Posted December 5, 2007

Site owner Jeff Berger, in a rare moment away from his computer or St. Maarten's beaches & restaurants.

Important:

• No restaurant can get listed or recommended here by paying us, ever. If we like restaurants, they get listed. If we don't, they don't. If a restaurant slips in quality, off it goes. We list preferred restaurants here, not all restaurants (the island has about 400.) That has been our policy since 1995 when this site was launched.
• This page represents the personal opinions of its writers. Some other perfectly good restaurants may not be listed simply because we don't prefer them. We also do not normally bad-mouth restaurants; those that we don't like we usually don't mention at all.

Here goes:

Of all the tropical islands in the world, none is known for its culinary expertise like St. Maarten / St. Martin. The island is a magnet for innovative and creative chefs who offer world class quality, ambiance, and service.

There was a time when most of the island's most renowned restaurants were in Grand Case, on the northwest coast of French St. Martin. They are still there and they're as incredible as ever, but during the last several years they've been getting huge competition from the Dutch Side, particularly in the Cupecoy and Simpson Bay areas, and from Dawn Beach / Oyster Pond. In fact, some of the top chefs / restaurant owners from Grand Case now have  restaurants on the Dutch Side. You'll still want to have dinners in Grand Case, but plan to explore the Dutch Side restaurants as well. You will not be disappointed.

This page is undergoing continuous updates, so bookmark us and come back soon. You may find us dining at the next table -- so please say hi. And *ALWAYS* tell the restaurateur you read about them on our site.  This page was very heavily updated December 5, 2007.

Some restaurant owners have given us virtual coupons for you: print out the information on selected restaurants and you'll get something special with your dinner.

If you've never been to St. Maarten, prepare to get hungry. And, if you're thinking about getting engaged or married in St. Maarten, you'll be especially interested in our information about that, later in this section... Phone numbers are here as well.

This Restaurant Revue is mainly focused on places for great dinners, but dinners aren't all you'll have so let's look at breakfasts first... Get a map when you arrive or see our St. Maarten maps on this site; it will help.

Reservations: It is unfair to make reservations and not show up. If you can't go, please be considerate and cancel.

About your bill: In the Caribbean, it's considered bad manners for waitstaff to present a bill without being asked. When you're ready, ask; otherwise you'll just wait.

Service Charges usually are not tips. They are often shared by the whole staff. Tips are always appreciated by your server.

Note: August, September, and October are the quietest tourism months in St. Maarten/St. Martin. Some restaurants are closed for a few weeks at that time of year. Call for reservations and to be sure the restaurant is open when you visit; early evening is the best time to do this.

BREAKFASTS:

Our top choices for breakfasts:

Mr. Busby's Beach Bar on Dawn Beach in Oyster Pond, immediately next door to Oyster Bay Beach Resort, is our favorite place for breakfast on the entire island.  The daytime view, for breakfast and lunch, is spectacular. At dinner, the ambiance becomes more intimate and romantic, as Busby's morphs into "Daniel's By The Sea," the reincarnation of the "Da Livio" restaurant which owner Daniel Jurczenko ran for 10 years. Mr. Busby's serves breakfast and lunch, then at night, Daniel's serves truly fine dinners on the beach. In Fall, 2006, they won the Gault Millau Award as the island's best beach bar; they won it again in fall 2007. Make sure they're on your list for all three meals. Outstanding. (Their poached eggs are great at breakfast.)

At Ric's Place on the lagoon side of Airport Road just North of the Simpson Bay drawbridge you'll see what makes them so popular. Great food, friendly service, and lots to watch in the lagoon -- including the nearby super megayachts. Really delicious, filling breakfasts. Ric's popular website has their entire menus. Ric's has onsite parking, dining on both their lagoon-side terrace or indoors, and a dart room (bring your darts for tournaments). The island's only real Sports Bar, Ric's also has super Tex-Mex and a full American menu as well. If you're here at 9am or 530 pm, watch the megayachts glide through the channel from Simpson Bay to the lagoon, under the drawbridge. Some are over 300 feet long....

Turtle Pier near the airport has a large variety of breakfasts to choose from, and Turtle is conveniently located off Simpson Bay lagoon near the airport.  Ask for the "Shadow Special" at breakfast: fried egg and melted cheese atop grilled French bread, with lettuce and tomato.

La Veranda, outside at Pelican Resort near the Hollywood Casino, has fine breakfasts too plus a good view of Simpson Bay. Breakfast specials include French Toast made with thickly-sliced, home-made egg bread and topped with maple syrup or tropical fruit toppings; egg-white omelets; New York breakfast specials include "lox-eggs-and onions" and smoked salmon and bagels; and they have really luscious home-made sweet and savory crepes. They also offer WiFi for patrons.

The Kissing Fish Bar at Summit Resort overlooking the northern end of Simpson Bay Lagoon in Cupecoy not only offers fine breakfasts, but also has yet another spectacular view. Kissing Fish also has one of the friendliest little happy hours on the island.

Zee Best in Simpson Bay also has very good breakfasts.

But enough about breakfasts. SXM is a restaurant Mecca, and we're here to tell you LOTS about them. But first...

This Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance is Highly Recommended by this website:

Best Pizza. Pizza Pasta (much more below), at the end of the little road between Casino Royale and Cheri's in the Maho district, opens for lunch and dinner and is wonderful. They have fantastic Italian dinners and great prices. Domino's is quite good too; on Tuesday's you get a "two for" deal on bigger pizzas. Read on about Pizza Pasta. (Use free Valet Parking at Casino Royale. We suggest you avoid parking in nearby, dimly lit Mullet Bay.) The Blue Sapphire Cafe at Sapphire Resort also has great pizza at lunch.

Best Pastry. Go to either the "Where's Ivan?" Gelateria/Pastry Shop at the Simpson Bay Yacht Club or the little Sucriere pastry restaurant near FedEx in Simpson Bay or the bakery at Galerie Dupont, the supermarket just north of the drawbridge in Sandy Ground on the French Side, south of Marigot. Sucriere is a good place for French Bread, as is Galerie Dupont -- and Sucriere is less pricey. "Where's Ivan?" has luscious pastries and Italian Gelato and breakfasts/lunches. Yummy stuff. They're next to Scotia Bank in Simpson Bay where, incidentally, you can use your Bank of America ATM card without service charges to get cash. (Where's Ivan? has been sold; we can't vouch for the new owners, not yet anyway.)

Lunch & Dinner . . .

A LITTLE REPEATED ADVICE... PRINT THIS ENTIRE PAGE and take it with you to the restaurants we've recommended for some dining you'll never forget. And don't forget to use our DINING COUPONS.

Lunches are everywhere, like breakfasts . . .our favorites are:

• Mr. Busby's Beach Bar in Oyster Pond, Dutch Side; huge variety, fresh & delicious, responsive staff, amazing location (steps from the beach; beach chairs and umbrellas available right there.) Bring your camera.

• Ric's Place in Simpson Bay; full delicious American breakfasts & lunches, experienced staff

• Pizza Pasta in Maho

• Jack & Linda Parker's Peg Leg Pub in Simpson Bay at Three Palms Plaza opposite Sputter's Miniature Golf. PegLeg received a record four awards in 2006 for excellence by a vote of local patrons...it is quite the place for steaks and fish. Great stuff.

• On the French Side, try Baywatch near Club Orient on Orient Beach (more below). Note: The beach is clothing optional.

• Papagayo inside Club Orient at the southern end of Orient Beach has great lunches too. Clothing optional.

• Turtle Pier and La Veranda also have good lunches. 

About Dinner Reservations: Many SXM restaurants are small, only 8-10 tables, and some are smaller than that. Reservations are essential in high season and advisable in low season. If you can't go once you've made a reservation, please remember to cancel it -- you'll be doing the right thing and helping the restaurant accommodate others who CAN go.

FYI: Ristorante Laguna on Airport Road has closed. The building will become a car rental agency. Franco and Gianni are retiring. They had a long and very successful career and we wish them the best.

Save money on hotel reservations through our site:

If you're thinking about getting married in St. Maarten, check here. It's the best weddings in St. Maarten site.

La Gondola in the Atlantis Casino complex at Cupecoy Beach is a must for dinner. Grand Case is widely regarded as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean, but the Dutch side - - pointedly represented by some fine-dining restaurants at Atlantis - - is no culinary slouch either, as we told you at the top of this page.

Several years ago, La Gondola founder David Foini started manufacturing pasta in a little shop in Sandy Ground and soon found most of the island's better restaurants as his customers. Eventually he opened a tiny restaurant on the site, La Gondola, where he served his pasta and other excellent meals to a very loyal clientele.

La Gondola was soon turning away more would-be customers than accepting reservations from them, so David relocated his restaurant to far larger quarters in the Atlantis Casino complex. Until Fall 2004, he was still manufacturing pasta in Sandy Ground for top SXM restaurants, but now he makes it just for La Gondola.

This place is perfection.

The surroundings, service, and the selections at La Gondola are all fabulous; everything about this restaurant shouts "perfection". The atmosphere is quiet and refined. Early in his career David worked at La Samanna, the elite French Side resort, and that training shows in the quality of the food, its presentation, and their attentive but unobtrusive service. It's truly outstanding. No matter what you pick, you will be back. For dessert we chose either the nougat ice cream “made with crunchy caramel and almonds and served on raspberry sauce.” We also love their homemade banana, coconut, vanilla, and pistachio ice creams.

Wait till you try the food: From appetizers to main courses to all their incredibly decadent desserts, La Gondola does it right and we highly recommend them. Detailed reports on our several recent visits to La Gondola were in our weekly St. Maarten newsletters. For many details, go to the newsletter archives and search "Gondola". Check the newsletter archives here.

Trust us: La Gondola is one of the best. Reservations strongly recommended; call 545-3938. Valet parking year-round at the side entrance of Atlantis Casino.

Many of you may remember Da Livio in Philipsburg, run very capably for 10 years by Daniel Jurczenko. Daniel has now moved the entire Da Livio staff to Dawn Beach and has taken over Mr. Busby's Beach Bar. Result: a tremendous selection of breakfasts and lunches right on the beach all day . . . and a total metamorphosis of the very same Dawn beach restaurant at night to the new Daniel's By The Sea, where the same highly seasoned Da Livio staff provides impeccable service while offering you great steaks, seafood, and fine Italian dining in the Da Livio tradition.

Mr. Busby's / Daniel's By The Sea is just steps from the beach,
offer dining under the palms...

The Busby's / Daniel's menu is one of the most extensive on the island . . . steaks, seafood, fine Italian entrees, and great desserts for dinner. Meanwhile, you can get a full breakfast all morning, and a super lineup of lunches mid-day. Make it a point to go to Dawn beach and check out Mr. Busby's / Daniel's. You will not be disappointed.

Le Montmartre may be a challenge to pronounce but it is an exquisite Parisienne Bistro next to La Gondola at Atlantis Casino in Cupecoy, Dutch Side. Owned by Pascal and Karen of L'Auberge Gourmande and Sunset Cafe in Grand Case, Le Montmartre is artful French cooking with sizeable portions, and delightful flavors. We've tried most of the menu now and our favorite is the sea bass, which is just outstanding. Everything is scrupulously fresh and meticulously prepared and presented.

In addition to wide-ranging offerings of seafood and meats, Le Montmartre also offers a sizeable vegetarian menu. Watch out for the desserts: you should not miss them. Le Montmartre is an exceptional restaurant. They accept online reservations directly from their website.

Spiga is around the corner from Grand Case Beach Club and just off the far Northern end of Boulevard de Grand Case, French Side. Owned by Lara and Ciro; Lara is the daughter of Livio, founder and retired former owner of Da Livio on Front Street, P-Burg. Excellent culinary skills clearly run in her family and certainly in Ciro's.

Lara and Ciro's extensive culinary experience shows in their preparation. Spiga is fabulous -- in our opinion, one of the island's top three restaurants. Located in a newly rebuilt early 1900s creole-style building, Spiga has an extensive menu of elegantly prepared, delicious entrees.

Salads are all garden fresh. Try their Lobster Bisque. Our son-in-law, for many years a Southern California restaurateur, described it as "the best I've ever tasted." If you like beef, try their tenderloin. It's easily as good as the best Argentinean beef we've had, and the piece is big. The tenderness is amazing and very consistent. Their lobster ravioli is totally irresistible. My only problem is that I truly love all the main courses, which you'll see here. The salmon filet with angel hair pasta is scrumptious. Their website shows you all their exceptional entrees. Spiga is a must -- outstanding. Save room for dessert. Their phone: 011-590-590-52-47-83. Please say hello to Lara and Ciro for us.... Spiga is generally closed from mid-October until early November. The website reflects pricing in dollars, but do ask about the exchange rate; you do best paying cash at most Grand Case restaurants. At this writing it's one-to-one, Euros to dollars, when you pay by cash...quite a deal.

L'Alabama in Grand Case has closed though their site is up. Subscribe to St. Maarten Weekly News for updates.

Ric's Place American Cafe & Sports Bar, on the lagoon side of Airport Road just North (going toward the airport) of the Simpson Bay drawbridge, is another long-time favorite of ours. You can relax on their patio and soak up the serenity of the lagoon while you sip their libations or enjoy their fabulous Tex-Mex and traditional American food.

Ric's menu has been expanded. All the old favorites are still around, but now there's an even wider selection of Tex-Mex specialties, more luscious desserts, and of course plenty of the gringo food you're used to. The new menu is posted on Ric's website, along with tons of SCUBA pictures -- former owner Ric Hetzel, who founded the place, is an avid diver and underwater photographer.

Ric's was bought by long-time customers the Lopez family from California during Summer, 2004, and they have retained friendly, welcoming flavor of the place.

The "new" Ric's opened late in the winter of 2001 after moving from Front Street in Philipsburg. Complete details of the location including inside and outside pictures and all the menus (breakfast, lunch, dinner) are on the Ric's Place website.

The new Ric's is triple the size of their old downtown restaurant, has loads of free off-street parking (unusual for Simpson Bay restaurants), and a dart room (bring your darts -- there are tournaments), but two things are the same -- great service and consistently excellent Tex-Mex and non-Tex-Mex food.

Ric's actually serves a wide assortment of fare which everybody will love, even if you're not a Tex-Mex fan. Ric's serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, all inexpensive, delicious, and filling. Their beefburger (Certified Black Angus beef) has been declared "the best in the Caribbean" by The New York Times; it’s juicy and excellent. Their great selection of Tex-Mex specialties includes really tasty nachos and lots of other traditional favorites.

This place rocks during Super Bowl, Final Four, playoffs of any description, etc. Watch your favorite team on any of their many wide-screen TVs! Drink a few beers come Superbowl Sunday, and you could get free giveaways!) Ric's has a great selection of beers from the world over, too.

Again, visit Ric's website. Don't forget the coupon below when you go. They're close to all the Simpson Bay and Maho area hotels and timeshares, and close to Isle de Sol -- so you can see all the super megayachts right from their terrace. (Updated 2/4/06.) Ric contributed SCUBA photos for our "Butterflies, Beasts, and Beneath" screensaver. Learn more about it here.

JEFF BERGER'S SXM WEBSITE DINING COUPON FOR RIC's PLACE

If you're tired of rich foods and pricey restaurants, brings this EXCLUSIVE coupon with you to Ric's Place and trade it in for one FREE Miller Lite, soft drink, juice, or iced tea with lunch or dinner. Ric's specializes in Tex-Mex cuisine and big, luscious American "Best in The Caribbean" burgers and other sandwiches and salads. Plus, you can enjoy your favorite team on a bunch of large-screen satellite TVs! (Limit, one coupon per person per week). --Tamara (updated 2/2006)

Stone, an entirely new little restaurant next door to Subway in Simpson Bay, is very small but a diamond in the rough. Watch this place grow in popularity. Seafood, meat, and vegetarian entrees are cooked and presented on stone -- in a non-smoking dining room. In February 2007 we had salmon and yellowfin tuna entrees and have already scheduled return visits. Casual. Great, responsive and friendly staff. Website coming early in 2008.

Taloula Mango's Caribbean Cafe on the boardwalk in downtown Philipsburg is a must stop, either when you're shopping in town around lunchtime or for a great dinner right on the beach. Philipsburg has undergone a renaissance in the last few years and the St. Rose "Arcade" (not an arcade at all in the U. S. sense) is a prime reason why. Taloula's is a beautiful piece of entirely new, innovative architecture, and is the prime tenant in the "arcade" along with a variety of small shops. It's near the center of town, convenient to shoppers, not far from center-of-town public parking, and is also a natural stop for cruise passengers.

Taloula Mango's offers sandwiches, seafood, beef, and pasta, and has recently increased their fine vegetarian entrees. They also have great drinks -- definitely put it high on your list. Frequently Taloula's has live entertainment. Say hi to Norman and Su for us.

For something a bit different, check out Baywatch on Orient Beach near Pedro's and Club Orient. Baywatch is the latest bar/restaurant from Andy, who ran a hugely successful steak house in New Jersey many years ago. Evidently you can come as you are -- pictures are on the 'net of clothing optional sunbathers who stop by (but it doesn't happen too often, so don't let that stop you).

The sandwiches are great here. The place is festooned with all kinds of New Jersey memorabilia, since Andy & Cheryl hail from there. We'll be adding several restaurant pictures soon.

Andy formerly owned Surf Club South in Grand Case, which was named one of the ten best bars in the world by Newsweek International until a hurricane blew it away. Andy's place on Orient is thriving. Call 011-590590-29-50-40. Say hi to Andy and Cheryl for us!

Also on Orient Beach check out BIKINI BEACH: There are many other bar/restaurants on Orient. Our favorite is Bikini Beach. Check it out at www.bikinibeach.net. Elisa Cohen manages nearby Palm Court Hotel, a perfect and very reasonably priced place to stay if you want to be on or near Orient. See it on our Reservations page.

There are many other fine restaurants on this island. You should try Don Camillo and Wajang Doll (Indonesian), to name a couple. The Rijstaffel (if I spelled that right) is said to be exceptional at Wajang Doll, which is next to Three Palms Plaza in Simpson Bay / Welfare Road.

More restaurant reports are about to be added . . . La Rosa, Le Montmartre, Blue Sapphire Cafe, La Marine, La California, and more. Many more restaurants are below, too, so please read on.

Much more restaurant info is below, but first please read this message. . . .

A smallish, unpretentious restaurant, Pizza Pasta fills up early. Owners Ilde and Dario Figarolo have moved to St. Kitts and turned the reins over to their daughter Selena, who is doing an extraordinary job. The atmosphere is a bit quieter, the place is spotless, attractive art is now on the walls where kids drawings were, and service is fast and food is plentiful and piping hot, as it should be. It's a must.

On every visit we go to Pizza Pasta five or six times, and it never fails to satisfy.

We tend to choose both Melanzane Parmigiani, Eggplant Parm (we opted for the vegetarian sauce), and Spaghetti Bolognese, spaghetti with meatballs, which is so delightful it reminded me of "Carrie" Fargnoli, a friend of my parents who, when I was a kid, made her own pasta (long before it was chic) and the most delicious meatballs.... We also love Pizza Pasta's Chicken & Eggplant Parmigiani. The salads, soups, and of course the incredible, melt-in-your-mouth thin-crust pizza are all top-notch -- the best on the island. Prices are very reasonable here, too.

Make reservations, come early or wait - but the wait is worth it. Make SURE you put Pizza Pasta Trattoria next to Casino Royale in Maho on your list. Phone: 011-599-545-4034. Mention Jeff Berger's SXM website! (Updated 2/5/2007.)

Located in Simpson Bay in the same plaza as Dominos about 1/2 mile from Cole Hill, PegLeg Pub & Steakhouse isn't what you think it is. It doesn't really have a pirate theme. It's more a British pub atmosphere with lots of nautical features, but what will strike you is the shelves of books here, like a library where you can eat, drink, play darts, watch TV, and generally take it easy.

Jack and Linda Parker took over PegLeg a few years ago and turned it into a great restaurant; come in and tell them we sent you. They quickly became the most popular St. Maarten steak house, with fine aged American beef that many visitors claim is the best anywhere. Their swordfish is moist and delicious, too. Try the fish and chips -- made with mahi-mahi, by the way - you don't get THAT in New England. Use our coupon: The sandwiches are also big and sweet. Parking on site. Highly recommended....

The new operators of Turtle Pier have changed the entire staff, but the menu is as good as ever. We still come by on some Lobster Nights (Wednesdays); try the coconut shrimp. Service has been very laid back in recent months...so just relax and enjoy.

Wines...Vinissimo on the French side (Marigot) is the best. In fact they're doing so well they've just opened in St. Barts and Anguilla. Buy yourself some GOOD wine and mention us. PRINT THIS PAGE, BRING IT WITH YOU, and you'll get a free wine tasting AND a 10% discount off your purchases.

One of the liveliest spots on the island is Cheri's Cafe in the Maho district. Cheri's has sandwiches at both lunch and dinner and a large menu of traditional dinner selections. There's nightly entertainment and dancing into the wee hours. If you just want to sit at the bar, slowly sip on a Pina Colada, and people-watch, nobody will hassle you here.

• SUPER LOW-COST AIRFARES: We monitor airfares to St. Maarten every day from more than 100 cities in the U. S., Canada, and Europe, and whenever we hear about good airfare sales --scheduled or charter-- we send JMB Website Supporters members Airfare Bulletins with all the details, so they can get the travel dates and seats they want. Sometimes we unearth exceptionally low fares, after a lot of digging -- like about $200 for Winter round-trips to SXM from several U. S. cities, and other low fares from many cities coast-to-coast. Low airfares alone are worth the price of subscribing!

LOTS MORE BENEFITS:

• MORE THAN TWO DOZEN SOURCES OF LOW AIRFARES: Sometimes there aren't any low "sale" airfares. No matter. There are other ways to make sure you fly for less than most other people. We now show you more than TWO DOZEN different sources of low airfares!

• WHOLESALE AIRFARES: Our wholesaler will reserve your seat but you won't pay for it until a few weeks before your flight. That way, if lower fares become available, she can lock them in for you without you having to pay any "change fee."

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More restaurant info....

Roundup of St. Martin / St. Maarten Restaurant Websites

Here's a quick list of several websites we did for SXM Restaurants and other businesses of note. If YOUR business could use a website, see http://www.websitesthatwork.info and contact us. (JMB Communications is Massachusetts-based and most of our clients are in the US.) For many more examples of our business websites, click here. Mention Jeff Berger's St. Maarten Website when you visit these and other restaurants mentioned on this page.

More Restaurants....

Johnny B Under de Tree – Famous "under the tree" restaurant perhaps 100 yards north (toward Marigot) of the Cay Hill road intersection in Cole Bay. Tender baby back ribs grilled for crispiness, great chicken, traditional beans and rice sides. Give it a shot! You won't forget it! Local fresh-grilled lobsters too! (This is what they call a lolo, but "Johnny" is a world-class chef. He just happens to be located under a gigantic tree.)

Poulet d'Orleans is that near legendary chicken place on the road from the Dutch side to Orient. It's on a hill with a chicken out front. Find it during the day. It's in a small creole house; eat on the porch or inside. Chicken is served with BBQ, peanut, or creole sauce. If you're not a chicken person there's a full menu, plus good coffee. This was recently featured on cable's Food Network.

Get Married or Renew Your Vows in St. Maarten!

Restaurants of Grand Case

Here are phone numbers of many Grand Case restaurants. If you're calling any of these places from the U. S., you must first dial 011-590590-, then the numbers shown. (We published the card.)

Card Copyright ©, Associated Restaurants of Grand Case. Reprinted with permission.

Don't forget the nightly street vendors (LOLOs) in both Grand Case (Talk of the Town) and Marigot. They'll grill lobster and chicken over an open flame for you... Treat yourself to it at least once. The most famous of the lolos is Johnny B's Under de Tree, in Cole Bay, on the Dutch side, discussed above. Johnny was a five-star hotel chef until he decided one day to do his own thing.

You'd need a good couple of weeks at least to sample some of the best Grand Case restaurants: La California, Le Pressoir, Le Tastevin, Le Fish Pot, and Il Nettuno are all very fine restaurants. Check our archives here for 2006 reviews of La California (which is outstanding). 

For more restaurant revues, subscribe to our free weekly St. Maarten newsletter from the link on the top of this page or the top of the home page of www.everythingstmaarten.com.

Updated December 5, 2007 (c)