Palm Grove Bar & Grill (Nat's Place)
Castaway beach shack serving Anguilla's most legendary Johnny cakes on empty Junk's Hole Bay.
Why Go
At the end of a rutted mile-and-a-half dirt track, past the goats and the scrub, sits a hand-painted plywood shack under two lopsided palms. There's no electricity, no neighbors, no Wi-Fi, no menu you'll remember reading ΓÇö just Nat firing up the grill, the turquoise curve of Junk's Hole Bay, and the sense that you've stumbled onto the Caribbean the guidebooks keep promising and rarely deliver.
The Experience
Palm Grove is the kind of place travel writers describe as 'the real Anguilla' and actually mean it. Nat and his family have run this ramshackle beach bar on the island's undeveloped east end for decades, and it hasn't changed because it doesn't need to. You park in the sand, kick off your shoes, and pick a plastic table under the palms while lunch is grilled to order over open coals a few feet away. Between courses you wander into the water ΓÇö the bay is protected, shallow, and often completely empty ΓÇö then drift back for another rum punch. Lunches routinely stretch into three-hour affairs, and no one, least of all Nat, is going to rush you.
What to Try
The Johnny cakes are the reason people make the drive ΓÇö pillowy, slightly sweet fried dough that locals will tell you (correctly) are the best on the island. Get them stuffed with grilled lobster or crayfish if you want the full experience, or with fish or chicken if you're being sensible. The Caribbean BBQ plates ΓÇö crayfish, lobster, snapper, ribs, or jerk chicken ΓÇö come with hand-cut fries, coleslaw, and more Johnny cakes on the side. Wash it down with a rum punch; ask Nat what's fresh before you order.
Insider Tip
Call ahead the morning of your visit (or the day before for lobster) so Nat knows to expect you and can pull the right catch ΓÇö showing up unannounced sometimes means a wait, and on quiet days he may not fire up the grill at all. Bring cash, bring a swimsuit, and don't attempt the access road in a low-clearance rental; the last stretch is genuinely rough and you'll want a jeep or SUV.
The Practical Stuff
Location: Junk's Hole Bay, Savannah Bay, east end of Anguilla ΓÇö roughly 20 minutes' drive from The Valley, the final 1.5 miles on an unpaved track. Hours: generally lunch daily, but call to confirm ΓÇö this is a family-run beach shack, not a chain. Payment: cash strongly preferred. Reservations: recommended, especially for lobster and crayfish. Facilities: rustic ΓÇö expect sand floors, no A/C, and basic restrooms. Bring: cash, sun protection, a towel for the swim you'll definitely take.
Pair It With
- Junk's Hole Beach — Palm Grove sits directly on it ΓÇö plan to swim between courses and stay through the afternoon on one of Anguilla's most secluded stretches of sand.
- Savannah Bay — The long, wild, driftwood-strewn beach just to the north ΓÇö an easy walk or short drive after lunch for a dose of Anguilla's untamed east coast.
- Island Harbour fishing village — Roughly 15 minutes away on the northeast tip, a good stop en route home to see the colorful fishing boats and grab a sundowner at Scilly Cay's dock.
- Heritage Collection Museum — A small but excellent stop on the way back toward The Valley, giving context to the fishing and salt-pond heritage you've just been eating your way through.