Arawak's Taverna
Mediterranean tapas under twinkling lights on Island Harbour
Why Go
Tucked into the boutique Arawak Beach Club on Anguilla's laid-back northeast coast, Taverna is where Greek small plates meet Caribbean sea breezes ΓÇö a candlelit patio where fishing boats bob just past the palms and the rum punch flows late into the evening.
The Experience
Arawak's Taverna feels like a secret shared between locals and the handful of travelers who venture beyond the west-end resorts to Island Harbour. Owners Mindie and Judd have built something genuinely intimate: an indoor dining room that opens onto a sprawling patio strung with fairy lights, a picturesque bar, and a tucked-away pavilion for quieter dinners. The kitchen leans into Mediterranean tapas with a playful Caribbean accent, and the whole place is oriented toward the harbor so you're eating with a view of moored fishing skiffs and, on clear nights, the twinkle of Scilly Cay across the water. It's the kind of dinner that stretches ΓÇö order slowly, share everything, linger by the firepit with a nightcap.
What to Try
Start with the shrimp saganaki (simmered in tomato, white wine, feta and fresh dill) and the keftedes ΓÇö herb-marinated lamb and beef meatballs served with feta. The Taino steak souvlaki is the signature main, glazed with honey-lime and skewered with pineapple and red peppers; the mahi mahi souvlaki is the fresher-catch alternative. Don't skip the Olympian fries dusted with herbs and feta, and finish with the cinnamon churros. For the bar, cocktail specialist Sunra Banx's Taverna Rum Punch is the move ΓÇö potent, dry, and nothing like the syrupy versions you'll find elsewhere on island.
Insider Tip
Time your reservation for just before sunset so you can watch the light go pink over the harbor from the patio, then move to the firepit for after-dinner drinks. Because the space is small and the restaurant only runs a few nights a week, call ahead ΓÇö 264-584-1206 ΓÇö to confirm they're open and to snag the pavilion if you're a group of four or more. And because it sits within a working boutique hotel, non-guests are welcome but the staff appreciates a heads-up.
The Practical Stuff
Location: Arawak Beach Club, Island Harbour, on Anguilla's northeast coast ΓÇö about a 20-minute drive from Sandy Ground and 25 minutes from the ferry terminal at Blowing Point. Hours: dinner service Thursday through Monday, roughly 6ΓÇô10pm (closed Tuesday & Wednesday). Price: moderate to upscale for Anguilla ΓÇö expect tapas plates in the $12ΓÇô20 range and mains $28ΓÇô42. Reservations strongly recommended, especially in high season (DecemberΓÇôApril). Dress is resort casual. Note: the restaurant has had temporary closures in recent years, so always confirm by phone before driving out.
Pair It With
- Scilly Cay Guide — The legendary lunch-only sandbar restaurant is a five-minute boat ride straight across Island Harbour from Arawak ΓÇö do lobster and rum punches by day, then walk to Taverna for tapas by night.
- Island Harbour Beach — Spend the afternoon on the quiet, fisherman-lined beach right in front of Arawak Beach Club, then wander over to the Taverna patio as the sun drops.
- Heritage Collection Museum — A short drive away in East End, this tiny museum on Anguillian history pairs beautifully with a Mediterranean-Caribbean dinner that riffs on the island's blended culinary influences.
- Falcon Nest — Grab a rum flight and local BBQ at this nearby Island Harbour spot earlier in the trip so you can compare Taverna's polished tapas with the neighborhood's more casual side.