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By Julian Putley
Just as the BVI has a diverse assortment of islands and beaches, so it also has a fine selection of restaurants and eateries. From simple fare to gourmet, from spicy island style to sumptuous continental fusion, there is a choice to suit everyone. As the famous architect and designer Frank Lloyd Wright once said, "Dining is and always was a great artistic opportunity.” And many culinary artisans, from both home and away, have seized that opportunity.
It is the very diversity in cultures and ethnic origins coupled with a marine environment in tropical latitudes that lend themselves to wonderful culinary possibilities.
Not only that, but the availability of ingredients from the Caribbean region provides chefs with unlimited possibilities. To visitors from northern climes, some of these may seem unusual. Indigenous herbs and spices include ginger root, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, nutmeg and mace, to name a few. Locally grown tropical fruits and vegetables include papaya, plantain, okra, squash, breadfruit, avocado, christophene, mango and coconut. “Ground provisions” (tubers) are also quite different; some examples are the tannia, dasheen, sweet potato, eddo and yam. Add to these the shellfish conch, whelk and rock lobster; tropical fish like snapper, trigger fish and grouper; and pelagic fish including wahoo, mahi-mahi, tuna and swordfish and you have a natural larder to keep the most demanding chef happy.
The visitor to the BVI should not be put off by unusual names. Bull foot soup, pig trotters, goat water, pig tail, roti and fungi may not sound appetizing to some; but the adventurous diner’s taste buds will be pleasantly surprised. Goat water is a rich stew of goat meat and dumplings, green papaya, breadfruit and a thick gravy flavoured with cloves and other herbs and spices. Fish and fungi is a local favourite in the BVI: The fungi is a cornmeal mash flavoured with butter and often served with boiled, pan-fried or salted fish. These Caribbean dishes have their roots in the slave days of yesteryear. The roti has its origins in the southern Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago and mainland Guyana, where Indians migrated after Emancipation. The most important part of the roti is the chapati, or Indian flatbread. This soft and unleavened bread is filled with one of a variety of lightly spiced curries: chicken, beef, goat, vegetarian or seafood. Accompanying chutneys and kuchelas enhance this dish and make it a sought-after meal by both locals and visitors alike. A description of local fare would not be complete without a look at the popular barbecue. The barbecue has its origins in the Caribbean; in fact, the very word itself comes from a pre-Columbian indigenous word meaning “to cook over an open fire.” Jerk chicken and jerk pork is a style of barbecue introduced from Jamaica where the meat is rubbed with a spicy concoction before being roasted over an open grill, adding a special smoky flavour. The BVI is an archipelago of some 60 islands, islets and cays, and so fish, shellfish and crustaceans feature heavily on menus. The grilled, buttery lobster of Anegada is now so popular that the natural resource is in danger and the conservation department has declared a moratorium on them for three months — August, September, and October — so enjoy one whilst you can!
More and more visitors to the BVI are amongst the well heeled, and creative restaurateurs have stepped up to meet the demand. Fine dining in charming locations is now available territory wide. If lobster thermidor, rack of lamb or roast duck is on your wish list, you won’t be disappointed.
Tortola
Bananakeet Café: High on the hill overlooking Carrot Bay and Jost Van Dyke lies the Bananakeet Café. Here you can dine poolside overlooking a fabulous panoramic view that encompasses Jost Van Dyke, St. Thomas and Tortola’s West End, which is especially captivating at sunset. For dinner try the seafood jamboree (mussels, scallops and shrimp) with a tomato and basil sauce or herb-encrusted rack of lamb. A famous island troubadour entertains on some nights.
Brandywine Bay: This popular gourmet restaurant is now under new management by a former French executive chef of Relais & Chateaux fame. French and Caribbean fusion are the new hallmarks of the previous Italian restaurant. Specialities include Burgundy snails with garlic butter; assiette du pêcheur, a mélange of shrimps, fish, baby clams and scallops; grilled Angus beef with a sauce of reduced port wine accompanied by black trumpet mushrooms. For dessert a sushi of fruit and lime sorbet with chocolate sauce might appeal. A large and diverse wine list is available.
Brisanis: At the western end of Road Town, in the grounds of the Prospect Reef Hotel, you’ll find Brisanis. This popular eatery features, in its own words, “International Cuisine with a Caribbean Flava.” There are burgers, wraps and rotis available at lunch, plus specials, plated entrees, pizzas and hot sandwiches. Enjoy their prime rib dinner special every Wednesday with live music and dancing. On Saturdays check out the Caribbean Showcase.
Capriccio di Mare: Capriccio di Mare, meaning “Whimsy of the Sea,” is right across from the Ferry Dock, a rubbernecker’s paradise. Tostinis, crostinis, pastas, salads and pizzas are some of the daily offerings; or simply enjoy an early tiramisu with an espresso.
Dorothy’s Emporium: This eatery on Main Street is best suited to those wishing to grab a quick breakfast, snack or sandwich. Some local items are included on the menu: coconut bread, jerk chicken and bush tea. Hot sandwiches can be served as panini, roll-ups, wraps or baguettes.
The Dove: A really fine gourmet meal is a pleasure all visitors should award themselves at least once on their holiday. The Dove in Road Town is housed in a charming West Indian cottage, and the ambience is warm and cosy. The popular restaurant is famous for its champagne happy hours. It has a recent addition called The Bar Fly, which bills itself as a “Cocktail and Appetizer Lounge.” The restaurant specialises in French/Asian fusion cuisine and is consistently good. Typical menu items are: moules marinières (steamed mussels with white wine, cream, garlic and parsley); king prawns in a Thai curry sauce; five pepper steak; and halibut with hollandaise sauce. You could end a sumptuous meal with passion fruit soufflé, three-flavour crème brûlée or chocolate mousse.
Le Grand Café: As the name suggests, there’s a French influence here. In fact, the restaurant is the old and highly successful La Cabanon restaurant located in central Road Town near the ferry dock. Long renowned for its good lunches at reasonable prices, it features delicious dishes such as croque-monsieur, beef carpaccio, Niçoise salad and country pâté with salad. Duck confit, pepper steak and tuna dishes are available in the evening. Music and dancing can be enjoyed on weekends after dinner.
The Jolly Roger Inn: Named after the happiest pirate of them all, The Jolly Roger Inn is a famous West End eatery, pub and party venue. During the in-season, there are live blues bands most weekends; and the dancing heats up after dinner. This pub has a reputation for its jerk prime rib, fish and chips and a Sunday morning special: bagels, lox and cream cheese. Sailors can tie their dinghies alongside.
Maria’s by the Sea: Road Town’s central hotel is Maria’s by the Sea, and their restaurant, overlooking Road Harbour, is elegant and breezy. A covered open-air deck/lounge is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail and appetizer whilst awaiting your steak, fresh fish dish or pasta special.
Myett’s Garden Inn and Grille: Myett’s is located on Tortola’s most famous sandy strip and has long been an island favourite with its garden setting and lively happy hour with live entertainment. It is nestled waterside at Cane Garden Bay under lofty palms. Lunch favourites include burgers, fish, and chicken wings and chips. Dinner specials include steak, fresh fish and ribs direct from the grill. The sunset over the yachts and Jost Van Dyke is spectacular.
Nature’s Way: Nature’s Way, by the roundabout, specialises in wholesome and healthy food and is the perfect place to pick up a to-go lunch for an island picnic or day excursion. They make fresh salads daily, homemade veggie pizzas and plantain lasagne. Or, try a bowl of their pumpkin soup or tofu. Their Caribbean fruit smoothies like Banana Blast, Papaya in Paradise or a Strawberry Twist are very popular; drink now or order a take-out cup.
Red Rock Restaurant: This popular restaurant at Penn’s Landing Marina has earned an excellent reputation in a short period of time. The ambience is intimate, warm and friendly; and the menu offers exquisite dishes different from the run-of-the-mill. How about seared tuna sashimi for a starter followed by rosemary-crusted halibut or crispy mango prawns? This intimate little eatery is also renowned for its homemade pizzas and other tasty dishes and daily specials.
The Road Town Bakery: At the Road Town Bakery, a short walk down Main Street, seating is street-side under shade umbrellas; and all manner of pastries, pies, Cuban sandwiches, hot paninis, soups and salads are available. Enjoy one of many coffees on offer or grab an ice-cold fruit drink, then sit back and watch the world go by.
Village Cay Marina: The premier marina in Road Town is Village Cay Marina, where large expensive yachts tie up. Overlooking the action is the restaurant once made famous by Jimmy Buffett who arrived here for his “Cheeseburger in Paradise” back in the 1970s. Now an extensive a-la-carte menu is available for both lunch and dinner — or a popular deli has scrumptious choices for lunch.
The Virgin Queen: For those wishing to relax in air-conditioned comfort and enjoy a good lunch, the Virgin Queen serves local dishes and is famous for its award-winning pizzas. It’s in the heart of Road Town with ample parking and is open for dinner, too; their quick take-out service is a huge success.
Virgin Gorda
Biras Creek: Biras Creek Resort with views overlooking both the North Sound and the Caribbean Sea to the south. The property has the distinction of being a Relais & Chateaux hotel, of which there are only 480 worldwide. The designation is only awarded by those establishments that can meet the “five C” criteria: caractère, courtoisie, calme, charme et cuisine (character, courtesy, calm, charm and cuisine). Exceptional cuisine is the hallmark of the Biras Creek hotel.
The Restaurant at Leverick Bay: The Restaurant at Leverick Bay is known for its fine cuisine and offers such delicacies as Japanese Kobe beef tartare, roast rack of New Zealand lamb with mint sauce and Anegada lobster thermidor. The second-floor restaurant with its panoramic view and cool breezes overlooks Virgin Gorda’s North Sound.
The Village Café and Restaurant: Close to Spanish Town is the Olde Yard Village hotel, a condominium community. The restaurant, the Village Café, features such delights as beef fillet tartare with quail egg, capers, parsley and shallots; wild coho salmon with callaloo sauce; and filet of grouper in a white wine sauce. The restaurant is set in tropical gardens adjacent to the pool, perfect for a leisurely lunch or dinner.
The Heritage Inn
Windy Hill, Carrot Bay, Tortola
Tel: 494-5842; 877-831-7230
Fax: 495-4100
E-mail: info@heritageinnbvi.com
Web: www.heritageinnbvi.com
The higher you get... the better the view! Guests here will delight in an Inn-timate experience. Our nine suites boast the “Best BVI Sunsets,” in addition to A/C, TV and private balconies. Enjoy poolside dining at the sensational Bananakeet Café. Windy Hill is located between Cane Garden and Carrot Bay. Peaceful, friendly, quiet and clean!
The Jolly Roger Inn
Heartbeat of the West End
Soper’s Hole, Tortola
Tel: 495-4559
Fax: 495-4184
E-mail: louis@candwbvi.net
Web: www.jollyrogerbvi.com
This casual waterside Caribbean Restaurant/Inn offers creative Caribbean, Pan-Asian and innovative Italian cuisine. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, along with live music and award-winning barbecue on the weekends. Home to the West End Yacht Club.
Maria's By the Sea
Road Town, Tortola
Tel: 494-2595
Fax: 494-2420
E-mail: mariasbythesea@surfbvi.com
Web: www.mariasbythesea.com
This central waterfront location offers spacious air-conditioned, Internet-ready rooms with wet bars. Vacationers and business travellers will appreciate the on-site car rental agency. Cool off in the pool or dine at Maria’s Restaurant overlooking the Sir Francis Drake Channel.
Myett's Garden Inn and Grille
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
Tel: 495-9649
Fax: 495-9579
E-mail: myettent@surfbvi.com
Web: www.myettent.com
Dine among tropical gardens on the beach, with spectacular sunsets served daily along with happy hour, lunch and dinner. Live entertainment most evenings. Unique gift shop, ATM, Internet services and charming air-conditioned hotel rooms available.
The Virgin Queen Restaurant & Pub
Flemming Street, Road Town, Tortola
Tel: 494-2310
Fax: 494-4618
E-mail: compassrose@surfbvi.com
A casual meeting place in the heart of Road Town, The Virgin Queen Restaurant & Pub is renowned for its West Indian and Continental cuisine. Moderately priced with generous portions, all items are prepared fresh daily. Enjoy award-winning speciality pizzas using only hand-rolled dough and baked to your personal preference.
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Just as the BVI has a diverse assortment of islands and beaches, so it also has a fine selection of restaurants and eateries. From simple fare to gourmet, from spicy island style to sumptuous continental fusion, there is a choice to suit everyone. As the famous architect and designer Frank Lloyd Wright once said, "Dining is and always was a great artistic opportunity.” And many culinary artisans, from both home and away, have seized that opportunity. 
Not only that, but the availability of ingredients from the Caribbean region provides chefs with unlimited possibilities. To visitors from northern climes, some of these may seem unusual. Indigenous herbs and spices include ginger root, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, nutmeg and mace, to name a few. Locally grown tropical fruits and vegetables include papaya, plantain, okra, squash, breadfruit, avocado, christophene, mango and coconut. “Ground provisions” (tubers) are also quite different; some examples are the tannia, dasheen, sweet potato, eddo and yam. Add to these the shellfish conch, whelk and rock lobster; tropical fish like snapper, trigger fish and grouper; and pelagic fish including wahoo, mahi-mahi, tuna and swordfish and you have a natural larder to keep the most demanding chef happy.
The visitor to the BVI should not be put off by unusual names. Bull foot soup, pig trotters, goat water, pig tail, roti and fungi may not sound appetizing to some; but the adventurous diner’s taste buds will be pleasantly surprised. Goat water is a rich stew of goat meat and dumplings, green papaya, breadfruit and a thick gravy flavoured with cloves and other herbs and spices. Fish and fungi is a local favourite in the BVI: The fungi is a cornmeal mash flavoured with butter and often served with boiled, pan-fried or salted fish. These Caribbean dishes have their roots in the slave days of yesteryear. The roti has its origins in the southern Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago and mainland Guyana, where Indians migrated after Emancipation. The most important part of the roti is the chapati, or Indian flatbread. This soft and unleavened bread is filled with one of a variety of lightly spiced curries: chicken, beef, goat, vegetarian or seafood. Accompanying chutneys and kuchelas enhance this dish and make it a sought-after meal by both locals and visitors alike. A description of local fare would not be complete without a look at the popular barbecue. The barbecue has its origins in the Caribbean; in fact, the very word itself comes from a pre-Columbian indigenous word meaning “to cook over an open fire.” Jerk chicken and jerk pork is a style of barbecue introduced from Jamaica where the meat is rubbed with a spicy concoction before being roasted over an open grill, adding a special smoky flavour. The BVI is an archipelago of some 60 islands, islets and cays, and so fish, shellfish and crustaceans feature heavily on menus. The grilled, buttery lobster of Anegada is now so popular that the natural resource is in danger and the conservation department has declared a moratorium on them for three months — August, September, and October — so enjoy one whilst you can! 
Tortola 
Brisanis: At the western end of Road Town, in the grounds of the Prospect Reef Hotel, you’ll find Brisanis. This popular eatery features, in its own words, “International Cuisine with a Caribbean Flava.” There are burgers, wraps and rotis available at lunch, plus specials, plated entrees, pizzas and hot sandwiches. Enjoy their prime rib dinner special every Wednesday with live music and dancing. On Saturdays check out the Caribbean Showcase.
The Dove: A really fine gourmet meal is a pleasure all visitors should award themselves at least once on their holiday. The Dove in Road Town is housed in a charming West Indian cottage, and the ambience is warm and cosy. The popular restaurant is famous for its champagne happy hours. It has a recent addition called The Bar Fly, which bills itself as a “Cocktail and Appetizer Lounge.” The restaurant specialises in French/Asian fusion cuisine and is consistently good. Typical menu items are: moules marinières (steamed mussels with white wine, cream, garlic and parsley); king prawns in a Thai curry sauce; five pepper steak; and halibut with hollandaise sauce. You could end a sumptuous meal with passion fruit soufflé, three-flavour crème brûlée or chocolate mousse.
Le Grand Café: As the name suggests, there’s a French influence here. In fact, the restaurant is the old and highly successful La Cabanon restaurant located in central Road Town near the ferry dock. Long renowned for its good lunches at reasonable prices, it features delicious dishes such as croque-monsieur, beef carpaccio, Niçoise salad and country pâté with salad. Duck confit, pepper steak and tuna dishes are available in the evening. Music and dancing can be enjoyed on weekends after dinner.
Myett’s Garden Inn and Grille: Myett’s is located on Tortola’s most famous sandy strip and has long been an island favourite with its garden setting and lively happy hour with live entertainment. It is nestled waterside at Cane Garden Bay under lofty palms. Lunch favourites include burgers, fish, and chicken wings and chips. Dinner specials include steak, fresh fish and ribs direct from the grill. The sunset over the yachts and Jost Van Dyke is spectacular.
Red Rock Restaurant: This popular restaurant at Penn’s Landing Marina has earned an excellent reputation in a short period of time. The ambience is intimate, warm and friendly; and the menu offers exquisite dishes different from the run-of-the-mill. How about seared tuna sashimi for a starter followed by rosemary-crusted halibut or crispy mango prawns? This intimate little eatery is also renowned for its homemade pizzas and other tasty dishes and daily specials. 
Village Cay Marina: The premier marina in Road Town is Village Cay Marina, where large expensive yachts tie up. Overlooking the action is the restaurant once made famous by Jimmy Buffett who arrived here for his “Cheeseburger in Paradise” back in the 1970s. Now an extensive a-la-carte menu is available for both lunch and dinner — or a popular deli has scrumptious choices for lunch.
Biras Creek: Biras Creek Resort with views overlooking both the North Sound and the Caribbean Sea to the south. The property has the distinction of being a Relais & Chateaux hotel, of which there are only 480 worldwide. The designation is only awarded by those establishments that can meet the “five C” criteria: caractère, courtoisie, calme, charme et cuisine (character, courtesy, calm, charm and cuisine). Exceptional cuisine is the hallmark of the Biras Creek hotel.
The Heritage Inn
Maria's By the Sea
The Virgin Queen Restaurant & Pub 