Restaurants Overview

Grand Cayman dining is casual (even shorts are okay, but not beachwear and tank tops, of course). Mosquitoes can be pesky when you are dining outdoors, especially at sunset, so plan ahead or ask for repellent. Winter can be chilly enough to warrant a light sweater. You should make reservations at all but the most casual places, particularly during the high season.

Prices are about 30% more than those in a major U.S. city. Many restaurants add a 10% to 15% service charge to the bill; be sure to check before leaving a tip. Alcohol with your meal can send the tab skyrocketing. Buy liquor duty-free before you leave the airport and enjoy a cocktail or nightcap from the comfort of your room or balcony. Cayman customs limits you to two bottles per person.

Don't hesitate to try the local cuisine. Turtle is the traditional specialty of the Cayman Islands and can be served in soup or stew or as a steak. Conch, the meat of a large pink mollusk, is ubiquitous in stews and chowders, fritters and panfried (cracked). Fish -- including snapper, tuna, wahoo, and marlin -- is served baked, broiled, steamed, or "Cayman-style" (with peppers, onions, and tomatoes). Caribbean lobster is available, but there are no other shellfish in local waters. Many of these dishes would suit any palate, while the unique flavors of salt cod, ackee, curried goat, or various forms of jerk cuisine may appeal to the more adventurous diner.