Top 10 dining experiences in Barbados

Think of Barbados and the first things that probably spring to mind are sun, sea and sand, but Barbados is also home to some fantastic gourmet restaurants and upscale dining experiences for those on luxury holidays. The prices in Barbados are on the expensive side, but the quality of the food is excellent and there are a wide variety of cuisines to choose from. As with anywhere in the Caribbean, fish and seafood feature heavily on the menu here, and you can’t miss the opportunity to try some grilled Dolphin fish (also called mahi-mahi), snapper or barracuda. Here we take a look at some of the top dining experiences in Barbados: 1. The Waterside Located in St. Lawrence Gap, The Waterside offers fine dining right on the ocean. With a calm and peaceful atmosphere, it seems a world away from the chaos and buzzing nightlife of ‘The Gap’ just outside its doors. The staff are very attentive and the menu is superb, with a mixture of mouthwatering meat and fish dishes for the mains. The trouble with dining by the ocean at night is that you often can’t see the water, but in this instance the small beach is illuminated with beautiful blue lighting. 2. Champers Nestled into a cliff overlooking Accra Beach, Champers Restaurant & Wine Bar is the perfect place for a romantic meal in a beautiful waterside setting. Just book ahead for a table as this place gets rather busy in the evenings. During the day Champers is popular with business people and there’s free WiFi should you wish to bring your laptop to lunch. 3. Cin Cin By the Sea Cin Cin by the Sea is an uber trendy dining spot with an airy, minimalist vibe. You can choose to dine inside under the air-conditioning with a view through the expansive glass wall, or you can enjoy al-fresco dining outside on the oceanfront terrace. Owned by Larry Rogers, who has achieved success with various other restaurants on Barbados, Cin Cin serves “Mediterranean-style cuisine with a Caribbean twist”. 4. The Cliff Restaurant The Cliff is perhaps the swankiest, best-known and most expensive restaurant on the island, costing minimum $245 BDS per person for two courses. One thing’s for sure it is undoubtedly romantic, set on a clifftop above a small cove on the west coast. Every table has a sea view and the entire restaurant is lit by Olympian-style torches, creating a dramatic setting you won’t forget in a hurry. 5. Brown Sugar Brown Sugar is a great place to try some traditional Bajan cuisine. Housed in a traditional Barbadian home with lush fern-covered patios and water features, this restaurant serves up tasty Caribbean fare, including the national dish of Barbados- Cou Cou with flying fish. Visit for their famous all-you-can-eat buffet lunch, or enjoy a la carte dining in a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere. 6. Daphne’s Restaurant Daphne’s Italian restaurant is an institution in Barbados, and the sister venue of Daphne’s in London South Kensington. This Zagat-rated eatery serves a mixture of modern Italian classics infused with island seafood, in a beautiful waterfront setting. Starters range from Italian cured meats with pickled onion and parmesan, iced plum tomato soup with basil oil and pan-fried Foie Gras with caramelized apple. There is a selection of Italian pastas, available as a starter or main, and a list of mains including spiny lobster tail with garlic broccoli, sweet potato chips and spicy mayonnaise. If you can, arrive for their Happy Hour from 5-7pm and order one of their potent martini cocktails. 7. The Tides Owned by husband and wife team Guy and Tammie Beasley, The Tides is one of the best restaurants on the island. The venue features a coral stone lounge decorated with art by local artists and boasts an enviable location perched on the edge of the sea. The food is creatively presented and the restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner. 8. Nishi If you like Japanese cuisine you might want to head to Nishi in Holetown. The restaurant’s head sushi chef has been preparing sushi for over 15 years and has worked in some of the top sushi restaurants in Miami and New York. The diverse menu features a selection of sushi rolls and sashimi, along with a variety of Western and Asian hot dishes. Just don’t show up on a Monday or you’ll be going hungry; the restaurant is open Tuesday-Sunday. 9. Cutters When in Barbados you can’t leave without trying a ‘cutter’, which is rather like a sandwich only much, much better! Usually it consist of a piece of flying fish sandwiched between two pieces of fluffy salt bread, with some lettuce, cucumber, tomato and Bajan pepper sauce. Cutters of Barbados is a cool little family-run deli situated near Crane Beach, serving gourmet cutters, salads, coffees, fresh juices and other delicious treats. This is the ideal spot for breakfast or lunch, and there is live music on Sundays. Should you fancy a picnic, they also offer free delivery to Crane Beach! 10. Oistin’s Fish Fry For an authentic Bajan experience, make sure you visit Oistin’s fish fry. On a Friday night Oistins is one big raucous party, with a plethora of informal restaurants serving up fresh local fish such as dolphin fish and mahi-mahi. This isn’t a fine dining experience, but you’ll eat with the locals and experience what Barbados is all about. Take a walk along the seafront, browse the stalls, order a cup of rum punch, dance to the calypso tunes and join in the fun on the main stage! Paul Shipway is Business Development Director at Simply Luxury Holidays.