St Kitts / Restaurants

There is reasonable depth to the restaurants on St Kitts, and with the new development they are beginning to offer more variety to straightforward international fare and local food. There is no tip-top cuisine on the island as yet, but there are some good dining rooms and some of the top hotels offer very good meals. There are plenty of easy-going places to eat on the beachfront of course.

The bulk of the “tourist” restaurants are in Frigate Bay, where you will find a few independent pizzerias and burger joints as well as beach bars along the Caribbean side. These offer simple and satisfying food both at lunch and in the evenings, particularly from Thursdays to Sundays when “The Strip” is the place to party anyway. The popular dish is freshly grilled lobster. In Basseterre you will find a mix of restaurants, several that obviously appeal to visitors (including the many cruise ship passengers), but also many local restaurants that serve West Indian food and are fun to try. Friday and Saturday evenings are when barbecues are held along the streets of Basseterre, with all sorts of fish and chicken grilled on makeshift kitchens set up on the pavements. Then there are several fast food restaurants, KFC and Subway. Not to be forgotten if you tour the island, or want a romantic dinner, are the plantation inns in the north: Ottley’s, Golden Lemon and Rawlins.

Note: Very few of the beach bars and smaller restaurants will accept credit cards, so please check in advance. A number of the small establishments in Frigate Bay close for a break between mid-August and early October.

A 10% Government VAT is added to all bills and in many cases a 10% Service Charge will be automatically added at the same time.

The price of a main course (excluding steak and lobster) is as follows: Inexpensive, less than US$10, Moderate - $10-20, Expensive - $20 plus

Here is a selection of our recommended St Kitts restaurants:

Around Basseterre

Ballahoo Restaurant, moderate - Ballahoo is set on an upper floor overlooking the Circus in the heart of Basseterre. It has cheerful Caribbean décor with brightly painted woodwork and chairs and an open fronted veranda dining area lit with fairy lights at night. The menu is international and Caribbean cuisine, with sub sandwiches, burgers, beef enchiladas, seafood paella, chilli shrimps, coconut chicken curry, conch fritters, chicken roti and vegetarian dishes. Full service bar at the rear. Prints by artist Rosey Cameron Spencer are displayed and for sale. Open 8am-10pm. Closed Sunday. A popular spot for locals and tourists.

Circus Grill Bar & Restaurant, moderate - Also upstairs on the corner of a small enclosed garden in the heart of Basseterre, with a breezy veranda extending around to face the Circus. The menu is a mix of international and local cuisine and includes grilled seafood, steaks, ribs, burgers, chicken, substantial rotis and daily specials such as goat water (Saturdays) and their Friday West Indian buffet with coconut dumpling, breadfruit pie, saltfish, chicken curry, pumpkin fritters, jerk pork and fresh fish. Closed Sundays. Open for lunch and dinner.

Fisherman’s Wharf, Fortlands, moderate-expensive - Well-established, casual, wooden deck with rustic nautical décor and wooden picnic tables, right on the waterfront with views across the bay and Basseterre. Part of the Ocean Terrace Inn, it is popular with  locals and tourist and attracts a lively crowd on weekends when there is occasional live music. Large open- air charcoal grill where fresh seafood, fish and meats are cooked while you watch. Favourites include conch chowder, conch fritters, jerk chicken wings and grilled lobster. Open for dinner nightly from 6.30pm-11pm. On Friday nights a fish fry is set up on the street next door.

Serendipity Restaurant & Lounge Bar, Fortlands, expensive - Located on the hillside next door to the Ocean Terrace Inn, Serendipity has a large covered dining terrace with views across Basseterre and its bay, and an inside dining room and bar decorated throughout in cheerful tones of yellow and blue. Run by owners Alexander James (chef) and Pauline Horton (manager), whose many years in the Caribbean, America and Europe have brought a diverse menu. Innovative starters include Caribbean bouillabaisse, gravade of red snapper, coconut coated tiger shrimps, duck liver mousse served with red onion marmalade or Cajun dusted goats cheese salad with asparagus tips. Main courses include Hereford beef, cheese and bacon burger, pan-seared Cajun seasoned grouper or yellow fin tuna, jerk chicken supreme, pan-roasted American “Mapleleaf” duck breast on a fruit and herb stuffing with Cointreau sauce. There is also an extensive wine list. Open for lunch Tuesday-Friday and dinner Tuesday-Sunday.

StoneWalls Tropical Bar and Eating Place, moderate - Caribbean-style gastro pub created by owners Garry and Wendy Steckles in 1993 among old stone walls built by the French in the 1800s. Now surrounded by lush greenery, it has a covered dining area and a cosy bar for pre-dinner cocktails. It is also an early evening meeting spot for a quiet drink and a wide selection of background music from jazz, to reggae, salsa, Motown or Sixties rock ‘n roll. The ever-changing blackboard menu might included pan-charred squid in a lemon olive oil and garlic sauce or mussels marinara to start, followed by stir-fried chicken in a black bean chilli sauce, pan-seared fresh local mahi mahi with lemon-caper sauce or the popular barbecued baby back ribs. Open Monday-Friday from 5pm-11pm.

Waterfalls Restaurant, Ocean Terrace Inn, expensive - A well- established hotel dining room with a good reputation, set in an open-fronted deck overlooking the hotel’s lush water garden and murals of Kittitian rainforest scenes by well-known local artist Rosey Cameron Smith. Popular for its West Indian buffet every Friday night (see under Food & Cooking), with a live steel band and fashion show in season, and a buffet brunch on Sundays from 12pm-2.30pm, which is a favourite with local families. The a la carte menu is a blend of Caribbean and international cuisine with dishes such as pepperpot, jerk crusted rack of lamb, pork Wellington with port wine and apple foam, and chicken supreme filled with pistachio breadfruit mash. Open daily for breakfast, lunch (closed Saturday) and dinner.

Beyond Basseterre

The Golden Lemon Inn and Villas, Dieppe Bay, expensive - A charming and elegant spot near the northern tip of the island, set in a restored 17th Century former French merchant’s manor house and trading post. Popular for its Sunday brunch on the covered garden gallery and candlelit dinners in the elegant main dining room, among an enchanting collection of antiques. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Reservations required for dinner.

Rawlins Plantation Inn, St Paul’s, expensive - A classic, traditional plantation house retreat renowned for its West Indian buffet lunch. The kitchen uses fresh, organic home-grown salads, vegetables, fruits and herbs, and produce from local farmers and fishermen. The lunch menu, prepared by the same cook for more than 20 years, features dishes such as fungee and saltfish, candied sweet potato, meat balls in ginger sauce, peas ‘n’ rice, saltfish fritters, curried chicken, jerk pork and soursop sorbet. It is a classic stop on an island tour. In the evenings they offer a four-course menu by candlelight, which combines Caribbean and international cuisine with flair. Starters include creamy sweet potato soup or grilled eggplant with balsamic dressing and main courses include seared breast of duck with orange, honey and chilli, pan-fried mahi mahi drizzled with anchovy-caper butter and jerk rubbed tilapia with creole sauce. Open for lunch and dinner. Reservations required. Note: Hotel and restaurant now closed until further notice.

The Royal Palm, Ottley’s Plantation Inn, expensive - A wonderful setting in the stone walls of the former sugar factory on a plantation estate high above the Atlantic Ocean. The canopied dining terrace (mainly lunchtime) looks up over lawns to the restored 18th Century Great House and the main dining room, with its wooden floor and candlelit tables, looks down to the Atlantic. There is a daily changing, creative menu of both local and international cuisines, with many ingredients imported especially to maintain a high standard. Dishes have included West Indian peanut soup or Caribbean crab cakes, roasted beet and shaved onion salad, pan-seared Argentinian sea bass with orange and Pernod sauce, curried seafood risotto of scallops, shrimp and local fish with raisins and herbs or Australian rack of lamb with moutarde de Meaux followed by a choice of desserts. There is a set four-course meal or an a la carte menu. Ottley’s Sunday Champagne Brunch is also a favourite – a glass of rum punch or a Champagne mimosa with tropical fruit and pastry platter, followed by classic West Indian eggs Benedict with passion fruit hollandaise, fried plantain and curried fries or sweet mascarpone cheese and pineapple stuffed French toast with a guava-citrus sauce served with bacon. Open for lunch and dinner. Reservations required for Sunday brunch and dinner.

Sprat Net, Old Road, inexpensive-moderate - A hugely popular seafood eatery on the waterfront in Old Road town, informal and simple, open-sided with views to the sea and picnic benches under a corrugated tin roof. Owned by local fishermen, brothers Jack and Marcus Spencer, the Sprat Net serves freshly caught fish (pick your own) and lobster, chicken and ribs, all grilled to order served, with maybe peas ‘n’ rice, coleslaw, johnny bakes or corn on the cob and a cold beer. It is a bit of trek out of Basseterre along the west coast road, but Sprat Net is a favourite night spot with live music on Fridays and Sundays in the winter season. Open from 6pm onwards.

Around Frigate Bay

Bobsy’s Bar & Grill, moderate - Easy-going local eatery located upstairs in a modern complex on the road over to Frigate Bay. There is an air-conditioned dining area, a large bar and a covered dining patio with views to the bay. Serves mostly Caribbean cuisine, with daily lunch and dinner specials, and is popular for its fresh, grilled lobster with passion fruit butter sauce. Also a late night party spot with occasional live music, DJs and karaoke on weekends. Happy hour 5pm-7pm. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Marshall’s, Horizons Villas, expensive - Considered by many to be St Kitts finest restaurant and a popular choice for a special occasion, Marshall’s has a poolside setting with tables set under a long white canvas awning, hung with elegant drapes and white fairy lights. The Jamaican-born chef has created a menu which combines international and Caribbean cuisine, including starters such as conch chowder, Caribbean ackee and saltfish served on toast and a seafood Coquilles St Jacques of conch, lobster, shrimp, and mushrooms. Main courses include crab ravioli served in a creamy tomato sauce, seared scallops in olive oil, butter and lemon juice, pan-roasted Chilean sea bass served with lemon cilantro sauce and breast of duck pan-seared served with a raspberry sauce. Reservations required.

Monkey Bar & Restaurant, Frigate Bay South, inexpensive-moderate - A favourite among locals and visitors alike, the Monkey Bar has been run for more than two decades by Kittitian Roy Gumbs, a former Commonwealth Middleweight Boxing Champion. It sits in the midst of a string of other beach bars and shacks, less rustic looking than some of its neighbours, with an octagonal wooden bar on a raised, covered dining deck. Serves fresh grilled lobster with garlic butter and many other seafood dishes. Gets lively on weekends with music played late into the night. Open for lunch and dinner.

Mr X’s Shiggidy Shack Bar & Grill, Frigate Bay South, inexpensive-moderate - A rustic affair, perfect for a laid- back, barefoot supper in a lively crowd. The Shiggidy Shack, the most popular of the string of beach bars along Frigate Bay beach, is literally a collection of wooden shacks and picnic benches on the sand. On Friday nights it attracts the after-work crowd of mostly locals, veterinary students from Ross University and ex-pats who gather to watch the sunset then sit down for a simple grilled lobster supper – well priced at US$32. Other items from the grill in the basic- looking open-air kitchen include jerk chicken, barbecue spare ribs, freshly caught fish, shrimp, beef, chicken, fish or cheese burgers, roti. Karaoke on Saturday nights, live band on Sunday afternoons and a bonfire with fire-eating and live music on Thursday nights. Full moon party with bonfire and music for dancing. No credit cards.

PJ’s Bar & Restaurant, Frigate Bay North, moderate-expensive - Popular Italian restaurant run by Canadian owners Pat and Jude since 1987. Their thin-crust pizzas attract a loyal following, particularly for the delightfully named Garbage Pizza, which has everything piled on. Also chicken wings, bruschettas, soups, salads, a range of pasta dishes, calazones with fillings like meatballs with tomato sauce and mozzarella, and with roasted red peppers and mozzarella. Finish with home made rum cake or tiramisu. Popular for a family meal out, but also doubles as a late night liming spot. Happy hour 9pm-10pm, open Tuesday-Sunday from 5.30pm. Closed Mondays.

Rock Lobster Bar & Restaurant, Frigate Bay North, moderate-expensive - A seafood restaurant with a lobster speciality. Cheery modern interior with some traditional West Indian touches and a small bar area tucked into one corner which becomes a late night drinking spot on weekends. Set back off the road on the north side of Frigate Bay, with some tables and chairs out on the patio for alfresco dining. Closed Wednesdays.

Sunset Café, Timothy Beach Resort, moderate - Casual open-sided dining room above the seafront at the southern end of (south) Frigate Bay. You can opt to dine alfresco or watch the chef at work through a large bar hatch inside. A varied local and international menu includes both local and international dishes such as conch fritters, fungi and fish, roti, burgers, BBQ ribs and grilled fish. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.