Saint Thomas Dining, Bars and Pubs

There is no shortage of places to eat and drink on St. Thomas. While the major hotels have multiple restaurants that offer everything from burgers to bouillabaisse, most visitors like to venture out a time or two to sample some of the island's fare. Like the cultural stew that makes up St. Thomas, restaurant menus reflect a cross section of cuisines. While many of the dishes might be found on menus at home, others carry a Caribbean influence. Plantains, a banana-like vegetable, often come with your dinner and chutney is the de rigueur condiment. The island's ties to the United States have led many culinary school graduates to head here for stints at the most prestigious restaurants. They demand the best ingredients and create lovely presentations, a culinary aspect that trickles down to less-pricey restaurants.

Aside from fine restaurants, you will find dozens of other more casual dining options scattered around the island. They range from cozy seaside bistros to roadside stands featuring West Indian dishes. The hotels welcome you even if you are not a guest. The style and ambience of the dining and drinking scene varies widely, but by and large, expect things to be informal.

St. Thomas is among the more expensive places to dine out, but not any more so than a big city like New York or London. If you are used to more modest prices, the dinner tab can come as a shock. Since nearly everything is imported, shipping adds to the cost. A 15 to 20 percent tip is expected at the island's restaurants.

Charlotte Amalie

The island's main town serves as its culinary heart. Dozens of bistros welcome cruise ship passengers for lunch. At night, hotel guests and locals fill the tables.

At the upper end of the credit card bill and opposite ends of town, Virgilio's and Hervé Restaurant & Wine Bar attract well-heeled customers for fine dining in lovely surroundings. Hervé Restaurant & Wine Bar, on Kongen's Gade, provides lovely views and a fusion of French, Italian and Caribbean cuisine. Virgilio's, a local hot spot for in-town government officials and professionals, leans toward Northern Italian.

A tad less pricey are spots like the casual Café Amici in A.H. Riise Mall for burgers, salads and sandwiches or Lillian's Caribbean Grill to dine on West Indian fare like kallallo, a spicy okra stew, or local fish and fungi, made or cornmeal and okra.

For budget meals, try Texas Pit BBQ. This take-out stand has three locations in St. Thomas. Gladys's Cafe, in the alleyway shopping area called Royal Dane Mall, dishes up a mixed bag of American and Caribbean food to an equally eclectic clientele.

Hillsides outside Charlotte Amalie

Banana Tree Grille at Bluebeard's Castle Hotel is a hike up from Charlotte Amalie, so take a taxi if you are not staying there. The restaurant dishes up delicious contemporary fare along with its sumptuous view.

Mafolie Restaurant at the Mafolie Hotel is a hot spot for steak and seafood as well as gorgeous views of the Charlotte Amalie Harbor.