8 Best Restaurants in The Southern Out Islands, Bahamas

At this airy oceanfront restaurant a few steps from the beach, Chef Pierre has been serving sumptuous cuisine since 2002. This curmudgeonly chef serves the best food on the island, hands down. Specialties include pasta dishes with shrimp and scallops, fresh fish, and pizzas to die for. Bahamian lobster, steaks, and chicken, along with vegetarian dishes, are also available, and the salads (big enough to share) are both fresh and beautiful. A full bar is available on the honor system, and you're expected to get your own drinks because Pierre runs the place almost single-handedly. The surly host greets you himself; make sure you are on time for your reservation or he'll be tempted not to serve you at all! But pay no mind, as the food is well worth it, and there is a smile hidden deep beneath his brusque outer shell. To get here, watch for the sign on Queen's Highway between the settlements of Weymss and Millers.

Upstairs in the Cape Santa Maria Beach House, guests enjoy sweeping vistas of the turquoise bay during the day and bobbing boat lights in the evening, along with the gentle sounds of the sea. Breakfast can be light with yogurt parfait and a seasonal fruit medley, or a splurge with banana bread French toast topped with caramelized plantains or Bahamian-style eggs Benedict. Sit under a colorful umbrella on the oceanfront deck for lunch with a pizza, wrap, or fancy salad. For dinner, delight in Caribbean coconut shrimp, fresh grouper, or Bahamian lobster tail—just don't miss the chocolate drizzled rum cake! Full bar service is available in the open-air, screened-in oceanfront bar, and a lively happy hour takes place every evening from 5 to 7, with complimentary conch fritters. This is one of the best spots on the island to grab a drink and watch the sunset.

Vegan menus are hard to come by in The Bahamas on the whole, so it is a rare treat to find vegetarian options and a focus on fresh ingredients in Inagua, the most southern island in the archipelago. Cepigel has that covered. This tiny restaurant with a family diner atmosphere takes an artistic approach to their food. That includes their preparation of Bahamian and international staples like grilled steak and fried conch to vegetarian fare and homemade desserts, chocolate chip cookies and coconut tarts included. It's best to arrange your meal ahead of time.

High-beamed ceilings, tiled floors, blue-and-lime-green walls, and blue ceramic-topped tables create a cheerful vibe to go with the Bahamian comfort-food menu. If you have your heart set on a menu item, be sure to call your order in by 3 pm. Start your day with fresh juices and a full breakfast. For lunch there are burgers, salads, and sandwiches, and for dinner you can enjoy Bahamian specialties such as cracked conch, grilled lobster tail, and the catch of the day fresh off the dock. You can eat on the terrace by the pool or inside with ocean views. The bar runs on the honor system, and the 60-inch TV can catch you up on news, sports, and everything else you're happy to miss while lounging in paradise.

Cat Islanders and visitors alike love this restaurant for its delicious food, refreshing daiquiris and smoothies, and seating on the beach. You will find seafood favorites, including conch, lobster, grouper, and shrimp, here, as well as jerk pork. Everything is made to order, and you are welcome to call ahead to place your order for dine-in or take-out. The family owns a farm that grows broccoli, beets, native peas, okra, and tomatoes, and their produce goes from the farm to the kitchen to the table. Try a soursop, papaya, mango, cocomelon, or even tamarind daiquiri on a hot day, and take it with you into the ocean while you wait for your food order.

Outer Edge Grill is what local Long Islanders call a "poop deck," meaning a restaurant on the water. Open daily for lunch and dinner, Outer Edge serves up Bahamian favorites like conch fritters and fish fingers, along with sweet potato fries, mozzarella sticks, and homemade desserts. This is one of only a few restaurants open on Sunday.

Don't let the name scare you—it's named after the Knowles family's well-known construction company and the owners' two sons. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner can be served in the cool inside or out, and feature authentic Bahamian and American fare. The restaurant overlooks the roaring Atlantic, with a beach nearby, a big pool, a whirlpool, and a tiki bar on the large outside deck. The chef-owners Chloe (pronounced "Klo") and Bertram Knowles serve some of the best food on the island (including Bahamian stewed fish for breakfast with 24-hours notice)—and the prices are affordable (Delmonico steak for just $32 and lobster for $28). Clean, bright, popular with the locals, and with ocean views, it's a great place to enjoy a drink and hearty meal. If you can catch their Friday pig roast, you'll enter succulence heaven. This is one of the few restaurants open on Sunday.

Charming and experienced chef Bruno and his capable team do a superb job pleasing upmarket American and European palates. Dine in the cool inside or on the stone terrace. For breakfast, browse the buffet or order a full breakfast from the menu. Lunch includes a choice of conch chowder, hearty sandwiches, burgers, and salads. For dinner, the kitchen prepares the freshest fish in a variety of ways, along with Bahamian lobster tail, steak, pork tenderloin, and a build-your-own pizza with a variety of toppings to choose from. Fresh fruit and ice cream make for a great hot-weather dessert, and the liqueur coffees are delicious. You can order from the bar menu until 9 pm or have pizza delivered to your room.