Mexican Anguilla Restaurants? Wow!

 
 

Ahhh, Picante... the Anguilla restaurant that ticks so many boxes. Efficient service, a charming atmosphere and consistently excellent quesadillas, tacos and burritos... it simply can't be beat!

The regular routine when we visit Picante? Park in the spacious parking lot (parking's never a hassle) and walk towards the vibrant restaurant, lit up bright with fairy lights, steeped in anticipation of all of the flavorful food to come.

Approaching The Brightly Lit Runway to The Colorful Restaurant

Inside Picante

Picante is open for dinner only, out on the West end, just past the Cap Juluca turn off.

If you are coming from the east end, it's worth the "long drive" (20 minutes isn't long in North America but distances become relative on an island just 16 miles long!). If you are staying in west end, you are in for a convenient and tasty treat!

Dining Area at Picante

This Anguilla restaurant is pretty with a quaint, Mexican style. We had once spent 4 weeks living in Guadalajara. One night at Picante feels like being there for the evening.

Margaritas & The Menu

My Dad gives the ultimate "thumbs-up" to their bar. It may be the only bar, too, in Anguilla where he passes on a rum punch and asks, "A margarita, please. No salt."

Sparkling Margarita

Of course, you can order it with or without salt, blended or on the rocks, and if you order your margarita blended, there are a variety of sweet flavors to choose from.

Passionfruit Margarita

This Anguilla restaurant's menu is robust, chock full of Tex Mex classics. A chalkboard also hangs near the bar, displaying the daily specials.

As you peruse the menu, complimentary warm, fresh and crispy tortilla chips with the hot and savory salsa are swiftly brought to your table. It gets your taste buds going for the main course!

Tortilla Chips and Salsa to Start

Here, I must make a note on service. Picante's is some of the speediest on the island! No long waits here.

Sweet Waitress Jasmin Ensures You Are Happy the Entire Night

From appetizers to mains, it's really hard to go wrong at Picante. To start, the calamari is some of our favorite calamari anywhere.

Spicy Calamari

And, it's not a meal at Picante without their spinach and artichoke dip. Oh so cheesy, it is addictively delicious. WARNING: It comes out piping hot!

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Some top picks for mains?

Hard shell chicken tacos filled with tomatoes, lettuce and topped with finely chopped cilantro. Rice on the side rounds out the meal.

Hard Shell Chicken Tacos

The tacos are superb and hold together well (it's the worst when they fall apart!). The steak tacos are an excellent choice if you like red meat. No ground beef here. Beef strips are placed in the shell. Together with fresh lettuce, tomato and cheese, they are consistently superb.

And then you have the quesadilla (foreground of photo below). There is simply no beating this quesadilla! The flavor is out of this world savory and buttery.

Nori & Dad Chowing Dad on Quesadillas

A lighter option? Fish salad, with mixed greens, carrots, cucumber, radishes, tortilla chips and guacamole. Each bite of that guacamole is Mexican dining delight!

Grilled Fish Salad

Tummies are always on "F" after dinner at Picante, yet still a meal here is not complete without dessert. Flavored shaved ice goes down light after a big meal...

Strawberry Flavored Shaved Ice For Dessert

If you really want to stretch your stomach, don't miss the banana foster "chimichanga"!

Banana Foster "Chimichanga"

Cup are scraped clean, spoons are licked spotless!

After dinner? With great service and food, it's never long 'til we're back again.

Magnifico!

TIP: If you are visiting in high season, reservations are highly recommended.

Directions, Hours & Contact

Directions: Picante is located on the main road, just a few minutes west of Four Seasons's entrance.

Hours: Open daily for dinner, closed Tuesday.

Menu: Click here

Tel: 264-498-1616

ARCHIVES: Past Visits to Picante

• Love, love, love Picante