Must-Try St. John Restaurants
No matter what kind of dining experience you’re looking for, you’ll find it on the island of St. John. Whisk your loved one away to a romantic waterfront restaurant for a gourmet meal. Dive into the creative tacos and cocktails served from a fun floating eatery. Dine on traditional Caribbean dishes at a family-run beachside spot. We’ve got suggestions for 11 St. John restaurants you must try.
- Morgan’s Mango
- ZoZo’s at Caneel Bay
- The Banana Deck
- Dave & Jerry’s Island Steakhouse
- Miss Lucy’s
- Lime Out
- The Lime Inn
- Extra Virgin Bistro
- La Tapa
- 18°64° The Restaurant
- The Longboard
MORGAN’S MANGO
The husband-and-wife team behind Morgan’s Mango showcases neo-Caribbean cuisine with a menu of dishes influenced by the flavors of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti and more. The elegant restaurant features a lush, tropical-inspired dining room and deck cooled by the sea breezes of Cruz Bay just across the road. Start with the homemade Argentinian empanada served with a caper-berry remoulade. Entrees include creamy seafood paella and grilled pork tenderloin draped in a coconut-curry sauce. Every Tuesday and Saturday is lobster night, featuring locally caught Caribbean lobster sided with sweet plantains, seasoned yellow rice and black beans.
ZOZO’S AT CANEEL BAY
A lovely, open-air restaurant nestled right on the shoreline, ZoZo’s at Caneel Bay is the perfect choice for a romantic island meal. Reserve a seating for ZoZo’s four-course gourmet meal, with dining typically lasting up to three hours (the table is yours for the evening!). The menu changes weekly, but may include a family-style antipasti of cured meats and artisanal cheeses, fresh sea urchin with Calabrian chilies, osso buco with polenta and broccolini, plus banana rum cake for dessert.
THE BANANA DECK
Take in the sweeping Cruz Bay views from the alfresco dining room at The Banana Deck. The casual restaurant is known for its hand-cut ribeye steaks, offered with toppings that range from gorgonzola-pine nut butter to horseradish cream. The menu also includes conch fritters and panko-encrusted Caribbean chicken stuffed with ham and Swiss cheese. Stop by for Sunday brunch and The Banana Deck’s famous Build Your Own Bloody Mary and Mimosa Bar, featuring more than 10 specialty hot sauces. Don’t miss the live steel band on Thursday nights.
DAVE & JERRY’S ISLAND STEAKHOUSE
Situated in the heart of Cruz Bay, Dave & Jerry’s Island Steakhouse specializes in prime steaks that are dry aged in-house. Selections include a 22-oz. prime porterhouse with unique sauce choices like the poblano-lobster bearnaise. Other dishes include the seared duck breast in a gooseberry demi-glace and the coconut-crusted mahi. For a more casual dining experience, sit on The Porch and order the black pepper-crusted prime beef burger sided with truffle mac ‘n’ cheese. Indulge in the tangy orange-chocolate creme brulee for dessert.
MISS LUCY’S
A beloved island staple, Miss Lucy’s was named after late owner Mama Lucy, whose family still runs the restaurant today. Snag a table right on the beach and watch as the gentle Friis Bay waves roll in. Savor homey dishes like the kallaloo-and-crab soup with a spiced coconut broth. Or try the crunchy, cornflake-crusted grouper sandwich served on a toasted bun with remoulade. Cool down with a Painkiller mixed with Pusser’s Rum, plus orange and pineapple juices. Show off your singing chops with a live band during open mic night, held on Thursdays from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
LIME OUT
Plan a fun lunch at Lime Out, a floating taco joint in Coral Bay Harbor that’s only accessible by boat. To easily get you there, the restaurant partners with the Salt + Lime Express, an hourly shuttle boat service that costs $30 per person. Once you arrive, take a seat in a lime-green lily pad booth or at the swim-up bar and groove to the live DJ. Select from tasty tacos like the slow-braised short rib with guacamole or the blackened chili-garlic shrimp. Craft cocktails include the Mango Mako, made with light rum, mango and fresh lime juice. Lime Out is open daily from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
THE LIME INN
You can also enjoy Lime Out’s tacos on land at The Lime Inn in downtown Cruz Bay. Grab a table in the pretty, garden-like dining room and try tacos like the Walking on Sunshine (yellow curry chicken slathered with dark rum-pineapple chutney) or the Corner Chair (pulled pork with house-made rum barbecue sauce). Must-try cocktails include the Smokin’ Luca — mezcal, soursop juice, fresh lime and lemon juice — served in a glass rimmed with chili sugar. Cocktails are half-price during happy hour from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
EXTRA VIRGIN BISTRO
A chic open-air deck, crisp white tablecloths and enveloping tropical foliage set the scene for a memorable night of fine dining at Extra Virgin Bistro. The three-course tasting menu changes daily based on the local fishermen’s catch, produce available from island farmers and the herbs grown in the restaurant’s own garden. Dishes may include the house-made ricotta with portobello mushrooms and sweet corn sautee, Italian sausage-and-herb gnocchi in a tomato cream sauce, and the catch of the day served with crispy potatoes, coconut-red beet puree and lemon beurre blanc. Creative cocktails include the No Fig Deal, made with organic Black Mission fig-infused vodka and black tea syrup.
LA TAPA
Dinner comes with a side of panoramic beachfront views at rustic La Tapa in Cruz Bay. Contemporary Mediterranean cuisine is the focus of the nightly changing menu by executive chef-owner Alexandra Ewald. Share a selection of large and small plates that may include the steamed artichoke with artisanal cheese fondue, pan-sauteed local mahi with green curry-shiitake mushroom coconut milk, and gigli pasta dotted with langostino, shrimp and smoked bacon in basil-chardonnay crema. For dessert, try the house-made fruity sorbets or ice cream with unique flavors like saffron-turrón (a Mediterranean nougat).
18°64° THE RESTAURANT
After shopping the locally owned boutiques and galleries at the charming Mongoose Junction, stop in for lunch or dinner at 18°64° The Restaurant. Tucked inside the leafy outdoor mall, the open-air eatery is known for its fresh seafood and Asian-influenced dishes that include roasted chicken-and-vegetable potstickers, pan-seared yellowfin tuna with mofongo and braised pork belly, and a selection of hand-rolled sushi. Slurp fresh oysters with house-made sauces during the daily Raw Bar offered from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. Pair your meal with a colorful cocktail like the Bird of Paradise — house-infused grilled pineapple rum, Campari, and pineapple and lime juices.
THE LONGBOARD
Kick back and chill at The Longboard, a Caribbean-inspired coastal kitchen in Cruz Bay. Hang out on the porch and do some downtown people watching or be entertained by the chickens that strut among the tables. Locally caught seafood, Caribbean spices and farm-fresh produce are incorporated in dishes such as the Cruz Bay lo mein with seasonal vegetables, fresh-catch ceviche, and tacos like the banana leaf carnitas. The Longboard makes its own ginger beer and grapefruit soda in-house — taste the refreshing difference in cocktails like the Paloma Brava and Mellow Mule. Stop in for the daily happy hour held from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
