I came to St. Croix with a simple plan: retire.
After years in the restaurant business, long days, late nights, opening concepts, building brands, feeding thousands of people, and living through all the highs and lows that come with the hospitality industry, I was ready for a different pace. St. Croix felt like the perfect place to find it. I imagined slowing down, enjoying the Caribbean sun, spending more time near the water, and finally experiencing life without constantly thinking about the next service, the next menu, or the next restaurant.
But apparently, the restaurant business wasn’t finished with me.
The more time I spent on St. Croix, the more I fell in love with the island – not only its beauty, but its people, culture, history, and sense of community. And somewhere between enjoying island life and telling myself I was retired, I began to notice something. There was room here for the kind of Southern soul food that had been such a big part of my life and career.
What started as an idea became B&B Kitchen. Then one restaurant became two. So much for retirement.
Today, with B&B Kitchen serving Christiansted and B&B West bringing our food and energy to Frederiksted, my move to St. Croix has become something completely different from what I originally imagined. I didn’t just find a place to retire. I found a place that inspired me to begin another chapter – one where Southern soul food and Caribbean culture could meet at the same table.
And part of falling in love with St. Croix has been discovering the places that make this island special to me. Some are restaurants, some are beaches, some are places I go for the atmosphere, and a few are spots where I already know exactly what I’m ordering before I arrive.
My 10 Favorite Places in St. Croix
These aren’t ranked – because depending on the day, any one of them could be number one.
The Beach at Sand Castle
Sometimes you don’t need anything complicated. Give me a beautiful St. Croix day, the Caribbean Sea, and the beach at Sand Castle. It’s one of those places that reminds me why I moved to an island in the first place. When life and the restaurant business get hectic, this is the kind of place that makes slowing down feel easy.
Castaways
Castaways is one of those comfortable island spots that I enjoy because of the atmosphere. It has that laid-back St. Croix feeling where you can relax, grab something to eat or drink, and just enjoy yourself. Not everything has to be fancy. Sometimes you want a place that simply feels good.
La Reine Chicken Shack
Everybody who knows St. Croix knows about Chicken Shack. For me, it’s the roasted chicken and stuffing. There’s something about that combination – simple, flavorful, comforting food – that gets me every time. As a chef, I can appreciate complicated food, but I probably appreciate really good simple food even more.
Martha’s
Soup for breakfast. That’s really all I should have to say.
One thing I’ve learned living in the Caribbean is that breakfast doesn’t always have to mean eggs, bacon, and pancakes. A good bowl of soup in the morning can set your whole day straight. Martha’s is one of those places that gives me that true local-island experience I was looking for when I moved here.
Rhythms at Rainbow Beach on Sunday
Sunday at Rhythms is a whole vibe.
Food, drinks, music, the beach and people enjoying themselves – that combination captures a lot of what I love about living in St. Croix. It’s one of those places where you’re reminded that island life isn’t only about where you are; it’s about how you live.
Point Udall
Point Udall gives you a completely different appreciation for St. Croix. Standing there and looking out over the water, you realize just how special this little island is. It’s peaceful, beautiful, and one of those places I like because it gives you a moment to stop and take everything in.
Quality Food St. Croix
You might wonder why a market makes my list, but I’m a chef. Of course a market is going to make my list.
I love walking through a good market and seeing what I can find. Ingredients spark ideas. Sometimes I’ll see something and immediately start thinking about a dish, a special, or something new for the restaurant. Quality is one of those places that feeds the chef side of me.
AMA at Cane Bay
On the North Shore of the island is Cane Bay, and AMA has one of the best dining views I’ve experienced here. When I say you’re close to the water, I mean it. Part of the dining room sits so close to the sea that when the waves crash against the rocks, you can actually get wet.
Then there’s the food.
Chef Philip makes curry ginger coconut mussels that I can’t get enough of. They’re creamy, slightly spicy, with slivers of ginger and garlic running through the coconut curry sauce. It’s the kind of dish where you don’t want to leave a drop behind.
Yummm.
Rolling Smoke
Part of the experience is getting there. You take a little ferry over, and suddenly you’re eating at a restaurant sitting on a beach in the harbor. That’s St. Croix.
My order is the rib tips. They’re smoked for four hours and tossed in a sweet chili glaze. Tender, juicy, smoky, sweet, and just a little sticky – the way good rib tips are supposed to be. The food is great, but when you combine it with the location and the little ferry ride, it becomes an experience.
Maria’s Cantina
This one comes with a warning: I’m originally from Southern California, so I’m extremely picky about Mexican food.
I grew up knowing what good Mexican food is supposed to taste like, so my standards are high. Maria’s Cantina is my favorite Mexican spot on the island. When I get that craving for the flavors I grew up around, this is where I go.
More Than a Place to Retire
When I first moved to St. Croix, I thought I was coming here to end one chapter of my life. Instead, the island handed me a blank page.
These ten places are only a small part of why I’ve grown to love St. Croix. It’s the food, the beaches, the views and the Sunday afternoons – but more than anything, it’s the people and the experiences attached to those places.
Opening two soul food restaurants certainly wasn’t part of my retirement plan. But that’s the funny thing about finding a place that feels like home: sometimes it doesn’t make you want to stop working. Sometimes it inspires you to create something new.
I came to St. Croix thinking I was retiring from the restaurant business. Turns out, I was just getting ready for my next course.
– All photos and text by Chef Melvin “Boots” Johnson
About Chef Boots
A Los Angeles native whose culinary journey spans coasts and cuisines, celebrity Chef Melvin “Boots” Johnson is the founder and chef of Harlem Biscuit Company, founder of B&B Kitchen in St. Croix. He has been on numerous cooking competitions, from winning on Season 38 of Beat Bobby Flay in 2025 and being the Chopped Grill Master Champion in 2018. Chef Boots is inspired by his grandmother’s home cooking, blending his Southern roots with modern techniques, earning a reputation for bold, soulful flavors. Learn more at www.chefboots.com.