13 minute read

DINE AND LIME

dine & lime

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One thing for sure is that in Anguilla there is something for every palate – authentic Caribbean, smoky finger-licking BBQ, the freshest seafood and local fish, as well as international favourites, flavoursome fusion and unique and enjoyable festivals where food is the main event.

for everyone ALL THE TIME at somethingstraw hat

BBELOVED BEACHFRONT RESTAURANT Straw

Hat serves delicious food or a cooling drink, morning, noon and night – from 7am to 9:30pm – seven days a week! The breakfast menu is extensive and includes all the favourites, like eggs and pancakes, healthy options and, of course, Straw Hat signature dishes like Johnny cakes with lobster benedict. Beach service starts as breakfast stops, and lunch boasts the widest selection of creative salad and sandwich choices on island (top sellers include home-cooked turkey club and a piquant tuna banh mi) all served with their famous fries.

Or snack on smaller plates, like fan favourites ahi tuna flatbread, or Caribbean conch fritters, all of which can be enjoyed in the cool and breezy restaurant or served to you on the beach. Need to eat after lunch but before dinner? Then grab something from their late afternoon menu. Owners Peter and Anne realised that this is arrival time for many guests, and they wanted to be able to give them a meal and cocktail straight away rather than make them wait until dinner time.

The bar is open all day and the cocktail list is impressive – all drinks are expertly mixed. Dinner starts at 6pm, and if you want to have a front row seat for the sunset – reserve! Dinner choices include classic dishes like simply grilled fresh local fish or lobster, and signature dishes like fragrant curried goat and a delicious pork chop with sweet potato mash and spicy, crispy onion rings.

And if this has got your mouth watering but you’re unable to get to the restaurant in person, give them a call – Straw Hat also do takeout and delivery, within dining hours!

date

night

Dining with the one you love, two romantic spots you shouldn’t miss.

CCAFÉ CELESTE AT Malliouhana, an Auberge Resort, is the perfect date night choice. This undeniably romantic restaurant is perched on the cliff side above Meads Bay and offers panoramic views along the length of the bay and out to the ocean. Come early for dinner and enjoy a sunset cocktail at Bar Soleil before. The menu showcases a mix of island and Mediterranean inspiration using the freshest seasonal produce and sea-to-table catch for signature dishes with local ingredients. With three-tiered dining levels, and water views from every table, Celeste is undeniably romantic.

Savour smoked wahoo pâté, slow-roasted eggplant with a rum glaze, coconut emulsion and lemongrass relish, curried conch and grilled octopus. If you are looking for a plate of food prepared with passion, then look no further than Ember. Chef Marc Alvarez’s wood-fired oven cuisine is mouth-watering, exciting and truly inventive.

Known as a ‘foodies’ restaurant, this attractive and welcoming eatery has an excellent wine list and an ever-evolving menu. Marc’s passion for what he does shows in every bite. Menus change seasonally. At the time of going to print, dishes included local arugula and charred pear salad, local whelks escargot, fresh fois gras terrine, ricotta gnocchi al forno, wood-roasted cauliflower shawarma, crispy skin suckling pig and wood-roasted crayfish scampi. Yum.

Also perfect for lovers is Julian’s A Tropical French Bistro at Quintessence Hotel. Locally inspired favourites, timeless French dishes and colourful vegetarian options from talented Chef Dominque are coupled with an extraordinary wine list and excellent service to make this a special dining experience.

Ember Julian’s A Tropical French Bistro

roadsideromance

Anguilla is known for its amazing beach and waterfront restaurants – but sometimes you’ve just got to go off the beaten track a little to those appealing-looking places you spot when you drive past.

TTASTY’S POINT OF View is just steps away from Chef Dale’s popular Tasty’s restaurant but offers a different but equally memorable and tasty experience. This chic new casual open-air bar and restaurant is quickly making a name for itself. Our POV? Tasty’s POV is the place to be for both a scrumptious casual dinner and the after party. Experience the authenticity of a roadside BBQ grill with a

POV twist. Comfortable seating, intricate wooden artwork, a stunning sunset view overlooking historic Sandy Ground, a great bar serving playful and delicious cocktails, themed nightly entertainment and a relaxed but ‘let’s-party’ vibe make for an amazing night out. Picante in Anguilla’s west end is a Caribbean taqueria, beloved by locals and tourists alike. This excellent and affordable eatery continues to win hearts with its speedy service, delicious food, delightful colourful interior, friendly staff and the best Margaritas on the island. Tipsy Turtle is a new, west end neighbourhood bar and restaurant with a fun late night, which, like Picante, is only steps away from the Four Seasons.

The casual roadside bar-restaurant is the creation of Jason, son of the famous Sandy Ground

Tasty's POV

Tipsy Turtle

Mirabelle's

grand dame Jackie Ripples, and he knows a thing or two about hospitality. It opened during the pandemic, built a solid following with locals and has now been discovered by our visitors.

Serving a wide selection of tasty food, there is something for everyone – fish lovers should try the mahi-mahi bites, local snapper ceviche or decadent coconut shrimp. Meat lovers rave about the towering Angus beef burger, steaks and succulent rack of lamb. Tipsy Turtle is open for lunch and dinner seven nights a week, serves food until late and has regular entertainment in the form of live music, DJs and Karaoke – just check their schedule.

Mirabelle's is a small eclectic, modern internationally food forward bar & restaurant set to breathe new life into historic Koal Keel - The Warden's Place. One of the island’s most beautiful buildings. Soak in Anguilla’s history and heritage as you enjoy locally infused cocktails, signature sushi, internationally flavored tapas and occasional musical entertainment.

late night lime

Looking for some after dinner action? The Lounge Sports Bar in the West End is where the locals play pool and lime until the early hours.

Delightfully delicious

What do people love about Remah’s Delights?

‘The variety of food and services I offer and the consistency quality.’ I will cater a beach picnic for two or a cocktail party for 100. I am a private villa chef but I also provide catering services so you can order what you want, pick up and reheat later. I even make my own desserts. I think that clients also find it useful that I have themed menus they can choose from if they want to.

What Anguillian/Caribbean delights do you offer?

Mainly dishes where the ingredients are always readily available, for example local eggplant or seafood. People love my curried conch with dumplings, steamed fish with coconut ginger cornmeal and my sweet onion and brown sugar BBQ sauce.

One thing you love to cook and make the most?

Passed hor d’oeurvres! I love the creativity involved and I guide their selections so there is something for everyone’s taste or dietary requirements.

fun fact

Karimah teaches culinary arts at the Anguilla Community College and also runs cookery camps for children.

Everyone loves

SANDY GROUND

This popular and picturesque village is a great place to explore. The village is called Sandy Ground, but the beach is called Road Bay and one of Anguilla’s great pleasures is to walk along the gently sloping sands, and check out the wide range of restaurants, bars, shopping, art and activities on offer.

Vincy

NNEW IN SANDY Ground is the delightful Vincy on the Beach which has taken over the space formerly occupied by Dad’s Restaurant. If you crave a menu rich in local food and fantasise about eating it seaside, then Vincy on the Beach is for you. Vincia – ‘Vincy’ Hughes – has over 35 years’ culinary experience working at many of Anguilla’s top resorts and restaurants. Anguillian delicacies like barbeque ribs and chicken, ‘stew’ curry goat or conch served with rice and peas, as well as plantain or grilled whole local snapper, lobster or crayfish (with a choice of sides) are joined by international dishes like pasta, salads, tacos and burgers. They’re open for lunch and dinner and there is a kid’s menu too – all served with an expansive beach and boat view.

Roy’s Bayside Grill is famous for its fish and chips – made from fresh island snapper – and its sand-between-your-toes vibe. A dedicated kids menu that includes sweet treats baked by Claire, and the restaurant’s proximity to the calmest beach in Anguilla mean that parents and their kids love Roy’s.

Roy's

Sandbar

Sandbar

Veya

Meze

ONE OF SANDY Ground’s most popular eateries, Sandbar, has changed owners. We miss Darren and Alicia, but the good news is that it’s been taken over by the experienced restaurateur team of Carrie and Jerry Bogar of Veya, who promise to hold onto some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, but deliver ‘Sandbar 3.0’. The beachfront spot has been lovingly refurbished and we adore the cool fresh look and feel.

Chef Carrie’s creative cuisine at Veya continues to delight and her experienced team offer the finest of dining and service experiences. Visit Meze downstairs for a more casual option. It serves small bites from Veya’s menu, as well as delicious kebabs and scrummy flatbreads. Musical entertainment is nightly.

fun fact

Carrie, alongside Chefs Marc Alvarez of Ember and Dale Carty of Tasty’s, are leading lights in the Anguilla Culinary Experience, an event which takes place annually in May.

aurora's

give you more to restaurants explore

There are so many dining options on offer at Aurora that in-house guests could easily never leave the extensive dual-location property.

WWE LOVE THAT their menus feature the freshest produce from their extensive hydroponic gardens. Dining at Aurora is a wonderful way to explore the extensive property and see for yourself the enticing new outlets and activities on offer – it really is a destination not to be missed.

The varied culinary offerings honour the gastronomic heritage of Anguilla by utilising the ingredients grown, caught and raised around the island and marrying them with culinary techniques from around the globe, including a hydroponic farm. Of the multiple restaurants and lounges, D Richard’s is the newest – and the island’s only steak house – serving freshly caught seafood and hand-crafted cocktails. This complements the other unique outlets and menus which include authentic Caribbean flavours, seafood-centric dishes and Italian fare with Anguillian twists.

relaxing island vibes

CCOCONUTS BEACH BAR at the Anguilla Great House has a devoted and loyal following of regulars who come for

Chelsea’s exceptional rum punch, a reasonably priced lunch menu that includes burgers, sandwiches, salads and pasta, served with a side of authentic and always laid-back Anguillian vibe. It is fair to say that if you are in a hurry, do not come here, but if you’re happy to while away hours jumping in the ocean and cooling out under the coconut grove with the locals, this place is for you. Fans of DJ Chu Chu

Benz should visit on Sunday.

Coconut's

Coconut's

Village Bakehouse

Garvey's Sunshine Shack

The Sunshine Shack is a top ‘must try’ spot to spend the day. Owner Garvey is a local celebrity, and his red, gold and green beach bar is famous for lip-smackingly good barbeque – smothered in his special sauce. Guests also love the attentive beach service and live music performances (check their schedule). And, after you have eaten and drunk your fill at Garvey’s, walk down the beach a little to Bankie Banx’s Dune Preserve for some more music and chill island vibes.

The Village Bakehouse is a brilliant place to people watch. Get there early to grab the best bread and decadent butter-laden pastries, or sit a while and enjoy their tasty breakfast and lunch plates.

Sitting at the bottom of the dock at Sandy Ground, perfectly positioned to grab a cold drink or a bite to eat after a day on one of our offshore cays is Johnno’s. The eponymous owner now concentrates on feeding day trippers to his famous restaurant on Prickly Pear island and his son Diction (sometimes known as Foo) is now in charge of things in Sandy Ground so keep your ears peeled for entertainment specials.

Beach bliss

Same names but different

beaches. If you are staying east come west. If you’re staying west go east! It’s a great way to experience another beach and explore our island.

Shoal Bay West

TTRATTORIA TRAMONTO ON

beautiful but relatively unknown Shoal Bay West offers a ‘taste of Italy’ in Anguilla. This beachy, chic eatery is open for lunch only – but what a lunch! Here is truly a place where you can spend the day. Owners Alan and Chantal

Piazzi like to say it’s a place that touches all the senses – delicious, authentic Italian food, stunning sea views, and aural delights from

Johnny & Alessandro at Trattoria Tramonto's beach bar

the famous TT playlists. Menu favourites include authentic Italian, home-made pastas, pizzas and panini sandwiches, delicious salads and their famous sautéed Branzino fillet.

This is truly a family-run restaurant too. Chantal’s father ran it as a rib shack back in the day, then she and her (Italian) husband returned from living in Milan and set it up in its current manifestation. And now, two of their three sons have joined the family business – Alessandro behind the bar, and Johnny servicing cold drinks with a warm smile on the beach.

Shoal Bay East

OOCEAN BEACH RESTAURANT at the pink and pretty Manoah Boutique Hotel on Shoal Bay East has one of the most enviable locations on the island. Step from the dining deck onto the white powder sands of Shoal Bay and walk back to your hotel under the stars with your loved one. This restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and if your idea of heaven is to dine with the sound of the waves a few feet away, this is the place for you. The dinner menu includes dishes like local fish soup with croutons and rouille, and half lobster salad with exotic fruits. Dine directly on the beach or enjoy the uncluttered open beach terrace – this is the ideal spot for watching an entrancing sunset and maybe even catching a glimpse of the famous but illusive green flash as the sun sinks into the horizon at sunset.