A second post about evening dining at St. Thomas will be posted shortly.

There are two very distinct, different crowds that frequent the many and varied restaurants found on St. Thomas in the U. S. Virgin Islands.  With the most generous allowances on duty free shopping in the Caribbean, St. Thomas is a shopping haven second to none and a favorite stop on the itineraries of virtually every cruise line.

As a result, on any given day, there could be thousands of power shoppers scurrying around looking for exceptional deals that cannot be found in the 50 states. But, alas, we cannot live by shopping alone, and sometime during the day some sustenance in the form of food and drink is required. The following are some suggestions for dining during the day.

There are two piers where cruise ships dock in St. Thomas; the older one is called Havensight and the newer facility is Crown Bay.  Either location is equidistant from the main downtown shopping district and an easy cab ride back and forth to the ship. 

The shopping district is not overly expansive but still contains hundreds of stores. As you walk through the streets and narrow alleyways, you’ll come across all of these restaurants:

Café Amici (Two Diamond restaurant): Cafe Amici is one of my favorites, and I eat here every year.  There are specials offered every day including a soup, entrée and adult beverage, as well as standard items with an Italian flavor.  This past trip I really enjoyed an entrée of Italian sausage over a bed of angel hair pasta in a garlic sage sauce accompanied by parmesan-dusted zucchini that was really excellent. 

As a bonus, my wife couldn’t finish her meal, so I ended up eating four slices of very tasty pizza as well!  I have never been disappointed in any meal at this open-air restaurant, and it is conveniently located in the A.H. Riis Mall between the waterfront and Main Street.

The Greenhouse Bar & Restaurant (Two Diamond restaurant): Located on the waterfront at the west end of the shopping district, The Greenhouse Bar offers a varied menu that has something for everyone from soups and salads to sandwiches and burgers, as well as full entrees featuring steaks, ribs, chicken and seafood.  This year, lobster specials were being offered on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Meson Amalia/Amalia Café (Three Diamond restaurant): Meson Amalia is another favorite of mine, specializing in Spanish cuisine.  Examples of their fare are tapas and paella, zarzuela de pescados and entrecote steak.  Regional wines and hand-crafted sangria are offered as well. 

This open-air, upscale dining adventure with covered tables and professional service is located in Palm Passage.  Adjacent to Meson Amalia and also owned by the same couple, Pita Express offers wrap sandwiches and a daily special in a more relaxed manner.

Virgilio’s (Three Diamond restaurant): Always serving an excellent meal with a definite bent toward Northern Italian cuisine, Virgilio’s is also an upscale restaurant with virtually every square inch of wall space covered in art.  There is an emphasis on seafood, however, Virgilio's also offers steaks, chops and veal.

Are you looking for some authentic Caribbean cooking?  Then you only have to look at two places that I have enjoyed over the years: 

Glady’s Café (Two Diamond restaurant): The café is in the Royal Dane Mall and is one of the few places open for breakfast, serving omelets, French toast and bagels with lox.  The lunch menu offers homemade soups, sandwiches, fresh fish, steaks and gazpacho.

The hot chicken salad is always interesting.  Some of the local favorites include conch and fungi, a salt fish with dumplings and a mutton stew.  Don’t miss a fabulous Bloody Mary to go along with your meal. 

Cuzzin’s Caribbean Restaurant and Bar (Two Diamond restaurant): The Cuzzin's Caribbean Restaurant is located a block north of the main shopping area on Back Street and offers air-conditioned dining and displays of local art.  Curried dishes as well as seafood meals of conch, fish, lobster and stews adorn the menu.  I remember one dish called the Cuzzin Nemo that had a little bit of everything in it including scallops, shrimp, conch and lobster all served over a bed of pasta. 

For those adventuresome travelers who strike out on their own, a follow-up article on dining on the rest of the island will be coming soon.

When you visit, I hope you enjoy your day on St. Thomas, and I wish you a speedy return.