Visitors to the U.S. Virgin Islands will be pleasantly surprised by the variety of quality of dining options available on St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas.
Experienced worldwide travelers consider the U.S. Virgins a dining paradise, where days are spent basking under a golden sun and evenings are spent dining on sumptuous island delicacies prepared with an international flair. Restaurants throughout the USVI have developed a loyal following among travelers who have sampled the diverse mix of local and international cuisines served on all three islands.
Often the most difficult decision facing many vacationers in the USVI is choosing from among the islands' eclectic array of restaurants. "Fusion" cuisine, which combines the latest cooking trends from around the world and has become popular throughout the U.S., has found its place on menus at the more adventurous eateries. French, Mexican, Chinese, Pacific Rim and Italian add to the mix of foods available, and American favorites can also be found on most menus. Realizing visitors don't want to waste even a minute of the USVI's tropical weather and spectacular vistas, many restaurants embrace their surroundings by offering alfresco dining.
The term, "hotel restaurant," takes on new meanings in the USVI. Stiff competition among island accommodations has led to the creation of a medley of memorable hotel dining rooms. Many hotels lure skilled chefs from around the world into their kitchens, transforming their restaurants into destinations within themselves.
Ask any chef performing culinary magic in the USVI, and he or she will tell you that they've found paradise. The islands' year-round warm weather continually draws internationally trained chefs to their shores, creating a wealth of talent in commercial kitchens throughout the USVI. Locally grown ingredients, used for centuries by West Indians, Europeans and Africans who have all called the USVI home, dare chefs to accent their signature dishes with homegrown flavors. The results are often exquisite and certainly never dull.
As expected, many restaurant menus rely on the islands' surrounding waters to please their patron's palates. Wahoo, grouper, mani-mahi and other fresh fish are menu staples at restaurants ranging from casual "mom-and-pop" cafes to the latest eateries offering style and innovation. Long a local favorite, conch has found its way onto nearly all restaurant menus in some form or another. No visitor should leave the USVI without first sampling conch fritters, a batter-fried delicacy.
Vacationers can't say they've truly experienced island cuisine until they've sampled the West-Indian specialties prepared at "local" restaurants. Taxi drivers or any other USVI resident can easily recommend their favorites which might be a little out of the way but are well worth the search. Local cuisine derives much of its flavor from the USVI's West Indian and African cultures which have for years relied solely on Mother Nature for cooking ingredients. "Fungi," a cornmeal-based side dish, and "killaloo," a soup made from okra, spinach and fish, guarantee a taste of local flavor. Sweet-potato pudding, fried "johnnycake" bread, banana-like plantations and "old wife" fish are also popular with locals and vacationers.
Travelers spending only a week in the USVI shouldn't fret if they can't sample the entire cadre of spirited restaurants that populate the islands. Missing a few provides the perfect excuse for a return visit.
