Dining in Bermuda

[mrabinow]

At the luxe end of the scale, The Elbow Beach Hotel in Paget Parish is very plush and on a gorgeous piece of sand. The same holds true for the Fairmont Southampton. Fairmont also have a property in Hamilton. Michael Douglas's family has restored Ariel. This last link will take you into Fodor's Bermuda, which mentions many other options at all budget levels. We looked in on Oxford House and The Salt Kettle, both of which offered trim and charming accomodation and are nearby Hamilton.

But watch out for false economy. With no rental cars, staying any distance from the beach can mean hot delays while waiting for taxis, which are not cheap.

A visit to the Royal Naval Dockyard is a worthy morning's excursion - try lunch at the Frog and Onion.

Dining can be tricky on Bermuda - you also pay to get close to the ocean, especially in the evening, and experience quickly taught us that the value and fun was to be found in more casual venues, such as The Black Horse Tavern in St. George's - but dine outside. The Swizzle Inn and The Beach are quality drinking spots, if my notes can be trusted. A little more dressed up is The Seahorse Grill. In Hamilton, there are a number of ubiquitous Italian restaurants where you can, with complete confidence, wander from one to the next with the same menu in hand. 

In August, the humidity is fierce, so stay close to the water, book a hammock or hammock a book, or better yet, immerse yourself completely in the pea soup sea.

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Thanks Jamie. Do you know if August is hurricane season?

[jamiemaw]

Thanks Jamie.  Do you know if August is hurricane season?

Although we spent several bucolic August weeks on Bermuda with only pleasant sailing zephyrs, in this epoch of global warming I'd suggest that you consult your local weather professional or this website.

[KOK]

I've read a fair amount about the 9 beaches resort on the west side. I haven't been, but when I go back, I will likely try it.

The off season in Bermuda has always been November - March so it seems you will be there in the middle of high season and deals aren't as good.

The Frog and Onion is good, as is Dennis' Hideaway, The Spot, and The Lobster Pot. Don't miss the fish chowder and rum swizzles at The Swizzle Inn.

There is a thread on Bermuda eating below (or on page 2) under this category.

Thanks,

Kevin

http://www.9beaches.com/

[aaronwcpa]

It's been a while since any postings about Bermuda.

We will be there in early August for a wedding and we should have time for several dinners and a few lunches.

Any recommendations would be welcome. Prefer restaurants offering what one would consider local food, whatever that may be.

Thanks.

Aaron

[KOK]

It's been a while since any postings about Bermuda.

We will be there in early August for a wedding and we should have time for several dinners and a few lunches.

Any recommendations would be welcome. Prefer restaurants offering what one would consider local food, whatever that may be.

Thanks.

  Aaron

←

Aaron,

I tried to PM you twice today but it doesn't seem they went through.

Let me know if you got the PM recs,

Thanks,

Kevin

[KOK]

Aaron,

Here are some recommendations. If you have email address, PM or email through eGullet as I have other info for off the board.

Thanks,

Kevin

The Spot, a couple of blocks off of Front St (on Burnaby I think) has great fish chowder and reasonable daily specials (Bermuda is a bit expensive). The fish cakes - very Bermudian - are good as well.

The Captains Lounge on Reid Street was recommeded by a cabbie but we didn't make it.

Don't miss the Swizzle Inn for fish chowder (with a splash of sherry pepper sauce and black rum from cruets), fish and chips as well as the signature rum swizzle. Across from the Swizzle Inn is a great ice cream place.

Dennis' Hideaway in St George's has been very good in the past.

The Lobster Pot was also very good several years ago. If spiney lobster is in season, it's a very good treat.

Monty's (On Pitt's Bay Rd - between Front St and the Bacardi Bldg) also came highly recommended.

Some formalish recs in Hamilton are Portofino's and Ascot's

Flanagan's is a fun Irish pub/restaurant with a 2nd floor balcont overlooking Front St. Be sure to try a Dark & Stormy, Bermuda's other drink besides the rum swizzle

Let me know if I can be of more help.

Thanks,

Kevin

[aaronwcpa]

We will be staying at the Fairmont Southampton. I have a good sense of place but I will have to see where everything is in relation to our hotel.

Thanks for the suggestions.

We will be there in early August so I have ample time to plan.

Thanks again.

Aaron

[gia]

Dennis's Hideaway may not be there as I believe he passed away.

Fresco's and the Lobster Pot in Hamilton are very good. Fourways has a wonderful restaurant. I've also heard good things about Tom Moore's Tavern, although I've never been there. SHP is a big convention hotel which sits high atop a hill on the south shore. You will need transportation wherever you go (cab, bus, scooter) I would suggest Surf Side, Grape Bay Hotel, Ariel Sands, The Reefs, or Elbow Beach. The Palm at Surfside is also excellent.

As for the food, as said, fish chowder (we like the Hog Penny Pub in Hamilton) and fresh Bermuda fish.....fantastic.

August 3-4 is a big two day holiday called Cup Match. Most businesses are closed; most restaurants open.

In addition, check out the message forum at Bermuda Shorts.bm

Edited June 5, 2006 by gia (log)

[aaronwcpa]

Returned from Bermuda a few days ago. Lovely place. Unfortunately we were attendind a wedding and we had no chance to really dine on our own.

We were part of a party of fifteen or so at Tio Pepe but the food was all right but one cannot judeg anything with a group that large.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Perhaps one day we will return with more time on our hands.

[pzjgr]

Just a few thoughts from me....a little background...

I have several clients in Bermuda, where we do annual or semi-annual stack testing for the Bermuda Gov...So I have been there about 10 times, each for a week to three weeks, so I have spent about 5 months there over the past 10 years....In fact I am just getting my crew ready to return week after next, although I won't be going this year...

I love Bermuda, it is a fabulous island, and I have spent much of my off time exploring all the nooks and crannies...and also supplementing my library with both books on its history and its cooking....Oh, and if you like history look for a book called "Life in Old Bermuda" or something along those lines...great info, and I photo copied many of the pages and use it as a guide as I explore the less traveled venues and roads...

Anyway...its been a couple of years since I have been there, but here is what I liked....

Hamilton: The Harborfront!!!! Great sushi, great food, nice upstairs deck overlooking Hamilton Harbor and Front Street, great to unwind with a few Dark & Stormy's....The Lobster Pot and Portofinos are good too...

There is a great little bakery/snack place a bit hidden, and I don't know the name....but if you take Front Dtreet out of Hamilton, towards South Shore Road....or coming from South Shore Road area around the round-about where the "Greeter Guy" is in the morning (Where Berry Hill Rd, Trimingham Rd, HArbor Rd, and Front all connect), there is a small place, kind of in the middle of the road (the road splits and goes around it...one lane on either side...) ...in any case, a great, and inexpensive place to go to get breakfast pastry or sandwiches and coffee...also for lunch...man, great Jamaican Meat Pockets, various small savory pies (the lamb curry is great, also have mussle curry....etc). I think they close in late afternoon, but really good if you can find it...

Dennis' Hideaway on St. Davids is a trip, both literally and figureatively...if it is still there...Some cab drivers are a bit nervous taking people there, its a bit out of the way, and in the boonies as it were...its also BYOB.....Never stopped us, as we all ride the death scooters...

Swizzle Inn...a must go to...you need to get a pitcher of Swizzle and the Fish and Chips....you CAN'T go to Bermuda and not have at least one meal there.

Frog and Onion Pub at the Royal Navy Dockyard...want a fun day...if you are staying near Hamilton, take the Ferry from Hamilton to the Dockyard, spend the day exploring the Dockyard, and then ride home along Harbor Road...The Dockyard is full of history, the Commandants House, now fully restored, is incredible...re-live a time when the Sun Never Set on the British Empire...Frog and Onion, great pub food....

Oh, speaking of Forts....if you are into Military History, there are about 40 Forts around Bermuda to explore....spanning time from the 1600's (Ferry Reach) through WWII...some of the Coastal Artillery emplacements still with their Breech Loading Krupp monsters in place...again, and excellent book is "The Forts of Bermuda" about an inch and a half thick, and nearly $100, but well worth it...I spent at least several weeks over the years exploring them...

Black Horse Tavern, on St. Davids....nice old fashioned tavern, good pub food, sit outside and enjoy the water...

Tom Moore's Tavern....very nice, very old, very expensive...way out in the "boonies" (for Bermuda) get a good feel for what it was like in Colonial times, with nothing around...

Henry VIII Pub...great English Pub atmosphere, great pub food.....

If you have the time, and means (ie rented scooters....the only way around Bermuda for non-islanders other than foot power, buses or taxi's, tons of fun, but be careful, many Bermudians drive like maniacs...) explore the lesser traveled areas, hit the local eateries...many not fancy, but good homemade food. If you want the elegant, stick around Hamilton, and some of the large resorts/hotels...

Truly runs the gamut of hole in the wall local dives to extravegant elegance...depends on your taste and pocketbook....

Flatts village is a neat place to explore, where the tide enters and leaves Harrington Sound...when its coming in or going out, there is quite the current through the narrow inlet under the bridge...also there is the Bermuda Aquarium, a very nice place to spend an afternoon...

My favorite parts of the island are St. Georges, and St. Davids. Lots of great areas to explore and see.

If you get a chance, go out to Spanish Point, and drive some of the small roads around there...fantastic houses and great gardens.

Do travel down the little side roads to see things most tourists never see...explore the central portions in Devonshire and Smiths Parishes....you get to sections where there are still farms and unbuilt upon land...interesting throwbacks in time compared to the rest of the built up areas...

Oh, explore Coney Island, not far from the Causeway from the airport...unbuilt on, wild....also, if you watch the movie "The Deep" it is where they constructed Romer Treece's house and lighthouse (which they copied St. Davids Light for...)...its right at the tip at the inlet between Coney Island and Ferry Point Park on St. Georges...

If you are in the town of St. Georges, right in the center by the Town Square there is a small island connected with wit a small bridge...that is Ordnance Island...in WWII, it was a US Navy Submarine base...and of course the Airport was also at one time a US Naval Air Station, and there also was on (it was a seaplane base as well) between Sandy's (pronounced Sand's) and Southampton Parishes, in the Little Sound...

Between the history, and the food, being such a melange of different cultures, I can never tire of exploring Bermuda...

ETA...while I could easily and without a care move to Bermuda and be happy for the rest of my life...a few things discourage...1. As a non-resident, I would have to fork over some MAJOR cash in the form of "tax" (read BRIBE) to the Bermuda Gov for the privilege...ok for people like Michael Douglas and all...not too mention, check out the real estate prices!

2. Draconian gun laws...I am too attached to my large collection...yes I am one of those, but I love my history, and having to divest myself of all my lovelies is too much to bear...

But they have no problem with me visiting...so I'll take what I can get!

Edited October 9, 2006 by pzjgr (log)

[gia]

Unfortunately, non-Bermudians may only spend a certain percentage of time on the island, whether they own or not. very sad indeed......

[KOK]

Tom Moore's Tavern....very nice, very old, very expensive...way out in the "boonies" (for Bermuda) get a good feel for what it was like in Colonial times, with nothing around...

←

Excellent post! I'm not a big fan of Frog & Onion, or Henry VII but I agree with much of what you recommend. One place I'll recommend is Fat Man's Cafe for one of the best fish cakes on the island. It's on Trackside Lane (off of Palmetto Road), across from the soccer field and is right on a bus route (#10 I think). This is total local color and few, if any tourists go there. Nothing fancy, just a great fish cake. I also like The Spot in downtown Hamiltown for fish chowder.

I've been nine times but I've never even heard of Tom Moore's. I'll have to go my next trip.

Thanks,

Kevin

[gia]

Kevin, thanks for mentioning Fat Man's. I can't believe I've never heard of it! My friends are keeping a good secret from me I suppose.

Also like La Trattoria in Hamilton. My favorite fish chowder is the Hog Penny; never tried it at the Spot.

[tim]

Hi,

Bermuda has a Portugese history and many local restaurants still serve wonderful chourico with eggs for breakfast. We brought back many chourico sausages from Myers food store in Hamilton. That probably would be a problem today.

There used to be a small liquor store in Sandy's that had a wall of draught barrel rums. Black Seal, Demerara, Trindidad.... Wonderful and a great excuse to buy fruit.

We have wonderful memories of the Black Horse for lunch. The fish for dinner were brought off boats and carried right through the restaurant to the kitchen.

Tim

[pzjgr]

Tom Moore's Tavern....very nice, very old, very expensive...way out in the "boonies" (for Bermuda) get a good feel for what it was like in Colonial times, with nothing around...

←

Excellent post! I'm not a big fan of Frog & Onion, or Henry VII but I agree with much of what you recommend. One place I'll recommend is Fat Man's Cafe for one of the best fish cakes on the island. It's on Trackside Lane (off of Palmetto Road), across from the soccer field and is right on a bus route (#10 I think). This is total local color and few, if any tourists go there. Nothing fancy, just a great fish cake. I also like The Spot in downtown Hamiltown for fish chowder.

I've been nine times but I've never even heard of Tom Moore's. I'll have to go my next trip.

Thanks,

Kevin

←

Sounds like its not too far from Tynes Bay Waste Treatment Facility, where we work every year...too bad I'm not going this year, I'd try it!

We typically look for hole in the wall local joints for lunch...much cheaper to eat, and usually very good...they seem to like when non-locals come in and try their wares....but I never remember the names...

Tom Moores is somewhat off the beaten path....out off of Harrington Sound Road....in the area between Castle Harbor and Harrington Sound...I think it sits adjacent to or in the nature reserve in that area, thus the reason there is nothing around it basically...Definitely worth the trip though...

[gia]

We have wonderful memories of the Black Horse for lunch.  The fish for dinner were brought off boats and carried right through the restaurant to the kitchen.

Tim

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I remember one evening dining at the Chancery Wine Bar (now Fresco's) a huge Bermuda fish was brought in, right through the dining room. Catch of the day! (or next day at least!)

[chappie]

Any updates on Dennis' Hideaway? My wife and I are renting a small studio near Hamilton for our anniversary, renting some mopeds and would love to venture there. I've been to Bermuda a few times but it's been years.

I need recommendations, too. I like off-the-beaten path places and definitely don't need extensive wine lists and foie gras. We would like to have a nicer meal for our anniversary night itself, but again, doesn't need to be five-star, just memorable. Good food with an even better sunset, perhaps.

Anyone reviving this threat out there?

[lemon curd]

If you ever go to the '9 beaches resort' I would be interested to hear of your experience. My family was posted to Canadian Forces Station Bermuda many years ago and I was surprised to see they had the "Commanders House" as an accommodation option. That was my home (literally!) for three years...but a long time ago. From the picture it looks like they have really upgraded the beach access.

From many years ago I remember awesome fish sandwiches from somewhere at the Naval Dockyard. As well Dark and Stormy's (black rum and ginger beer) from the Swizzle Inn!

Edited October 23, 2007 by lemon curd (log)

[Catherine Iino]

Big Bump--

My brother and sister-in-law are going to Bermuda for a few days for her 60th birthday. I'd like to get them a meal at an excellent restaurant. Any suggestions? I have never been there myself.

[tim]

The Black Horse Inn on the east end of St. David's Island (+1 441-297-1991)‎ is still the place for really fresh fish and shark hash for that special evening. You should know that It's location may not be convenient.

Tim

[Catherine Iino]

Thanks, Tim! I'll see whether they would be able to get there. Do you know anything about the Mad Hatter? There are some good comments about it on the web.

[liamsaunt]

I am in Bermuda now for a short trip and thought I would add my dining experiences here.  The island is very crowded right now for Cup Match and reservations are a little tricky to come by at the more popular places.  I should have planned better in advance as we got shut out of a couple of favorites.  I do have reservations for each night but may change them around depending on what opens up.  We'll be staying at or close to our hotel until the Match is over because buses and taxis are hard to come by (everyone is at the Match haha), and I refuse to rent a scooter after being dumped off the back of one too many times by my Dad as a teenager.  

 

We arrived yesterday, and are staying at the Southampton Princess for its proximity to the South Shore beaches that I love.  Late afternoon snack while waiting for our room to be ready:

 

  

 

That's pimiento cheese, spinach artichoke dip, and hummus from the Jasmine Lounge on property.

 

 

Dinner was at the Ocean Club, an outdoor restaurant that is also on property.  Red snapper seveche

 

 

Tuna tartare

 

 

Local fish trio (wahoo, snapper, tuna)

 

 

Snapper in banana leaf with Thai chili sauce

 

 

complimentary key lime pie

 

 

Restaurant view

 

[liamsaunt]

Yesterday breakfast was fruit and cottage cheese.  Boring and no photo.  Lunch was at the Cabana Grill, a wahoo sandwich on raisin bread with slaw and tartar sauce.  Pretty decent, not as good as Art Mel's Spicy Dicy, but I am not getting over that way this trip.

 

 

 

Pre-dinner snacks and drinks at the Dock at the Waterlot Inn.  Cocktails are pricy at $16/each, but as you can tell from the photo they are large.  Left is a Mango Lemon Press (Grey Goose, Malibu Mango, hand-pressed lemonade, fresh fruit) and right is a Burnt Jalepeno Margarita (Patron silver, charred jalepenos, crushed cucumbers, pressed lime)

 

 

Nibbles plate of almonds, edamame, and olives.  Nothing special

 

 

Second cocktails are a Island Passion (kettle one citron, st. germaine, passion fruit falernum, orange, and pineapple) and a Molecular (grey goose citron, pomegranate cranberry, cointreau caviar)

 

A flatbread with carmelized onion and goat cheese

 

 

and some shrimp with brava sauce

 

 

Live music and a nice sunset

 

 

Dinner at the Newport Gastropub.  They were out of everything we had planned to order.  Oh well.  A "plush ploughman" platter (prosciutto, gherkins, deviled eggs, pate, cheddar)

 

 

and we shared a grouper sandwich

 

 

Service is always harried here.  It's probably my least favorite restaurant at the hotel, but fine for its purpose.

 

Cup Match is over so we are venturing out to new places today

Edited July 30, 2016 by liamsaunt (log)

[gfweb]

Been ages since I've been in BDA. Time to go back.

[KennethT]

My wife and I were there for a long weekend in October, 2014....  a hurricane arrived shortly after we did!