lobster, and vegan and vegetarian dishes—it's fun to come here later in the day to enjoy tapas, sushi, dynamite cocktails, and spectacular sunsets from a comfortable lounge chair on the beach deck or a table on the open-air rooftop deck. There's DJ music live music most days and beach parties on weekends.
Take an Asian-inspired culinary journey at this waterfront restaurant in Bobby's Marina. In addition to grilled seafood and steaks, the menu features sushi, as well as dishes like teriyaki or sweet-and-sour chicken.
Enjoy flavorful cocktails on the beach or at the bar of this trendy restaurant. Although the breakfast and lunch menus vary, dishes like blue lobster, fish tartare, and oysters are among the items frequently scrawled on the blackboard menu. There is a DJ and entertainment on Sunday (daily in peak season).
A sign near the shower/bathhouse inviting you to "come hang out here and shower before you go to the airport" nods to this beach bar's location and playful atmosphere. It serves up fruit smoothies, tropical cocktails, pasta dishes, seafood, and tapas, and it offers a DJ or live music from Thursday (Ladies Night) to Sunday.
This formal French-provincial dining room is set in one of the island's oldest creole houses, a yellow-and-white confection of gingerbread fretwork, arched doorways, tiled floors, and wood-beam ceilings. In addition to noteworthy daily specials, the Provençal menu features dishes such as roasted rack of lamb with garlic potatoes, Dover sole in an almond butter sauce, and sea bass with Parmesan risotto. Plan to spend time here—the service is attentive but can be slow.
Whether you opt for the three-course prix-fixe menu or the à la carte offerings, you can't go wrong at this classy, breezy restaurant, set in a charming cottage in the middle of Grand Case. Choose from such classic French starters as frog legs, onion soup, or escargots before moving on to duck breast in a pepper sauce, Angus beef fillet in a fois gras sauce, triggerfish meuniere with turmeric-flavored rice, or branzino in a bell-pepper sauce.
French cuisine with Caribbean flavors is prepared with a light touch and presented with flair at Le Cottage, where a lively community gathers on the street-front porch. With an amazing wine cellar and a sommelier from the Burgundy region, the restaurant offers a great wine-pairing menu at €89. Alternatively, try the lobster menu at €79.
Enjoy Italian fare and a beautiful water view from this restaurant's terrace. The hardest part of a meal here might be choosing one of the many varieties of pizza—either rossa or bianca—on offer here.
This well-established Marigot gem with indoor and alfresco seating is, as they say in French, incontournable (unmissable). It's known for its unique French cuisine with a Creole twist, and, whether you love seafood or prefer meat, you'll find something to suit your palate.
With a colorful French-Caribbean fusion restaurant, a tapas and sushi lounge, and the Club 28 rum-tasting room, this chic but casual establishment truly feels like an oasis. Meat eaters will love the tenderloin, seafood lovers the Caribbean lobster pasta, and vegans the cauliflower steak.
With a varied menu, reasonable prices, and a friendly staff, it's no surprise that this bistro in the bustling Marina Port La Royale is popular. At lunch, salads like the Niçoise with medallions of crusted goat cheese are good bets, and, at dinner (when it's best to arrive by taxi as the parking lot is sketchy), there's an array of delicious steak or seafood dishes and desserts, including old standbys like crème brûlée.
At this warm, inviting restaurant with madras table settings, the dishes are crafted with love and offer a flavorful creole journey from the appetizers through to the desserts. Don’t miss the signature Djon Djon rice, a unique dish made with black mushrooms.
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
