In the seventeenth century our first settlers dined on fish, cahow birds and roast pork washed down with palmetto wine. We've come a long way since then and Bermuda now has a large variety of cafés, pubs and restaurants. Where are they? Many are in Hamilton and are therefore conveniently located for lunch or for a meal after work. But if you want gourmet food and a tranquil, romantic setting, then check out our restaurants in other parts of the island. Our resort hotels and cottage colonies, for example, typically offer excellent alfresco dining in stunningly beautiful venues overlooking the ocean. A superb meal is even more superb under starry starry skies.

Menus are varied too. We have restaurants specialising in Italian, French, Continental, Swiss, Mexican, Chinese and Indian cuisine. And we have others that will let you have that sirloin steak or home made hamburger. Some offer the British staples: fish and chips, steak and kidney pie or bangers and mash. Don't let's forget Bermudian fare either. See below for some of our favourite dishes.

Dress Code, Reservations and Prices
Compared with other countries we are still pretty conservative about our dress code. True, we have loosened up a little bit in that jacket and tie are no longer always essential in the evenings. “Smart casual” is the general rule of thumb. What does that mean? It can vary from restaurant to restaurant. Some require a jacket for men on specified nights. Others waive this requirement but forbid sneakers and jeans. Bathing suits and bare feet are never acceptable except in beach cafés. And men must never be bare chested. Call the restaurant for dress code information.

During the Christmas and summer seasons it's wise to reserve a table, particularly if you want to dine on Friday or Saturday. As for Sunday - well, some of our restaurants offer sumptuous brunches. Again, in our busy season it's wise to book. Meal prices vary although we have to admit that they tend to be higher than most North Americans expect. On the other hand, they are probably similar to London (UK) prices.

Often, but not always, a 15% gratuity is added to your bill. Call the restaurant to check the gratuity policy - you don't want your bill to be a nasty surprise. And check credit card policy as well. These days most restaurants take Visa, Master Card and American Express credit cards but some do not take American Express while a few do not take credit cards at all.

Eating Bermudian Style
In Bermuda we have an old saying: “All the way to Bailey's Bay, fish and 'taters every day.” That's no longer true but boiled salt codfish, served with potatoes, egg sauce and fried fresh local banana, is now the traditional Bermudian Sunday breakfast. Some people like to serve it with sliced local avocado as well or with a spicy tomato sauce. What kind of cod? Salt cod imported from Canada. Naturally it has to be soaked in water overnight before it can be cooked. For many of us, Good Friday means fried codfish cakes, served with white wine. How to make them? There are lots of recipe variations but the basic cake mixture consists of flaked cooked fish, mashed potato, chopped raw Bermuda onion, and lots of thyme and parsley. Some people like to add a dash of curry powder while others break the no-meat-on-Fridays tradition by adding chopped fried bacon.

“All the way to St. David's”, the Land of the Fishermen, and we're definitely thinking of fresh fish: snapper, rock fish, wahoo, shark hash (delicious on toast), curried mussel pie and above all, fish chowder. Taste our chowder and you'll have a unique Bermudian experience. You'll be introduced to sherry pepper, a spicy hot condiment made of hot peppers and sherry. Add a few drops to your chowder, together with a few drops of black rum. Delicious.

What about Bermuda's scrumptious spiny lobster? Our lobster season runs from 1 September to 31 March. Typically, lobster is served broiled with seasoned stuffing although lobster thermidor is popular too.

But we have other unfishy dishes as well. Pawpaw Montespan is a casserole consisting of mashed boiled pawpaw, ground beef, sliced tomatoes and onions arranged in layers. The top layer should be pawpaw, which is then sprinkled with parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Hopping John, or black eyed peas and rice, is another favourite. As for our just desserts, pies made with loquat or Surinam cherry fillings are as Bermudian as apple pie is American.

A traditional dessert is syllabub made with guavas, sherry and heavy cream.

A fitting finish but it's not as available as it once was.