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Restaurants are casual affairs indeed, ranging from glorified rum shops to hotel dining rooms. Most serve classic Caribbean fare, including such specialties as goat water (a thick stew of goat meat, tubers, and vegetables that seems to have been bubbling for days), saltfish cake (codfish fritters), home-brewed ginger beer, and freshly made juices from soursop, mango, blackberry (different from the North American species), guava, tamarind, papaya, and gooseberry.
What to Wear: Dress is informal even at dinner, though skimpy attire is frowned upon by the comparatively conservative islanders. Long pants are preferred, albeit not required, for men in the evening.
A welcoming, green-and-white building adorned with twinkling lights houses this restaurant—the place to eavesdrop on island gossip, as government functionaries file in for lunch (at least when day-trippers don't take over). In a trim room or on a breezy though viewless verandah, dine on old-time dishes like saltfish and Johnny cakes or more upscale specialties such as velvety pumpkin soup, honey-garlic salmon, and maple-glazed ribs.
Volcanic relics, old Montserrat Lime posters, a wild collection of hats, and local artwork (all for sale) adorn the space. In addition to luscious lattes, you can order yummy cinnamon rolls, apple tarts, ice cream, and more. A competitor is always available for a spirited game of chess, darts, or dominoes. Hours are irregular, so it's best to call ahead.
Picture windows overlook the handsome verandah and gardens—where tree frogs serenade—and etchings and period cabinets of mismatched china decorate the interior of this popular eatery, where five different rums power the knockout Olveston Rum Punch, and the animated chatter of locals, expats, and visitors generates its own potent buzz. Chef Sarah Sweeney creatively uses whatever ingredients are available to prepare fresh wahoo, garlic shrimp, or pork tenderloin. Her sublime sticky toffee pudding, luscious cheesecakes, and mango-ginger crumble are divine. Be sure to call ahead; tables are by reservation only.
Vivacious owners John and Marcia Punter literally hacked Montserrat's most elegant eatery from the rain forest, dressing it with a billowing, white tent as well as pergolas, palm fronds, potted plants, hardwood chairs, jade hurricane shutters, bronze candlesticks, and colorful Moroccan-inspired table settings. The menu (posted on a blackboard) changes daily, but always offers one red meat, one white meat, and one seafood entrée. Generally well-executed dishes lean more toward bistro fare (emphasizing beef entrecôte or goat cheese soufflé over such island staples as fish, though specials like oxtail ravioli happily marry both culinary traditions); the signature butterfly shrimp usually precedes entrées. Despite an erratic schedule (reconfirm reservations), hard-to-find location, and overly relaxed service, the ambience is appealingly serene and upscale.
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