9 Best Restaurants in Rodney Bay and the North, Saint Lucia

For a special evening, head for this Cap Estate restaurant on the premises of BodyHoliday Saint Lucia resort. On a second-floor balcony at the edge of Cariblue Beach, you'll enjoy a pleasant breeze and a starry sky while you dine on fusion cuisine—mouthwatering Asian tastes with a Caribbean touch. The menu includes gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and Ayurvedic dishes for all diets. Fine wines accompany the meal, desserts are extravagant, and service is superb. Seating is limited and hotel guests have priority, so reserve early.

High on top of a cliff at the northern tip of Saint Lucia, the open-air dining room at Cap Maison welcomes diners to what executive chef Craig Jones calls "nouveau" French--West Indian cuisine. True, he incorporates local vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices with the best meats and fresh-caught seafood you'll find on the island; but the technique and presentation—and the service—lean more toward the French. Lucky Cap Maison guests who choose a meal plan get to dine here daily, but nonguests make up about 40% of the dinner clientele. Day or night, this is one of the loveliest dining venues on Saint Lucia. At lunch, the view on a clear day stretches to Martinique; in the evening, twinkling stars and waves crashing far below lend an air of romance. And the Friday night Maison Deli Dinner (wines, charcuterie, and artisanal cheeses) in Cellar Maison—which boasts more than 2,000 bottles—is quite special.

It’s not always easy to find a good thick steak outside of a major city—or perhaps Texas!—but Big Chef owners Marc and Rosie Joinville have been delivering mouthwatering steaks (and more) for more than a decade. Chef Rosie trained at Le Cordon Bleu London Culinary School, worked all over the world, and has run several restaurants in Saint Lucia, so she knows what she’s doing in the kitchen. Marc studied hotel management in Switzerland and knows a thing or two about service. You won’t be disappointed.

Opposite the Mystique St. Lucia and Reduit Beach, this dining spot is part of Rodney Bay's "restaurant central." After cool drinks and warm appetizers at the bar, diners make their way to the dining room or garden for some serious seafood or a good steak, spicy Moroccan-style lamb shanks, or simple chicken and chips. The seared yellowfin tuna, potato-crusted fish of the day, and fresh lobster (in season August–February) are big hits, too. 

If gut health has been on your mind don't miss It's Alive, St. Lucia's first and only vegan bakery and fermentary. Everything is made and fermented in-house, from the sourdough bread that holds together the BBQ tempeh and ginger sauerkraut of the bursting-with-flavor Biome sandwich, to the coconut yogurt, bottles of komboucha, and sourdough cookies. Seating is limited to a single outdoor picnic table, but it's a great option for a grab-and-go lunch.

The Corner boasts the best coffee in St. Lucia and is a great place to grab a latte or pastry and browse the elegant adjoining boutique. For something a bit more substantial, take a seat on the covered patio for all-day breakfast or Middle-Eastern-style tapas. Gluten-free and vegan dishes are often available, and the desserts are a worthwhile treat. 

The rather sophisticated beachside restaurant at Cap Maison is tucked into a cliff surrounding a crescent of sand at the northern tip of Saint Lucia. During the day, match a glass (or bottle) of excellent wine to fresh salad or perfectly cooked burger with shoestring fries while staring across the sea as far as Martinique. The atmosphere changes in the evening, when the surf gently laps the sand and candlelit lanterns grace the alfresco dining deck. The dinner menu is a little more substantial but still focuses on excellent seafood. Desserts are rich but mini, which you'll appreciate when negotiating the 92 steps back up to the road.

Poolside at the Coco Palm hotel, this alfresco bistro and bar attracts mostly hotel guests for breakfast but a wider clientele for lunch and dinner—and happy hour—especially when there's live entertainment. The dinner menu focuses on Caribbean favorites, and the BBQ is always fired up for rich smokey flavors. Lunch is a good bet if you're poking around Rodney Bay, need a break from Reduit Beach, or are just looking for a good meal in an attractive spot. For dessert, try the key lime pie or chocolate cake.