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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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.
