Le Tamarin
Set in a lush garden beneath an enormous tamarind tree in Saline, Le Tamarin has been a St. Barts institution for years. The dining room is effectively outdoors, with tables scattered across a shaded terrace and into the garden, dappled light filtering through the canopy. It's one of the most beautiful restaurant settings in the Caribbean, particularly at lunch when the garden is at its most luminous.
The menu is classic French-Caribbean with seasonal accents. The lobster salad with mango and passion fruit vinaigrette is a long-standing favourite. The duck magret with honey and spice is rich and satisfying, while the catch of the day, grilled or pan-seared, is consistently excellent.
Le Tamarin is one of the better spots on the island for a leisurely lunch: the garden setting discourages rushing, and the wine list invites another bottle. Lunch runs 60-90 EUR per person; dinner 80-120 EUR. The restaurant sits a short drive from Saline Beach, making it a natural pairing.
Guest Reviews
This was my first time going to Tamarin, as well as my family's. The meals were great and well-cooked! I had the steak, which was presented beautifully with herbs on it and a creamy sauce. For dessert, my dad and I shared the chocolate crepes with a chocolate sauce on them. As somebody who is not a huge fan of chocolate, I loved the crepes! The service was also amazing. When we first walked in, the manager made a point to greet us and was very friendly. In addition, our waiter offered to take a photo of my family and me, and was just overall friendly. The atmosphere was super cool and very different from any other restaurant I have gone to in St. Barts. Everything gave off nature vibes as the seating and restaurant were outside! There were also a bunch of different rooms, so everything felt very private!
Amazing atmosphere. We had a birthday dinner. Whole chicken with a very delicious creamy/buttery mashed potato and a delicious bottle of Barolo.
Lovely dining experience with great food, service and drinks! We are anticipating our return visit in January! Our server, Ganelle, was an absolute Rockstar. 🥳🌴🍹
Our large party had a nice dinner here on a Friday night around 9pm. I was surprised that the dining room was pretty sparsely populated but I suppose that we were eating on the later side. We ordered several appetizers to share including the eggplant, arugula salad and caviar. For dinner I had the veggie main and my husband had the flank steak. The food was good if not great and the we had prompt service through the meal. Overall we had a very pleasant if not standout dining experience at Tamarin.
The service and atmosphere were phenomenal. The lobster pie was delicious however it was not easy to cut/eat. Would be better as bite size portions. The tuna tartar was out of this world. The bavette was a bit under seasoned and my vegetables were cold. The hummus and bread were amazing. So was the lobster ravioli although it was a very small portion for the price. Only 3 raviolis and no side.
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