Nikki Beach isn't your usual Nikki Beach in St. Tropez or St. Barts, two destinations where the club manages to usurp its lesser US outposts for a more glamorous destination beach club and a brand of eateries known as The Strand. For those that leave the beach unwilling come sundown, Strand continues the Nikki Beach fun in the port of St. Tropez in the former home of Y Hotel owned by Le Yaca. The space is far more demure than you'd expect located within a sequence of conjoined rooms under a wood beam ceiling. Outside, an enclosed courtyard sits under an age-old shade tree as guests sip and puff their way through showy dinners amongst a who's who of St. Tropez brass. After 10pm, the restaurant morphs into a lively lounge that lasts well past 2am in high season.
The Food
Having learned the ups and downs of true gourmet dining in fickle St. Barts, this well-honed eatery offers an appetizer menu of mostly French specialties like artichoke salad, foie gras on brioche and of course caviar service by request. Modest pasta course includes a pretty great penne with mushroom cream sauce followed by entrees of beef tartare, sautéed shrimp and beef tenderloin. The wine list should be carefully studied, ensuring not to order the $1000 Dom in lieu of the $150 Moet that both go simply my Rose’ in St. Tropez
Last Word
Nikki Beach does starry port dining room in St. Tropez with late-night lounge during high-season.
