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WEB EXTRA: Where to Eat and Drink in the Caribbean

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Two things they know how to do in the Caribbean is eat and party. We've found the places to go from sunrise to sunset.


Anguilla Count Robert De Niro as one of the many fans of Trattoria Tramonto (Shoal Bay West; 264/497-8819; dinner for two $100), where Reggio Emilia native Walter Belli prepares the best tiramisù for miles. Stop by early or plan to stay late: lounge chairs are available for those who want to swim pre- or post-pasta.

Dominican Republic Though it's also open for breakfast and lunch, Lax Bar (Cabarete Beach; www.lax-cabarete.com) really comes to life once the sun goes down, when hip young locals and suntanned surfers congregate to drink caipirinhas and listen to a live music under the palapa.

Puerto Rico The rough-and-tumble Chez Shack (Hwy. 995, Vieques; 787/741-2175; dinner for two $50) may not be much to look at, but it serves some of the island's best Caribbean-fusion cuisine. Don't miss Monday evenings, when the Shack's usual freewheeling vibe shifts into full party mode for Grill Night: the day's fresh catch is tossed onto a huge brazier, tables are pushed back to make an impromptu dance floor, and a steel-drum band plays reggae long into the night.

St. Barts For authentic Creole fare, locals and villa owners rub elbows at the bare wood tables in La Gloriette (Cocoloba Beach, Grand Cul-de-Sac; 590-590/277-566; dinner for two $80), a sky-blue shack on Grand Cul-de-Sac Beach, where cool breezes make the votives dance as owner Albert Balaidin serves his crab farci and passion fruit–infused rum digestif.

St. Bart's Chilled Red Stripe beers are haute at Do Brazil (Shell Beach; 590-590/290-666; www.dobrazil.com), an Afro-Gallic fusion bar on Shell Beach, surrounded by rocky cliffs.

Tortola The Soggy Dollar Bar (White Bay, Jost Van Dyke,; 284/495-9888; www.sandcastle-bvi.com) got its name because thirsty sailors like to swim ashore with drink money in their pockets; they order Painkillers, the potent house rum cocktail.

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