Team Hanley’s Favorite St. Croix Restaurants
Ask anyone who lives in St. Croix what they think the island is best known for, and chances are, a top answer (after its stunning beaches) will be: the food. From fast food to fine dining, St. Croix has more than enough choices to fill a week’s vacation, a snowbird season, or even an entire lifetime — though, of course, you’ll find spots you’ll want to visit again and again, like these picks from our team.
“When I’m craving some local food, one of my favorite spots among several is Chocolate Barbecue on Northside Road in Estate St. John. I know, I know — It doesn’t sound enticing because of the name, but once you realize ‘Chocolate’ is the name of the owner and his cooking staff is off the charts, you’ll never forget it! For a full meal, I usually get the stewed conch or the stew goat or the stew beef with rice and beans and sweet potato stuffing. If I’m in a hurry, I will just grab a chicken leg or a pork chop wrapped in a piece of foil with a slapping of hot sauce and hit the road!” —Chris Hanley
“I have a couple of favorites. First: Galangal. It’s a beautiful upscale Thai restaurant set in the backdrop of an historic Danish brick building. Most importantly it’s air-conditioned! But seriously, the food is great; my favorite is the red Thai curry. Second: Savant. The fillet stuffed with goat cheese and Portobello mushrooms is incredible! They also always have lots of daily specials, plus a very cool vibe in the courtyard with an old Danish cistern as the backdrop for the bar and hand-plastered carved walls surrounding the entire courtyard. Most people don’t know this, but Kate Miller, one of the owners, was a set designer in her former life in NYC, and many years ago when Savant opened the back courtyard, she did all of the custom masonry work. The inside is just as cozy as the outside and, yes, it’s air-conditioned!” —Kerri Hanley
“For upscale dining, I love Duggan’s Reef on the East End; it’s classy with top-notch service and the best food on island — get the whiskey lobster or a steak! For a quick meal, especially on your way to the airport, Le Reine’s Chicken Shack serves mouth-watering rotisserie chicken that you can watch them roasting on a spit. Finally, Castaways, also on the East End, has some good quality bar food plus outdoor seasonal entertainment and games for a great time hanging out with friends!” —John Hester, buyer specialist
“I highly recommend the gourmet deli Cheese and Bread, longtime St. Croix restauranteurs Frank and Katherine Pugliese’s newest spot, located on the South Shore. Over the holidays I hosted a dinner party, and they prepared all the food for me — all I had to do was heat and serve! Heading to the beach and need a quick picnic? They got you covered — convenient and yummy! My other favorite is Singh’s on King Street in Christiansted for the best West Indian food, from freshly made roti — get there early because these sell out fast — plus Johnny cakes, stewed goat, BBQ chicken, and more, and they offer all the ‘provisions’ to go along with it!” —Steph Schoyer, listings specialist
“With a teenaged son, I find myself grabbing way too much takeout at the Wendy’s drive-thru. I’m also a regular at the Sausage Shack out east, which (full disclosure) my husband owns. The OG Sausage Peppers & Onions is really good, not to mention the cocktails! For fine dining, my picks are Duggan’s Reef or Too Chez, in downtown Christiansted, at a table in the courtyard. I prefer an open air environment versus a closed-in space to enjoy the full Caribbean experience.” —Teresa Pape, closings specialist
I’m a huge fan of Caribbean food and of getting a good value. My favorites for a massive plate for under $25 include local spots Singh’s in Christiansted — their BBQ ribs are fall-off-the-bone fantastic — and El Sol in Peter’s Rest, where you can sit in the air-conditioned dining room and get the conch with butter sauce made to order. When I’m feeling spicy, I’ll order the char-grilled jerk chicken with island roasted potatoes from Island Vybz Grill by Sunny Isle (one order is easily two meals!) or basically anything from the rotating menu at Jamaican Spicy Bar and Grill across from Canegata Ballpark. In Christiansted town, Chupacabra Tacos is a go-to for fresh Mexican fare (even the tortilla chips are homemade), and BnB Kitchen is my current fave for a splurge meal whenever Chef Boots is cooking. —Amy Roberts, showings specialist
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