7 Best Restaurants in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Jack's is a perfect spot for lunch when you're enjoying a day at Princess Margaret Beach … or any day when you're on Bequia. The sandwiches, salads, burgers and fries, or the grilled catch of the day along with a refreshing cold drink will certainly satisfy. The evening menu focuses on prime steaks and seafood. Dinner by the water is always a delight, but you'll have to maneuver some rough terrain (in your car or on foot) down from the main road, then navigate a lot of stairs farther down to the beachside restaurant—and back up, of course, after your meal. The Tuesday-night barbecue is particularly popular.

Settle in for lunch on the patio, with a view of Young Island and the sea beyond, or dinner inside or alfresco. Enjoy local specialties—crab back, creole chicken, grilled just-caught fish, or the absolutely freshest lobster that you select from the live lobster pool. Grillin' With the Captain (Earl Halbich of Fantasea Tours) on Friday night adds to the joie de vivre. The service is definitely friendly; plan to linger.

Perfectly situated right on gorgeous Big Sand Beach, this is the place for a delicious lunch, cool drink and a snack, or a romantic dinner—or to just hang out for a day at the beach. Meals are excellently prepared—local cuisine, mainly seafood, but also pizza and some vegetarian options. The lobster is brought right from the sea to the kitchen; the locally caught tuna sashimi and homemade smoked marlin are amazing. Patrons of the restaurant are welcome to use the beach chairs, use the facilities, and enjoy the beach all day long.

Sugar Reef Hotel's restaurant is strategically placed in the Beach House lounge and sitting room, where French doors open to the sound of crashing waves. While perfect for a romantic dinner, it's also an excellent choice for a delightful lunch of savory seafood (try the lobster or fish roti or an open fish steak on focaccia bread), a vegetarian dish (tangy callaloo soup, callaloo lasagna, cassava flat bread with grilled vegetables, or the light but filling fire-roasted corn salad with goat cheese and spinach), or settle for a perfectly cooked hamburger with cheese, bacon, and grilled onion. The chef's lime pie is the perfect dessert, with passion-fruit mousse a close runner-up. All produce, fish, and meat are locally sourced. While the hotel is for adult guests only, children are welcome in the restaurant—particularly at lunch. Definitely put Sugar Reef Café on your must-do list when visiting Bequia.

Dining by candlelight on the waterfront terrace of Mariners Hotel means excellent French cuisine with Caribbean flair—and one of the best dining experiences on St. Vincent. Start with a rich soup (piping hot French onion, fish with aioli, creamy pumpkin, or callaloo and conch) or escargots, stuffed crab back, or conch salad, and then move on to a main course of fresh fish and shellfish grilled with fresh herbs, garlic butter and lime, or creole sauce. Landlubbers may prefer sautéed chicken paillard with mushroom or Thai peanut sauce, grilled lamb chops, or beef tenderloin with béarnaise, Roquefort, or pepper sauce. For dessert, there's the wonderful mi-cuit, a warm chocolate delicacy with vanilla ice cream. Lighter, equally delicious fare is served at lunch—and you can enjoy a full seaside breakfast.

The Sapodilla Room at the historic Grenadine House (1765) is a hidden gem. Whet your appetite with a fruity cocktail at the West Indies Bar—the actual bar is from an old English pub, with a gallery of classic black-and-white stills of movie stars gracing the walls—and then move inside to the stone-wall dining room and enjoy grilled fresh fish, creamy seafood risotto, or tasty beef, lamb, and chicken entrées that reflect Caribbean flavors. Locals come here for special occasions and business dinners, as this is one of the few elegant dining spots on St. Vincent.

Take the little ferry (a two-minute ride from the dock at Villa Beach) to Young Island for a delightful lunch or a very special romantic evening. Stone paths lead to candlelit tables—some in breezy, thatch-roof kiosks—and gentle waves lap the shore. Four-course, prix-fixe dinners of grilled seafood, roast pork, succulent beef tenderloin, duck breast, and sautéed chicken are accompanied by local vegetables. Two or three choices are offered for each course, and warm, freshly made breads (coconut, raisin, banana, country white, cinnamon, or whole-grain wheat) are sliced at your table. Saturday is a barbecue buffet. Lunch is à la carte—soups, salads, grilled meats, or fish—and served on the beachfront terrace. Sunday lunch is a local curry buffet.