Bananas Restaurant: Hamilton Estate's Hidden Garden Table
Plantation-style dining tucked into a tropical hillside above Charlestown.
Why Go
Follow the winding road up into the hills above Charlestown and you'll find Bananas hiding in plain sight ΓÇö a shingle-and-shutter plantation cottage swallowed by an acre of tropical garden, with hummingbirds working the flowers and the Caribbean glittering through the palms. It feels less like a restaurant and more like a friend's rambling estate house where dinner just happens to be served.
The Experience
The setting on the historic Hamilton Estate is the first course: lantern-lit verandas, wooden shutters flung open to the breeze, and a rooftop deck that catches the west-coast sunset over St. Kitts. The vibe is barefoot-elegant rather than white-tablecloth formal ΓÇö think a linen shirt and a rum in hand while the garden hums around you. Service is warm and unhurried, the kind that lets a two-course meal stretch into a three-hour evening. By the time the coffee arrives you've usually made friends with the next table.
What to Try
The kitchen leans eclectic ΓÇö Caribbean roots with confident detours through Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean. The Thai curries are a local legend and worth crossing the island for, but don't overlook the lobster linguine, the Moroccan-spiced lamb shanks, or a bowl of traditional Nevisian goat water if you want something rooted to the soil. Save room, and time, for the rum list ΓÇö the back-bar hides a deep collection of aged Caribbean rums that the staff love to pour and talk through.
Insider Tip
Book the rooftop deck and aim for a table roughly 45 minutes before sunset ΓÇö you'll catch the light dropping behind St. Kitts with a rum punch in hand before the mains land. The drive up from Charlestown is dark, narrow and unlit once you leave the main road, so arrange a taxi both ways (ask the restaurant to call one for the return) rather than white-knuckling a rental car back down the hill after a bottle of wine.
The Practical Stuff
Location: Hamilton Estate, in the hills above Charlestown, Nevis ΓÇö roughly 10 minutes by car from the pier and most west-coast hotels. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially in high season and around sunset; email bananas.nev@gmail.com or book through the restaurant's website. Dress is smart-casual resort wear ΓÇö no need for a jacket, but skip the beachwear. Price sits in the mid-to-upper range for Nevis; expect a proper dinner-out spend rather than a casual bite. Cash and major cards accepted. The property is largely open-air, so a light layer is useful on breezy evenings.
Pair It With
- Golden Rock Inn Guide — A five-minute drive away, this historic plantation inn is worth an afternoon wander through its Brice Marden-designed gardens and a cocktail on the terrace before heading up to Bananas for dinner.
- 5Trees Bar & Lounge Guide — An easy pre- or post-dinner stop for a more casual drink and live-music-adjacent vibe if you want to keep the evening rolling after Bananas winds down.
- LL Rum Shop Guide — If Bananas' rum flight sparks curiosity, this classic Nevisian rum shop is the perfect no-frills chaser ΓÇö grab a stool, order what the regulars are drinking, and see how the island really pours it.
- Cat Ghaut Nevis Guide — A quiet, characterful place to stay nearby, making Bananas an easy walk-or-short-ride dinner rather than a cross-island expedition.