You are what you eat: dine fine, be fine. Okay, maybe that's a corny stretch. But the fact of the matter is that since Turks and Caicos is one of the finest vacations on the planet, your trip just isn't complete without some fine dining. And we're talking classic fine dining, not the new definition of convenient eating. That's when you just cross your arms and say passive-aggressively, "Fine, let's eat here. I guess." No. We're talking about the finest in food, service, and atmosphere. It's the restaurants with an exquisite sense of detail in the entire dining experience. The menu is exquisite and unique and the price reflects that because you're paying for quality. The chef has reign to let his or her creativity flow in the design of the dishes. No longer does fine dining mean snooty French waiters in tuxedos and steam pressed white tablecloths. It's a whole realm of the very best and most glorious of dining experiences, in its own expression of what that entails. It's a full-sensory experience - and here are our picks for the finest fine dining in Turks and Caicos.
Coco Bistro
This fine-ass restaurant is a food lover's fantasy come true. Tucked amid a vibrant palm grove on Providenciales, walking distance from most resorts on Grace Bay Beach, Coco Bistro offers the freshest local cuisine done gourmet style. It is remarkably tasty and fascinating, an art form in and of itself. Executive chef and owner, Stuart Gray is a Canadian with a legendary reputation for masterfully creating elegant Caribbean cuisine with distinctive sauces that delight the tastebuds. His award-winning menu includes phenomenal dishes and you'll want to sample each and every one. The staff is outstanding, the details are well thought out, and the overall experience is exceptional. Please be advised that Coco the cat is a fixture of the restaurant and will be meandering about rubbing up on legs.
Lotus at Parrot Cay
The lotus flower symbolizes purity and divine birth, as well as representing our blossoming chakras. Whether you believe in chakras or not, you'll probably sense a purifying effect and an energizing of your spiritual connection when you dine at this outstanding restaurant. Located at the private island luxury resort of Parrot Cay, Lotus is alfresco poolside bliss. Sophisticated cuisine in a non-pretentious style helps ensure this fine dining establishment's legendary status as one of the top restaurants in Turks and Caicos. Lunchtime is light Caribbean-influenced fare with fresh seafood and pastas. And when the sun sets the menu shifts to a contemporary Asian-inspired selection of Thai and Japanese dishes done in a unique and innovative twist. You'll find nothing but the most vibrant ingredients here, as it's all part of the resort's focus on health and well-being. The finest of fine dining here at Parrot Cay's signature restaurant inspires and nourishes you with the food required to open up wide, just like the lotus.
Lemon Café
This amazing restaurant is another example of the finest of fine dining and the freshest of fresh ingredients. Like Lotus, it focuses on providing a healthy and well-balanced experience - without sacrificing taste and fulfillment. They say it's where Provo meets exotic Mediterranean chic - and that means flavours from Italy to Morocco. However you want to define it, Lemon Café is definitely doing something right. Sourcing local ingredients, the menu is simply awesome. Try the tapas or opt for a more substantial dish. Either way you're in for a delightful experience. The ambience is comfortable yet refined, with an open-air interior and a gorgeously landscaped garden terrace. It's a place for foodies and lovers of the finer things in life to come appreciate quality.
Grace's Cottage
This fine dining restaurant is set in the former home of THE Grace, of Grace Bay fame. Her old "cottage" in colonial plantation style exudes romance and, some may say, grace. Tables are spread out across the lush lawn and upon the sprawling wrap-around veranda. It's all peacefully secluded and perfectly landscaped and vibrant - like a little piece of paradise within the greater paradise of Turks and Caicos - all of which primes you to enjoy a fabulous meal. The menu offers a variety of gourmet dishes, showcasing the region's ethnic influences and availability of the finest ingredients grown naturally in the Caribbean. It's an elegant experience, with quick and attentive service yet a slow-paced atmosphere. Here you come to enjoy life. To be graceful.
Anacaona
Anacaona is known as one of the most sublimely blissful resorts in the world - and its gourmet restaurant operates in the same elevated frequency. People come here for peace and a meditative experience along tranquil reflecting pools and genuine authenticity. This beachfront restaurant at the adults-only resort is located in an expansive thatch-roofed building with the ocean washing rhythmically just steps away. The fine dining is outstanding, serving up Euro-Caribbean Cuisine in a remarkably romantic ambience. Indulge in the finer things in life here at Anacona, give yourself the true vacation you deserve. Then after dinner grab a beverage at the longest infinity bar in the Caribbean.
Lemon Cafe has been closed since 2013.