TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Restaurants and Bakery Recommendations

Arriving 11/2 with a group. Rented a villa in Terres Basses area overlooking Baie Rouge beach. Is there a nearby bakery for delicious breakfast items?
And for dinner.....We previously loved the Marina in Marigot and Grand Case for dinner but there seems to be some safety concerns. So what restaurants do you recommend that are closer to Terres Basses for safe and delicious dinner reservations.
Does Baie Rouge beach still have a parking area and is it safe? Very disappointed the restaurant and services are gone but we would like to take a cooler and beach towels for a few hours.

If you are with a group (and even if not) I wouldn't hesitate to have dinner in Grand Case!

Close to Terres Basses you could go to Jordan Village for Jules Bakery. Delish items.

And for dinners Porto Cupecoy very close. Lots of restaurant options in there.

Not all that familiar with what might (or might not?) be closest to your villa in Terre Basse but there is a great little bakery, Jules Bakery, in the Jordan village area almost across the street from Fat Tony's Restaurant and there are several places there for inexpensive and very informal dinners as well. (We really enjoy Fat Tony's pizza and have always has good food and service at Bar Code which is very close. Jules is tucked into the Cupecoy area behind the old Starz Casino property and very close to the supermarket and the student housing there, and while I think the original concept was to provide great eats for the med school people, their reputation has surpassed just the immediate area. You won't be sorry if you try them.......

For a more upscale dining opportunity but again, not Marigot or Grand Case, there are plenty of places in the Porto Cupecoy complex including Marios to mention just one, as well as a few places that might (or might not?) do take-out for pastries. We haven't been there since April and things change but Porto Cupecoy is pretty close to you and is before you reach the Starz/Cupecoy/Med School area of Cupecoy when coming from Terre Basse.

You really can't beat Jules and in you're lucky enough to get there when the bread is just coming out of the ovens, OMG! Everything ss delicious but You might want to try their nutella croissants - simply delicious.

Is safe parking an issue for Grand Case?

Yes. Parking in Grand Case right now is not good. The pay lots are not open and despite probably half of the restaurants being closed, on street parking is hard to find. Rainbow and probably Barranco may have valet parking, I'm not sure. There are only about 3 or 4 restaurants open on the water, so most of the restaurants don't have a view anyway. For a group, for Grand Case, I might opt for a taxi, like Wilfred Brooks. Right now, your much better option is Orient Village. Tons of great restaurants, lots of parking, no dark deserted areas. If you decide to go to Orient Village, there is live music (laid back, NOT loud) and vendors on Friday night. For Marigot, try Tropicana at LUNCH, especially on a Saturday, when they have a killer Grand Marnier soufflé. I would NOT go to Marigot at night now. Having a big meal at lunch time isn't for everyone, but we enjoy it, for a change, then have a light dinner. Puerto Cupecoy does have a lot of options also, so you could go there and park and then decide where you want to go. The advantage of PC right now is that there is now a small casino there, not highly used, but they do have table games. I believe there is live entertainment on Friday nights at PC. For a bakery, you might try Bacchus, with a new store on the TB side of Marigot. Haven't been there myself, so not exactly sure what they have. Jules Bakery does get a lot of great reviews, although again, I haven't been there. Serafina has reopened on the waterfront by the marina, but not sure that they have there right now. Enjoy!!!

Great little bakery beside Cadisco gas station. Also a nice restaurant in Nettle bay called Mezza Luna.

There is a great little Italian restaurant called The Spaghetti House. Delicious food at very reasonable prices! It’s across from Fat Tony’s.
In Puerto Cupecoy there is Rendezvous Cafe, Mario’s, and a couple more restaurants that are very good. Having a senior moment right now or I would tell you their names!

Trip Advisor says that Al Dente is the best restaurant on the French side. It is on the main road heading toward Orient Village as soon as you pass the last round-a-bout. Place is on the left side of the road heading toward Orient Village. We have eaten there about half a dozen times and have never been disappointed. Well lit parking lot. The lighting throughout the restaurant is amazing. Most is made using used wine and liquor bottles. You have to see it to believe it.

I agree with most, Jules Bakery in Jordan Village is a great little bakery. The pastries and croissants are just as fresh and delicious as can be. Also, like many have said, Porto Cupecoy now has a few very good restaurants.

Cute little Spaghetti House story.

We hadn’t been there yet but had ‘heard’ it was quite good so, having originally set out for a Fat Tonys pizza, we tried it instead on one of our last trips. The waiter brought us the menu and asked if we’d like wine. Not realizing the total simplicity of the establishment, I asked if there was a wine list. He looked at me like I had three heads and most unabashedly announced, “Yes! Red or white!” That about said it all.

The food was delicious, very reasonably priced, the servings were plentiful and the setting was pleasant for a change of pace from big dinners in fancy establishments. We enjoyed chatting with the staff and people watching, too.

biglar--Sorry, while I agree that Al Dente is great, and the décor is very interesting, to say that it is the best restaurant on the French side is kind of ridiculous. Best Italian restaurant, maybe?? Dunno. But best restaurant on the French side just shows you that TA ratings are pretty useless...

Tropicana used to have that designation as #1 for food on the French side.
Try la Croissanterie in Marigot marina. You won't be disappointed with the croissants, quiche,sandwiches made with almost a loaf of fresh bread,pizza, crepes. We get takeout quiche to have for dinner on the balcony or breakfast but tell them no salad or your quiche will be wet when you get home.
Also maybe other people do this but we take flickering battery operated candles to enhance our balcony dinner along with incense sticks & a travel blue tooth speaker for soft music. Sorry got carried away there memories coming back!

I can see Tropicana as the #1 restaurant on the French side, for sure..

I would NOT hesitate in having any dinner in Grand Case....Honestly...at night...I personally have avoided the Marina like the plague. Also ...for a nice dinner...if you can drive to Cupecoy...take an extra three minutes...and you can have a fantastic meal at Moulen Fu....at Maho. Also, a decent steak at Jax, both in Maho. As Pat stated.....In jordan village....Fat Tony's is great. One of the best pizzas i have ever had....and also their bbq and steak dinners are sper reasonable and delicious.

We just returned home Tues. night. We stayed in French Cul de Sac, so most nights we ate in Grand Case. No problems parking in the lit public lot, and sometimes we parked on the street. La Villa has valet parking. Piazza Pascal has an upper level with is lovely and you have a nice view of the lights on Anguilla.
We also ate ate Bistrot Caraibes (twice) and L'Auberge Gourmande. Both were wonderful!

Are you talking about the lot across from where Calmos used to be? Lesley advised strongly against parking in that lot a couple of months ago.

Pony, I'm sure you had a great trip. Any activity at Carl's? He seemed to be starting his rebuilding effort when we were there in June, and I sure would like to eat there again.

Nothing going on there. Doesn't look like anything has been done. We stopped by one day to say hello, but no-one was around. I'd like to eat there again, too!

Yes, the public lot by the bridge. There's a basketball court on the other side. We had no problems and felt safe. There was often young people playing basketball. Le Pressoir is diagonally across the street & open & Villa Royal is now open across the bridge. There was parking on the street as well most times.

Pat, since both you and Mike took our advice about Jule's Nutella Croissants-----
AND we all live in Connecticut--maybe one of you might want to drop one or two
off.