5 Fabulous Resorts For Dining In St. Lucia

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the breathtakingly beautiful Caribbean island of St. Lucia, a favorite destination for honeymooners and rainforest adventurers, is also an ideal getaway for gastronomic indulgence. Exotic tropical fruits fall from the trees (literally), letting you take your choice of fresh mango, juicy pineapple, impossibly huge avocados, or less familiar fruits like golden apple, soursop, West Indian plums, and gnarled, green (and lusciously sweet) tangerines. The turquoise waters lapping at St. Lucia's beaches, meanwhile, produce a huge array of splendidly fresh seafood.

Click here to see the 5 Fabulous Resorts for Dining in St. Lucia (Slideshow)

Northern and southern St. Lucia are somewhat distinct in both their tourist offerings and local character, but both have fantastic dining options ranging from world-class restaurants to a weekly fish fry out on the city streets. The capital city of Castries, located in the north, hosts a morning market that keeps the kitchens of resorts like tranquil Cap Maison well-stocked with local produce from passion fruit to red snapper. In the south, the Soufrière fish market and 17 acres of organic farmland supply famed Sugar Beach resort with its daily groceries, while Jade Mountain maintains its own 2 acres of growing land for unusual varieties of produce and herbs, including Surinam cherries, Jamaican thyme, cinnamon trees, and coconut palm shoots. In October, St. Lucia holds festivities celebrating its chocolate production and its Creole heritage, and restaurants put out special menus to highlight the island's rich culinary traditions. At Ti Kaye resort you'll find an elaborately designed wine and chocolate pairing menu, held in the authentic medieval-style wine cellar; and while dining at Boucan, in Hotel Chocolat's Rabot Estate, you can indulge in an all-chocolate meal. Dasheene restaurant at Ladera, located on a UNESCO World Heritage Site with an incomparable view of the Piton mountains, serves modern dishes incorporating Creole flavors and influences.

Click trough our slideshow to see five St. Lucian resorts we recommend for great eating, and what makes their food stand out.