I agree - the Traveltalkonline site is a great source of info! Read some of the discussions and restaurants and people's trip reports and you'll learn a lot. Many even include photos of their meals.
I'm a foodie, so really like creative cooking, and SXM has lots to offer. I also enjoy basics, like ribs, etc., if they are done well, so I've got a variety of favorite restaurants on the island. In fact, one of the challenges of staying only for a week are fitting in visits to our favorites, while still trying some of the newcomers that have opened!
Some of my favorites:
In Philipsburg and convenient to Belair:
Mark's Place - a local favorite located in the parking lot of the closest grocery, Grand Marche. We like to buy groceries and then get a take out dinner from Mark's on our arrival day. It's good for ribs, chicken, fish and local dishes like goat stew, and you'll see local residents picking up to go dinners, too. Generous portions.
Antoine's - excellent French food, with a nice atmosphere overlooking Great Bay. Many wonderful dinner choices, and their dessert souffles are a special treat for dessert. Use their valet, since there is not parking close and not an area to walk around at night if you're not familiar with it.
Chesterfields or Greenhouse - popular for lunch or dinner at the other end of Philipsburg. Both have seafood as well as other dinners, burgers, sandwiches, etc. Chesterfields has its own parking, and Greenhouse validates for the paid lot adjacent. They can both be a little iffy - very good sometimes and just OK others, but they are convenient if you don't want to make a longer drive.
Grand Case:
Small town on the French side renowned for great restaurants. It's a bit of a drive at night, but meals are wonderful. We especially like Bistroit Caraibes, Piazza Pascal, Oceans 82 or LaVilla for great fine dining. They are pricy but well worth it, if you like great food. More casual and nice for lunch - Calmos Cafe, with tables in the sand and good food. The Lolos - a group of open air grills clustered together along the waterfront. Check out the menus at several and pick the one that looks best. The front one (Talk of the Town?) can be aggressive in trying to pull you in, but take your time. We like the one at the back (on the right side) looking out on the water. At night, we like to use the paid lot that's accessible from the main street, because it's close to all the restaurants.
Simpson Bay area:
Skipjacks for good seafood and fresh lobster.
The Palms - casual and a view of the road, but very good food. Run by a couple from US whose mother cooks some foods from her native country (Trinidad, I think?)
Izi - pasta place.
Maho area:
Le Moulin Fou - excellent French food, can be on a par with some of the Grand Case places but closer location.
Three Amigos - Mexican. OK food if you've got a craving for Mexican. We like to sit in the bar area along the counter that overlooks the street and people watch.
Marine Royale in Marigot:
A little hard to find if you're not familiar, but along the inside of this shopping area is a string of open air restaurants that look out on the marina. We like Le Belle Epoque for French food and pizzas and have had good meals at several of the restaurants. In high season, it can be nicely busy in the evening, so fun atmosphere and good food; not sure how it will be when you're there. You might want to check it out during the day, so you can find the area and parking, because you want to park close at night. There are parking lots at either end, but we prefer parking on the street right by one of the walkways that go directly into the restaurant area.
Orient Beach:
A beautiful beach lined with great bars and restaurants. A nice place to spend the day, rent chairs, swim and then enjoy an excellent lunch. As you'll learn from reading Travel Talk Online, there is construction in one area of the beach right now, and many of the favorite small beach bars have been torn down to be replaced by a new building set back from the water. So lots of the places people have loved to visit are temporarily closed. Our favorite, Kakao, wasn't affected. They have tables set in the trees and under palapas and excellent food, either a fine French meal or good pizzas and burgers.
Serafina's bakery (Marigot), LaSucerie or The Taste Factory (Simpson Bay):
Excellent french bakeries, good for breakfast pasteries, lunch sandwiches or desserts.
Let me know if you've got questions - Always love discussing SXM restaurants
