Sure, you can bemoan how touristy the Caribbean islands are, particularly around the cruise ship terminals, where jewelry shops abut duty-free stores and tequila-soaked bars. But for food lovers who are willing to hop in a cab, there are actually great meals to be had at unforgettable restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs. Here is our chef-driven foodie bucket list for the Caribbean in 2014:
Chili Crab - Photo by Fatty Crab
1. Fatty Crab
St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
New York-based Chef Zakary Pelaccio wows Gotham with his Malaysian dishes, and now he's expanded his hip and playful take on Asian cuisine to the Caribbean.
How to Get There: From St. Thomas, take the short ferry ride to St. John -- where the beaches are better anyway -- and walk the four blocks to the restaurant.
What to Order: Look for chicken roti with green curry, the signature sliders with chili aioli, and calamansi chili-rubbed brisket with coconut rice. Order a fresh watermelon juice to go on the way out.
Michael's stylish dining room - Photo by Michael's Genuine Food and Drink
2. Michael's Genuine Food and Drink
George Town, Grand Cayman
New York-based, French-born Eric Riper's Grand Cayman restaurant, Blue, in the Ritz-Carlton hotel, may not be open at lunchtime, but Michael's is open all day long.
How to Get There: Less than a 10-minute cab ride from the ship terminal, Michael's -- the Caribbean branch of Miami-based Chef Michael Swartz's restaurant empire -- serves farm-to-table lunch and dinner every day.
What to Order: Start with crostini topped with house-made ricotta and local mango jam for a taste of the islands. Then, check out the fish of the day, which is caught locally, then wood-fired and served with escarole and grilled lemon, or served on a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich with homemade brioche.
Dune restaurant's seaside terrace - Photo by Dune at One & Only Ocean Club
3.Dune at One & Only Ocean Club
Paradise Island, The Bahamas
Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Dune serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, so you can just go when you're hungry. The menu focuses on local seafood and produce, and dishes are light and fresh -- perfect for a day at the beach. It's really the only food-loving destination at the resort at lunchtime, when Nobu and Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill are closed.
How to Get There: From the ship terminal in Nassau, you can take your cruise line's transfer to the Atlantis Resort or, if you don't want to use the beach facilities, just hop in a cab. (The restaurant is in the One & Only Ocean Club, so have your driver drop you off there -- Atlantis is a huge spread out complex and it will save you a lot of walking.)
What to Order: At lunch, the classic Bahamian conch salad and crab salad are our picks, as well as the watermelon and goat cheese plate.
Classic creamed spinach and potato gratin - Photo by BLT Steak at The Ritz-Carlton San Juan
4.BLT Steak at The Ritz-Carlton San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
New York's Laurent Tourondel has re-imagined the steakhouse as something more luxe -- and less stuffy -- than the steakhouses of the Mad Men era. Still, unless you order the grilled seafood, you can expect a heavy dinner here. Our advice: Eat light during the day so you can indulge without thinking about how you'll look in your swimsuit the next day.
How to Get There: The restaurant is a 15-minute drive from the port.
What to Order: This is a modern take on the iconic steakhouse, so look for classics like properly charred porterhouse for two, grilled double-cut bacon -- yes, as an appetizer, not a garnish -- and potato skins dressed up with truffle oil.
Want more? Check out the expanded piece on BonVoyageMag.com to see the Caribbean restaurant we're most excited to try this year.
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Sherri Eisenberg is the Editor in Chief of BonVoyageMag.com, a publication of Cruiseline.com.