Aaron Salyer

Location: Grooms Beach Entrance, Close to Airport   Style: Casual/Pub Drinks to try: Gin, Soda, Lime (very well priced drinks)  Food to try: Weekend BBQ  Night to check out: Wednesday has jam nights for musicians   Points to note: Mikey who owns and runs Old Skool Pub is a local legend. He’s such a big personality and is very supportive of local musicians  Old Skool Pub is a collection of all things Grenada. There’s an outdoor garden area, bar and stage which has a relaxed atmosphere. You can then go inside to another bar, music area and games room. All the while Mikey is there to chat to guests and keep the drinks flowing.  Whether you want to play some foosball, jam on stage or just hangout in a hammock, you can do it all at Old Skool.  We met up with Mikey to have a chat and this is what he had to say about his venue.  “Old Skool is basically a place to chill, you know, we’ve got a lot of the live music, so you can feel free to stop by for a listen or a jam”  The menu covers a range of local specials of which he has daily deals, depending on what is seasonal. You can can also “just ask for anything and we cook it.” He says. “We love, we love doing seafood, you know, and also a whole pig roast once a month” They have a couple of TV screens and also stream live sport games during the various sport seasons.  We asked Mikey to tell us a little more about himself. “I’m just me. I’m Mikey Old Skool. I’ll be 20 years in business on the 26th of May. I chose this spot because it’s just away from everything and, you know, the nature is nice and green and close to to the beach, you know, and just to get away from the hassle of all the busier place on the island”.  No matter what kind of mood you’re in, you can always have a good time at Old Skool. Mikey posts his weekly specials on social media and has a WhatsApp group that you can join for more details.  Aaron SalyerGin enthusiast and Caribbean Dreamer.

Location: Mourne Rouge Beach (BBC)  Style: Smart Casual Drinks to try: Long Island Iced Tea  Food to try: Pork Belly Tapas Night to check out: Brunch on Sundays  Points to note: Open air feel with amazing views into Mounre Rouge Bay  Bohos is a smart casual vibe with incredible tapas style sharing plates, great cocktails and views.  If you want something a little bit off the beach, but still want to be able to see the beach and sunsets, this place provides the perfect deck for it.  There is a small open-feel bar and a variety of seating options on the deck (both covered and uncovered).  It is owned and operated by the same owners as La Plywood, however, has a very different feel. The chef (who is famously known in Grenada) has some really great tapas plates that are seriously worth trying.  The music is a little more house/jazzy than many of the other beachfront bars which also gives it a bit of unique feel.  They have a great Bruch spread on the weekends which is also worth trying!  Check out their social media @bohosgrenada for weekly specials and more. Aaron SalyerGin enthusiast and Caribbean Dreamer.

Location: True Blue Bay Hotel, True Blue Bay   Style: Causal Stylish  Drinks to try: Gin on Tap  Food to try: Street food variety on Wednesday  Night to check out: Wednesdays are the busiest nights with live music however, Friday nights get a great vibe too  Points to note: it is an open air venue that is an active hub in Grenada and attracts a wide variety of people for different types of food, music and activities.  Dodgy Dock is an icon in Grenada and is often the hub of activity with a variety of events, cultural showcases and local music. With a nice open-air vibe, friendly staff and views over the bay its easy to see why it is such a popular destination.  It is part of the family owned and operated hotel, True Blue Bay Resort which has a very sustainable and eco friendly ethos.  We sat down with Renata, who is behind the marketing of this venue to discuss in detail Dodgy Dock itself, here’s a little snippet of the conversation.  “We are a Caribbean, Mexican fusion restaurant. We have a few different, theme nights during the week including our street food night, which is our most popular night, and those are on Wednesdays.” If you’re looking for things to do in Grenada on a Wednesday, this should definitely be on your list. It is a medley of flavours and music. “We invite local vendors and they come and they make some of their local food. It’s a great place for tourists to come and try some of the local foods here without having to go searching on the street for it and in a comfortable place. We also have live band that night (Solid The Band). They are. Probably the most popular band on the island and very entertaining, uh, definitely come down and check them out.” Dodgy Dock has a strong Mexican connection and hold Mexican culture nights as well as a weekly Mexican special. “Friday nights where we do a Fiesta Friday. My mom she’s Mexican. So we like to honour her culture by having a Mexican theme night. We do two for one, margaritas we have the fajitas, nachos, tacos, mocajetes, which are basically like a big volcanic stone. And you get all sorts of goodies in there like, cactus, corn, rice, all mixed together.” This is a great night at Dodgy Dock and draws a crowd also.  “On Saturday nights, we have our barbecue nights. It’s a barbecue buffet and you can get different things to order like chicken, steak, ribs and then you can choose your sides. And on Mondays, we’re starting back up our wings, beer and pizza nights. So you have wings, beer and pizza specials all here.” As you can see there’s always something going on at Dodgy Dock. This is why it holds the reputation for being the action destination.  Dodgy Dock bar is also one of the venues on the island that have Blue Light Gin on Tap. The reasoning is a sustainable one. It’s all about creating less waste. We can refill the bar’s tap container rather than constant supplying the bar with bottles.  We asked Renata a little bit about the history of True Blue itself and she told us about her family’s longstanding connection to the island.  “My parents came to Grenada in 1998 and they bought this resort. It was a seven room resort at the time, with a small little bar, where dodgy dock is now and it was called Stewart’s bar back then. So they’ve developed the resort into a 70 room resort and my sister and I have grown up here and we’re now working at the resort.” And you can really tell when you’re at True Blue that it feels like a big family, with all of the staff having a great connection to the place and the family themselves.  “My parents influence me and my sister to be extremely eco-conscious and as well as the resorts. We try to implement as many waste management solutions as possible, including having a compost and a bio gas machine. We try to recycle as much as we can, but unfortunately there’s not a lot of recycling on the island. We also have solar panels everywhere!” Sustainability really is at the forefront of the decisions at True Blue. They even have a dedicated green meeting each week with key staff.  “We really love our staff here at True Blue, especially our bartenders. They have loads of personality, and they’ll keep you thoroughly entertained. You just come by the bar, sit, have a drink. You know, we love to take care of our staff just as though they like to take care of the guests at the visit Dodgy Dock.” Learn more about Dodgy Dock and find out about their weekly specials on social media @dodgydock  Aaron SalyerGin enthusiast and Caribbean Dreamer.

Location: Annandale Water Fall, Grand Etang   Style: Causal Stylish  Drinks to try: Blue Light District Cocktail  Food to try: Coconut Shrimp  Night to check out: Friday night local artists performing with a DJ  Points to note: great spot to go during the day for more casual feel (can swim in the waterfall)  The Wild Orchid Bar is a must visit when in Grenada. Built like a treehouse with uninterrupted views of the Annandale Waterfall it is a unique and memorable experience.  If you enter the waterfall area doing the day (there is a small entrance fee) you can hangout at the designated waterfall steps and even jump into the refreshing pool. Depending on the season (rainy or dry) the level of water flow will vary slightly, however, there is always water flowing. “The waterfall is a 30 feet drop with a pool in the bottom. If you visit us, you can definitely come and see. It’s very cool. So be prepared for that The Wild Orchid bar has been styled in a great way. Using a lot of wood and upcyled materials. They have an impressive cocktail selection and a wide range of food.  The family owned an operated venue encourages local musicians to perform on Fridays and it creates quite a turnout.  While the location is fairly removed from Grand Anse and other locations around the island, it is a destination worth visiting.  We chatted with Aniona, the manager about the venue and this is what she had to say:  “We’re at the wild orchid right now, and we’re located in Annandale waterfall forest park. The wild orchid is basically a Treehouse type ambience and we offer different specials throughout the week. We have food available throughout we’re open 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM from Tuesday to Sunday”  While the venue is open through the week, there are a few specials they have going on that are worth checking out.  “Taco Tuesdays, which is starts the week, Fridays in the forest and then Sundays, we have a brunch. Fridays in the forest or our best nights. We have DJs as well as live performances by local soca artists. Chef’s specials on Fridays. We have coconut shrimp, fish fingers, fish, veggie, as well as chicken burgers and fries and anything from any what body would like. Even the kids.” Cocktails are elevated at this bar with a wide range on offer and some great cocktail glasses to house them. We have a long list of cocktails as well for you to enjoy. Be sure to check out their latest specials and even updates on social media: @wildorchidgrenada Aaron SalyerGin enthusiast and Caribbean Dreamer.

Location: Le Phare Bleu, Egmont   Style: Casual/Tavern Drinks to try: Tropical G&T, Gin Gin Mule  Food to try: Flatbreads  Night to check out: Trivia Tuesdays    Points to note: There’s always something going on at LPB as it has a small village feel with plenty of action Le Phare Bleu is its own little village-like destination. With a marina, restaurant/bar, grocery store, spa and more its a well self contained venue.  It also happens to be the birthplace of Caribbean Gin and where we got our distillery name from. Le Phare Bleu translates to “the blue lighthouse”, of which there is a blue lighthouse in the marina (also on the back of our gin bottles).  We caught up with Devin Nelles, the manager of property to talk about his passions, cocktails and good times.  “Le Phare Bleu is a funny creation. It was built about 15 years ago by a Jana and Dieter, and they just wanted to make a marina. All of a sudden they built this whole village around the place. Christina and I got involved a few years back and had a lot of fun with it.”  It really has developed over the years, and even the surrounding area is becoming a hotspot with new villas popping up all over the place.  “There’s a lot of things you can come and do here. We’re one of the few places you can come to buy a drink, grab a bite to eat, and use the pool. We don’t do day passes or any of that. It’s super casual. We’re a Tavern by design. So, we want it to be super casual. I mean, you’ll have people coming in here and doing work on their computers and stuff. Just hanging out, having a coffee.” It is very much a day time hangout as well as an evening spot, however, does not general go late due to the residents on the resort and marina. The most popular time is around sunset/happy hour.  “We have a butcher, a baker, there’s no candlestick maker, but we have a gin distillery so it’s even better. And, there’s a chiropractor, there’s an Asian spa with a Thai therapist and you can just come here.”  Which means there is a little bit of everything for everyone.   “We’re very seafood centric, comfort food. So you know, you can come here, have a whole grilled fish. And then you can get a lot of, a lot of things that you’re familiar with.” One of the mots popular things on the menu is their variety of flat breads, but they also have weekly specials including dollar wings and rotisserie chicken night.  The founder of the property is a keen musician and the venue has strong ties to Grenada’s music industry.  “We also do events with Sabrina Francis. We do these tree house concerts every four weeks. Up at Yann and Dieter’s farm. Before the pandemic, we had a lot of entertainment going on, delight ship, and I, and I think we’re, we’re getting to that point where the world is coming back to normal. Again, we’re going to have some, some things going on there, perhaps with like some karaoke nights, perhaps some movies on the lawn.” As you can tell, the place always has something going on. The exist way to keep up to date is to follow their social media channels.  While the venue feels very seperate from the rest of Grenada it is only around a 15 mins drive from town.  “It’s super close. It’s so close yet. So far away because there’s nothing else really in this area. Um, there’s a lot of little neighbourhoods on the Southern peninsulas of Grenada and we’re tucked away in a, in a kind of enclave and you just come here and you look out at the water.” Be sure to keep an eye out for events on the lightship! The lightship is an iconic destination. Once a floating operation lighthouse ship it now stays moored in the marina and has a bar on board with gin on tap! “And you know, because that’s the legend of the lighthouse. You, you kiss at the top of the lighthouse and your love lasts forever.” Happy hour specials are pretty great here. “Four to six is happy hour. So we got, beer buckets and, your rail cocktails and stuff like that. We have a pizza night on Tuesdays, which is buy two, get one free pizza.” “We have wing night Wednesdays. It’s dollar wings. So you just come and get some platters of wings, have some drinks come for happy hour. Enjoy it. Um, Thursday we have rotisserie chicken.” Then we got talking about cocktails which is where Devin really shines.  “Well, you know, we all have to eat and we all have to drink and. If we’re going to eat and we’re going to drink, we should probably try to do it well. And, really it’s just about enjoying life. And the story of cocktails is kind of interesting, you know, whether you’re talking about a Mojito, where it comes from Cuba, or you’re talking about a mule which actually comes from America. And then we make our twist with it. It’s, it’s just sort of, it’s a story, it’s a lifestyle, it’s a feeling.” There is a range of classic cocktails at Island Fever, however, there are some great twists.  “We’re in the Caribbean. You know, what do you imagine when you think about Caribbean cocktails, do you think of Pina Coladas, daiquiris, all that kind of stuff. We have daiquiri Hemingway’s here, which is kind of a nod to, Hemingway and his, his time in Cuba. And then we have things, things like Gin Gin Mule, which we’re talking about in house gin, blue light. And, and what can we do, to highlight this amazing Caribbean gin and have fun with it.” Devin has been in the Caribbean for some years and loves celebrating