Cap’n Jack’s

Jack Russell grew up in Hope Town, spent his youth fishing and later fished for a local restaurant. He and his wife Lana, who married in 1982, bought a small take-out shop in the village and turned it into Cap’n Jack’s. It started as a 15 by 10 foot hut with a few picnic benches and has been renovated many times since. The family, including their children Misty and Clint, still owns and runs it.

Start with conch fritters or the red conch chowder, made with local conch and served with Bahamian bread. Cracked conch comes as a starter or as a plate with peas and rice and coleslaw, and the crawfish salad uses locally caught crawfish. Mains include grilled lobster tail with macaroni cheese, Joyce’s jerk chicken and grilled mahi-mahi, plus a daily special.

The house rum punch is the Jack Hammer, whose recipe the bar keeps to itself, and the Hope Town Goombay Smash is the local classic. Breakfast runs to a Bahamian plate of fire engine, steamed sausage or tuna with grits, and French toast made with Bahamian bread. Finish with a slice of rum cake from Lubber’s Bakery.

Most visiting boats in Hope Town harbour pick up one of its moorings, which are first come, first served, and the fee is collected at the boat in the evening. Cap’n Jack’s is on the village waterfront, about 130 metres along the harbour from the Lower Public Dock, where the tender can land. The restaurant monitors VHF channel 16.

Cap’n Jack’s opens Monday to Saturday. Breakfast is served from 8am to 10.30am, the kitchen serves lunch and dinner from 11am to 9pm, and the bar opens at 10.30am and stays open into the evening. Call to book, especially for a group.