On Public beach, just west of Gustavia, Sella sits on the waterfront spot long held by Maya's. It opened in March 2022 with a menu built around Israeli and Mediterranean cooking by chef Assaf Granit, born and raised in Jerusalem. BARNES Saint-Barthélemy takes you to this table set right in front of the yachts moored in the bay.
Before Sella, the address was Maya's. Opened in 1984, this Creole institution was known for its local cooking and its terrace at the water's edge. After its founders moved on, the restaurant closed, then was fully redesigned between late 2021 and spring 2022. Sella took over the same waterfront terrace, keeping its wide view over the bay.
Sella means rock in Hebrew. The site's natural boulder was kept and built into the dining room, designed by Bureau Xavier David and Cent15 Architecture across roughly 2,200 square feet. It is run by Nicolas and Julia Le Saout, who chose a pared-back room of stone and wood. Sella now stands among the must-visit restaurants in St Barts.
In the kitchen, Assaf Granit draws on the traditions of Jerusalem, one of the most diverse food cities in the Mediterranean. The menu reworks Israeli classics with local Caribbean produce. You will find hummus, lahmajoun and roasted cauliflower alongside fish and dishes built to be shared.
Mezze sets the pace of the meal. You build your table from several plates placed in the middle, with fresh herbs, spices and citrus matched to the day's seafood. The menu shifts with the seasons, as the official Sella website details. Up on the heights above the port, Le Bonito draws on the same local produce and the same view over the bay.
Sella shifts gear as the evening goes on. Early in service, the sea-facing room offers a calm dinner looking out over the Gustavia harbor and the yachts at anchor. The light stays low, and the natural stone and wood set the mood. This is the quietest stretch, before the atmosphere turns.
Later in the evening, a DJ takes over and the night gains energy without anyone leaving the table. You dine Monday to Saturday, from 7pm to 1am, with booking strongly advised in high season. This double life, from a careful dinner to a festive night, sets Sella apart from quieter waterfront tables such as La Petite Plage.
Sella is one of the sought-after tables by the port, for its view over the masts and its late-evening buzz. From Public, you reach Gustavia in a few minutes, past waterfront boutiques, sheltered beaches and terraces. It is an area where dinner naturally spills into a walk along the bay.
Between Gustavia, Public and Corossol, the hillsides open onto villas that face the sea. To carry the experience beyond a single dinner, explore our properties for rent in Saint-Barthélemy for a season on the island.
If these evenings by the water make you want to settle for good, BARNES Saint-Barthélemy also guides buyers toward exceptional properties for sale in Saint-Barthélemy. Already own a home near Public or Gustavia? Our agency regularly values properties in this area. And to keep up with our addresses through the seasons, our newsletter brings you more of this Caribbean way of life.
Add your comment