Marcus Samuelson’s namesake restaurant inside The Hamilton Princess is a great scene, even in the off-season and especially on Thursday nights, when a live band plays reggae ballads until late. The menu is a mix of Samuelson classics (i.e. The Yard Bird) and takes on Bermudian classics, like fish chowder croquettes and a house swizzle made with a custom Gosling’s rum you can only find at the restaurant.
76 Pitts Bay Rd.
Hamilton, HM 08
+1-441-298-2028
Fairmont Southampton’s fancy white-tablecloth steakhouse located in a two-story manor house dating back to 1670 is known for the classics: oysters Rockefeller, lobster bisque, and many prime cuts of meat. Reservations are required; dinner jackets are highly encouraged. Show up early at The Dock outside for a swizzle, some live music, and views over Jew’s Bay before dinner.
183 Middle Rd.
Southampton, SN 04
+1-441-238-8000
Rock up to the wharf in front of the World Heritage Centre on the weekend and you’ll find a swarm of hungry folks gathering around a grill — they’re waiting for plates of Blake and Trudy Simmons’ saucy, Southern-inspired smoked meats. The Simmons work nine-to-five during the week and only have time to make their signature sides (baked spaghetti, peas and rice, scalloped potatoes, jalapeño cornbread) for Sunday service. That’s when you should go.
19 Pennos Wharf
St. George's, GE 05
A modest roadside jerk joint you will probably pass on your way around the island — if the smoker out front is running, you can’t (and shouldn’t) miss it. Stop in for saucy jerk chicken and pork with mac and cheese and rice and peas (that’s Jamaican-style kidney beans and rice for you). Though not traditional Bermudian cuisine, locals love it as if it were their own.
Harrington Sound Rd.
Smiths Parish, HS 01
Make a point to try the Michelin-starred restaurant in the Rosedon’s lobby. It’s some of the best on the island. (Look out for local ingredients throughout: Bermuda onion, Wadson Farms chicken, blackened local rockfish.) Opt for the genteel terrace for the best seat in the house.
61 Pitts Bay Rd.
Pembroke, HM 08
+1-441-478-2256
A reliable fish joint specializing in freshly caught seafood and comforting classics like fish chowder and fried wahoo nuggets. Good when you’re feeling peckish in St. George’s. Better when the harbor-side terrace is open. Best when spiny Bermudian lobster is on the chalkboard specials menu. Get it with black-eyes peas and rice and cole slaw.
36 Water St.
St.George's, GE 05
+1-441-297-1307
Locals start lining up at noon for the king of all Bermudian fish sandwiches: two massive fillets of fried fish, hot sauce, and tartar sauce on raisin bread. Get it with cole slaw and a slice of cheese inside as the locals do, pick up a can of cold Barritt’s Bermuda Stone Ginger Beer, and stuff yourself silly, preferably by the water.
9 St. Monica's Rd.
Hamilton, HM 14
+1-441-295-3965
French-inflected sea-to-table cuisine served in a stunning glass-walled dining room overlooking the ocean draws a sophisticated evening crowd. Grab a Dark ’n’ Stormy from the restaurant bar, which resembles a members club and regularly hosts world-class DJs on weekends, and enjoy on the patio under the stars.
116 South Rd.
Tucker's Town, HS 01
+1-441-293-1666
Marvelously stuck in time, The Coral Room at Coral Beach Beach Club is the last Bermuda restaurant that requires gentlemen to wear formal attire to dinner (tie, jacket, Bermuda socks, and knee shorts). Show up around sunset for a truly memorable meal — Longtail Terrace out front, named for the avian mural on its dance floor, has an even better view and doesn’t have a dress code — or on Thursdays for a seafood buffet feast.
34 South Rd.
Paget, PG 04
+1-441-236-2233
The folks behind Devil’s Isle also run this scrumptious all-day eatery in cute and sleepy Flatts Village. The menu is diverse and super fresh — try the morcilla breakfast for a taste of what the island’s oft-overlooked Portuguese population brings to the table — and the design is thoughtful (families love the outdoor play area).
8 North Shore Rd.
Flatts Village, FL 03
+1-441-478-2300
Edison lightbulbs, cold brew, and a jam-packed seasonal menu (avocado toast on house-made bread, veggie-packed grain bowls, ramen, lobster with cassava chips) make this all-day cafe and restaurant feel straight outta Brooklyn. Show up for happy hour and commune with locals at the handsome bar.
19 Burnaby St.
Hamilton, HM 11
+1-441-292-3284