Dine and Wine in Barbados

One of the best things about visiting the Caribbean is eating awesome Caribbean food. The restaurants in Barbados provide you with temptations that you will not find anywhere else. If you are planning a vacation to this part of the Caribbean, here is a list of the best places to eat in Barbados that you might want to try.

The Cliff Restaurant

Set, as its name betrays, on a cliff overlooking Barbados’ platinum coast, The Cliff Restaurant is built on a foundation of natural rock. The locale, lit brilliantly by night with flaming torches, lies like a ship washed on top the rocks gazing out to sea.

The Cliff Restaurant is one of the most exclusive sites on the island, hidden beyond a mysterious white wall in the affluent parish of St James. What lies beyond the secretive white walls, is utterly breathtaking.

Table settings are grand, comfortably spaced to allow for private conversation. Seating is separated between an upper and lower deck, both facing a panoramic view of the Caribbean Sea. Furnishings are elegant, with no expense spared to offer the luxury and quality to which patrons have grown accustomed.

The Tides

No matter what time of year or hour of the day you visit, you will be bowled over by The Tides. Owned by Tammie and Guy Beasley, The Tides’ specialty is enviously fresh seafood.

Fondly known as ‘the restaurant for special occasions’, birthdays, anniversaries, get togethers and honeymoons are all some of the best reasons to visit. Another great reason is the gorgeous location.

Sitting right on the oceanfront, at night the sound of the waves gently rolling in and breaking against the rocks provides an ambient music that reminds you you’re in the most beautiful place on earth. The sound of the ocean paired with lush greenery, red clay tiles and ancient trees that grow among the table settings, gives you a warm and earthly feel. The Tides is a restaurant of natural and old world charm.

Admiring the scenery at The Tides reminds you why it is the special occasions restaurant. If you’re looking for a site to host a wedding reception, The Tides will take all the pressure off of your shoulders. With its prime location right on the water, it’s absolutely picture perfect.

Lobster Alive

The food is excellent, the vibe is carefree, and though it’s far from fancy, there is some beauty to behold, ‘mostly the impressive expanse of Carlisle Bay.

This is the place for lingering lunches. For a legendary day of indulgence, take the two-step program:

1) Cavort in the sea and laze in the sun with loungers and umbrellas provided;

2) Enjoy fine cuisine, barefoot. Even better, anchor in the bay and swim ashore; then do steps 1 and 2, in whichever order you prefer.

Dinner is relaxed, with the sparkle of stemware and stars contrasting with the rustic simplicity. Dine there when there’s live jazz, and it’s something truly special. 

Tapas

At this South Coast favorite, expect good company, distinctive cocktails and tapas with an Italian flair on a seafront location.

Staying true to the concept of tapas’ – sociability over an early evening drink’ – the bar is always buzzing, with skilled bartenders offering up a variety of cocktails, such as the unique wild berry caipiroska. Set right at the entrance, the clever bar design lends itself to a relaxed communal ambiance where patrons have more than enough space to catch up over drinks.

Order straight from the bar, or retreat to the spacious and cool upstairs terrace, which provides a somewhat quieter respite for dinner. Up here, shared whispers with your table companion simply mingle with the sound of the ocean and snippets of bar conversation down below for a very pleasant dining experience.

Besides the friendliness, however, tapas is what patrons come for. For a bit of heaven on a small plate, sample the shrimp panko or the light and limey seafood ceviche. Check the homey blackboard at the restaurant’s center, specials etched in chalk, to find your personal fave.

Champers Wine Bar & Restaurant

Break out the bubbly and see why everyone is raving about Champers Wine Bar and Restaurant!

Conveniently located on the South Coast, the island’s beehive of a parish, Champers is a great setting to enjoy a fine meal and is often itself bustling with activity. With plenty of gusto without the pretention, Champers prides itself on offering fine food at an affordable price, served by knowledgeable and attentive staff.

Tucked away from the main highway on a quieter side street, there is ample parking directly across from the Restaurant. You will be genuinely welcomed, and may choose to browse Champers’ modern art gallery before or after you dine. Curated by Vanita Commissiong, one of Barbados’ most popular artists, it really is a sight to behold. Celebrating the contemporary restaurant-gallery concept is just one of Champers’ unique features.

Another unforgettable feature is the stunning view. Set on a low cliff top, you will be overlooking Accra beach – quite probably the most frequented beach in Barbados. There is also a wide reaching view of the ocean, which during the day mumbles sweet nothings to your conversation, and at night enhances the affair with its profound depth and reflective flickers of starlight.