Culinary Tour of St. Thomas

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This restaurant is housed on the second floor of the industrial-looking ferryboat terminal at the edge of the harborfront in Charlotte Amalie, departure point for boats headed off to the British Virgin Islands and St. Croix. Established in 1963 by the then-owner of the famous Pump Room restaurant in Chicago, it does a thriving breakfast and lunch business among local boat owners and downtown office workers. The draw is some of the best West Indian cooking on the island, a cuisine that takes the preparation of callaloo greens very seriously (they're fabulous), and the nuances of pounded conch steak and grouper with fries with devotion. If you want something "international" (meaning American), the menu lists club sandwiches, steaks, chicken dishes, and burgers, but virtually everyone who comes here orders the West Indian food. Examples? Stewed oxtail or chicken, or fried potfish with Creole sauce, always served with your choice of pigeon peas and rice, mashed potatoes, dumplings, macaroni and cheese, fungi with vegetables, fried plantains, or two kinds of potatoes.

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Hobnob with the island's movers and shakers at Alexander's Bella Blu. While they come to see and be seen, the food is the drawing card for both residents and visitors. Alexander's stakes its reputation on delicious Austrian dishes like schnitzel, and Mediterranean favorites like pastas, seafood, chicken and beef selections also make appearances on the extensive menu. For an appetizer, try the tuna tartare and sashimi combination or the sausage sampler. Save room for dessert. The selection changes daily, but the food is always tasty and made in-house.

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This family-run eatery offers a taste of Spain in the Caribbean. Located in Palm Passage in downtown Charlotte Amalie, the wide-ranging lunch and dinner menus include an array of tapas, paellas, fish and shrimp dishes, soups, salads, and steaks. Seating is on a cozy terracotta patio amongst aged stone walls and original artwork. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is congenial.

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This Havensight Mall eatery, located adjacent to the cruise ship dock, sees a good crowd of locals stopping by for breakfast and lunch along with their daily newspaper. The décor is on the pedestrian side, but the food is good and plentiful. Try the English muffin sandwich for breakfast. It comes with a fried egg, cheese and if you like it, ham or bacon. The menu runs to waffles, pancakes (served until 11am), burgers, reubens, and fried chicken. No credit cards accepted.

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Enjoy some finger-lickin' home cooking barbecue with family style portions and fabulous frozen drinks in this casual island hot-spot. Other offerings include live music, contests, and plasma televisions which set the scene for a "party that never ends."

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This chic venue at the Marriott enjoys a beachfront ambience and a sophisticated menu that is the island's most inspired. An inventive crew is in the kitchen, running wild in their culinary imagination. Cool cigars, hip drinks (mango mojitos), and an ultrachic decor draw serious foodies to this cutting-edge restaurant, where chef Jose Rodriguez intoxicates with his tantalizing aromas and flavors. Even the side dishes are called "sexy sides." After launching yourself into the black-bean hummus or the tuna tartare with soy-lime vinaigrette, it's on to such delights as star anise duck confit or a miso-crusted sea bass. What about ancho chili-rubbed beef filet with espresso sauce? Desserts are worth crossing the island for if it means Cuban chocolate cake with coconut ice cream or a warm banana and macadamia spring rolls with a strawberry balsamic purée.

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One of the grandest dining spots on the island lies in the Ritz-Carlton hotel. It is decorated in a West Indian style, taking its decor from its name -- candles, plates, cushions, and wall accents are all in blue. The executive chef, Jasper Schneider, is one of the finest on the island, carefully shopping for only the finest in top-quality ingredients to construct his divine meals. Guests dine in air-conditioned comfort or select an umbrella-shaded table on the patio.

Breakfast dishes are about the best on the island, including both a hot and a cold buffet. The bananas foster French toast with whipped butter and aged rum is almost irresistible, as are the buttermilk pancakes with blueberries, strawberries, bananas, toasted coconut whipped butter, and maple syrup. Of course, if you order the Bleuwater Bloody Mary mimosa, the day is yours.

At dinner, such exotica as duck wontons with pickled cucumber salad or scallop carpaccio are served as starters. You can follow with main dish selections "from the sea" or "from the farm." Our oven-roasted grouper came with leeks and a chorizo-clam broth. Another specialty is a duo of beef -- pan-seared côte de boeuf and red-wine-braised Kobe short...

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East End Café serves Italian cuisines with seafood specialties as well as daily specials. All ingredients are locally-sourced and organic. Dishes include everything from garlic bread to penne alla vodka to fresh mahi to chicken, veal or steak. A children's menu is available for under-12s. To accompany your dinner or lunch you can choose from an extensive wine list or sample one of the specialty martinis. The rustic dining room is comfortable and air-conditioned. On weekends brunch is served as well. This restaurant is a Red Hook favorite, and is located directly adjacent to the American Yacht Harbor.

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This funky bar and restaurant on Pineapple Beach serves local brews and local dishes like roast pig, roti, yellowtail Creole or stewed chicken.

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This deli-style, open-air joint isn't that special, but it's an ideal choice for a good, filling, inexpensive breakfast or lunch. It's on the second level of a little old West Indian house with a canvas-roof porch offering a panoramic view of the harbor. Hordes of shoppers find this a favorite refueling stop. The cook prepares good sandwiches and freshly made salads. Many patrons stop in just to order some ice cream, one of the homemade pastries, or a refreshing lemonade on a hot day.

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Antigua-born Gladys Isles is a warm, gracious woman whose presence makes a visit here all the more special. Gladys' Café is housed in a circa-1700 pump house with a stonework courtyard that has a well in the middle (one of only three on the island). The excellent breakfast here is the best value in town. Lunch offerings feature various sandwiches, salads, and fresh seafood, including a mouthwatering swordfish and dumplings. Along with local lobster, shrimp, and fish dishes, the house specialty is the hot chicken salad, made with pieces of sautéed breast with red-wine vinegar, pine nuts, and dill, all nestled on a bed of lettuce.

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Mafolie Restaurant, located at the Mafolie Hotel, sees a good group of residents and visitors drive up the hill above Charlotte Amalie to enjoy the lovely harbor view as well as the delicious food. The beef and seafood-based menu is a bit on the small side, but it features interesting dishes. The Caribbean Lobster comes stuffed with crab meat and the crab cakes infused with a good dose of spice. Save room for dessert. The chef stakes his reputation on the white Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake.