Graycliff Restaurant

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Nassau Institution Built on Elegance and Tradition

On West Hill Street in Nassau, Graycliff Restaurant occupies a historic property that carries three centuries of Bahamian history within its walls. The restaurant has earned an international reputation for fine Bahamian cuisine by taking the island's culinary traditions and refining them through continental French technique — the result is a menu that is, in the restaurant's own words, "both delicious and distinctive."

The experience begins before you sit down. Guests are received in the parlour, with its high ceilings and unhurried atmosphere, where a bar waiter arrives with a cocktail while you peruse the menu. Once your order is placed, you are escorted to your table — one of four air-conditioned dining rooms, each named for a different room from the era when Graycliff was a private home: the Library, the Gallery, and others that carry the quiet character of a grand residence. A garden dining area offers an alternative for those who prefer open air.

The Wine Cellar — A World Apart

The wine program at Graycliff is what first brought the property to global attention. The Wine Spectator Grand Award, held continuously since 1988, speaks to a collection of extraordinary depth: over 250,000 bottles from more than 5,000 vintners across 20 countries. Rare finds include an 1865 Château Lafite and what is described as one of the oldest and most expensive bottles in the world — a 1727 Rudesheimer Apostelwein from the Bremen Ratskeller.

Alongside the wine cellar, the Cognateque houses a 9,000-bottle collection of Cognacs, Armagnacs, and Ports, including a Courvoisier Reserve of the Founder — one of only 500 bottles ever produced — and a Bottle #1, an 1893 from A.E. Dor.

Wine Luncheons offer guests a five-course repast with sommelier-guided pairings, preceded by a cellar tour. Wine and cheese pairing sessions, available on weekdays, lead participants through eight tastings matched with cheeses from around the world.

Dress, Ritual, and Afternoon Tea

Graycliff maintains a dress code — elegant for dinner, smart-casual for lunch — that reflects the considered formality of the dining experience. After dinner, guests are invited back to the parlour for a cognac or a cigar from the in-house Graycliff Cigar Company, extending the evening at an unhurried pace.

A Traditional Afternoon Tea, served daily with a Bahamian twist on the British custom, rounds out the daytime offering. Private dining is available for intimate gatherings, with the Wine Cellar itself accommodating up to 18 guests for a setting unlike any other in the Caribbean.