Finding great restaurants in the Bahamas can be tricky. On Harbour Island and Eleuthera, fine dining is relegated to the resorts. But beyond the excellent hotel eateries, we discovered several noteworthy options: a stylish farm-to-table establishment at an interesting inland hotel, a wacky beach bar more about the atmosphere than the cuisine, and the top spot on Harbour Island to try the national dish of the Bahamas. The best meals in the archipelago make use of the local bounty, like fresh conch pulled from shallow banks, lobster grilled hours after it’s caught and produce grown just steps from the table.

The Farm
» Garden-to-table produce and fresh seafood at an inland hotel

On our tour of Eleuthera’s natural wonders, we stopped at The Farm, a hotel and restaurant that’s the sister property of the Other Side. The rustic-chic restaurant stands beside more than 200 raised beds that make up the property’s extensive garden, which supplies many of the kitchen’s ingredients.

Our meal began well with homemade sourdough bread and a zesty ceviche made with wahoo and star fruit. Next came a delicious — and unusual for the tropics — salad of mustard greens topped with string beans. The main course was a perfectly tender grilled lobster with cilantro-lime butter, accompanied by decadent buttery potatoes roasted with pink peppercorns. We skipped the expensive wines on offer and opted for mocktails instead; the Nojito, made with mint, lime, lemongrass syrup and nonalcoholic beer, was a treat. Next time, I’ll try the Shooting Stars, made with star fruit, ginger, chile, pineapple, cardamom and mezcal.