L'Épicerie du Goût & Bar à Vin
A pocket-sized wine bar and French pantry hiding in Villa Créole
Why Go
Behind the boutique-lined arcades of Villa Créole, Arnaud Famery has quietly built the island's most personal wine cellar — 500-odd bottles sourced from small family vineyards you won't see on any hotel list, poured by the glass alongside cheese, charcuterie and honest French tapas.
The Experience
By day this feels like an épicerie fine: shelves of Médoc and Baudry Champagne, jars of duck terrine, chutneys and chocolates, and made-to-order gourmet baskets that St Barth villa-goers use to stock their kitchens. Come sunset it shifts gear. The cave à vins turns into a wine bar, a few tables spill onto the terrace next to Peter McCool's Irish Pub, and the crowd — half locals, half in-the-know visitors — settles in for tastings, generous sharing boards and, on the right night, live music. It's low-key and unfussy in a way St Barth rarely allows itself to be.
What to Try
Ask Arnaud (or whoever's behind the counter) to open a bottle from an artisanal grower you've never heard of — that's the whole point. Build a planche around a raw-milk cheese flight and the duck terrine aux champignons, and add a few tapas to graze on. If you're heading back to a villa, walk out with a custom panier garni (from about €40, climbing past €220 for the serious ones) with foie gras, chutneys and a bottle of Bordeaux tucked in.
Insider Tip
They deliver anywhere on the island but need at least 24 hours' notice — so if you're arriving Sunday and want the fridge stocked before you land, email the order the day before you fly. And time your visit: they're only open Tuesday to Saturday, 5pm to 10pm, and the wine-bar side comes alive after 7.
The Practical Stuff
Villa Créole, Saint-Jean, 97133 St Barthélemy — next door to Peter McCool's Irish Pub. Open Tue–Sat, 5pm–10pm; closed Sunday and Monday. Reservations aren't essential but smart on weekends or if you want a terrace table. Island-wide delivery with 24h notice. Cards accepted. Casual dress — this is Saint-Jean, not Gustavia.
Pair It With
- A fleur de peau - St Barth Guide — Just a few doors down in Saint-Jean — swing by for skincare and beach-ready buys before you settle in for wine hour.
- Absolute Hot Yoga Guide — Sweat it out in Gustavia in the morning, then reward yourself with a cheese board and a glass of Loire white in the evening.
- 1493 Lodges St Barth Guide — If you're staying up in Colombier, order a custom panier garni here 24 hours ahead and have French terroir waiting when you check in.
