At Grand Cayman’s historic dining establishments, culture never tasted so good.
Cayman is blessed with a plethora of dining establishments — there are said to be more than 300 dining facilities. But when it comes to those that are simply “classic,” there’s merely a handful. They’re tried and true and definitely on the “A” list.
Grand Old House
The grande dame of them all is Grand Old House, also known as Petra Plantation. The waterfront building located near Smith’s Cove is now celebrating its 103rd year. Once a hospital for World War II wounded soldiers, this historic building, established in 1908, boasts a rich heritage. It was originally built as a stately Caribbean great house on the Petra Plantation. A private residence to numerous families over the years, the birthplace of Cayman’s first Rotary Club, a haven during storms, a beauty parlour, and even a children’s Sunday school, the structure was finally turned into a restaurant in 1969 by Bob and Jeanne Brenton. In those early days, the South Sound road was nothing but a dirt track, and the building was lit by oil lamps. Nevertheless, with its warm and welcoming ambiance, it soon became a popular gathering spot for local residents.
Today, Grand Old House is the site for many a wedding — more than a thousand have been conducted there. There is even a whole wall of engraved plaques commemorating each couple.
Featuring an award-winning chef and a wine list that has garnered several awards from Wine Spectator Magazine, Grand Old House remains a beloved classic in Cayman’s culinary world, and is open for a leisurely lunch or romantic dinner.
The Wharf
Located at the eastern end of Seven Mile Beach, The Wharf is known on the island for its perfect setting. Overlooking a small sandy cove and the remnants of a shipwreck, at The Wharf you’ll enjoy an exquisite dinner with an uninterrupted view of the setting sun, gentle ocean breezes and the sounds of lapping waves gently kissing the shore. You will want to request a table “on the rope,” which means you will be right at the water’s edge. And, as if the setting weren’t romantic enough on its own, an extremely accomplished Paraguayan harpist, Eugenio Leon, comes out to serenade you.
Like Grand Old House, The Wharf has been the setting for many a wedding, with one memorable bridegroom appearing around the corner on horseback and trotting up to the altar.
The adjacent Ports of Call bar is always a popular spot for sunset happy hours, especially on Fridays. And Tuesday’s free salsa lessons draw in the dancing crowd.
Ristorante Pappagallo
Another romantic dining spot is Ristorante Pappagallo, located down a winding road in the northern district of West Bay. Set on a tarpon-filled lagoon surrounded by a bird sanctuary, you cross a beautiful, wooden bridge to enter this handsome, thatched-roof structure. That’s when you’re greeted by a dapper African Grey Parrot who goes by the name of Bogart. There are several dining areas within this impressive high-ceilinged structure. One is an open-air screened-in porch overlooking the lagoon with lights illuminating the surrounding mangroves and its roosting birds. There is an adjacent indoor dining area beneath the thatched ceiling, and another with exotic birds in glass-front cages built into the encircling bamboo walls. Here, the “cockatoo table” features a pair of these charming and lovely creatures who never fail to amuse and entertain during the course of the evening.
The Lighthouse
Lastly, a classic Caymanian dining establishment is The Lighthouse, an iconic lighthouse that overlooks the island’s south coast. From downtown George Town, The Lighthouse is roughly halfway along the 22-mile-long southern shore of the island. You’ll know it when you see it; the building truly is a lighthouse, though not used for navigational purposes. Here again, there are several dining area options: a screened in patio with stunning sea views; the port room surrounded by vintage bottles; or the enclosed dining room. Definitely a place to stop if you’re doing an island tour.
Order Up
Of course, seafood features prominently on all their menus. Ristorante Pappagallo is heavily influenced by the northern Italian cuisine of its owner, Vico Testori, and they make all their own pasta by hand. Similarly, The Lighthouse, with Guiseppe Gatto at the helm, features Italian cuisine. Under the direction of Clemmens Guettler, The Wharf’s menu is quite well-rounded, and they make a wonderful lobster; as is the case with the Grand Old House, which has an award-winning Indian chef in its kitchen and is under the direction of German national Martin Richter. Cayman boasts a multicultural community and our culinary scene benefits richly from this fact. These tried and true classics of Cayman’s dining scene really can’t be beat.
Source: caymanairwaysmagazine.com