Best Restaurants In Nassau Bahamas: How To Find Local Flavor Fast

Just saying the word "Bahamas" brings to mind alluring images of placid, clear lagoons washing over sugar-white sands. But beyond the pristine shores lies a city that's known for its inventive cuisine, one that's fueled by a passion for good food and good times.

From fried conch to cracked fish, the city of Nassau has delicacies that are a great culinary way to experience each of the islands in the Bahamas. You just need to know where to look.

In this guide, we’ll reveal seven of the best restaurants in Nassau, Bahamas. Get ready to jot these ideas down for your next trip, and let’s dive in! 

Key Takeaways What Are Restaurants in Nassau, Bahamas? 

• Arawak Cay Fish Fry.
• Cafe Matisse.
• Poop Deck
• Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant.
• Frankie Gone Bananas.
• Twin Brothers.
• Goodfellow Farms.

Taste test local delicacies on a Bahamas cruise with Royal Caribbean.

Top Restaurants In Nassau, Bahamas

1. Arawak Cay Fish Fry: $$-$$$

This stretch of shacks with stands was built on the sand in the 1960s, and it's the place to go for authentic Bahamian cuisine. It includes food stands as well as food trucks and terraced restaurants, all painted in colorful and bright hues of yellow, green and pink. The Fish Fry, as people call it, will take you on a culinary tour of the area's best food staples, with some spots named after specific islands so you know the origin of the flavors.

The traditional method of frying fish has spread all over the islands, with the day's catch marinated in distinctive spice blends. At this fish fry restaurant in Nassau, Bahamas, local chefs and cooks prepare the fish with seasoned oil, usually made with hot spices and peppers. This sauce is used to drench grouper, conch, snapper and more. Sides usually include stick-to-your-ribs classics like macaroni and cheese or yellow rice.

2. Cafe Matisse: $$$$

If looking for fine dining restaurants in Nassau, Bahamas, you’re in luck. Although Cafe Matisse doesn't offer Bahamian food, locals and visitors alike adore this quaint Italian restaurant, which is found inside a century-old building in the historic part of Nassau. The interior is decorated with the art of the renowned artist Matisse, and the atmosphere is elegant and romantic. It also offers a verdant garden courtyard, if you want to dine al fresco among the palm trees.

The menu at Cafe Matisse in Nassau, Bahamas includes an array of authentic Italian dishes such as ravioli agli spinaci, gnocchi verdi and costoletta di vitello al tartufo (veal chopped with asparagus, rutabaga and truffle-scented sauce). Their desserts are a must, so make sure to try their crème caramel and affogato al caffe. 

3. Poop Deck: $$-$$$

While there are many options for restaurants in Nassau, Bahamas near cruise ports, one is the Poop Deck. Don't skip this place because of the name. In naval architecture, a poop deck is actually a deck built in the back of a ship. The name for this deck originates from the French la poupe, meaning "stern." A favorite for decades, this restaurant offers classic Bahamian dishes like conch fritters, fish cakes and the cooked-to-order catch of the day. The most common catches are snapper, hogfish, grouper or lobster.

While you wait for your meal, enjoy the views. The panoramic vista is one of the big draws of this place — their deck faces Nassau's harbor, which is dotted with sailboats. You can also see Paradise Island in the distance. There are two restaurant locations to choose from: the one on Sandyport (with the views of the water) and the one on East Bay Street. Sandyport is usually more crowded, so make sure to call ahead of time.

4. Graycliff Hotel And Restaurant: $$$$

The pink colonial mansion that houses this restaurant is one of the best hotels in The Bahamas, and the restaurant is just as prestigious. The first eatery in the Caribbean to be certified five-star, the Graycliff in Nassau, Bahamas, has remained a culinary institution to this day. The interior is elegant and there's a wide range of continental and Bahamian dishes to savor during your dinner. The recipes are apparently a secret.

The dining process is also different from other restaurants in Nassau. First, you're taken to a parlor, where a server will take your drink order. While you wait, you're given a dinner menu, then you order your dishes and your drinks arrive. Then you're escorted to your table. The chateaubriand is famous and it's divine, but also try their mushroom pasta or their grouper in Dijon sauce.

5. Frankie Gone Bananas: $-$$

6. Twin Brothers At Potter's Cay: $$-$$$

Everything on the menu is authentic here, from dishes to drinks. A local favorite is the Twin Brothers restaurant in Nassau, which serves gallons of their local conch salad and crisp, palate-refreshing favorite beers like Kalik and Sands. There's also great local music. Conch cracking is a sport in The Bahamas and Twin Brothers offers conch cracking competitions and shows.

Start your visit with a side of conch salad with an ice-cold beer. If you're visiting for lunch, go with a big conch burger. For dinner, try the cracked conch or a seafood platter, which will almost overflow your plate. Also, give the Bahama Mama a try, which is a cocktail made with coconut rum, orange juice, pineapple juice and grenadine syrup.

7. Goodfellow Farms: $$-$$$

Take A Food Tour Of Nassau