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With the exception of the grown-on-the-island greens, which you can find in salads at a wide variety of local restaurants, and an occasional catch of local fish, almost all the food served here is imported from the mainland. This means that you may find prices on restaurant menus and supermarket shelves on the high side, since the shipping costs are passed along to the consumer.
During the summer, call ahead to confirm restaurant hours; some restaurants close for a month or so.
Visiting this alfresco family-owned eatery requires climbing a long flight of stairs, but the food is well worth the effort. Although fish is the specialty, try the coconut panko-crusted grouper topped with a white wine, coconut, and lemongrass reduction—the chef also creates a vegetarian platter with black beans, fried plantains, and a mound of truffled mashed sweet potatoes.
Creative takes on true classics coupled with artfully presented plates draw crowds to this Mediterranean-inspired restaurant at Caneel Bay. The four-course menu starts with a selection of artisan-made antipasti, then moves to salads like the mango, feta, and prosciutto--topped frisee, followed by entrées such as butter-soft diver scallops with crabmeat or classic osso buco with a Caribbean twist of crispy plantains. Make sure to order the signature cheesecake with ricotta and prosecco-glazed peaches. Table service takes two to three hours from start to finish and is warmed by the setting sun. If four courses seems excessive, you can order from the à la carte bar menu.
