30 Best Restaurants in New Providence and Paradise Islands, Bahamas

You're greeted with a welcoming "Opa!" at this family-owned authentic Greek spot where they serve up tasty lunches at moderate prices. Sit on the second floor among Grecian statuary or on the balcony overlooking the action below. Enjoy souvlaki, moussaka, or a hearty Greek gyro, a break from the Nassau culinary routine, in a relaxed and friendly establishment. Be sure to save room for one of their authentic Greek desserts. The baklava cheesecake is divine. Dinner is an option only if you eat very early; they close at 5 pm.

Three generations of Bahamian women treat patrons as if they were guests in their own home. And the Bahamian food whipped up in the kitchen is as close to homemade as you can get in a restaurant. This simple locale is bustling with local professionals during the week and has also become a popular spot for cruise-ship passengers. Grandmother Mena swears their conch fritters are the "conchiest" you'll find. Takeout-only breakfast is served Monday through Saturday, while lunch is both sit-down and take-out the same days.

The original restaurant, which was made famous in the 1965 James Bond film Thunderball, has long been bulldozed, but with the help of renowned international chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and New York designer Adam Tihany, this resurrected classic remains one of the hottest tables at Atlantis. Nestled in the center of Marina Village on Paradise Island, Café Martinique is the height of sophistication in design, service, and cuisine. The decor includes a wrought-iron birdcage elevator and a mahogany staircase; a grand piano helps create a refined experience. The classic French menu offers simple, beloved dishes made spectacular thanks to the highest-quality ingredients and Chef Jean-George's influence. The five-course chef's tasting menu is a special culinary treat.

Low-slung settees, stucco arches, and reproductions of the eponymous artist's works set a casual and refined tone at this restaurant owned by a husband-and-wife team. He's Bahamian, she's northern Italian, and the fare perfectly blends the two cultures. Sit in the ground-floor garden under large white umbrellas or dine inside the century-old house for lunch or dinner. Start with the warm Parmesan terrine, then dive into freshly made pasta or risotto with prawns, or the filet drizzled with a mouth watering green peppercorn sauce. Be sure to save room for dessert and the delicious handmade cookies that come with coffee.

This Italian restaurant is a great place to go with a small group. Appetizers, entrées, and desserts come in extra-large portions meant to feed a crowd and are served family-style, so the prices can be more affordable (by Paradise Island standards, at least) than they seem at first, especially if you share among several people. The waiters can help you figure out how many dishes you should order without overdoing it. Whatever you choose, save room for dessert—the chocolate cake and ice cream concoction called the "Titanic" requires all hands on deck.

This hidden gem is worth a visit even if you are not staying at the Comfort Suites; the casual and family-friendly, alfresco restaurant has enticing menus. The lunch menu is available whenever the restaurant is open and offers a variety of sandwiches, wraps, and salads as well as delectable desserts. Their guava brioche bread pudding is something you must try. For dinner, there is something for everyone if you're looking for a more substantial meal. It's a great spot for seafood, but they also offer a variety of meat, chicken, and vegetarian dishes.

Feast on Jean-Georges Vongerichten's intricately prepared dishes while overlooking Cabbage Beach at the renowned Four Seasons Ocean Club. Go for breakfast or lunch for the most (relatively) reasonable prices. For breakfast, try the eggs Benedict or traditional Bahamian boiled fish. For dinner, share a Black Plate appetizer sampler featuring everything from crab spring rolls to chicken samosas to start, then end with one of their signature sweet treats like the delicious banana cake topped with caramelized banana slices or the decadent Dune Sundae: rice pudding ice cream, caramelized Rice Krispies and chocolate fudge. It's a great place to unwind amid ocean breezes.

Follow the plume of smoke wafting onto Shirley Street to find this roadside spot with some of the best jerk chicken, pork, and slow-grilled ribs around. It's open Friday and Saturday for takeout only; meals come with a fresh baked roll as well as pasta salad or corn on the cob or cajun fries. At $14 for chicken or pork and $16 for ribs, you can't find a better deal. Their native macaroni and cheese is worth the $3 upgrade. They also serve fried fish.

Celebrity chef and philanthropist José Andrés has added his name and global reputation to the restaurant offerings on Paradise Island. As you would expect from the name, seafood takes center stage on this restaurant's mouthwatering menu. Conch is served in all the traditional Bahamian ways, but with Chef Andrés' unique twist. Three tasting menus ranging from 7 to 13 courses give you a chance to taste it all. Offerings for non–seafood lovers are limited, though the various steaks are sourced from the top spots around the world and cooked to perfection.

A meal at this hillside mansion's formal restaurant begins in the elegant parlor, where drinks are served over the sounds of a live piano. It's a rarefied world, where waiters wear tuxedos and Cuban cigars and cognac are served after dinner. Graycliff's signature dishes include Kobe beef, Kurobuta pork, and Nassau grouper. The wine cellar contains more than 200,000 bottles that have been hand-picked by owner Enrico Garzaroli, some running into the tens of thousands of dollars. There are plenty of less expensive bottles, but you'll find the markup on better vintages to be much less than what you'd find in a big-city restaurant almost anywhere in the world. You can even buy the world's oldest bottle of wine, a German vintage 1727, for $200,000. Mere mortals can settle for the weekday wine luncheons. For an extra-special dining experience, you can book the wine cellar's private dining room.

Part of the Jimmy Buffet Margaritaville Beach Resort complex, this steakhouse hits all the right marks when it comes to food, drinks, ambience, and service. Dine indoors or outside overlooking Nassau Harbour and the resort marina. To start, seafood lovers can't go wrong with the seafood tower to share from the raw bar or the fried oysters. The steak tartare and classic French onion soup are also hits. Try the lobster-stuffed ravioli or one of the many steaks cooked to perfection and topped with your choice of sauce. Sides are sharing size. Happy hour at the bar is from 6 to 9:30, Tuesday through Saturday, with a specialty sushi menu in addition to drink specials.

For the best views of Nassau Harbour, dine at this quaint bar and restaurant. As you watch the cruise ships pulling in and out of the nearby port, you can sip on a frozen margarita and enjoy some of the best ceviche around.

You no longer have to venture over the bridge to get a bowl of authentic conch salad—this takeout shack in Marina Village makes conch salad to order. Pull up a bar stool and watch the dizzying display of knife skills it takes to make this local delicacy. Wash it down with a local beer or a sweet daiquiri.

Sushi connoisseurs, celebrities, and tourists pack this Atlantis restaurant night after night. The rock shrimp tempura, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño, and miso-glazed black cod are Nobu favorites, but this restaurant also takes advantage of fresh Bahamian seafood—try the lobster shiitake salad or the Nobu-style crack conch. The central dining room is surrounded by a Japanese pagoda, and guests seated at a long, communal sushi bar can watch chefs work.

Nothing beats ice cream to cool off after a hot day on the beach or by the pool. This local ice-cream shop serving unique Bahamian flavors is located in the heart of The Coral lobby in Atlantis and often has a long line, but it's worth the wait. Bahamian chef Wayne Moncur has whipped up frozen culinary delights like soursop, guava, and sugar banana using native fruits and a mint chocolate chip using locally crafted Mortimer Candies. This is also a great spot to grab a quick and simple breakfast pastry and coffee.

This intimate spot is usually packed with locals who reside on the eastern end of the island; be sure to call ahead to book a table. Dine surrounded by bottles of wine and, on some nights, live acoustic guitar. There's also an outdoor terrace. Choose from a variety of small plates: sweet-heat conch bites, BBQ pulled-pork poutine, and the grilled lobster crostini. There's also a selection of flatbreads, burgers, pasta dishes, and hearty meat and seafood entrees.

Nestled in the middle of the International Arcade linking Bay Street and the wharf is this lively bar and restaurant serving up tasty appetizers and meals. Try the traditional Bahamian cracked conch or conch balls. If you're particularly hungry, order the gigantic burrito or Godzilla Burger. Wash it all down with something from the extensive drinks menu, and don't forget to sign your name on the wall before you leave. Kids are welcome, but the menu isn't the most kid-friendly.

This funky little spot puts a unique Asian street-food twist on the guava duff, a traditional Bahamian dessert. Fluffy, handmade steamed bao buns filled with sticky sweet fillings like guava or caramelized coconut and smothered with traditional sauce are a must try, but they also serve savory bao buns filled with island flavors like jerk chicken, curried mutton, and ginger pork. Wash it down with a traditional bush tea, choosing your preferred level of sweetness. While you wait, check out the tiny museum display with interesting artifacts from The Family Islands of old.

This unassuming bar and grill is a consistent Paradise Island favorite with locals and savvy visitors. Their menu is a simple but tasty mix of standard American basics like burgers, pizza, sandwiches, and salads as well as Bahamian classics like curry chicken and conch fritters. Breakfast is strictly American style. The small al fresco bar and restaurant can get quite lively on weekends when the nightly karaoke gives way to professional live music.

Dine inside or on the wraparound porches of a two-story traditional wooden Bahamian home. The menu is small, but there are lots of classic dishes to choose from, including golden beet and tomato salad with feta and goat cheese, or the loaded grilled short-rib grilled cheese sandwich. Enjoy a fancy cocktail or a bottle of French wine from an impressive drinks menu, and finish up with the white chocolate guava bread pudding or Bahamian chocolate rum cake.

This lively, casual spot is one of the most affordable places for breakfast, lunch, or dinner this side of Nassau Harbour, but that doesn't mean it's cheap. The baby back ribs with a homemade barbecue sauce are among the most popular on this Bahamian and American fare menu. The extensive menu (60-plus items to choose from) includes seafood pasta, grouper and salmon, steaks, burgers, ribs, and salads. 

At this restaurant, an outpost of the wildly popular Casa d'Angelo chain in south Florida, chef Angelo Elia brings his famous Tuscan-style cuisine to Paradise. The antipasti display whets the appetite for succulent seafood, hearty pasta dishes, and prime cuts of beef. The dessert pastries are delectable.

In a converted old Bahamian home, this is one of the most popular Chinese restaurants in town. The Chinese–continental menu includes entrées such as conch with black-bean sauce, hung shew (walnut chicken), and steak kew (cubed prime fillet served with baby corn, snow peas, water chestnuts, and vegetables). The New York strip steak is nirvana. A short taxi ride from Paradise Island or downtown Nassau, this is the perfect spot if you're seeking something a little different from the typical area restaurants.

Tucked away in a courtyard off a busy street, you'll find this restaurant, bar, and art gallery all wrapped up in one. The gallery is housed in the 1840 back house—all that remains of an old Bahamian estate. Once you've had a look at the local art inside, take a seat at one of the long communal picnic tables in the courtyard and order a classic Bahamian cocktail like a Bahama Mama or Goombay Smash from the wooden shack bar or try one of their specialty cocktails infused with local flavors. Be sure to ask the bartender to explain the names of the drinks. The food is simple but delicious—wings, conch fritters, burgers, tacos, and nachos.

Book one of Latitudes' teppanyaki tables for a delicious and entertaining dining experience. The chefs will cook your choice of a variety of meats and seafood on the hot grill as you look on in awe. Five different kitchens churn out a number of different cuisines to order. You can choose from pizza (try the meatball with basil cream), Alfredo shrimp, sushi, or ramen. There's also a steakhouse where you can indulge in 32 ounces of premium rib eye or porterhouse. The restaurant offers sweeping views of picturesque Nassau Harbour.

Todd English has paired up with Atlantis to give his signature Mediterranean style a taste of the Caribbean. Pick the fish you want to see on your plate or satisfy your meat craving with a steak or double cut pork chop. Situated right inside the lively Atlantis Casino, Olives is one of the few places to grab a late-night bite—the kitchen is open with a limited menu of their flavorful flatbreads and other staples until the wee hours of the night.

One of Nassau's hot spots, this simple restaurant has an extensive menu, including traditional rolls, sushi, and sashimi, as well as more innovative options that incorporate conch and other local delicacies. The volcano roll topped with their special conch sauce is a favorite. There are enough non-seafood options on the menu to satisfy anyone in your group. Friday and Saturday nights are really busy, and they do not accept reservations, so be prepared to wait for a table.

You may have a hard time picking your drink from the extensive menu of frozen concoctions at this upstairs spot. The Sneaky Tiki, with seven types of rum, is a favorite, as are the Sharkeez Volcano (which is set ablaze) and the Nassau Iced Tea, a twist on the "Long Island" traditional. Sit indoors or enjoy the fresh air and a fantastic harbor view on the long wraparound balcony with some basic American and Bahamian bar food. Finish up with guava duff for dessert. No matter what your sport, this is a good spot to catch your team in action on one of 10 big-screen TVs.

This famed Harbour Island staple has relocated to Marina Village on Paradise Island. Enjoy a variety of light bites featuring local ingredients, such as black bean hummus, conch chili nachos, or the delicious lobster quesadilla. There's also a salad menu as well as a few burgers and a grouper reuben. By the way, "sip sip" is the local term for gossip. 

One of the only restaurants on the far eastern end of the island, this cool spot is situated within a high-end gated community. The two-story, chic island-style building gets a cool ocean breeze from the beach just outside, and there's a bar situated poolside. The fish tacos are a favorite, or for something more hearty, try a beef or lamb burger piled high with toppings or the whole roasted snapper.