ST MAARTEN

The Island of St. Maarten is a melting pot of cultures and foods. It's ownership is split in half between the French and Dutch who have infused their foods with that of the Carribean. As a major yachting destination it holds many options for provisioning that will not be matched by any other port of call in the Carribean.

Zee Best- A small french owned breakfast spot located near Ilse De Sol Marina on the Dutch side that also owns an offsite bakery specializing in amazing croissants and Pain Au Chocolate's. You can order these from the restaurant and set up for pick-up a day or two later. I prefer to get the frozen before they are proofed to maximize space savings. I pull them from the freezer before bed to let them thaw and then pop them in the oven in the morning to proof for an hour before egg washing them and baking them off.... AMAZING PRODUCT!

SXM Connection - Located in Marigot on the French side of St. Maarten this food import company supplies mostly just the french restaurants on the Island. It can be a little tricky ordering from them as the last time I used them the owner Guillaume was the only employee that spoke english and not that well. The little difficulty I encountered was well worth the quality of the product I received from them. By far the the BEST butter, eggs and cooking cream I have found in my travels yet. If you only get these Items from him you are far ahead of the game. The Chief stew was also thrilled that the yogurts did not expire for 6 months as we had previously had problems with that on the island.

pdg restaurant supply

PDG Supply is the largest restaurant smallware and equiptment store that I have seen in the Carribean. This is pulled directly from their website and I agree 100%

"Since 1988 PDG has been supplying Sint Maarten/Saint Martin; the culinary capital of the Caribbean. An island with over 350 restaurants catering to every gastronomical whim. With a vast range of products and 4000 items in stock, our customers here and on surrounding islands, know that they can rely on PDG to deliver. Our ability to give you better solutions with more reliable products comes from years of experience in selecting supplies and equipment most suited for the islands. Hopefully, you too, will find our staff to be friendly, professional and sensitive to your specific needs."

Le Grand Marche/Carrafour- This is the closest large market to the docks in Simpson Bay. They offer several options for yacht provisioning including online ordering. This is where most of the boats buy all crew food and some Owner/Guest foods. During peak season this place gets packed and I have found it useful to tip generously for faster checkout and proper packing. This is your best option for a wide variety of produce and general products.  

Merchants Market - This large wholesale restaurant supplier supplies most of the islands restaurants. They import all of their product from Holland and the US. They carry a wide selection of Buckhead beef, produce and seafood. If you email your order they can have it ready for you when you arrive.

Shore Support

   I have worked with Simon at Shore Support for years. They have an office located in Simpson Bay and know the intricacies of shipping and customs on the island and can get the almost impossible specialty items delivered to your yacht. Although prices can be high I have found it best to use them for fresh produce brought in from Holland, such as lettuces, tomatoes, mushrooms and asparagus. They do source some of their products from other purveyors on the island such as Merchants market for Buckhead beef and Le Grand Marche for dry goods and some produce.

Cafe Atlantico

Although this little spot does not have a website and is easy to miss, its worth the search. Located just blocks from Il Del Sol Marina this small spot can make several types of breads are frozen before being proofed for fresh bread and croissants on the go. You can call from the island or stop by to organize your order.