Dodger’s Choice Awards
Antigua & Barbuda
St. Barthelemy
St. Martin
Texas
I have been fortunate to see my share of great restaurants, hotels, marinas and more. Here I will share a list of my favorite places, people, and things with a brief explanation as to why I choose to list them here. I understand that not every culture is dog-friendly and I very much appreciate those people and places that have welcomed me in. I’ll include links and phone numbers where available.
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA RESTAURANTS
While Indigo at Carlise Bay is not dog-friendly, Mom and Dad did enjoy a date night without me. They returned to the boat raving about the rack of lamb, the bottle of Chateau La Comannderie and the Indigo sommelier, Michael. The only thing that would make this restaurant better is if they allowed cultured pups like me!
You can book online and select “Indigo on the Beach”
According to Mom and Dad Catherine’s Cafe had the best bartender on the island. The ambiance was great with a live jazz band playing as waves gently lapped on the beach. The food was fresh and delicious. Mom and Dad shared a salad, BBQ’d octopus and they both ordered the wahoo and did I mention they are dog-friendly? Maybe the best place on the island that we have tried, though not for the faint of wallet.
Pigeon Beach, Antigua
Book online or on OpenTable
Sheer Rocks
If you want a stunning view, great food and terrific drinks Sheer Rocks is a great place. A sister restaurant to Catherine’s Cafe and the prices are commensurate. Though, the hospitality and service at Catherine’s out shined Sheer Rocks where the bartender and hostess made you feel a bit less than welcome, I still had to include it because the wait staff were quite friendly and pleasant.
Call +1 268 463 6161
The Pillars
Want to enjoy a great restaurant with a lovely water view, friendly staff, and good food? The Pillars is great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The butternut squash salad with goat cheese is delicious, especially if you add grilled chicken. They allowed me to sit during lunch with my Mom and Dad on the terrace.
The Admiral’s Inn at Nelson’s Dockyard
+1 (268)460-1027
Yes, a Papillon can appreciate world class sushi when he sees it. At NOBU Barbuda, the food was nearly as beautiful as the pink sand beach. While Mom and Dad have been to NOBU in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas this was their favorite experience of all. The scenery is beyond words and the service was exceptional!
Book online or
WhatsApp +1 (268) 720 6628
As a Papillon, I can’t say enough good things about this place! The food is AMAZING and Eric and Isa are wonderful hosts, and they are dog-friendly. They even offer a water taxi to pick up on the dock at Nelson’s. In my opinion, one of the best places on the island, AND they deliver fresh pastries and baguettes to the docks in Nelson’s Dockyard most mornings! We heard Isa even delivers to Jolly Harbor upon request!
Call or WhatsApp to book your reservations +1 (268) 721 9420
If you’re looking for a spectacular lobster dinner for a great value, don’t miss Shack-A-Kai on Barbuda. You need to make reservations a day in advance but you can take the meal to go or eat there on the beach. Enoch offers a chilled out dog friendly environment on one of the most beautiful beaches, Princess Diana Beach. We do recommend bringing bug spray if you plan to eat on the beach, but it’s well worth braving the insects to enjoy the view and the meal.
Call ahead or WhatsApp
+1 (268) 714-6612 or +1 (268) 734-6618 or e mail to info@shack-a-kai.com
Finally we found some authentic Antiguan food! Thanks to our friend Lunch, a taxi driver on the island, we found Aunty Cavell’s where Mom enjoyed traditional dishes like oxtail, fungi (pronounced foon-gee), provisions (steamed sweet potatoes) and veg (as they say on the island).Fungi has no mushrooms, it is more like a steamed polenta and happens to be one of the National Dishes of Antigua. The food was delicious and we have to go back and try the Pepperpot! They don’t typically allow dogs, but I was in service dog mode and was allowed on the deck. There is seating by a salt pond where they may allow dogs.
WhatsApp +1 268-783-0384
ANTIGUA HOTELS, EXPERIENCES AND MORE
In case you didn’t hear, Mom and Dad booked a couple nights on land after making the 1700 mile passage from from Hampton to Antigua. The room rates were reasonable (with the help of the Salty Dawg discount) and the room was clean, cool, and comfortable. It was crazy to be in a room…better yet a bed….that didn’t move! The staff was very hospitable and Montana at the front desk was super sweet!
Admiral’s Inn at Nelson’s Dockyard
(268) 460-1027
Academy of Rum
Mom and Dad had a great time learning about the distillation process, enjoyed a rum tasting and got to make their own custom bottle based on their flavor preferences. I didn’t join them on this day, but the guys said dogs are welcome!
Loose Cannon Galleon Beach, Freeman's Bay, Antigua
(268) 776-4266
Jolly Harbour Marina
While there are many great boatyards on Antigua, Jolly Harbour is one of our favorites. The staff is outstanding. We just love Michael one of the dock-masters. He took great care to keep an eye on Two Captains when we traveled back to California for Christmas. They have great security who always take the time to smile and say hi. They have been so accommodating and offer along side as well was stern in docks.
Jolly Harbour Marina
St. Barthelemy
LES BANANIERS
Where do the locals eat? Les Bananiers for sure! Oh, and these folks put the “friendly” in “dog-friendly”! After making sure I was well taken care of, they offered Mom and Dad a menu. From what I heard the meal was out of this world starting with the Escargot, to the Salade De Bananes Plantain, to the Ravioles de foie gras et truffe noire au champagne, ending with the rhum bananes! The service was stellar. Seriously, it’s worth the 10 minute drive to get there. Find a way. It’s worth it! The view isn’t half bad either. You can see all the way to St. Martin.
If you want to hang out with the billionaires of St. Barth’s and enjoy a super swanky dinner with a unique ambiance paired with upbeat entertainment, don’t miss La Petite Plage. Their website notes they are “chic and cozy” and Mom and Dad couldn’t agree more. You will be dining with your feet in the sand, even when indoors, but don’t take that as a laid back scene. This place is intended to be remembered and don’t leave too early, you don’t want to miss the wait staff dancing!
Apparently this place was named the best new restaurant in the Caribbean according to the 2023 World Culinary Awards. We went there for lunch and pretty much had the place to ourselves. Mom was a little worried they wouldn’t let me in, but alas this is a French territory and the French love their dogs so I was welcomed with open arms and a water bowl including a non skid rubber bottom, and perfectly clean ice and water! What?! I love this place. The food was good, but pricey and once again, the view was amazing.
St. Martin
Looking for a casual place to lounge on the beach at Grand Case, SXM? Look for the Italian made red lounge chairs with matching umbrella’s! Cedric is a phenomenal host who takes customer service to the next level. Never want for a drink, he’s checking in consistently to ensure you have an outstanding experience. Be sure to try the Tropics Salade with Mango, Pineapple and Grilled shrimp! He’s super dog friend and the bathrooms are extremely clean (that’s not easy at a beach bar!) No reservations required.
In Grand Case there are so many restaurants and so little time! Where do we even begin? We enjoyed a fantastic dinner with friends at Bistrot Caraibes. The staff was friendly, the ambiance pleasant and the menu included great options ranging from Lobster to veal and everything in between. Our orders were delivered promptly and all agreed, it was a great choice for dinner.
Bistrot Caraibes
At Ocean 82, you’ve got to get a seat by the ocean at night. The lights on the water are stunning! The food was good, but perhaps to some degree you are paying for the view. The sommelier was not pleased with Mom and Dad’s choice of a Chateau Neuf De Pape over his recommendation of a Pinot Noir and never returned to the table. Nevertheless, the wine was exquisite. The food was good. The view was lovely and the company of our dear friends, the Wingerts made the meal for Mom and Dad. Pictured above is their Octopus served three ways.
Ocean 82 By the Sea
Texas
Mastro’s Ocean Club
The twins turned 73 and the family celebrated the birthdays at Mastro’s in The Woodlands, TX. The service was exceptional and the food was fabulous. Mom and Dad mentioned the Old Fashions and the seafood tower specifically. The price point was high but it’s great for birthday celebrations and special occasions if you have some expendable income.