Stay in Antigua - A Guide to Eating Out
By : Michelle Payne-GaleWhen eating out in Antigua, you'll find menus and choices to suit everyones tastes and desires. You'll also find something to suit all budgets.
This is Stay-in-Antigua's mini-guide to our favourite
restaurants and eateries on this beautiful Caribbean island.
Restaurants and eateries in Antigua offer a wide range of
cuisine to suit most people. Those located in tourist areas or
hotels offer mainly European, American and fusion options, with
a few local and traditional dishes thrown in for good measure.
Dishes are largely made from local ingredients.
As with all of the Caribbean islands, seafood choices are
plentiful, Antigua being renowned for its Red Snapper,
Lobster and Mahi-Mahi.
Outside resorts and tourist areas, restaurants are generally
low-key and laid back. Service is friendly, but can be
exceedingly slow. On the upside, you'll have lots of time to
sample island life and mingle with the charming locals while
awaiting your meal.
Although variety is somewhat limited for vegetarians, the
choices are growing and most menus will carry one or two
vegetarian dishes, made from ingredients such as Okra,
Breadfruit and Pumpkin. It is advisable to
ring ahead, or even drop in at your chosen eatery to check out
the vegetarian options.
If you happen to be staying in a hotel or resort and want to try something
totally different, why not ask the hotel staff where you can go to
sample some local 'Ital dishes' - the traditional fare of the
Rastafarians. Ital food is natural and vital, and very
delicious. It is free from chemicals and contains no animal
products. Ital dishes can contain rice, peas and beans,
vegetables, sweet potatoes, coconut milk, soups, cabbage,
cornmeal, pumpkin, cinnamon, bananas, okra and a multitude of
other natural ingredients. They are perfect for vegetarians and
vegans.
Most restaurants in Antigua open for lunch from noon, with
dinner menus becoming available from 6pm-7pm. Some resturans may not open as they operate on how busy they are, so do keep this in mind. It is
advisable to make reservations at restaurants, up to 2 days in
advance.
In restaurants, you should tip between 10% - 15%. Service
charges are not included on your bill.
Here is Stay in Antigua's personal recommendations for places to
eat in Antigua.
Vyviens - The Blue Waters Hotel
For a wide choice of Caribbean and International dishes, try
Vyviens restaurant, upstairs in the Blue Waters Hotel, St Johns.
Offering an al a Carte menu, and some of the friendliest staff
we've met, Vyvien's offers a truly wonderful evening. The décor is
nautical, with ship brassware, model ships and nautical
equipment adorning the walls and ceiling, elegantly illuminated.
You will also be treated to the chilled out tones of a live jazz
band and singer, playing by the pool. You absolutely
must try the lobster!
The Home Restaurant
Described as the 'Best Restaurant in Antigua' by BBC TV, Home
restaurant, owned and run by Chef Carl Thomas and his wife Rita
is on Gambles Terrace in St Johns. The restaurant has been
converted from chef carls childhood home, and serves traditional
West Indian dishes, made from fresh, local ingredients.
Excellent choices are the Fish Cakes with Papaya-Pimiento Sauce
as an appetiser, and the Snapper filet Stuffed with Crab Meat
served with Lobster Sauce.
Calypso Restaurant - Amaryllis Hotel
The Calypso Restaurant, located within the Amaryllis Hotel,
offers open air dining in picturesque gardens, serving breakfast,
lunch and dinner. Calypso offers some of the best you'll find in
traditional and contemporary Antiguan cuisine, as well as
international dishes.
The Calypso Restaurant has received recommendations by the New
York Times, Conde Nast, and also featured on the US's BET
channel.
Sticky Wicket - Stanford Cricket Ground
The Sticky Wicket embraces and exemplifies the Caribbean passion
for cricket. You'll find yourself surrounded in memorabilia from
years of cricket tradition, history and sportsmanship, in this
most excellent example of sports bars. Located at the attractive
Stanford Cricket Ground, just across from the V.C. Bird
International airport, Sticky Wicket offers barbecue, burgers,
combos, seafood, sandwiches and pasta among its wide menu
selection. Try the Beamer Crispy Jerked Wings with Antigua's own
'Susie's Hot Sauce', and the Batsman's Paradise Barbecue Brisket
Sandwich. Sticky Wicket is a warm and friendly place to eat, whether you're
a cricket enthusiast, a lover of hearty dishes or simply waiting
for your flight.
Pizzas in Paradise - Redcliffe Quay
Located in an old 18th Century rum warehouse in Redcliffe Quay,
and popular with tourists, Pizzas in Paradise offers a wide
variety of pizzas made from the freshest ingredients. As well as
pizzas, diners can choose from sub sandwiches, fresh salads,
fruit crushes and cocktails. Diners can choose from eating
indoors with views of the traditional wood beams, archways and
photo-portraits of musicians, or enjoying your meal on the terrace with
the breeze off the nearby harbour. Thursday nights offer live
entertainment and sports enthusiasts can enjoy the bar's massive satellite TV screen all week.
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I hope that our mini review has whetted your appetite. If you
visit Antigua, do indulge in some of the wonderful dishes that
the island has to offer. And don't just restrict yourself to
your hotel's restaurant - try some of the island's
local restaurants to add a little home-grown spice and
excitement to your dining experience.
Bon appetit, mon!
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About the author:
Michelle Payne-Gale is one of the partners behind 'Stay In Antigua', an online travel and tourist guide to the Caribbean island of Antigua. To find out more, visit http://www.stay-in-antigua.com.
