Here’s a few more good eats on St. Croix, USVI. This past month, we couldn’t help ourselves from trying a some new spots in St. Croix and wanted to visit a few of my favorites too. The last time I was on the island, I made a vlog about Where to Eat on St. Croix AND got quite a bit of feedback, which is GREAT! I loved how many people knew the places I had mentioned and recommended a few for me to try. I listen to my community, so we just had to try them out.
In today’s blog, I also highlight a few that I wanted to check in on. Since COVID, many of my small Mom & Pop restaurants haven’t made it through and it has been a bit heartbreaking. My desire to make sure they were still going strong and were able to bounce back and hang in there took over, so here’s an update on those too. I’m also mentioning a restaurant that is coming to St. Croix that you’ll have to read to the end to find out!
Jon and I stayed in Frederiksted, this time while visiting at Sand Castle on the Beach if you missed my blog from last week here it is. We love staying with Chris & Ted here and relaxing on the best beach and sunsets on the island. Plus, it’s adults only. Major bonus. So I will begin with their place first.
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Good Eats #1 – Beachside Cafe, Sand Castle on the Beach
Their al fresco restaurant and menu is light and airy and has an array of island favorites and options to choose from. The Brunch is very popular on the weekends and I definitely recommend making reservations if you plan to attend.
Their menu can be found online right HERE and you will LOVE the views. Open patio seating to an amazing beach. The staff is friendly and professional and will happily share the daily specials. The Bar has the talented Ms. KT who serves up a mean NEW ORLEANS-STYLE SPICY BLOODY MARY that comes with a bacon-side garnish, practically a meal. HA! Perfect for brunch and pair with your pancakes or breakfast bowl.
Maybe you will decide to join them for dinner, the menu has a bit of diversity there too with Creole Shrimp or Mahi or Crispy Thai Chili Chicken. We also loved the Parmesan dusted brussel sprouts too.
My big treat EVERY TIME I come is the Pineapple Glazed Rum Cake made locally and fresh it is the epitome of Island flavors that are truly gooey deliciousness.
Good Eats #2 – Savant
This restaurant caught my eye because it was recommended by a viewer from my YouTube Channel. I try to listen-up. Always learning… especially about where to EAT! This foodie will take all recommendations.
Savant is located in Christiansted and has made a bit of notoriety because of it’s unique and different setting as well as the scrumptious food. WOW! It did not disappoint. Locals told us that the President visited also during his time here in January. I was interested in the menu and the ambiance.
Parking is in the back, be sure not to drive past it, the entrance is just on the other side of the front door. However, if you park in back, you will want to enter in the back. Half jungley-feeling with a green cover foliage canopy and half castle ruins there is definitely a super cool feeling that is a WOW factor.
We made reservations really easy just by giving them a ring, their reservations number is on their website. They are only open for dinner, so if you are visiting the island and not for long, I would recommend making your reservation post-haste.
Savant is a truly a romantic special dining experience. We enjoyed our dinner in the courtyard. Even though it was a bit warmer in August, I could imagine it is quite lovely the rest of the year. Candlelit tables with an artistic flare it really brought in an elegant island feel to our evening.
The Menu at Savant
The menu is extraordinary. They have daily fish specials (and work with local fisherman and farmers) and we were recommended to try the local WAHOO if it was available, it was delicious. They offer a few curry’s, coconut rice, duck and lamb just to mention of few items. The service was impeccable and professional as well. Definitely a keeper and a must-visit.
Check out my VLOG! More Good Eats in St. Croix, USVI
Good Eats #3 – AMA at Cane Bay
More good eats on St. Croix, USVI include Ama at Cane Bay has an incredible location and setting as well. Having dinner here is such a special treat. Oceanfront seating that skirt along the cliffs as the waves come rushing in at sunset. This breathtaking view was all-island.
Ama is an environmentally responsible sustainable seafood restaurant. Their menu changes according to availability in the ocean and on land. Trusting the island to let them know what is best in season and fresh.
Ama is another restaurant where dinner reservations are required. You can make reservations through their website or OpenTableApp it was very easy to make. The restaurant opens at 5 p.m. and is closed Sundays and Mondays.
ALSO, if you would like front row seating to the crashing waves, be sure you request this in your reservation. Jon and I were thrilled to be on the upper level.
The wine list is extensive and I was thrilled to see so many different selections. Some came from Germany and New Zealand. I tried the Kim Crawford Rose from New Zealand and I am really starting to love the wines from New Zealand for summer, cool and crisp and dry. YUM! However, for my meal, I tried a California Martinelli Chardonnay which is so NOT me, but it went really well with my Crispy Pan Seared Salmon. EJ or server was correct! It balanced everything out.
Good Eats #4 CI BO NÉ
Ci Bo Né is located in Frederiksted and within walking distance of Sand Castle on the Beach. Ci Bo Ne was a great seafood restaurant that has indoor and outdoor seating. I didn’t get a great photo of their menu. It was a QR code menu, you can find that through their Facebook page too. It has a simple design and decor, with fresh lime trees in the courtyard.
The locals recommended this fresh restaurant new to the West End of St. Croix. The menu was simple but good and fresh. Also a farm-to-table concept, and we had the snapper, crab cakes and pan seared scallops. Everything was very tasty.
We weren’t able to make reservations, but we did call ahead. Greeted with a hello and smiles and the service was professional and courteous. For an authentic island feel specific to St. Croix, I recommend Ci Bo Né.
Good Eats #5 BrewSTX
Next, right on the harbor along the promenade in Christiansted is BrewSTX. It is a great place to people watch too. I missed this place on my last visit so I’m super glad someone said, “Stop, here!”
On our visit, we arrived right at opening for lunch and before the big boats started to dock.
There is bar seating and hightop table seating around the open bar and fun beach music playing too.
We ordered the coconut shrimp and fish tacos, frozen lemonade and an IPA. Since it was a brewhouse too, Jon had to just give one a try.
We stopped in here right before we went snorkeling over at Buck Island. Loved this excursion. Be on the lookout for that new content soon!
STOPS IN St. Croix, USVI
Good Eats #6 – Louie’s & Nachos
Jon and I really enjoyed our pop-in visit at Louie’s & Nachos Beach Bar in Frederiksted. Running in from the rain we caught ourselves at this fun bar just down the road again from Sand Castle on the Beach Resort.
This beach bar is exactly what you think of when you are heading to the beach! Fun drinks menu and simple menu of bar food. Tacos, burgers, chicken wings and even Vegan options. Tacos were about $6/7 each and honestly those were about the cheapest entree we had on the island. They were flavorful and fun.
I had a Creamsicle Crush and it was so yummy. I had to describe what a Creamsicle was to Jon as he was clueless. How can we be married this long and he doesn’t know what a Creamsicle is? I have failed. This delicious concoction tasted like an alcoholic Orange Julius. We each tried a few different tacos, a shrimp, chicken and beef. They were loaded with cheese, whose my friend, so I loved them. HA!
We hunkered down til the rain passed and then made our way home. We loved the upper deck or upstair’s bar. The bartender’s were fun and fun-loving. They totally knew their way around a blender too, I was waiting to see if Tom Cruise or Brian Brown would show up, but I waited in vain.
Louies & Nachos does close at 8:00 p.m. We thought this was a bit odd for a bar but just keep that in mind when visiting.
Good Eats #7 Return to Polly’s at the Pier
Polly’s at the Pier is an absolute St. Croix favorite for me. Fresh breakfast, cool drinks, feathery friends (I think Polly’s descendants) and a fun island setting in the heart of Frederiksted. Right off the pier, you can’t miss Polly’s. It has outdoor and indoor seating, although it’s open air seating.
The food is just great and the staff is fun too. There’s a ton of different hot sauces to choose from, which always accompany my eggs. They have breakfast sandwiches, scrambles, breakfast burritos and sparkly cocktails available first thing in the a.m.
Polly’s is one of the restaurants I wanted to make sure was still doing well after the pandemic.
I think with the cruise traffic starting again they must be doing real well. Thankfully. For those few reviewers who welp about the chickens I think they just might not be on island time. I’ve been three times now and it’s never been an issue for me. C’est la vie.
FOR MORE RESTAURANT REVIEWS – VISIT GOTOSTCROIX.COM
Good Eats #8 Return to LaReine Chicken Shack
My visit to St. Croix would be incomplete if I didn’t make it to the LaReine Chicken Shack. Especially with Jon. Definitely in his top 5 must-have when we visit the island. One of the BEST things I love about LaReine’s is you can smell it before you arrive. The smoke filled barbecue wafts throughout the LaReine area of St. Croix.
On this visit, Jon and I were trying to be better and ordered the 1/2 chicken, with Johnny cakes and coleslaw. So, so good. Delicious as ever. Parking is available right there at the shack and the bar was open when we visited and was hopping.
Even if you are dining in, your meal will arrive in a to-go box. When you’re finished there’s a table by the bar, just set it there. Locals knew this, I just asked around.
Good Eats #9 Return to Tap Deck
With our stay in Frederiksted and needing a lunch spot, we visited Tap Deck. This bar and billiard top deck restaurant across from the pier is super fun and tasty. My friend Candy introduced me to Tap Deck in 2021. So of course, I had to introduce Jon to it on this trip.
We enjoyed some fun bar food, burger sliders and some wraps. This pool table, bar games restaurant is a great place to grab something that won’t weigh you down. Also a great place to people watch, our server Jeff said they’ve been quite busy too.
Good Eats #10 Dazzled
So to be fair we didn’t get a chance to eat at DazzledSTX but it smelled so good. DazzledSTX in Christiansted is a music/dance/restaurant venue that is new in town. My friend Wendy, from GotoStCroix.com recommended we visit for drinks and dancing, that team always has the BEST TIPS!
Jon and I made our way here for a few drinks and to listen to the LIVE BAND. Drinks were great and so was the atmosphere. Totally we revisit on our next visit for sure.
The dining room was filled and even the bar area people were enjoying appetizers and desserts. Dazzled also has dance classes, shows and parties. Such a great new addition to St. Croix!
What’s Coming?
I wanted to share a bit of good news I think for travelers, a new place, The Reef Cafe & Bar! It is a new restaurant/cafe that looks like its going into the St. Croix airport and it’s after security. Although I couldn’t find much about when or what will be offered, it looks like it’s in the works. Fingers crossed it will be a great place to grab a bit while we wait for the flight.
In the meantime, at the airport there’s a little kiosk that does offer snacks, drinks and local bites. There is plenty of seating for everyone in the waiting area and flights leave a bit staggered so it never felt too crowded.
TRAVEL TIP: Still arrive a few hours before your flight as getting through security still takes time. Especially if you have to return a rental car, most companies have a shuttle to the airport. Remember to tip a little to the driver before you leave.
One last thing, food on any island is going to be expensive, so don’t be sticker shocked. We try to budget eating out and food as one of our excursions when visiting the islands because it is an experience. If you build it in to your itinerary before you go, it won’t knock your socks off when you get there.
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Some islands are more expensive than others because of transit. I compare the US Virgin Islands as the same price point for food as visiting Hawaii or other islands in the Caribbean.
As you can see this foodie was in paradise. We had an amazing time trying new places and checking in on a few of our favorites. Thanks for following for more travel tips and updates subscribe to my newsletter HERE!
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