Food and Drinks
La Tapa
La Tapa is a contemporary street-side restaurant in the heart of Cruz Bay that offers an eclectic collection of dishes with an authentic Spanish flair. USA Today lists it as one of the top ten restaurants in the USVI. Part of it making the A-List, no doubt, is owed to the rotating menu of fresh fish and vegetables they get from local fishers, farmers and artisans. The locale serves West Indian fare, aromatic seasoned meat and seafood, but they are probably the most well-known for their mean and loaded paella. There is no children’s menu, per se, but the chef can whip up kid-friendly plates of pasta and mini-sized entrees. On Mondays, you can enjoy live jazz music.
Sun Dog Café
The Sun Dog Café is a popular alfresco gem that has garnered accolades as a popular travel and leisure pick, even though it has a kitchen about the size of a Volkswagen Bug. The spot provides opportunities to enjoy dinner the night you arrive on St. John or to enjoy brunch before you catch the ferry on your last day of the trip. Menu listings at the Sun Dog offer everything from salads and sandwiches to pizza and more. For dinner, you can tackle the whimsically named the “Burrito That Ate Cruz Bay” and wash it down with their signature melon liqueur-loaded piña colada, the Geckolada.
High Tide Bar & Seafood Grill
High Tide, located on Cruz Bay Beach, is an open-air restaurant with a family-friendly vibe. You can start with conch fritters served with remoulade sauce and move on to food that sticks to your ribs like Surf & Turf, a Smoked Pork Cubano or a Mahi-mahi sandwich. After your main course, you can snack on some Mango Passionfruit Cheesecake. The kids’ menu at High Tide includes favorites such as chicken tenders and hot dogs and fries. Patrons can soak up the sunset vistas over Cruz Bay while enjoying live music or catching a game on one of their big screens.
Skinny Legs Bar & Grill
It’s not a vacation without a visit to Skinny Legs in Coral Bay. The restaurant sits alongside achingly beautiful beaches, and the food at this bar is very affordable, allowing you to eat comfort food and sip rum cocktails without breaking the bank. Their menu includes specialty sandwiches, salads and pulled pork nachos with house-made tortilla chips & fresh salsa. However, it’s their juicy cheeseburgers with extra toppings and seasonings that really slay. Skinny Legs also features fun activities such as sports, horseshoes and darts. The laid-back vibe there is perfect, and you may even catch a glimpse of Coral Bay’s native wild donkeys strolling by while you’re lounging.
1864 the Restaurant
Diners on Trip Advisor said it best, “DON’T MISS THIS PLACE!” What they are talking about 1864, Extra Virgin Bistro’s “oh my” sister restaurant that opened back in June. Since then, the high-end seafood spot has been getting rave reviews for their sophisticated wine list, gorgeously plated entrees and amazing atmosphere. Chef Tommy Garfield leads the mighty kitchen staff at 1864, and his team creates incredible culinary masterpieces like House Summer Rolls filled with ingredients such as colossal blue crab and fresh local mango. The raw bar has offerings such as patriot oysters, chilled colossal crabmeat and oyster and quail egg shooters.