Recommended restaurants in Crown Point?

[HaggisForBrains]

We're staying B&B at Coco Reef next month, and will be eating out most evenings. It's four years since we were last in Tobago, so we'd like suggestions for a good meal out in Crown Point. The only place we remember as being really good is the Seahorse, but of course that's a good taxi ride away. What we want is places within walking distance, please.

[HaggisForBrains]

Sorry, just realised there is a restaurant review page! Would still welcome any thoughts.

[Hugh S]

I don't know what their status is now but I have enjoyed the healthy and delicious food at Kariwak Village Restaurant. They also had one of the best rum punches in my limited experience (I drink mostly beer).

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Colin

Welcome aboard!

Crown Point is awash with small eateries - although I hesitate to call them restaurants. The best restaurant in your immediate area, and within walking distance, is undoubtedly the Kariwak Village. Other than that, the Coco Reef's own restaurant, Cafe Coco, is worth a try.

[HaggisForBrains]

Hi Hugh and Steve,

Thanks for the advice, sounds good. My partner recalls we ate at Betsy's Hope at Shepherd's Inn the last time, and it was good. We also enjoyed Café Coco, so we now have several places to try. Any further recommendations welcomed.

[PaulMakin]

Not really many (non-hotel) restaurants in the vicinity although many fast/take away food places, some really quite good and value for money.

Kariwak seems to have had a slow bounce back after the pandemic although guest numbers have been building recently, not sure how much of that is secondary to carnival "season" though.

There is a new place (a refurbed "old" place) called Brown Cow just across the road from Coco Reef, on the R as you head towards the main drag - not a great location but have heard that the food is good.

Had a small meal with friends at "Wonky Windmill" on Pigeon Point Rd a few weeks back - no complaints but dining out is relatively rare for me. The Pasta Gallery next door is still operating.

Not sure of the quality of the experience but the old Bamboo Mile has reopened as "Island Hub" - seems to be pretty well patronised. And, a little further up the road, is the Fortune Chinese - eat-in available, a "strange" ambience, not at all targeted at tourism, but the food is good

[HaggisForBrains]

Hi Paul,

Many thanks for your help. We set off in a week, and are really looking forward to our return.

[PaulMakin]

Not a true "dining" experience but D'Colloseum has seating/tables outside the various food outlets so not always necessary to take away !

[HaggisForBrains]

Thanks again, Paul.

[HaggisForBrains]

I tried to send a PM to Paul, but it is in my outbox and I don't know how to send it!

Here is the text:

"Hi Paul,

I see that you mentioned Carnival season in your reply to my question about restaurants, and have just realised that we will be in Tobago over what I assume will be Carnival (our dates are 06/02/24 to 20/02/24). Is there much goes on in Crown Point, or should we think about going in to Scarborough to see what's going on?

Also, is the laundrette next to Coco Reef still there, and if not, is there another one nearby?"

[PaulMakin]

Hi Colin

haven't seen the laundrette open for a while now but i tend to pass by at odd hours so ?

there is a laundry service (the same outfit i think) opposite the Fortune Plaza - orange building on the R as you head towards s'boro.

[HaggisForBrains]

Thanks again, Paul.

[HaggisForBrains]

Hi Everyone,

We're home now after a great holiday. I thought I'd share some thoughts on eating out, for the benefit of anyone else wondering about restaurants.

Coco Reef Hotel: We were staying here B&B, but had two meals in Tamaras Restaurant. The food and menu were good, but the hotel is clearly suffering from a shortage of trained waiting staff. Other guests we met complained about the service most nights, and sometimes missed dessert through lack of time.

Kariwak Village: We enjoyed our first meal here very much, in spite of a very limited menu (one soup only for starter, one fish and one chicken dish for main, and cake or ice cream for dessert). As we are not too keen on fish we chose the chicken, which was excellent. The soup was also very tasty. We booked a second night, and although the chicken dish was billed as different from the first time, it was very similar, and very tasty. Booking a third night was, in hindsight, a mistake, since the chicken was undoubtedly the same again, in spite of a different name. The surrounding were delightful, and the service very good. It's the lack of variety that lets it down.

Brown Cow: Very convenient for Coco Reef, this small restaurant had good service, indoors or outside (book if you want an outside table). The menu was varied, and I enjoyed a lovely meal. Unfortunately my partner ordered a meal which turned out not to suit her, but we don't think that was any fault of the restaurant.

The Pasta Gallery: We had two excellent meals here, and the Italian staff were very helpful and pleasant, with good service. Indoors and outdoors, again best to book. Some lovely Italian wine. Thoroughly recommended.

Betsy Hope, Shepherd's Inn: We had one meal here which was fine. The restaurant was empty, and several items were "off the menu". Nice surroundings.

Paradise Travel and Grill: This was undoubtedly the best meal we had in Tobago. Booking is essential, and the menu is sent to you by Whatsapp for you to order in advance. Only five tables, with a wonderful view of the sunset, so advance booking is necessary. Service was excellent and the shrimps we had were cooked to perfection. Sadly, a local shortage of lobster reduced the choice, but still a reasonable range of seafood available. Highly recommended.

Seahorse Restaurant: About twenty minutes up the west coast. This was a big disappointment, as I have dined there twice before, and remember excellent lobster dishes. This time the lobster (served thermidor) was tasteless to the extent that we wondered afterwards if it was really lobster, given the shortages mentioned by other restaurants (due to an oil spill south of Scarborough). The service was good and the atmosphere lovely, but the poor lobster ruined our evening, particularly as this meal was twice the price of most others.

I hope these comments may be of some help to others visiting Crown Point,

[Hugh S]

Paradise Travel and Grill must be new. Sounds wonderful!
Thanks for the reviews!

[Steve Wooler]

Hi Colin

Thanks for a really useful post and update. We arrived a couple of nights ago and move 'up country' tomorrow. I would love to have read your post before we arrived.

[PaulMakin]

Paradise T&G has been running a while. On the left as you approach pigeon point entrance, after Conrado and taking up some of the space that the old Viking/Manta Dive Centre used to occupy.

I pass by there several times a day for various reasons and always thought it looked worth patronising. Glad to hear that's it lives up to the setting and its appearance.