The Tamesis
Hibernia Restaurant Art Gallery has been operating on the island for 30 years. But Mary Pat O’Hanlon, a co-owner of the restaurant, said many of the people who come to enjoy the French-Asian fusion cuisine are not first time visitors to the island. That’s probably because the restaurant is located in the home of O’Hanlon and her husband, Raoul Rodriguez, which also houses an Asian art gallery and an eclectic sculpture garden, and is tucked away in a mostly residential neighborhood. Dishes are inspired by the three months the couple spends each year in Southeast Asia and include dishes such as smoked duck with endive salad and the famous Tom Yam Pla (fresh Caribbean fish in a hot and sour soup).
It would be practically a crime to come to Anguilla and not eat directly at the open-air cafes and bars on the beach, as that is the social pulse of the island. Located on the less busy east end of the island, Madeariman is technically a beach shack, but that’s far less than bland beach fare with great food. Madeariman serves a dish worth a trip to Anguilla alone: yellow curry with fresh grouper. Come here for the food, but stay for the music – there’s a live reggae band on the weekends.
Jacala is worth fighting for a dinner reservation. (Tip: You have to call sometime on Friday.) Run by chefs Alain Laurent and the affable Jacques Borderon, who personally takes everyone’s order, the restaurant feels like diners are returning to the home of an old friend while enjoying delicious food. As the owner’s name suggests, this is French cooking, so any à la meunière dish is great, as are their desserts.
what to do
Anguilla seascapePhoto: Alamy
No one knows the island’s topography better than the Anguilla National Trust, a local nonprofit conservation group that can take you on a hiking tour of just about anywhere you want for just $50 per person—a service that shouldn’t be taken for granted in a place where 90 percent of the land is private, with endless trails and virtually no markings. Join the locals and you’ll discover the island’s best limestone beaches, rock formations and rugged areas like remote Windward Point, where it feels like no soul has ever set foot.
Although the hiking is wonderful, you’ll need to get out to sea to see the islands, as many of the large properties are hidden and the most scenic beaches and cliffs are inaccessible by land. Those jet-setting call Garfield at Garfield Sea Tours to rent one of his luxury vessels and hire his knowledgeable crew. The company will customize tours, but a two-and-a-half-hour tour around the island, with stops at secluded swimming and snorkeling spots like coves, could be the perfect way to spend an afternoon.
