5 Best Restaurants in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

This trendy place is small and cozy with a casual atmosphere. The menu selections include fresh fish prepared in creative ways, Italian specialties, and salads made with fresh local greens—check the daily specials on the blackboard. Several varieties of mac and cheese constitute the signature dish. The frozen chocolate peanut butter pie is a chocolate-lover's delight. Craft cocktails are concocted by creative mixologists.

This waterfront restaurant on the back deck of the Waves at Cane Bay hotel serves sustainably sourced Caribbean-American food that pairs wonderfully with the creative craft cocktails, such as the Old Cuban made with 18-year-old Matusalem rum and Champagne. The dining room overlooks Cane Bay, a perfect backdrop to try the lobster pappardelle, local ceviche, or the catch of the day.

This barnlike “Crucian-Rican” restaurant is often the first stop that locals make before heading to the airport and after arriving back home. Out back, dozens of chickens slowly rotate on a giant rotisserie; in front, regulars and a smattering of in-the-know visitors queue up for the juicy birds, traditional johnnycakes, and local food like stewed oxtail and conch in butter sauce.

A distinctive gypsy cart on the side of Mahogany Road (Route 76) spills open with fresh baked breads, tarts, sandwiches, and toasties with unusual fillings like black bean hummus or homegrown banana. The farm-to-table menu, which changes daily to reflect what's available, includes local fare, Indian curries, British-influenced dishes, and Southern comfort food. Next door, Mahogany Road Chocolate sells chocolate made from locally harvested cacao and shaped as rain-forest frogs and "chaney" shards.

One of those small but special spots that everyone loves, including critics who regularly rank it among the Caribbean's best restaurants, this lively spot relies on local ingredients in its fusion of Mexican, Thai, and Caribbean dishes that can include anything from Thai curry with chicken to a fillet of beef stuffed with portobello mushrooms and goat cheese. You can't go wrong with the daily egg roll special or the catch of the day. Call early for reservations: the indoor dining room is small, and you'll want to nab a table in the candelit back courtyard if you can.