Perched above the turquoise shallows of Little Exuma, Santanna’s Bar & Grill serves cracked conch and grilled lobster to diners who arrive by boat or rental car, often after a morning swim at nearby Coco Plum Beach. The open-air restaurant is one of a dozen places across Exuma’s 365 islands and cays where the culinary identity of the Bahamas plays out on waterfront decks, sandy floors, and roadside stands rather than in formal dining rooms. This guide maps the spots worth planning a day around — from conch salad prepared on a Stocking Island beach to the island’s first-ever food festival — and tells you what makes each one worth the boat ride or drive.
Exuma’s food scene runs across 365 islands and cays — conch shacks on remote beaches, historic harbourside restaurants, and a Michelin-star chef’s first Bahamian festival all within a 45-minute flight from Miami.
Exuma’s culinary appeal isn’t about one standout restaurant — it’s the variety you can reach in a single day. A morning conch salad on Little Exuma, an afternoon rum cocktail at a Stocking Island beach bar, and a waterfront dinner in George Town are all doable if you plan around water-taxi schedules and know which kitchens close between lunch and dinner. The Taste of Exuma festival in May 2026 adds a four-day anchor event that brings the whole scene together under one program, but the real draw is the everyday food culture on the cays themselves.
Food-focused travellers
Island hoppers
Couples & friend groups
| Restaurant | Cay / Location | Vibe | Must-try |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santanna’s Bar & Grill | Little Exuma | Open-air, ocean views | Grilled lobster, cracked conch |
| Chat ‘N’ Chill | Stocking Island | Beach bar, live music | Sunday Pig Roast, conch salad |
| 23° North | Great Exuma (Emerald Bay) | Elegant waterfront | Fresh catch, handcrafted cocktails |
| Shirley’s at the Fish Fry | George Town | Local home cooking | Cracked conch, peas and rice |
| Big D’s Conch Spot | Little Exuma | Beachfront roadside | Conch salad prepared to order |
| The Rusty Anchor | George Town | Marina setting, sunset deck | Grilled fish, Caribbean dishes |
Santanna’s Bar & Grill — Little Exuma’s Waterfront Staple
Colourful and open to the breeze, Santanna’s sits above the water on Little Exuma with a menu that leans hard into what comes out of the surrounding sea: grilled lobster, cracked conch, fresh grouper, conch fritters, and seasoned snapper. Diners often pair lunch here with a morning at nearby Coco Plum Beach, a short drive or walk from the restaurant. A cold Kalik beer or a tropical cocktail finishes the transition from beach to table. The restaurant’s website lists current hours and directions, though the kitchen operates on island time — expect a relaxed pace.
The drive from George Town to Little Exuma takes about 30 minutes via the Queen’s Highway, crossing the bridge at Rolleville. Santanna’s sits at CCHQ+M9J in William’s Town. Arrive before 1 p.m. for the best selection of the day’s catch; popular items like grilled lobster can run out by late afternoon.
Santanna’s doesn’t take reservations — aim for an early lunch (11:30 a.m.) to snag a table on the ocean-facing deck before the midday crowd arrives by boat.
Chat ‘N’ Chill — Stocking Island’s Beach-Bar Anchor
Across Elizabeth Harbour from George Town, Stocking Island’s Chat ‘N’ Chill is accessible only by water taxi — a short 10-minute ride that doubles as a harbour tour. The bar is best known for its Sunday Pig Roast, a weekly event that draws a mix of cruisers, resort guests, and day-trippers. On any given afternoon, fresh conch salad is prepared on the beach while stingrays gather in the shallow water steps from the picnic tables. Grilled seafood, burgers, tropical drinks, and live music round out the experience.
Water taxis run regularly from the government dock in George Town; confirm the return schedule when you arrive so you’re not stranded at closing. The Chat ‘N’ Chill Instagram page posts weekly hours and special event dates. Sunday is the busiest day — arrive before noon for a seat in the shade.
23° North — Refined Dining on Emerald Bay
Overlooking Emerald Bay from the grounds of Grand Isle Resort & Residences, 23° North brings contemporary Caribbean flavours to a setting that feels a step removed from the beach-shack scene. The kitchen works with fresh local ingredients — seafood landed that morning, produce from island growers — and plates it as premium steaks, handcrafted cocktails, and grilled fish. The outdoor terrace faces the water, making it a strong choice for sunset dinners that feel like an occasion rather than a pit stop.
23° North serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which makes it useful for non-guests staying elsewhere on Great Exuma who want a reliable meal at a set time. It’s also one of the two host venues for the Taste of Exuma festival in May 2026, alongside the resort’s beach club. The restaurant’s menu and reservation page is on the Grand Isle site. Jackets aren’t required, but the setting leans toward resort casual — swim trunks at dinner will feel out of place.
Shirley’s at the Fish Fry — George Town’s Local Canteen
The Fish Fry area on Queen’s Highway in George Town is where Exumans go for home cooking, and Shirley’s is the busiest stall in the cluster. The menu runs through Bahamian staples: cracked conch, fried snapper, grilled lobster, peas and rice, macaroni and cheese, and fresh coleslaw. Portions are generous, prices are lower than the resort restaurants, and the setting is thoroughly unpretentious — plastic tables, open sides, the sounds of the kitchen and the street.
Lunch is the sweet spot here; Shirley’s often winds down by early evening. The restaurant’s Facebook page posts occasional schedule updates, though the best approach is to show up hungry between noon and 2 p.m. Cash is preferred, and there’s no air conditioning — the breeze through the open front is part of the experience.
The Fish Fry area includes half a dozen other stalls serving similar menus. Shirley’s is the most consistent, but if the line is long, the neighbouring kitchens offer the same dishes at comparable prices.
Big D’s Conch Spot — Roadside Conch Salad on Little Exuma
Near Tropic of Cancer Beach on Little Exuma, Big D’s Conch Spot operates out of a colourful roadside stand with picnic tables facing the water. The signature dish is conch salad prepared to order — locally caught conch diced with citrus, peppers, onions, and tomatoes, served cold and bright. The menu also includes grilled lobster, fried fish, cracked conch, and tropical drinks, but the conch salad is the reason people make the drive.
Big D’s is about 10 minutes south of Santanna’s, so the two stops can be combined into a single Little Exuma afternoon — conch salad at Big D’s for a late lunch, then a drink and the view at Santanna’s before heading back to Great Exuma. The restaurant’s Facebook page is the best source for current hours, which vary seasonally. Cash only.
Big D’s closes when the conch runs out — there’s no set end time. Arrive before 2 p.m. to improve your odds, and call ahead if you can reach them by phone.
The Rusty Anchor — Harbour Views in George Town
Situated on the waterfront at February Point in George Town, The Rusty Anchor overlooks Elizabeth Harbour from a relaxed marina setting. The menu focuses on fresh seafood — grilled fish, lobster, conch — alongside burgers and Caribbean-inspired dishes. The outdoor deck is the draw, especially around sunset when the harbour lights start to come on and the breeze picks up.
The Rusty Anchor is open for lunch and dinner, with a bar scene that extends later than most George Town restaurants. It’s a practical choice for a meal before or after a water-taxi trip to Stocking Island, since the dock is a short walk away. The restaurant’s Facebook page posts weekly specials and live music schedules.
Taste of Exuma — The Island’s First Culinary Festival
Exuma’s first event dedicated entirely to food and drink runs May 14–17, 2026, hosted at Grand Isle Resort & Residences in Emerald Bay with additional programming at the adjacent beach club, 23° North. The four-day schedule includes nightly chef dinners, interactive cooking demonstrations, rum tastings and mixology sessions led by the co-founder of John Watling’s Distillery, Pepin Argamasilla, and an Exuma Marketplace where local vendors and artisans sell small-batch goods.
The headlining chef is Alyn Williams, a Michelin-star chef trained under Gordon Ramsay who has been visiting Exuma privately for over a decade. He’s joined by Chef Nigelle Thompson, head chef at Grand Isle and a native of Exuma, and Chef Antonio Williams, executive sous chef at British Colonial Hotel in Nassau. The mix brings international credentials alongside Bahamian roots, and the festival’s official page on the Grand Isle site describes the programming as interactive rather than staged.
Tickets are not yet priced publicly — the site states “Tickets Available Soon” — but the structure is confirmed: individual dinner tickets and an All-Access Pass covering all three evenings. Priority access and seating are reserved for Grand Isle guests, though the festival is open to the public. Mid-May offers warm water and lighter crowds, making it feasible to combine festival events with boat days, sandbar stops, and independent restaurant visits around the culinary schedule.
Getting Around Exuma’s Dining Scene
The practical challenge of eating across Exuma’s cays is transportation. Great Exuma and Little Exuma are connected by a bridge at Rolleville, so a rental car covers Santanna’s, Big D’s, Shirley’s, The Rusty Anchor, and 23° North in a single day if you pace yourself. Stocking Island requires a water taxi from George Town’s government dock — figure $15–$20 round trip per person as of early 2026, though confirm the current rate before you go. This guide to Exuma’s local markets and farm-to-table sources covers where to find fresh ingredients if you’re cooking your own meals.
Kitchen hours vary widely. Santanna’s, Big D’s, and Shirley’s are daytime operations — they serve lunch and early dinner at best, often closing by 7 p.m. or earlier. 23° North and The Rusty Anchor offer proper dinner service, which makes them the natural evening anchor if you’ve spent the day on the water. Sunday is the trickiest day: Chat ‘N’ Chill is busiest, several Fish Fry stalls close, and some roadside stands don’t open at all.
Build each day around one meal you care about — a 1 p.m. conch salad at Big D’s, a 6 p.m. dinner at 23° North — and let the rest fill in around it. Trying to hit four restaurants in one afternoon means eating when you’re not hungry and spending more time driving than tasting.
Before You Go — Dining on Exuma’s Cays
Can I visit these restaurants without staying at a resort?
Yes — every restaurant listed here is open to the public. Grand Isle guests get priority seating at 23° North and Taste of Exuma events, but anyone can book a table or walk in.
Water taxi to Stocking Island runs from the government dock in George Town — no resort affiliation needed.
When is the best time of year to visit for food?
May offers the Taste of Exuma festival plus warm water and lighter crowds. December through April is peak season with reliable weather but higher prices and more competition for tables.
Late summer and early fall (August–October) see fewer visitors, but some restaurants reduce hours or close for a week here and there — confirm ahead.
Is the Taste of Exuma festival worth attending if I’m not a Grand Isle guest?
Yes — the festival is open to the public, and individual dinner tickets let you attend specific events without staying at the resort. You’ll miss priority seating, but the cooking demos, rum tastings, and marketplace are fully accessible.
Book accommodation elsewhere on Great Exuma and plan to drive or taxi to Emerald Bay for the events you want.
What’s the one dish I shouldn’t leave Exuma without trying?
Conch salad prepared to order — either at Big D’s Conch Spot on Little Exuma or on the beach at Chat ‘N’ Chill. It’s the dish that best represents the island’s food culture: locally caught, made fresh, eaten within sight of the water it came from.
Order it with extra citrus and a splash of Bonaire pepper sauce if you want heat.
The Cays on a Plate
Exuma’s culinary scene mirrors its geography — scattered across islands and cays, reachable only by water or a winding highway, and shaped by whatever came out of the sea that morning. The restaurants that endure here are the ones that stay close to that rhythm: a conch stand on Little Exuma, a beach bar on Stocking Island, a resort kitchen that partners with local fishing cooperatives. The Taste of Exuma festival in May 2026 formalises something that’s been true for decades — the best meal on the island is usually the simplest one, eaten barefoot, within sight of the water. Browse more Bahamian dining guides for deep dives into individual restaurants and resort dining programs across the islands.
References
Grand Isle Resort & Residences. “Taste of Exuma.” Grand Isle Resort, 2026. ↗
Destination Magazines. “10 Best Restaurants in the Exumas You Need to Visit — 2026 Guide.” Destination Magazines, 2026. ↗
Caribbean Journal. “Taste of Exuma: An Inaugural Culinary Festival in the Bahamas.” Caribbean Journal, January 2026. ↗
For more on where Exuma’s dining scene is heading, read about the evolution of Bahamian cuisine from local ingredients to global flavours, or check out family-friendly dining options across the Bahamas for trips that include younger eaters. The guide to authentic Bahamian cooking classes lists hands-on experiences that pair well with a Taste of Exuma visit, and the luxury dining roundup covers the high-end side of the island’s restaurant scene.
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