TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Can I just get a cup of coffee

I want to start this post by saying this is my opinion of this mornings breakfast.

Breakfast was not meant to be this morning. We started out at 7:30a which is a reasonable time to expect an available breakfast. First stop, Maho Market and nothing was out. They don't put the breakfast buffet out until 8:00a. OK... we have a parking spot and decide to walk over to Tortuga Cafe at the Royal Islander and they are cleaning the patio. They also don't start serving until 8:00a.

We left and got our car looking to return home but decided to stop at Sunset. There was a car stuck in the sand on the Maho beach strip half way down as you enter the road. Because of the high sand and stuck car, there was only one way open for cars to both exit and enter Beacon Hill.

We tried Sunset which was open but only one waitress on board and she looked hurried. We sat for 10 minutes and saw that the other 3 tables were looking at their watches, which is not a good sign. We left and went back to BSV where we decided to walk over to El Zafiro for breakfast. Here it where it really went downhill. I'm sure I am going to a lot of slack for this but our experience was very poor and I'm hoping it was an isolated incident. Keep in mind every place has a bad day, I get that. My husband is in the service industry so he was not happy that it was one thing after another.

Not a good start to the day for sure.

You've got me laughing - with you and certainly NOT at you - but we are always surprised at this breakfast phenomenon when on the island. We are early risers and the quest for breakfast is often interesting, to say the least! Tortuga is one we generally hit right around 7:45 and even if they aren't fully open, they've usually managed to scrounge up a couple of cups of coffee to calm these savage beasts.

I haven't found anything convenient to that area that is actually open and serving before 8ish so if you do, please share..... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

If I had a nickel for every time I had a similar experience (where something just wasn't meant to be)I would be able to take all TTOLers out to dinner. I feel your pain. The breakfast gods were not in your corner.

They sure were not. Both of our sausages were burnt, cold tea and the pancakes were so raw when David cut into them they oozed out. My eggs were not sunny side, they were cooked hard. After waiting so long for the food there wasn't any way we could wait for them to retry and make the breakfast right. Not charging us for the food after taking only a few bites was the right thing for them to do and I respect the bartender for it.

Hate to say it because I like the location and the people but El Zafiro definitely needs to improve both their food and their service.

It's worth the drive to Marigot to La Croissanterie for breakfast or lunch! We eat there at least 8 times during our 3 week vacation & often take out quiche for our dinner or breakfast next day. Right in Marina Royale over the steps from Tropicana. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

Was it the sweet young lady Ivanna?

We had great lunches at El Zafiro so tried breakfast. First was an utter disaster, but they made it right. Gave them a second breakfast try and all went well...though I was SUPER specific to avoid the issues from the first time. I cannot stand it when someone takes an order without writing it down...unless they are super gifted. When it goes wrong, don't tell me I said something different. But I didn't see that particular young lady again on several visits.

I'm lucky that I'm a late breakfast eater! Maybe 9:30 or so cuz it's after we do our Causeway workout. Sometimes we are pushing 11:00 and praying to still find breakfast options. Zee Best wins when we are late.

Have you tried Green Monkey? We ate there...I think it's 8 or 8:30? Pat?

Leona,

You're asking me to think? Okay, then, I think the Green Monkey opens at 8:30, which is later than we generally go to breakfast.

It seems to me we arrived there around 7:30 and read the sign and ended up going out to Maho and Tortuga. By the time we got there they were just about ready to open and invited us to be seated. It's such a nice setting to watch the beach there from a different angle and the breakfast was good, too.

I feel like I can't find a bottle of water anywhere before 8 a.m. There is a coffee shop over by the medical school, I usually get a cup of coffee there on my morning walks, and usually end up at Maho Express after the walk and have scrambled eggs and fruit with water. The coffee shop does have some foods, but I haven't tried any, it is frequented by students and teachers. My husband usually buys grapes during his walk, we meet up somewhere on the walk and I can hydrate with grapes. I can't tell you what time the coffee shop opens, it could well be 8:00 a.m. That's what I like about island life, I can adapt to their schedule, not the one I have at home. But I totally agree, you ran into one bad luck scene after another today!

Tortuga Cafe is a good breakfast spot. Bummer you missed their opening by 1/2 an hour.

What I like about their mimosas is that you get some oj and a split of champagne. I think it was $11 but I basically got almost 3 drinks out of it!

Looks good. We know better for next time.

Now THAT looks good! I love me some mimosas in the morning!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

By the way, can we expect a trip report soon?? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" />

La Sucriere in Simpson Bay opens at 6am. Decent patio out back.

The Taste Factory opens at 0630a (SB)

Bon Appetit at 0700 (SBR)

I thought that La Sucriere opened early. The patio is a very pleasant place for breakfast. I personally am perfectly satisfied with a quiche or a croissant from there, but, unless something has changed, they don't serve eggs or pancakes, stuff like that. However, I usually just send Eric for carry out from there and bring it back to eat on the patio at Beachside! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> Although, they usually have quiches available pretty much all day, so it's easy to pick some up for breakfast the next morning when we're running around.

I am blessed. My morning routine consists of a walk from OBBR over to the French side lookout on the point and back to a lovely breakfast that my husband has prepared of fruit/cheese/baguette/coffee on our deck. I always stop at L'Oasis on the way back for a cup of wonderful freshly brewed French coffee with Martine so I've had my fix of delicious coffee and can have an additional one from our coffee maker without feeling cheated. Only 23 more days to go - I can almost taste that coffee - the French certainly know how to do it right!

Bob Appetit has a full bkfst menu.

I have a routine for early AM....drive to La sucriere for pastries...on the way get a Daily Herald from the lady selling them on the corner of Billy Folly and Welfare...back to resort, pick up a International Herald at the towel booth.....enjoy purchases on deck with plenty of Dunkin Donuts coffee and reading material....

I think the OP/Louise had a less than desirable experience earlier in the trip at Bon Appetit.

Ahhh....We never actually ate a meal there so I can't say anything about their offerings. Occasional croissants and a baguette is about it.

Unfortunately it wasn't good. Several years ago we had a croissant at Bon Appetit and it was good.

I want to add an addendum to my original post. Our friends had breakfast this morning at El Zafiro about 1.5 hours after us and said their omelets and sausage were very good. No complaints and service was good. They had a different server but I can't imagine the cook changed shift in such a short time. I'm glad the omelets were good.

I have never been to either and breakfast is not something I have to have. Give me a Hilma JC and I am set. Bon Appetit kind of scares me due to the traffic being so close. Exhaust and safety come to mind.

We stay at SBR so we get croissants every morning and eat them on our balcony overlooking the ocean. I think their breakfast is over priced for the quality but the croissants are right up there with all the best bakeries we have tried. We enjoy dinner there but it can be scary with the traffic.

I go to Vesna's Taverna every morning for my coffee - they open at 7:00 (and serve breakfast)

For us staying at Alamanda Resort along Orient Beach and going out at 7-8 am was always troublesome, Andy always had great coffee, etc., but going there every morning, enough already, and all the other choices including the bakery in Marigot the coffee is way to bitter for us and not what we are use too.

We ate breakfast at El Zafiro twice in July and never had a problem. We have been guests of RicknGrace twice and we have had a kitchen at both ROyal Islander and the Towers and made coffee each morning, and English muffins and/or eggs some mornings. Loved sitting on the balcony with a cup of coffee.

Carol,

Didn't you love that morning cup of coffee out on the Towers balcony? I'm an owner there and I love my first cup on the balcony while waiting for the sun to break.

We've also breakfasted at ElZafiro with success each time and our lunches there were always pretty good, too. Sorry for all those who have had lesser experiences and at the same time, grateful ours have always been so good. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

We always prefer breakfast in the condo or whatever rental with kitchen we have. Albeit we are always on the French side so not sure what the choices are. Juice, coffe, eggs, bacon and fruit are the norm. We can hold out for lunch which in Orient is no problem.
To get going and venture out for breakfast is not our desire but I know some people prefer no cooking on vacation.

We ate full bkfst at Rainbow around 6 am. But that's on French side in Grand Case; perhaps to far to drive unless you have something to do on that side.

When we stay on Dutch side we stop at La Sucriere at 6 am but it's pastries croissants quiches.

Listened to all the raves about Zafire but had a terrible meal of rubber pancakes.

What happened to Zee Best? Isn't that near to where you stay? Or does it open late?

Zee Best was just opening the other day at 7.

Cappuccino and SMYC would have been open but we had only gone to get coffee, newspaper and some sausage from Maho Market.

We had eggs so just wanted to get a side from the hot bkfst buffet Maho Matket serves daily. When that wasn't available yet is when we decided to get a full on bkst out which was not meant to be.

We always eat at ZeeBest in Simpson Bay. We always get there around 7:30 and they have the coffee ready. I am not sure of their official opening time as the pastries get there late sometimes.

We love Zee Best as well and usually are there well before 8 too when we have breakfast. Never had anything bad there! Unless you count those terrible passed around pastry baskets that I am sure someone will complain about in this thread <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Dustin

Have you trued Cafe Atlantico? The breakfast's we've had there have been very good. Not sure how early they open.

8am

After years of waving that pastry basket off, they know not to even bring it to our table... lol...of course we are known and recognized. I share a birthday with one of the ladies, and we toast to our birthdays with champagne and passion fruit Fizzes. She complains I don't venture beyond my FAVORITE..eggs Benedict. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

I've loved those pass around food baskets. mmmmmmburnt almond croissant

Might want to scan them with a blue light first. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Agree La Croissanterie in Marina Port La Royale, Marigot is the place for breakfast & lunch, fresh baked out of the oven croissants all day and much more...

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Best on the island.

We stay in Orient village and Good Morning is our favorite, I believe they open at 6:30. I usually get up at 5:30 or 6:00 and take my morning walk on the beach, when I return they're always open I grab a couple coffees and take them back too our condo, then when my wife's ready for the day we go there for breakfast, we've tried many breakfast places on the island but still prefer G.M.