Provo Restaurants

All of the resorts covered in this article have fine restaurants, but part of the fun of visiting an island where it is easy to get around — whether you drive or use taxis — is to try some of the local restaurants. On our most recent visit, we particularly enjoyed the following.

The one place that locals invariably recommend is Mango Reef, which is part of The Alexandra Resort, just a few minutes’ walk from The Veranda. The main restaurant has an open deck set in the dunes, which affords sweeping views of the ocean. It is a wonderful spot for lunch. The fare is casual, with pizzas, excellent salads, a fine lobster club and other sandwiches, plus the island specialty, braised oxtail! Although scarcely a light dish suitable for the tropics, I tried the latter out of curiosity and found it absolutely delicious.

Another good spot for lunch, especially if you are traveling with children, is the Tiki Hut, in a delightful setting beside the marina in the enclave of Turtle Cove, just a short drive from Grace Bay. The menu is a delightful mix of Caribbean and casual. We started with spicy conch fritters and then enjoyed a mild but flavorful curried chicken, with a generous portion of sautéed vegetables and rice with beans. The younger set will enjoy the chicken fingers, ribs, burgers and choose-your-toppings pizzas.

Two places are best saved for dinner. Coyaba is an enchanting restaurant with an interior that is stage-set perfect: The airy pavilion comes with gingerbread trim and opens into lovely gardens. Chef-owner Paul Newman’s cuisine is superb, with especially fine seafood. Among the standouts from our meal were a thick, smooth gazpacho and a perfectly cooked swordfish steak with Asian peppers. Yield to the temptation to try the Key lime pie.

The other choice dinner spot, Coco Bistro, is set in a pomegranate-red adobe-style house with a garden of towering palms. Chef Stuart Gray has fashioned a sophisticated menu that combines island and international dishes. Among the starters, the ahi tuna sashimi is excellent, served on crisp tortillas with chopped onions, tomatoes and scallions and given zip by a wasabi mayonnaise. My main course, a nicely spiced jerk pork tenderloin with a rich mango-Port reduction, ratatouille and mashed potatoes, was outstanding.