Food and Drink

Papa Zouk Restaurant is a completely unique experience in Antigua and Barbuda. From the decor to the dishes, you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else on the island quite like it. With the head chef’s tenure at the restaurant spanning over roughly 20 years there is no surprise that food here is also some of the most consistent in terms of quality and flavour. With variety of seafood such as conch, lobster, red snapper, mahi mahi, grouper and more you can easily see why myself, along with many other locals, have been dining here since we were children and have never left disappointed.

As mentioned before, Papa Zouk Restaurant has the largest rum collection on island so visiting without sampling at least one of the rums could be considered blasphemy by many. The restaurant is especially famous for it’s head rolling Ti’ Punch, a cocktail made up of rum, sugar syrup and lime making it essentially a Caribbean margarita.\

Atmosphere

The atmosphere at Papa Zouk Restaurant gives you a very warm and laidback island vibe with the adornment of artwork and Antigua and Barbuda’s traditional colours being used throughout. With long benches being the primary form of furniture you will often find yourself sharing a table with another couple or small group which somehow just adds to the experience and charm of the place. Depending on which night you go, you’ll meet either Bert or Faye (the owners) who are likely to sit at the table with you as they run you through the menu options in their own personal flair.

Price

I believe that Papa Zouk Restaurant is very reasonably priced for the quality of food and service that you get. Even if you are a bit tight on budget, you won’t feel like money has been miss spent coming here.

Busy

Papa Zouk Restaurant is relatively small, only serves dinner and is very popular, for that reason I would highly recommend that you book ahead of time. Additionally, as mentioned before, you may find yourself sharing one of the long benches with others, especially if you haven’t booked ahead.

Accessibility

Whilst the restroom is clean and full of interesting wall art, it is worth noting that the toilet is perched atop a platform that will make using the restroom more difficult for anyone using a wheelchair or walking aid.

Additionally, with no dedicated parking you will have to find a spot on the side of the road which could be less than ideal for someone who struggles with stability. This should by no means deter you but I do believe it is something you should be aware of if you fall in this category.

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Food & Drink

Although there are many great options to choose from I would highly recommend the famous Fried Whole Red Snapper and the Antiguan Styled Bouillabaisse Soup. As a starter Saltfish Fritters, Conch Fritters or the Tapas Platter which has a portion of plantain which is breaded and cooked in a way I have never seen before.

To try to help sustain certain marine species around Antigua and Barbuda, bans are put in place at points in the year to stop the fishing and sale of said species. I mention this as you may not find lobster or conch available, depending on when you visit Papa Zouk Restaurant.