12 Best Restaurants in U.S. Virgin Islands

This waterfront restaurant serves sustainably sourced Caribbean-American food that pairs wonderfully with the creative craft cocktails and frozen drinks. The dining room overlooks Cane Bay, a perfect backdrop to try the almond-crusted mahi, daily ceviche special, or the catch of the day. Reservations are strongly recommended; request ocean-side grotto seating for an unobstructed sunset view. 

A great place to take a break and get a bite while shopping, this open-air café tucked into the alleyway of Palm Passage serves authentic Spanish cuisine for lunch and dinner. Try tapas such as mussels in brandy sauce, escargots with mushrooms and herb butter, or Galician-style octopus and baby eels served in a sizzling garlic sauce. Ask for an inside table if the idea of passersby checking out your meal isn't too appetizing.

This barnlike “Crucian-Rican” restaurant is often the first stop that locals make before heading to the airport and after arriving back home. Out back, dozens of chickens slowly rotate on a giant rotisserie, and, in front, regulars and a smattering of in-the-know visitors queue up for the juicy birds, traditional Johnny cakes, and local food like stewed oxtail and conch in butter sauce.

Visiting this alfresco family-owned eatery requires climbing a long flight of stairs, but the food is well worth the effort. Although fish is the specialty, try the coconut panko-crusted grouper topped with a white wine, coconut, and lemongrass reduction—the chef also creates a vegetarian platter with black beans, fried plantains, and a mound of truffled mashed sweet potatoes.

A distinctive gypsy cart on the side of Mahogany Road (Route 76) overflows with fresh baked breads, tarts, sandwiches, and toasties with unusual fillings like black bean hummus or homegrown banana. The farm-to-table menu, which changes daily to reflect what's available, includes local fare, Indian curries, British-influenced dishes, and Southern comfort food. Next door, Mahogany Road Chocolate sells chocolate made from locally harvested cacao and shaped as rainforest frogs and "chaney" shards. In addition to this bakery cart, they have a food truck at Fort Frederik Beach on Thursdays and Fridays.

In the old Russian consulate house at the tip of the Frenchtown peninsula, this restaurant offers superb views along with an eclectic array of dishes expertly prepared by longtime Virgin Islands chef Patricia LaCorte and her staff. Choose from the more casual bistro-style menu, which features taste-and-share charcuterie and artisanal cheese plates and entrées like flatbreads and burgers, or splurge on the more formal dinner selections like butter-poached local lobster or filet mignon. After dinner, take a five-minute stroll to nearby Frenchtown, where several bars offer live music on the weekends.

At this beautifully restored plantation house, you can dine on sophisticated starters such as beef tartare with a Creole aioli served on crostini and simply elegant surf-and-turf selections like grass-fed filet mignon or butter-poached lobster tails on skewers. Personalized attention makes dining here a delight, as does the incredible decor—think 18th-century stone walls meets modern-day elegance, with fine silver and china set on white-tablecloth-topped hardwood tables.

Sail up in a boat, paddle by in a kayak, or motor out in a dinghy to pick up freshly made New York–style pizza from this "floating" food truck. This 37-foot motor sailor is an authentic brick-oven pizzeria, serving pies topped with locally grown basil and fresh lobster. There are 15 toppings to choose from and gluten-free crust is available. Drink options include frozen cocktails and chilled shots. The boat is moored daily in the protected waters of Christmas Cove off Great St. James island, easily accessible on day sails and powerboat excursions. There's also a shuttle that runs from St. Thomas or St. John called Slice Slice Baby (340/474--9727).

One of those small but special spots that everyone loves, including critics who regularly rank it among the Caribbean's best restaurants, this lively spot relies on local ingredients in its fusion of Mexican, Thai, and Caribbean dishes—anything from Thai curry with chicken to a fillet of beef stuffed with Portobello mushrooms and goat cheese. You can't go wrong with the egg roll special or the catch of the day. Call early for reservations, as the indoor dining room is small, and you'll want to nab a table in the candelit back courtyard if you can.

Sailors who live aboard boats anchored offshore and an eclectic coterie of residents and visitors gather for lunch and dinner at this funky spot in the middle of a boatyard and shopping complex. It's a great place for burgers (they're served with potato chips, not fries—there's no deep fryer), fish sandwiches, and whatever sports are on the satellite TV.

Tucked into a Red Hook shopping center, this down-home eatery has a congenial atmosphere and well-prepared sandwiches, flatbreads, and entrées that make it popular with local professionals. Come early for a seat at the bar and get the scoop on local island news. Lunch features starters like street corn guacamole, sandwiches (the tuna burger is from fresh catch rather than a can), and hearty salads. There's more of the same at dinner, plus entrées like pan-seared scallops and lamb shank pot pie.

Creative takes on true classics coupled with artfully presented plates draw crowds to this Mediterranean-inspired restaurant at Caneel Bay. The four-course menu starts with a selection of artisan-made antipasti, then moves to salads like the mango, feta, and prosciutto--topped frisee, followed by entrées such as butter-soft diver scallops with crabmeat or classic osso buco with a Caribbean twist of crispy plantains. Make sure to order the signature cheesecake with ricotta and prosecco-glazed peaches. Table service takes two to three hours from start to finish and is warmed by the setting sun. If four courses seems excessive, you can order from the à la carte bar menu.