The biggest of the UK’s Channel Islands and sitting just 10 miles north of the French coast, Jersey’s cuisine is a delightful fusion of both cultures. Its charming capital, St Helier, draws further influence from its Bretons and Portuguese immigrant communities, all of which leads to a rich, abundant cuisine that you won’t find anywhere else on the planet.
Arguably the biggest influence of all, though, is the island’s fertile soil and pristine waters, which serve to provide an abundance of exceptional ingredients that are the envy of chefs worldwide. The famous Jersey Royal potatoes, discovered by farmer Hugh de la Haye in 1880, boast a unique earthy sweetness that has garnered them a global reputation. Seafood enthusiasts will be in their element here, too, with fresh oysters, lobster, and the highly sought-after ormers gracing the menus of St Helier’s finest and fairest restaurants.
Jersey’s dairy products are also renowned, thanks to the island’s cows, whose rich milk gives rise to indulgent creams and butters that have become a staple in local cooking. In fact, it’s widely agreed that cows that originated in the Channel Islands produce the world’s best milk. And let’s not forget the island’s burgeoning gin scene, which adds a spirited twist to the dining experience.
From cosy bistros to Michelin-starred restaurants, the island’s capital offers a diverse and exciting dining landscape that is sure to satisfy even the most discerning palate. So, loosen your belts and join us as we explore the best places to eat in Saint Helier, Jersey.
Pêtchi
One of St Helier’s most existing new openings – and already, unequivocally, one of Jersey’s best restaurants – is Pêtchi. Having only been open since late 2023, the restaurant, whose name roughly translates as “to try to catch a fish” in Jèrriais – is an enticing expression of Jersey’s terroir and natural infinity with the ocean, all told through a Basque lens.
Boy, does it work, with former Great British Menu finalist and Jersey native Joe Baker, along with his wife Charlotte, the masterminds behind this masterful restaurant. To be honest, on paper Pêtchi is guaranteed to please, with the revered produce of the island and the alchemy of the grill the perfect match.
And so it is, whether that’s in the whole grilled turbot, its natural gelatinous quality self-lubricating as it luxuriates over the white heat of the coals. Even better, the retired dairy Galician beef chop, all yellow, melting fat, pronounced bark and blushing flesh that boasts that rich, faintly cheesy finish. Glorious stuff, and even better when paired with some Jersey asparagus, perhaps a whole butterflied mackerel, some Jersey pink tomatoes and a Jersey oyster or two for good measure.
The imposing grill that both those premium items have come through is an impressive bit of kit indeed, the rig’s grates and racks constantly being manipulated by a soot-covered chef, all controlled by a pulley mechanism in the style of Etxebarri, the accepted don of Basque livefire cooking. Do try to nab a table at the counter that overlooks the open kitchen to watch that grill in action; just mind the errant glowing embers that such active cooking constantly threatens!
If you’re not able to sit at the bar, expect a rather bare bones wooden room that initially feels out of place with the tapas/pintxos format, but quickly grows on you as it fills up – the throb of anticipation that only a full dining room can bring is all but guaranteed here. Indeed, booking in advance is highly recommended, for Pêtchi is the hottest ticket in town right now.
Address: Unit 13C, Liberty Wharf, La route de Liberation, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3NY, Jersey
Website: petchi.je
Banjo
Located in a beautifully restored Victorian building, Banjo is a stylish restaurant that seamlessly blends European brasserie charm with contemporary elegance. With a menu that changes seasonally to reflect the freshest local ingredients, Banjo showcases the best of Jersey’s produce with creative flair and plenty of globetrotting flourishes.
A recent dish of pork belly slow-cooked until almost gummy and served with Jersey Royal potatoes and a locally produced cider jus was superlative. Even better was a chunky fillet of hake, grilled until burnished, and dressed with curried mussels – a briny, boisterous dish and full of flavour.
Best of all is the steak here (as the name suggests), with the beef traditionally aged for a minimum of 21 – 28 days. The Tomahawk steak – or dinosaur steak with a bone, as we like to call it – is a thing of beauty and made for sharing.
Don’t miss their signature dessert either, the Eton Mess, which features Jersey strawberries and raspberries and fresh Jersey cream for a delightful, hyper-local twist on a classic British favourite.
If you’re celebrating, make sure you spend your evening in the dining room rather than the brassiere, the former of which has a grand sense of opulence, all pink velvet and tasteful white chandeliers. It works.
Address: 8 Beresford St, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4WN, Jersey
Website: banjojersey.com
Locke’s Coffee & Grub
For a more casual dining experience, look no further than Locke’s Coffee & Grub. This charming café and eatery serves up delicious breakfast and lunch options, as well as some of the best coffee in Saint Helier. With a focus on fresh, wholesome ingredients, their menu includes generously filled sandwiches, fresh af salads, and tempting sweet treats. Don’t miss their avocado toast with poached eggs and homemade hollandaise – it’s the perfect way to start your day.
Address: 5 Pitt Street, Charing Cross, JE23SJ
Website: lockesstories.com
Bohemia
Bohemia is a Michelin-starred restaurant that has earned a reputation for its innovative and sophisticated cuisine. Head Chef Callum Graham, who has only been at the helm for three years, creates visually stunning dishes that are bursting with flavour, using the freshest seasonal produce from the island.
Callum Graham’s impressive career has taken him from The Lanesborough in London to the Michelin-starred Auberge du Lion d’Or in Geneva and the then Michelin-starred Le Celadon in Paris before arriving at Bohemia. Along the way, Callum has featured on MasterChef: The Professionals and was part of the team at Bohemia that was awarded the first-ever 5 AA Rosettes in the Channel Islands.
Though the seven course tasting menu will set you back £120, there’s decent value to be found on the set lunch menu, with three courses (starters and main a choice between fish, meat or vegetarian) clocking in at £55. There are, of course, several rounds of snacks and sweets to bolster the deal. Or, go for the pescatarian tasting menu, that in our mind is Bohemia’s strongest suit, the warm local waters bringing with them abundant shellfish to the plate.
Indeed, the food here – cutting edge but rooted firmly in the classics – aims to celebrate those stunning Jersey ingredients to their best, an approach exemplified by a superb reimagining of a Waldorf salad, with a hand dived scallop the size of, well, a hand, the centrepiece of the dish.
Better still, locally sourced Jersey white crab meat often scuttles its way onto the menu, with a current tasting menu staple of picked white crab, brown crab panna cotta, bloody orange and fennel a masterclass in balancing distinct, punchy flavours into one funky, cohesive whole.
No wonder, then, that Bohemia has held a Michelin star for almost two decades, with this remarkable achievement furthered by being the only restaurant in Jersey (and the Channel Islands) to be awarded this esteemed honour.
Website: bohemiajersey.com
Address: Green St, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4UH
Jersey Crab Shack
The Jersey Crab Shack’s story began in 1946 as a small studio pottery in Gorey, which eventually grew into one of the island’s most popular tourist attractions. In the early 1960s, they opened a “coffee bar” for visitors to the pottery, marking the beginning of their culinary journey. Fast forward to today, and JPRestaurants, founded by the Jones family, operates five restaurants in Jersey, including Oyster Box, the aforementioned Banjo, and three Jersey Crab Shacks, four Café Ubé cafés, and a catering business called Capsicum Catering.
Located on bustling Market Street next to the Central Market, The Jersey Crab Shack St Helier is housed in two historic buildings that have been home to taverns and eating houses since the 1820s. These establishments were ideally situated to serve refreshments to customers and traders of the adjacent Central Market, a traditional Jersey meeting place that remains a hive of activity and beautiful food stalls even after 200 years.
The interior of the restaurant is a delightful blend of 21st-century design and elements inspired by the island’s past traditions. The brass bar features hammer-embossed patterns reminiscent of the bachîn, or brass cooking pots, traditionally used to make black butter. This bachîn motif also appears on the restaurant’s logo, crockery made by Jersey Pottery, and team uniforms. The teal green leather of the banquette seating pays homage to the island’s resident Jersey Green Lizard.
Though the menu isn’t quite as crab heavy (or shack-worthy) as the eponymous name suggests, you’ll find plenty of the freshly picked good stuff adorning soft tacos, linguine and even a great take on a poutine. On the specials board, Jersey whole crabs, cracked and ready to pick through, take centre stage.
Ideal Tip: If you can’t get a table at the St Helier branch of Crab Shack, pop across to St Brelade where you’ll find the crustacean led restaurant’s original outpost, which has plenty of outdoor seating right on the beach.
Address: 4-6 Market St, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4WL
Website: jerseycrabshack.com
Awabi
Part Japanese izakaya, a little Parisian wine bar, somewhat Korean soju tent, and a bit British gastropub, all rolled into one, Awabi is the place to dine eclectically in St. Helier.
Awabi’s name is derived from the revered abalone which is found on both the shores of Jersey, where it’s known locally as ormer, and in Japan where it goes by the name…you guessed it…awabi.
This delicious delicacy fetches hundreds of pounds per kilo when dried and salted out East. But here in Jersey, it’s plentiful, even qualifying as a free meal if you know where to look, and it’s in this juxtaposition that serves as a symbol of the restaurant’s mission to create a dining experience that transcends cultures and welcomes in everyone, regardless of the depth of your pockets or the thickness of your wallet.
Though it may not exactly rank in the top Jersey activities for a healthy lifestyle, we’re not complaining. The vibe here is one of a late night drinking den, with mood lighting low and chatter gently throbbing rather than ear-piercing. On the plate, it’s a pan-Asian affair, with Szechuanese chicken wings, crisp and true, rubbing shoulders (or, rather, rubbing wings – sorry) with pork bao buns, kimchi pancakes and even, rather oddly, a riff on that signature deep-fried sea bass at Som Saa.
Our favourite dish here, though, is a take on dan dan noodles using rabbit meat. It’s sublime. Pair it with a top notch sake (umeshu) negroni and tumble out into the night feeling very much invigorated.
Address: 63 Halkett Pl, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4WG, Jersey
Website: awabi.co.uk
Samphire
Formerly known as Ormer – need we explain again? – Samphire is a stylish all-day brasserie that offers a refined yet approachable dining experience, more ‘fun’ dining than fine dining, perhaps.
A Michelin star holder (now holding a Plate award instead) in its Ormer days, here young chef Tommy Radiguet has brought a fresh, convivial approach that showcases the best of Jersey’s local produce, with crowd pleasing dishes such as tempura Grouville Bay oysters with a Vietnamese nuoc cham dressing punchy with garlic and chilli, and roasted fillet of Jersey beef with truffle and celeriac so earthy you can taste the Jersey soil (in a good way, we should add).
Keep an eye on the Express Lunch deal, currently a bouillabaisse rendered the right side of rust and positively overflowing with the freshest of the Jersey catch and, of course, a few Royals thrown in for good measure. Nope, it’s not a bowl swimming with princes Harry and William but rather, more of those deliciously sweet and giving spuds. Yours, including petit fours and coffee, for £20.
Website: samphire.je
Address: 11 Don St, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4TQ
El Tico Beach Cantina
For a more laid-back dining experience, situated on the picturesque St. Ouen’s Bay, El Tico Beach Cantina offers diners stunning views and a laid-back, beachside atmosphere. With a menu that takes inspiration from around the world, El Tico serves up generous portions of comfort food favourites like nachos, burgers, and seafood paella.
The cantina’s relaxed vibe and friendly service make it the ideal spot for a casual meal with family or friends, and their legendary Sunday brunch is not to be missed. Be sure to try their Jersey Royal potato and chorizo hash, which perfectly showcases the island’s most famous export.
Website: elticojersey.com
Address: Gd Rte des Mielles, Jersey JE3 7FN, Jersey
From Michelin-starred fine dining to laid-back beachside cantinas, there’s something for everyone in this vibrant island capital. Now we’re off to peer into our fridge…