Guernsey is informal in its eating and nightlife. There is good choice of restaurants—cute farmhouse eateries and beach cafés, and swanky French cuisine or British pub grub. The seafood is super-fresh and prices are slightly steeper than in the UK. There are nightclubs and live music dens on the island, though most nightly entertainment is provided by the pub. Bars are typically open all day to 11:00 p.m. and nightclubs stay open until around 2:00 a.m.

Bars and Pubbing in Guernsey

Most pubs in Guernsey are in St Peter Port, situated on the main streets and along the water’s edge. The Crow’s Nest Brasserie (Victoria Pier, St Peter Port) and Smugglers Bar (23, The Quay, St Peter Port) are good starting points, located on the waterfront near the town center. There are also several well-known pubs off Fountain and Cornet streets, including the Cock & Bullmore (2 Lower Hauteville, St Peter Port). For swanky cocktails, Laska’s (South Esplanade Albert House, St Peter Port) is a must-see.

St Peter Port has several nightclubs that typically get going after 11:00 p.m., plus big hotels put on entertainment during the summer months. For theater, look to the Beau Sejour Leisure Centre (Amherst Road, St Peter Port), which also has bars and a cinema.

Beaches on the west coast also have some signs of life, including Cobo Bay, with a few notable places along the main strip. The Cobo Bay Hotel (Cobo Coast Road, Cobo) and The Rockmount Café (Cobo Coast Road, Cobo) are both popular, the latter especially well-known for its Guernsey cider and fish and chips. In the north is Houmet Tavern (Grande Harve, Vale) and Peninsula Hotel (Les Dicqs, Vale).

Dining and Cuisine in Guernsey

Guernsey, naturally, does great seafood, though lobster can be scarce (and expensive). For a local dish, try hearty ‘bean jar’ casserole. Guernsey has scores of restaurants, many of which are in St Peter Port. Most pubs also serve food and there are cafés on the beaches for tasty crab sandwiches. You will also find classy, standalone eateries in town, as well as quality dining at the island’s best hotels—predominantly French and British food. While the main streets and waterfront in St Peter Port have then best selection, look to the side streets for excellent hole in the wall finds.

Popular eateries in St Peter Port include: British food at Christies Restaurant (43 The Pollet, St Peter Port), Le Petit Bistro (The Pollet, St Peter Port) for French, Da Nello Restaurant (46 Lower Pollet, St Peter Port) for Italian, and the Old Quarter Restaurant (15 Mansell Street, St Peter Port) for Irish stew. For snacks, the al fresco Market Kitchen (Market Square, St Peter Port) has great homemade cakes, as well as milkshakes, cider and wine.

To the south of St Peter Port at one of Guernsey’s lesser known beaches is Fermain Beach Café (Fermain Lane, St Peter Port), a glorified bistro that has the best seafood at reasonable prices. The café has a fabulous setting, though you’ll need to make reservations in advance in summer. You can also order to go to gaze over the water. Other fun places to eat near the beach are Crabby Jack’s (Vazon Coast road, Vazon) and the Rockmount Café (Cobo Coast Road, Cobo) on the west coast.