With 17 dining options, choosing a restaurant at Sandals Ochi can be a bit overwhelming (in a good way!). The resort has everything from authentic Jamaican food to classic French cuisine, southern Italian dishes to Japanese teppanyaki. Basically you can find anything that your heart desires, from anywhere in the world, in a range of formats from casual room service and buffets to fancy, candlelit restaurants.

So you can focus on your tan, and not on what to eat, here are the can’t-miss food and restaurants at the resort:

The Jerk Shack

This is a gorgeous outdoor dinning area featuring palm trees and tiki torches. It is absolutely beautiful, and offers the best island vibe out of all of the restaurants.

The food is authentic Jamaican, with a focus on the jerk style of preparation that the island is known for.

We started with Roast Breadfruit, Roast Sweet Potato, Sliced Hard Dough Bread and “Festival.” Festival was my favorite, because it tastes like the fried dough that you can get at a fair. It’s a party in your mouth! Ha.

I sampled the Jerk Sausage and the Jerk Pork.

While Ann tried the Jerk Chicken and Roasted Fish in Foil, another Jamaican classic. Of the four dishes, I loved the Jerk Sausage and Jerk Chicken the best. So delicious!

And look who joined us at dinner!

Vista Gourmet / Sky Terrace

This restaurant terrace offers beautiful views of the azure waters of the Caribbean.

We went for dinner one night, and loved all of the seafood options.

Ann began with the Spicy Melon & Pan-Seared Tuna.

And I started with the Bahamian-Style Conch & Corn Fritters, which are served with delicious island aioli.

For her entree, Ann ordered the Oven-Baked Stuffed Squash.

And I had the Shrimp Scampi. We loved every dish!

For dessert I selected the Strawberry Shortcake, and it was beautifully presented.

Neptune’s

This casual restaurant offers outdoor beach dining in a gorgeous location.

The must-try dish is the Jerk Cheeseburger, which brings delicious Jamaican flare to a classic American staple.

Tapas on the Riviera

This outdoor restaurant is right next to the beach, so it’s a perfect place to get lunch in between suntanning and water sports.

The best dishes are the Grilled Fish Soft Tacos.

The Sweet Chili Chicken Bites.

The Beef Sliders served with crispy pancetta bacon, jack cheese and red onion jam.

And the Seafood Ceviche Salad with shrimp, calamari, white fish and red onion in a cilantro-lime vinaigrette.

Soy

This restaurant offers delicious, fresh sushi in a gorgeous atmosphere.

Have too many restaurants to try and not enough time? Then I recommend heading to Soy for a few sushi rolls as an appetizer, then heading to another restaurant for a fuller dinner. Because you don’t want to miss Soy! The rolls are delicious!

Plus, it has my favorite desert on the island. Fried ice cream!

Valentino’s

Last, but certainly not least, of the can’t-miss restaurants at Sandals Ochi is Valentino’s. It serves authentic southern Italian fare, and has a menu so enticing that I would literally have been happy eating anything on it.

Most of the restaurants serve a specialty drink with dinner, and Valentino’s had my favorite! It tasted a bit like egg nog – yum!

The Insalata di Pere e Gorgonzola appetizer is delicious. It has local greens, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, sliced pears and candied walnuts served with a house dressing.

The Insalata Caprese is also good, and the tomatoes and fresh mozzarella with a pesto drizzle are presented beautifully.

The pasta is good here, of course.

As is the Pesce del Giorno, a pan-seared fish fillet with grilled vegetables in a tomato, caper and green olive relish.

Sandals Ochi also has casual food stations everywhere, where you can make your own nachos or grab a quick ice cream cone (or four!). Plus, for you lovebirds, there’s always dinner on the beach!

The options are endless, and they are all delicious.

~A