The Best Waterside Restaurants In The Bahamas

Thanks to the Bahamas’ long history as the destination of choice for yachting in the Caribbean, the islands have built a strong offering of quality restaurants. While you’re visiting, look out for fine dining establishments with dramatic ocean views and laid-back beachside shacks. Make sure you try local specialties such as fresh grouper and conch salad for an authentic Bahamian experience at the places below – the best waterside restaurants in the Bahamas.

Bask in the best of the Bahamas by renting a yacht for the day with Culture Trip. Alternatively, explore further afield on a multi-day sailing vacation with Culture Trip.

Dune

Restaurant, Fusion

This waterside restaurant is part of the Four Seasons’ Ocean Club on Paradise Island. Offering a French-Asian fusion menu that changes with the seasons, Dune is a luxurious spot for late-night dining in the Bahamas. Choose a table inside and admire the decor by prestigious designer Jeffrey Beers, or sit outside for the best views of the ocean.

Tippy’s Restaurant

Restaurant, Cocktails

If you’re in the mood for a beach bar with top quality food, head to this restaurant on Eleuthera. Boasting a beachfront location, Tippy’s offers an unbeatable view of the island. Come here for lunch after snorkeling on the reefs or lounging on the pink sand and enjoy local favorites including conch salad and crab claws.

Sabor

Bar, Restaurant, Fusion, $$

Right on the marina at the Pelican Bay Hotel on Grand Bahama Island, this restaurant is an ideal spot for waterside dining. Serving French, Italian and Caribbean dishes with a twist, the menu might surprise you. Try dishes inspired by seasonal produce, such as Cognac-infused Bahamian lobster bisque, or talk to the chef about transforming your fresh catch into dinner for you and your guests.

Sonia’s Jerk

Restaurant, Jamaican
The clue’s in the name of this waterside restaurant – a hideaway that specializes in jerk done really well. Originally from Jamaica, jerk cooking is all about marinating meat in a heady spice mix before grilling. At this beachside restaurant, you can sample jerk chicken, pork ribs and oxtail, all fresh from the grill. Owner Sonia and her family will make you feel at home with rum cocktails at this friendly local spot.

Café Matisse

Restaurant, Caribbean
Less than five minutes’ walk from Prince George Wharf in Nassau, Café Matisse is a Bahamian institution. Dine outdoors on the sun-dappled terrace and try the house-made pasta with fresh local seafood or indulgent Italian cheese. Alternatively, look out for more inventive dishes such as hogfish with sweet potato mash and slow-cooked spiced lamb shank. Finish with traditional lemon tart, tiramisu or a more daring avocado mousse.

Flying Fish

Bistro, Restaurant, American, Seafood, $$
One of the best waterside restaurants in the Caribbean, this is the place to find fine dining in Freeport. It puts emphasis on sustainability, using only local seafood and making water with a nano filtration machine that enables the use of recyclable glass bottles – dramatically reducing plastic waste. Highlights include sweet chili and lime conch bites, and seared mahi-mahi with coconut rice and fresh mango slaw.

The Dunmore Restaurant

Bistro, Caribbean

Heading to Harbour Island? Check out this elegant beachfront bistro in Dunmore Town. Find a spot on the patio and watch the sun go down as you sample the fresh flavors of dishes including curry grouper with cilantro mango chutney and Caribbean bouillabaisse. The experience is enhanced by the hotel’s flourishing gardens that match the beauty of the beach.

Blue Sail Restaurant

Restaurant, Fusion, $$
If you’re looking for dinner with a view, Blue Sail Restaurant delivers. With a deck overlooking the ocean, this restaurant offers a serene dining experience in Nassau. Go for the ocean views, stay for the wood-fired pizzas and rum cocktails. With a jetty at the front of the restaurant, you can drive your dinghy straight to dinner. What’s not to like?
Hop between the best Bahamian restaurants by hiring a yacht for the day, or extend your trip to a full week sailing with Culture Trip.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.