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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.
Enjoy a romantic meal with an iconic bird's-eye view of the Charlotte Amalie harbor. For starters, try the kallaloo soup (shrimp and crab in a thick, creamy spinach broth). Entrées include coconut curry-braised short ribs and a whole head-on red snapper smothered in sautéed onions and peppers. Side dishes definitely offer a taste of the tropics: fried plantain, polenta-like fungi made with cornmeal and okra, and coconut rice. Key lime pie is the most sublime dessert.
