While all-inclusive resorts are known for offering exceptional value, they tend to get a bad rap when it comes to their culinary options. This is mainly due to the fact that most all-inclusive resorts have at least one buffet, and because some of the value resort brands are known for skimping on food quality to save some cash.

Yet, this isn’t the case with every all-inclusive property at all, and many resorts and hotel brands are known for offering fine dining options and gourmet culinary experiences. Food and drink are often the highlight of—if not the reason for—many getaways. You do typically have to pay more for an all-inclusive stay that includes fine dining, but the cost can be well worth it if you’re a foodie who wants to enjoy upscale meals prepared with fresh, local ingredients by expertly-trained chefs.

Which Caribbean all-inclusive resorts are known for their culinary prowess? There are actually quite a few, with some of the top including Sandals resorts, Karisma properties, and TRS adults-only all-inclusive resorts. 

Looking to plan your journey around the most exquisite examples of fine dining? Look no further. We’ve found some of the BEST fine-dining experiences and listed them for you below.

Located in the most exclusive part of Punta Cana, the DR’s TRS Cap Cana offers numerous fine dining experiences. Options include their Izakaya restaurant, which features the unique textures & flavors of Japanese street food in a relaxed & calm atmosphere. Meanwhile, the resort’s beachfront restaurant Helios serves fresh seafood & sushi, delicious sandwiches & refreshing cocktails.

St. Maarten’s Sonesta Ocean Point Resort makes it possible to enjoy an adults-only, all-inclusive vacation experience with breathtaking views over Maho Bay. While exemplary foods are offered throughout the property, the cliffside & oceanfront Azul Restaurant serves authentic specialties by Executive Chef Francisco Almonte. Every meal is carefully created using seasonal ingredients & fresh vegetables — enhanced by the restaurant’s international wine list. 

At the prestigious Colony Club by Elegant Hotels, guests can try something new at the island’s first-of-its-kind Rum Vault. This vault features 150 rums from all over the world, & guests can enjoy personalized rum tastings, sweet rum-and-chocolate pairings & an intimate rum-paired multi-course dinner created by Chef Wayne Maynard. 

Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge is located in the lush jungles of Belize, & guests can book an array of all-inclusive vacation packages that pair stays with other properties in The Belize Collection. This hotel features stunning views in a natural setting, along with fine dining options at The Grove House, which was named Restaurant of the Year in 2018 & 2019 by the Belize Tourism Board. 

Consider booking a trip to the Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall on the laid-back island of Jamaica if you’re looking for a fun, adults-only vacation experience. Guests who visit this all-inclusive paradise can enjoy seven different restaurants & bars where they can try French-style cuisine and Jamaican beachfront dining with local specialties like curry seafood & marinated shrimp salad.

Antigua’s Curtain Bluff is an iconic all-inclusive five-star sanctuary that boasts unbelievable ocean views and renowned fine dining options. Guests return to this Antigua landmark again and again to dine at The Sea Grape, an open-air eatery that features inventive Italian and Antiguan takes on dishes like yellowtail tuna carpaccio and beetroot gnocchi. Another fan favorite is their Tamarind Restaurant, which focuses on offering a rotating five-course menu with salads, seafood and outstanding meat courses every evening.

Serenity at Coconut Bay is a couples-only all-inclusive resort that is known for its high-end dining options. Guests can visit The Greathouse, the resort’s fine dining restaurant, to experience cuisine built around Saint Lucia’s fresh, farm-to-table ingredients as well as delicious vegan selections. Menu highlights include sesame ginger tuna, rack of lamb, coconut cream pie and vegan beef shepherds’ pie, just to name a few.

Romantic couples seeking great food in an adults-only setting should check out Le Blanc Cancun Spa Resort. Not only do you get 24-hour room service, but you can choose from six different restaurants serving everything from Italian fare to Asian fusion. Several on-site bars also offer unique cocktails made with premium ingredients and liquor.

Sandals Royal Bahamian is one of the best all-inclusive resorts in Nassau, Bahamas, but it’s also popular with picky eaters. There are 10 different gourmet restaurants at this resort, and cuisine on offer ranges from French to fresh Italian and seafood. Guests here can also enjoy premium liquors, Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks wines and Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee. 

Iberostar Selection Cancun Coral Level is an adults-only “resort w/in a resort” that is known for its excellent customer service & surprisingly refined dining options. Cuisine on offer includes Japanese hibachi, Mexican food, Italian fare & a high-end steakhouse. A renowned American bistro even serves Kentucky fried chicken, New Orleans salmon & BBQ ribs for a taste from home.

Sandals Resorts are known for offering fine dining options to their adults-only guests, & the Sandals Royal Barbados property is no exception. Food-lovers who choose this oceanfront all-inclusive resort can select from 20 different dining options including Caribbean fare, regional Italian, Indian, a French-style patisserie, sushi & a NY-style steakhouse. Five-star premium spirits are available 24 hours a day.

Travelers heading to the “Spice Island” of Grenada will love the dining options at Spice Island Beach Resort, a black-owned luxury resort w/ a spectacular location on Grand Anse Beach. The all-inclusive hotel boasts several award-winning restaurants that serve food for a range of tastes, from its Caribbean-meets-Creole eatery to its “Sea and Surf” oceanfront bar & grill. Note the ONLY AAA five diamond award. 

TRS Coral, is an adults-only all-inclusive resort that sits directly on the beach of Costa Mujeres in the Mexican Caribbean. The property offers 4 int’l a-la-carte restaurants & an Ibiza-style beach club. Dining options include Argentinian eatery El Gaucho, which serves up traditional Argentinian barbecue, chorizos, empanadas, milanesas, fine wines & desserts, & La Bohème, which specializes in classic recipes like steak tartare, French onion soup, foie gras & crepes.

Grand Velas Riviera Maya is one of the most elegant all-inclusive resorts in all of México, but it’s also a hot spot for foodies. Guests who visit find the most varied & fresh food & beverage program in the region w/ 15 different dining options to choose from. Culinary options include Mexican fine dining, gourmet French, upscale Asian, Northern Italian, & guests can enjoy premium liquor brands & custom cocktails across the entire venue.

Recently opened in late 2021, is one of the newest all-inclusive boutique resorts in the country of México. Guests here can dine at several high-end eateries run by celebrity chefs, including their Mexican restaurants, Tuch De Luna, Centril, and Lumbre. ESTERO, which features cuisine from Mexico and Peru, has a stellar menu, whose restaurant Central in Peru was named among the “Greatest Restaurant in Latin America 2013-2021” in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking. 

Garza Blanca Cancun is one of the newest all-inclusive luxury resorts in all of México, & it’s already known for its high-end dining options. Like other Garza Blanca properties in Puerto Vallarta & Los Cabos, this beachfront resort has several gourmet restaurants with chef-prepared steaks and seafood & premium spirits. Guests staying here also have access to six additional restaurants at its sister resort, Villa del Palmar Cancun.

Negril’s Azul Beach Resort is a Karisma property, so resort guests get the benefit of this hotel brand’s “gourmet-inclusive” offerings. This particular all-inclusive luxury resort boasts six upscale eateries that serve everything from Caribbean cuisines to Italian and Thai cuisine, as well as premium cocktails and wines at seven different bars.

As a luxury all-inclusive resort that’s only for adults, UNICO Riviera Maya offers an array of cuisine options featuring locally-sourced ingredients and a diverse mix of international flavors. Fine dining selections include a Mediterranean restaurant, a high-end Mexican eatery and an Asian restaurant with Japanese cuisine-teppanyaki, yakitori and sushi.

Recently opened in November of 2021, Margarita Island Reserve Cap Cana offers deluxe cuisine in the most laid back atmosphere you could ever hope for. All kinds of fresh foods are on offer, ranging from beach burgers and fries to upgraded seafood and steaks. This Karisma property, which also boasts a gourmet-inclusive experience, even has its own brewery and gastropub.

What great Caribbean fine-dining experience do you have on your bucketlist? Let me know your thoughts on Twitter and Instagram: @livelovetravelllc