One of the best parts of exploring a new place is eating the food! Check out a few of our favorite spots to eat in the islands.
Barefoot Buddha
Favorite dishes: Mediterranean Bagel, Breakfast Bagel Sandwich, quiche specials
Cooper Island Beach Club (Cooper Island, BVI)
Favorite dish: Caribbean Chicken Roti
Doreen’s “Garden of Eating”
Favorite dish: Apple Carrot Cranberry Gingerade
Fresh Bistro
Located in Yacht Haven Grande marina near downtown Charlotte Amalie, Fresh Bistro is just that – fresh. Using local ingredients as much as possible, the menu is always changing to offer great food at a great price. A middle-of-the-road restaurant, the view on the water is very romantic, but Fresh Bistro is also a great place to grab a happy hour cocktail. Reservations can be a good idea, but if you walk in the wait usually isn’t too long.
Favorite dish: Grilled salmon
Greengo’s
When you’re craving good Mexican food, Greengo’s is the place to go! Located in Hibiscus Alley, just steps away from the waterfront, Greengo’s Cantina is tucked into a cool courtyard and is a fun place to meet friends for lunch or dinner. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, for bottomless margaritas for Sunday brunch.
Favorite dish: Cantina Bowl
Hull Bay Hideaway
Having a beach bar just a three-minute walk from your house is pretty cool. So is Hull Bay Hideaway. They have great food, a great relaxed vibe and regularly bring in live music. Our favorite dishes are the tacos. Every Monday we enjoy taco night, when they offer buffalo chicken and brisket tacos in addition to their regular taco options. We bring every guest to the Hideaway for tacos and everyone leaves a happy camper. No reservation needed, everybody is welcome!
Favorite dish: Fish tacos and brisket tacos
LaReine’s Chicken Shack (St. Croix, USVI)
Favorite dish: 1/2 roasted chicken with johnny cake (don’t forget the bbq sauce!)
Oceana
A beautiful restaurant located in the former Roman embassy in Frenchtown, Oceana offers a stunning seafood menu for visitors and locals alike. Owned by the same chef/proprietor as Fresh Bistro, a cool feature of Oceana is the open prep kitchen and floorplan. A higher-end restaurant, it’s location on the water is romantic and everything you want from an island dining experience. Reservations recommended, especially during high season.
Favorite dish: Seared scallops and New Zealand lam loin
Old Stone Farmhouse
Located in a centuries-old part of a plantation house, this restaurant next to the Mahogany Run golf course is great for any meal of the day, but we like Sunday brunch best. We’ve taken nearly every one of our guests here for a meal and everyone has loved it. Bottomless mimosas and bloody marys make brunch fun, and the food is always excellent. Their beautiful courtyard plays host to many unique live music events as well.
Favorite dish: French Toast, Sunday brunch quiche specials
Pirate’s Bight (Norman Island, BVI)
Rhumb Lines (St. John, USVI)
A quick walk from the ferry terminal in St. John, Rhumb Lines is a fantastic Asian-fusion restaurant tucked away in a courtyard. You may miss it if you’re not looking for the sign; you literally walk through a convenience store to enter the courtyard strung with bistro lights. With great pad thai and seafood dishes, the pupu platter portions are delicious small plates that are fun to share.
Favorite dishes: Spicy blackened diver scallops and any pad thai dish
Skinny Legs (St. John, USVI)
A unique spot on the east end of St. John, Skinny Legs has a simple menu that will please any palate. A great spot to stop for lunch while exploring the huge, beautiful island of St. John!
Favorite dish: Blue cheese burger
SOS Coffee Bar
St. John Scoops (St. John, USVI)
My sweet tooth is a sucker for an ice cream shop, and St. John Scoops (located in the Mongoose Junction shopping center on St. John) does not disappoint. They have great flavors made in house and you can smell the waffle cones all through the shopping center. Cash only.
Favorite dish: Anything chocolate!
Scoops & Brew
Another ice cream spot!? You bet. A small kiosk located in the Crown Bay Marina of St. Thomas, Scoops & Brew has a fantastic menu of delicious, natural-ingredient ice creams, gelato and sorbets. They have a great coffee bar too, which on an island without Starbucks comes in handy.
Favorite dish: Anything chocolate and the rose petal champagne sorbet
Tap & Still
Our favorite bar in the Red Hook area (east end of St. Thomas), Tap & Still has a make-your-own burger menu that will make your mouth water. Grab a table, and fill out their “dock slider” form with your order and a staffer will bring you the delicious food in brown paper bags. The wings are our FAVORITE anywhere we’ve ever had and their burgers are pretty darn good as well. Coming from Iowa folks that love their beef, that’s saying something.
Favorite dish: Cheeseburgers and wings
Islanders From Iowa 