ST. MARTIN ISLAND RESTAURANTS

Elegant and Pricey $$$$

La Samana - 87 6400 : La Samanna Hotel in an elegant atmosphere overlooking Baie Longue. Innovative French creations and extensive wine list - very $$$$

La Santal - 87 5348: in Sandy Ground before you reach the bridge to Marigot. Located on the beach, this restaurant is probably one of the finest and very $$$$

My Favorite Grand Case Restaurants $$$

Fishpot - 87 5088 Le Tastevin - 87 5545 L'Escapade - 87 7504 La Marine - 87 0231 (all on water)

Le Pressior - 87 7662 L' Auberge Gourmande - 87 7337 L'Hibiscus - 29 1791 Bistro Caraibes - 29 0829 Le Cottage - 29 0330 (although not on water, these restaurants serve excellent food!) It is really tough to find a "not so good restaurant" in Grand Case but the ones above are my favorites and right on the Boulevard Grand Case.

Spiga - 52 4783 - a nice Italian restaurant in a restored Creole home near The L'Esplanade Hotel - on street with same name as Hotel.

Near Grand Case is a Restaurant called Sol e Luna - 29 0856 - Wonderful cuisine is served in a beautiful, romantic atmosphere with excellent service. $$$

Sunset Café - a great place for lunch in Grand Case. Right on the beach, but not the busy, tourist rush of Orient Beach Restaurants. Also open for dinner. $$$ For those lovers Indian food we have Bamboo Brasserie $ - $$ on Grand Case Blvd.

Le Pressoir - Experience both contemporary and classic award-winning creative French cuisine as you enjoy the serenity of dining in the peaceful ambiance.http://www.lepressoir-sxm.com

California - another nice, casual restaurant on the water - Grand Case Blvd.

Marigot Restaurants

Mario's Bistro - 87 0636 at the bridge in Marigot. A favorite with tourists, who return year after year to enjoy this wonderful Contemporary French Cuisine. Reservations in advance are required. $$$

Don Camillo - 87 5288 very nice Italian Restaurant - Marina Port La Royale $$$

Le Chanteclair - 87 9460 on Marina for dinner. Has been on Great Chefs TV show $$$

Tropicana - 87 7907 open for lunch and dinner on Marina, nice food, service $$ - $$$

La Vie en Rose - 87 5442 - lunch on the sidewalk café. Dinner in dining room $$$

Bar de La Mer - by harbor, inside or outside casual dining for lunch or dinner $$ -$$$

O Plongeoir- 87 94 71 - by new harbor, casual dining for lunch and dinner, very good $$

The Brasseries are a fun place to go for lunch or a light dinner. The ones on the Marina are my favorites: La Belle Epoque, La Brasserie de la Gare, Le Main a la Pate and Le St. Germain.

La Cigale - 87 9023 - a wonderful, small restaurant in Nettle Bay serving delicious French cuisine with a family ambiance in a lovely paradise atmosphere filled with coconut palms and facing Simpson Bay Lagoon.

Layla's Beach Bar and Restaurant - 51 0093 - A great little restaurant on the beach in Nettle Baie, about 5 minutes from villa in Lowlands. Great place for lunch and during season they serve dinner one night a week.

Baie Oriental Beach Restaurants

There are quite a few restaurants located on Orient Beach. The best of the bunch are Kon Tiki, Bikini, Coco and Kakao Beach. People go to Orient Beach for the day, rent chairs and umbrellas and have lunch at the restaurant where you are renting the chairs. This is a topless, bathing suit optional beach. The nude beach is all the way down but sometimes they stroll up and down the beach - and usually they are not the body beautiful types!!

Dutch side Restaurants

Temptation - (599) 545-2254 - Atlantis Casino Complex - Sophisticated and Elegant! Nouveau Caribbean Fine Dining Restaurant with Piano Bar. Fantastic! I feel this is the best on the island! Reservations required $$$

La Rosa Too - (599) 545-3470 - located at Maho Shopping center. Excellent Italian food with great service and a very nice atmosphere $$$.

Le Gondola - (599) 545-3938 - Another nice Italian Restaurant with home made pasta located at Atlantis Casino Complex. $$

Le Montmartre - (599) 545- 3939 - Atlantis Casino Complex - Fine French Cuisine $$

Saratoga - (599) 544-2421 - Simpson Bay Yacht Club - described by Frommer's as "the most creative cutting edge restaurant on the island" has earned a great reputation over the past 12 years $$$

There are some nice casual restaurants that serve lunch and dinner on the Dutch side. In Simpson Bay there is a cute place called Topper's that has really nice lunches and casual dinners. $

Lee's Roadside Grill is a real popular spot with the tourists. Live music nightly. Very casual - island cooking with fresh fish and lobster that Lee's Deep Sea Fishing caught that very day!! $ - $$

Peg Leg Pub - Peg Leg Pub, Steakhouse, Seafood Emporium, Tapas Bar, Dessert Bar, and All Around Good-Time Place-To-Be. Located at Princess Port de Plaisance Resort and Casino off the Union Road between Cole Bay, St. Maarten, and Marigot, St. Martin. Peg Leg Website

Pizza Galley - 557-7416 - Located near Bridge in Simpson Bay. Great Pizza, Pasta and Salads. And if you have room, the homemade desserts are wonderful, too! That's Amore! www.pizzagalley.com.

Pineapple Pete's - Open for lunch or dinner - good food, reasonable prices in Simpson Bay. $ - $$.

Top Carrot - Plaza de Largo, Simpson Bay Yacht Club - Health food restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. Excellent daily specials and Fruit Smoothies.

Karakter - a whole new kind of beach club, located on one of the most beautiful beaches of St. Maarten, the mile-long, Simpson Bay Beach. www.karakterbeach.com.

Bel Mar Grill - For fine dining with a special St. Maarten touch right here on Billy Folly Road in Simpson Bay, opposite Atrium Resort and Kim Sha Beach. www.belmarrestaurant-sxm.com.

IZI Italian Pasta Lounge - Absolutely intoxicating flavors and aromas of rich, delectable toppings blended with fresh homemade pasta and accompaniments.www.iziitalianpastalounge.com/

Restaurant List was revised June 2010. We have been to every restaurant on the list.