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Restaurants are spread all over the island, although fewer are found in the west and northwest sections. Most restaurants out of town are easily accessible by taxi and have ample parking. If you dine in Charlotte Amalie, take a taxi. Parking close to restaurants can be difficult to find, and walking around after dark isn't advisable for safety reasons.
Dining on St. Thomas is informal. Few restaurants require a jacket and tie. Still, at dinner in the snazzier places shorts and T-shirts are inappropriate; men would do well to wear slacks and a shirt with buttons. Dress codes on St. Thomas rarely require women to wear skirts, but you can never go wrong with something flowing.
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.
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).
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.
A flavor of the southern U.S. is evident on the menu, from a fried green tomato appetizer to entrées like shrimp 'n grits and a southern fish fry with cornmeal-coated catfish. This same down-home theme is served for Sunday brunch. Try biscuits and gravy, steak and eggs, or a southern Benedict with buttermilk biscuits topped with poached eggs, country ham, and hollandaise. The open-air setting offers an eye-catching view of the superyachts parked at the marina docks.
Edible art is an apt description of the sushi and sashimi feast that draws visitors and locals alike. The favorite here is steamed mussels in a house-made creamy sesame dressing dubbed "iguana sauce," which is, happily, not made from the spiny reptile that roams the island's hillsides and roadways. There are nearly 30 vegetarian and seafood rolls to choose from, including avocado, spicy crab, and red snapper. The 5-foot-tall reef tank will definitely put you in the mood for seafood.
Within the historic stonework and cascading tropical blossoms of A.H. Riise Alley, this charming open-air eatery will pull you in by the nose and send you straight to the wood-burning brick-oven pizza. Toppings range from everyday to eclectic, from Asiago cheese and portobello mushrooms to tandoori chicken and clams casino. The menu is not all pizza: there are fresh salads, sub sandwiches, and unique pastas made to order. The local business crowd keeps this place hopping for lunch Monday through Friday, so go early or late to be sure of a table.
If the floating bubbles don't attract you to this zany eatery billed as the "ultimate tropical drink shack," the lime-green shutters, loud rock music, and fun-loving waitstaff just might. The menu has a selection of burgers, tacos, burritos, and salads, and bartenders shake up such exotic concoctions as the Love Shack Volcano—a 50-ounce flaming extravaganza. Try the Caribbean Pu-Pu platter, which includes conch fritters, coconut shrimp, and sweet fried plantains.
With live music and football on TV, Sib's is the perfect place for a casual dinner after a day at the beach. In addition to burgers, barbecue ribs and chicken, and beer, there's also a breakfast café outside with island-roasted coffees, including the signature "Bushwackercappuccino."
House-smoked, hand-rubbed meats with a side of rum are the specialty at this restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. Order the sampler platter for a taste of everything, including a choice of two meats like pulled pork and beef brisket, two sides such as potato mac salad (a mishmash of two favorites with a flavor all its own) and brisket beans, plus pickled veggies and Texas toast. There's smoked tofu, too, for vegetarians, and more than 70 choices of rum from throughout the Caribbean.
For fantastic northern Italian cuisine, try this intimate, elegant, side-street hideaway. The menu has more than 40 homemade, superbly seasoned pasta dishes, like capellini with fresh tomatoes and garlic or peasant-style spaghetti in a rich tomato sauce with mushrooms and prosciutto. Eclectic art covers the two-story brick walls, and the sound of opera sets the stage for a memorable meal.
Graze on local lobster, burgers, and salads, as well as pizza baked in a stone-floored oven while gazing at the million-dollar megayachts docked right next to this hip seaside eatery. Even if you aren't hungry, stop here on Friday nights for the DJ Dance Party and Laser Light Show that starts at 10 pm.
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