Granted, when you think of the word “Dutch,” you would not necessarily associate it with culinary excellence. Thankfully, the country of St. Maarten (still somewhat anachronistically referred to as the Dutch side as an easy distinction from its French side counterpart with nearly the same name) is an autonomous country with a wholly distinct culture – including when it comes to food.
With one foot firmly rooted in long-standing Caribbean traditions and the other embracing the wide variety of ethnic cuisines brought by the many cultures that call St. Maarten home, no restaurant on this side of the island tastes quite like another. Over time, many communities have turned their unique flavors into a claim to fame, creating specialized culinary hotspots waiting to be discovered by visitors.
Just to mention a few, this side of the dual-nation island is home to restaurants specializing in American, Caribbean, Chinese, Creole, French, Indian, Indonesian, Ital, Italian, Jamaican, Japanese, Korean, Lebanese, Mexican, Mongolian, Peruvian, St. Maarten, Taiwanese, and Venezuelan cuisines. (And yes, even the Dutch have made their mark in their own way, with pancakes, bitterballen, herring, and other traditional pub foods widely available.)
Increasingly, more restaurants are also dedicated to offering combinations of these influences, creating unique “fusion” cuisines.
The small country of St. Maarten is said to have one of the highest concentrations of restaurants per square mile in the world, meaning there is always a dining option nearby for every budget and taste.
Simpson Bay, together with the adjacent Pelican area, has the largest concentration of restaurants open in the evening. Maho and Cupecoy follow in second place, while Philipsburg ranks third – with the latter being especially lively during the day. Oyster Bay and Dawn Beach also offer a variety of restaurants, as does Cole Bay. Throughout all areas of the island, you will also find small roadside eateries serving everything from local favorites to international dishes.
