I haven’t yet explored all the fantastic restaurants in St Lucia, because when I do get the opportunity to dine out, I just want to go to Auntie Debbie’s Homemade Food.I’m typically more adventurous about my dining options, but when you find something so consistently good and with such a varied menu -you just want to keep going back for more.

Auntie Debbie, whose real name is Barbara, was once a singer as well as Manager of Entertainment at a local hotel. When asked why she started her restaurant, she replied ”I always loved cooking, but I never knew I could make a living at it. I had this piece of land and decided to sell some of my food under a tree. Then I put out some tables, chairs and umbrellas. Then we cleared more trees and built the kitchen, restroom and one bedroom. The restaurant just grew piece by piece.”

The ever changing restaurant is in the South of the island on the highway between Laborie and Soufriere in Sapphire Estate. Her menu focuses on freshness, utilizing all locally produced spices, vegetables, meats and ocean fresh seafood. The entrance to her airy outdoor restaurant clearly implies freshness is in bloom with baskets brimming with brightly colored pumpkins, squash, eggplant and peppers. Whatever is in season, Debbie magically introduces it into her fabulous Kweyol home cooking.

The wait staff will present you with an enormous chalkboard menu (life size) with all of the fresh local entrees available. Shortly before your entrée arrives, you will be pleasantly served about ten side dishes portioned out family style. Dive into perfectly prepared Eggplant Parmesan, sweet potato pie, pumpkin curry, fried plantain, roasted potatoes, creamed spinach, breadfruit balls, sage stuffed tomato, ratatouille and fried okra. I love to bring my visiting friends and relatives here just to have this rare opportunity to sample such a beautiful assortment of earthy “fresh volcanic soil vegetables “prepared Looshun style. I was only disappointed once when the octopus I ordered was still a little tough – fortunately there were enough fabulous side dishes to make up for the rare mistake. My husband has a difficult time ordering anything but her tender, well seasoned steak.

From its humble beginnings in 2001 under a tree in a vacant lot filled with wild bush, Debbie’s seems to expand and improve every time we visit. The covered dining patio now provides space for numerous tables as well as a comfortable seating lounge. Separate from the dining patio are several beautiful gazebos all charmingly lit with tiny white lights after sunset, highlighting Debbie’s pretty local plants dispersed throughout the property.
Debbie serves up a massive Sunday brunch buffet for locals to enjoy after church as well as catering to private parties and weddings. The staff is always friendly, unhurried and willing to please with their sweet St Lucian graciousness.

What impresses me most is Debbie’s commitment to her community. Over the years, I have chatted with my neighboring school children and every year each one has had an opportunity to have a Christmas luncheon, sponsored by Auntie Debbie, with their classmates. They talk about it for weeks before in anticipation and rave about it for weeks afterwards. It’s almost a rite of passage for the children in the local villages, to have lunch at Debbie’s! I applaud her for this marvelous tradition.

But Debbie’s philanthropy doesn’t stop there; she brings her food along with children’s toys to the village of Laborie every Christmas and provides a monthly luncheon to the local elderly in Club 60. I asked Debbie if she didn’t get the urge to jump up and sing occasionally and she told me that every year on Valentine’s Day she does hire a band for the evening and after a little cajoling, she will grant her patrons a song or two.

Whether you are staying in St Lucia for a week or just spinning the island on a cruise line day excursion, be sure to stop in at Debbie’s Homemade Foods for lunch or dinner- you will not be disappointed and it will be one of the highlights of your trip. The telephone number is (758)455-1625.