The Best Restaurants In Saint Martin: Our Favorite Culinary Gems
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To say that Saint Martin has good food is a bit of an understatement. As this tiny Caribbean gem hosts two countries and dozens of cultures, Saint Martin is home to many culinary delights. While I originally thought that I would post one Saint Martin travel guide (check it out HERE!), I quickly realized upon arrival that I needed a post entirely devoted to their food scene alone. This list is certainly not comprehensive throughout the entire island as unfortunately we did not have enough time to try everything, but these restaurants in Saint Martin were a few of our favorites and are establishments I most certainly recommend you try if you ever have the opportunity to find yourself on the “Friendly Island”.
About Saint Martin’s / Sint Maarten’s Culinary Experience
As I mentioned in my previous travel guide, we found that Saint Martin’s food offerings typically fell into three general tiers: local bakeries, the Lolos, and French fine dining. While each category is very different than the next, they all work together to provide a wonderful experience of the local cuisine of the island. Even with their differences, they did have several commonalities including payment and warmth of spirit. As we primarily ate on the French side of the island, we found that most restaurants provided their menu items costs in Euros but could take cash in US dollars or some Visa / MasterCard credit cards once adjusted for the exchange rate. Similarly, regardless of eating at a Lolo, bakery or French establishment, the service was wonderful. We found that the staff were excited for us to be dining with them and that, in the European fashion, we were invited to linger as long as we desired, without any pressure to turn our table. Overall, this atmosphere gave us many leisurely meals in which we could savor both the food and the experience.
Local Bakeries
In true French fashion, the local bakeries of Saint Martin have the most delicious breads, pastries, quiches, coffee etc. imaginable for very reasonable prices (we found most preferred cash to credit card). We had the opportunity to try three wonderful bakeries that kept us coming back on several occasions!
Chez Fernand – La French Bakery
The first bakery that we stopped at was Chez Fernand in Marigot. With fabulous food and a quaint open coffee shop feel, Chez Fernand has delicious pastries and pizza. We ate two small desserts in the restaurant and then took pizza with us in a cooler for a meal at the beach. Both the desserts and pizza were delicious, and I honestly wish I could have tried everything in their case as each piece was beautifully created. As Chez Fernand is located right in the heart of Marigot, we also were able to check out Marigot’s Saturday morning market across the street, which I would recommend walking through for fun local treasures.
Lainez Bakery Pastry
The next bakery we got to try was Lainez Bakery Pastry. Following our zip line course and hiking at Loterie Farm we drove less than 5 minutes down the street for lunch at Lainez Bakery Pastry. With many different offerings, we were able to try their quiche, steak baguette sandwich, chicken pastry and papaya smoothie, and each was fabulous. Coming from a hot hike, Lainez Bakery Pastry was exactly what we needed for refreshment, and I would definitely recommend for a breakfast, lunch or midday pick me up.
Le Sucrier
The last, but certainly not least, bakery we had the privilege to try was Le Sucrier French Bakery in Grand Case which was a stop we frequented at least twice. Located fairly near Hotel L’Esplanade, this bakery had the most delicious meat pastries, quiches, cookies, and Chantilly cream filled croissants. Whether you are making this stop for breakfast, lunch or just a snack, their delicious offerings are worth a try.
The Lolos
Unlike the bakeries that are tucked all throughout the island, the Lolos of Grand Case are a hub of five open air restaurants positioned between the water and the street. While each Lolo has a unique menu, most serve a variety of fish, bar-b-que ribs, chicken, shellfish, creole curry dishes etc. Whether visiting Sky’s The Limit and Cynthia’s Talk Of The Town Lolo on the street side, Scooby’s in the middle or Rib Shack right on the water, you will have a full experience of St. Martin. Like the bakeries, most of the Lolo’s preferred cash to credit card, however Cynthia’s Talk Of The Town did take credit card, so if you are prepared for either option, then paying is very simple. Similarly, as they are directly on the water, we found it a great option to walk up the Grand Case beach from Le Petite (read more about their beaches HERE!) for a delicious local lunch.
Saint Martin’s Fine Dining
With a wide variety of fine dining options, St. Martin is full of unique offerings ranging from leisurely French cuisine to tropical open – air treasures. Regardless of the style, we loved each restaurant with all that it had to offer. Unlike the Lolo’s or the bakeries, most fine dining restaurants prefer guests have reservations and generally, they take some form of credit card (mostly Visa or MasterCard, but sometimes AMEX) or cash. Likewise, as most times the bottle of water offered to share throughout the meal (as refills are not complementary) is a similar cost to their traditional drinks, we found we enjoyed trying local juices, cocktails, or other drinks to enhance our meal. Each restaurant was extremely knowledgeable regarding their menu and ingredient sourcing, so we found our best experiences were guided by the waiter or waitress’ knowledge of local offerings and cooking degree / style. If you are open to a culinary adventure, I believe you likely will not ever leave disappointed – at least we never did!
Rainbow Café
Located right on the beach of Grand Case, Rainbow Café has all the feels of a tropical open-air restaurant with its high terrace, thatched roof, driftwood tables and leather chairs with colorful cushions. As they have a wonderful early bird sushi special, Charlie and I got the most amazing tempera sushi with a mango cilantro twist. We love sushi anyways, but this sushi was everything we could have hoped for in the ways that it combined aesthetics, flavors, and tropical elegance. If you are looking for a unique spin on sushi or St. Martin cuisine in general, Rainbow Café is a stop you have to make.
La Terrasse
Much as its name implies, La Terrasse is restaurant with a large open terrace that overlooks the inlet of Marigot. As it was drizzling the night we visited, we sat inside instead, but still had a beautiful view of the water. Both Charlie and I had fabulous meals of mahi and duck that were cooked to true culinary perfection. Likewise, they have a delicious chocolate mousse that you must try, and they even end the meal with a complementary shot of rum, that we later learned at various restaurants was a customary ending to the meal instead of a chocolate or mint. Overall, I very highly recommend making reservations at La Terrasse during your Saint Martin stay and believe you will be glad you did.
Le Karibuni
Like Rainbow Café, Le Karibuni is a restaurant of the tropics. Located on Pinel Island (check out more about the island HERE!), Le Karibuni is a boutique hotel with a restaurant onsite that also serves straight to the beach. While we originally had reservations within the restaurant itself, we decided to have lunch served straight to our beach chairs that we had rented for the day. The pork rolls, mahi sandwich and cod fritters were all a wonderful delight and were even more appreciated in the ease of their delivery.
Ocean 82
Ranking as one of our favorite restaurants, Ocean 82 is a true gem. Set right on the water of Grand Case beach, Ocean 82 provides fine French elegance in every portion of their meal and service. Featuring oysters from the coasts of Normandy and fresh lobster, this restaurant, like many we experienced, takes immense pride and joy in all that they have to offer. I ordered the 24-hour roasted leg of lamb and truly, it just fell of the bone. It was most definitely the best lamb I have ever had and when paired with ultra-creamy mashed potatoes, became an extremely memorable meal. Similarly, as they had a spotlight on the water, we were able to watch the beautiful sight of a school of large tarpin swim along the beach. Regardless of the side of the island you are staying on, a visit to Ocean 82 will be worth it.
La Villa
Another fabulous option right down the street of Grand Case is La Villa. While not on the beach, it has large shutters that open onto the street to bring in the breeze and take in your surroundings. With stone floors and beamed ceilings, La Villa provides a lovely European aesthetic in the heart of Grand Case. Both Charlie and I had delicious meals and the sesame encrusted tuna with mango salsa that I got was just wonderful. Similarly, if you save room for dessert, they have fabulous ice cream and chocolate stuffed profiteroles that honestly, we ate too quickly to even get a picture!
Sunset Café
Located on the grounds of the Grand Case Beach Club, Sunset Café is most appropriately named. Set directly on the water, we saw a beautiful sunset during our meal which we thoroughly enjoyed. While I cannot speak to the desserts offered here, I can say that I had absolutely delicious vegetable fritters with a sweet chili sauce and a very nice stewed pork cheek with aged Rhum. If you are looking for a restaurant with a beautiful view of the water, this establishment certainly will meet the mark!
L’Auberge Gourmande
Lastly but certainly not least, we had the wonderful opportunity to visit L’Auberge. Like many of the restaurants we visited, L’Auberge had beautiful presentation of their cuisine, but also set the table with stunning China picturing their establishment. Similar to La Villa, L’Auberge is not set on the water, but has charming shutters that open onto a front terrace, large columns and beamed ceilings. Here, Charlie and I shared the best homemade lobster bisque I have ever tried, before experiencing their delicious dishes of scallops, shrimp and duck breast. Be sure to add them to your list if you are looking for great restaurants to try!
Final Thoughts
While trying new foods is not everyone’s cup of tea, it honestly was one of my favorite parts about Saint Martin. They have such a rich food scene with restaurants that are proud to serve you their best, beautifully plated dishes. If you are even slightly interested in trying them out, I would whole heartedly suggest you do. Cuisine in Saint Martin is a joy to experience, and if you are able to take a trip, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Happy taste testing!
Chloe
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