There are dozens of great restaurants located in Cruz Bay which is just a 5 minute drive from Great Expectations. There are also a few more on Centerline Road and out in Coral Bay.
Are there modern grocery stores on St. John?
There are multiple grocery stores and markets to choose from.
What food can we purchase for our dinners that is grown fresh on St. John or caught locally by fishermen?
St. John is a rocky island and these days almost nothing is grown to eat except for Josephine's Greens (available for sale at Starfish). Local fishermen sometimes sell their catch across from the Post Office in town. While it is a sight to watch as they chop the fish with their machetes, the fish are not refrigerated and who knows where or when they caught it! As a small island, currently virtually everything on St. John is imported. When we first started coming to St. John years ago, there was not one market; we had to bring with us what we wanted to cook and eat. Today, the ‘good news’ is that you can purchase all manner of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, poultry and meat in a number of terrific markets on St. John. The ‘bad news’ is that because it is all imported (by plane from the states), everything is very expensive (except for liquor and jewelry, which is duty-free).
Are chefs available to provide dinners at the Villa if we feel like spoiling ourselves?
Yes. There are many chefs and catering services on island that have and will prepare meals at Great Expectations. We have a couple of favorites who have been pleasing our guests for years.