Hill Top View Bar & Restaurant
Ridge-top plates with a windward-side panorama on the road to Zeelandia
Why Go
On an island where dinner is usually a quiet affair, Hill Top View gives you something Statia doesn't hand out easily: an elevated seat, a breeze off the Atlantic, and a plate of curry chicken while the light drops behind the Quill.
The Experience
Perched on the ridge along the road that winds down to Zeelandia Bay, Hill Top View is exactly what the name promises — a casual open-air bar and kitchen where the view does half the work. It's an unpretentious, locally run spot: plastic chairs, cold Amstel Bright, a soundtrack of soca and reggae, and the kind of easy conversation you only get on an island of 3,000 people. Locals drift in after work, divers and expats show up for sunset, and the pace never rises above 'take your time.' The menu leans Caribbean-comfort with a few international crowd-pleasers, cooked to order (so don't come starving and in a rush). Come for a drink at golden hour, stay for dinner, and let the wind off the windward coast do the rest.
What to Try
The curry chicken is the reliable local pick — deeply spiced, served with rice and a side of beans or plantain. The grilled steak turns up more often than you'd expect for a small island kitchen and is worth ordering when it's on. Fried wings pair perfectly with a Carib or a rum punch at sunset, and if the kitchen has fresh fish that day (usually whatever came off a local boat), say yes without asking what it is.
Insider Tip
Kitchen timing is island-time, not clock-time — order your first round of drinks the moment you sit down, then order food, then order another round. Ask if the fresh catch is available before you look at the menu; it's often not written down. And bring cash: card machines on Statia have a habit of 'not working today.'
The Practical Stuff
Location: on the Road to Zeelandia, a short drive up from Oranjestad — you'll want a rental car or a lift, as it's not really walkable from the Lower Town. Plus code F2V7+45J. Casual dress, outdoor seating, family-friendly early evening and more of a bar scene later. Best to call ahead if you're a group of more than four, and be flexible on hours — like most Statia spots, opening times shift with the season and the crowd. Cash strongly preferred (USD).
Pair It With
- Zeelandia Beach Guide — The wild, windward black-sand beach at the bottom of the same road — pair a late-afternoon walk (no swimming, the surf is fierce) with dinner up on the ridge.
- The Aquarium Dive Site — One of Statia's signature dives just offshore — surface, rinse off, and drive straight up to Hill Top for wings and a cold beer while you debrief the dive.
- Alvin V. Courtar Park — A quiet neighborhood green space nearby, good for a stroll before heading up to catch the sunset from the restaurant terrace.
- A Quiet Getaway Apartment — If you're staying at this nearby one-bedroom, Hill Top View is your closest sit-down dinner option — a five-minute drive and no need to head back into Oranjestad.
