Vegan
Organic
Juice bar
Caribbean
Ital

Vegetarian restaurant on St. Maarten island Caribbean. Serves Ital soup and fresh juices daily, plus veggie patties on Mon/Wed/Fri. Opening hours are reported to be unreliable, check ahead. Open Mon-Fri 8:00am-5:30pm, Sat 7:00pm-1:00am.


26 Reviews

First Review by stever

stineverkruyssen

Points +33

Vegan
21 Feb 2024

REALLY REALLY REALLY GOOD!!!!

The food is delicious, 100% vegan and it makes me feel amazing. The vibes are great and the people are super nice. And on top of that it's relatively cheap😄Best vegan food on the island!!!!!
(You should take the ginger lime juice ;))

Pros: Healthy , Great vibes, Delicious

veganchef229

Points +135

Vegan
15 Feb 2024

You get what they serve

And it is delicious!!!! The owner was also super nice, told us all about how he started, then explained what we were eating and told us all about his family. Lovely meal. Would definitely come back

Pros: Surprise food, Tastes great

SaraCouillard

Points +81

Vegan
18 Dec 2023

Great carribean food , good vibe

Love this restaurant the food was good , healthy and the owner and the staff are nice !!

·X·

Points +18517

Vegan
13 Jun 2023

Freedom Fighters Ital Shack

100% wonderful all around! Amazing ambiance, staff, and food. I absolutely loved the vegan plate I had (see photos). Everything tasted so fresh/clean and delicious! I am so grateful to have eaten here and met the wonderful staff. If you could only eat at one place in Sint Maarten, this should be it! 1,000% recommended! 🌱

ChrispyVegan

Points +66

Vegan
16 Feb 2023

Delicious Local Eats

Super fresh food, super friendly people. Nice to have this kind of food in such a heavy resort restaurant type area.

Pros: Lots of vegan options , Healthy plant based , Friendly

sglcklch

Points +2875

Vegan
26 Jan 2023

Nice local place

Healthy, wholesome, homecooked, all-vegan food. One set meal each day, just choose the portion size. The menu of the day was a chickpea stew served with rice, fried plantains, and a side salad. It was a little bland but nothing a few shakes of their homemade hot sauce couldn't fix. The banana bread, on the other hand, was delicious. The owners were very friendly and chill. Upgraded from 4 to 5 stars on account of the two adorable cats on property that were sweet as can be :)

Pros: healthy, nice owners, cute cats

RebeccaMolstad

Points +462

Vegan
24 Jan 2023

Amazing!!

So good! It’s a small little place on the side of the road, but it has bright colors so easy to spot. The owner is super nice, he had a couple snack options of fried plantains or banana bread, and the meal options was a soup or a bowl (large or small), I got the bowl which had mullet, pinto beans, beats, and cashew cheese. The menu does change daily and posted on Facebook every morning. The place has been there for 21 years! 10/10 would definitely recommend!

Returned a year later, still very good! For $18 I got a Large portion of food, banana bread, and I’m not sure what it’s called…. But a whole wheat crust, kinda like an empanada, filled with cashew cheese. SO GOOD!

Updated from previous review on 2022-01-24

Pros: Healthy whole food options , Very friendly , Delicious!

JosstopherBox

Points +44

Vegan
19 Mar 2022

A Sint Maarten Staple

Vibes for days. This place is a family run ital shack. The food is simple but delicious and mostly locally grown. Bushman, the owner, is a real character and definitely believes in his mission of food being medicine. His son and wife are wonderful company. The place is a set menu which changes each day, only option is large or small plate. But it's 100% wholefood plant based.

Pros: All vegan/ital, A true Caribbean experience , Family run

Cons: Can be a little bland sometimes

ktasa

Points +20

Vegan
22 Nov 2021

The best food place on the island.

After a recent visit it was the only place we went to twice. We enjoyed the first stop so much we wanted to go back before we left. Cool vibe and amazing chat w the owner and his son. You won't regret it.

Pros: All vegan, Awesome vibe

PeterFemia

Points +16

Vegan
17 Oct 2021

Amazing Vegan food Like visiting a friends home !

Ital is NOT short for Italian! It is a Jamaican style of eating and usually pure vegetarian at the least..Ital Shak is vegan.

We are here from the US and felt like we were visiting a friend...so don't hesitate to drop in.

This simple place is on the side of the road. Don't be hesitant to go on in! Run by a family and they are very very welcoming! Food is made daily and is simple and easy to choose a meal. THERE'S ONLY ONE! Comes with a stew and side vegetables. Plus a soup and fresh fruit drinks are available..Two can eat a great meal and drink for about 20$
NO FRILLS...just great food! If that's what you like this is the place for you ! We would have eaten here every day had we not already stocked up on ingredients to cook where we were staying at the local market.


GO AND ENJOY

Updated from previous review on 2020-10-18

Pros: Vegan fresh, Take out, Homemade

Cons: I had to leave to the US and cant eat here more!, You get full and cant eat any more!

Supreme

Points +162

Vegan
12 Sep 2021

Super healthy vegan food and juice.

I tried everything on the menu and everything was fresh and delicious! Must try… The owner and stuff were great also!

Updated from previous review on 2021-09-12

Pros: Everything

Cons: Nothing

JuliaDAG

Points +78

Vegan
02 Apr 2021

Delicious vegan meals

Love the food here! Everything is fresh, organic veggies from their own garden and no sugar added. The most important taste outta delicious! Very big portions compare to European ones.

Taimetoitlane

Points +256

Vegetarian
01 Apr 2021

Fresh food, good vibe - very small portions though

There is exactly one dish per day. On a Monday, we got brown rice with beets, lentil sauce, cauliflower wings with mango BBQ sauce, fried plantains and a side salad. The only choice was between a regular and a small portion. I highly recommend you go with regular, as the portions are tiny. See my picture for what $12 bought us. Everything was fresh and well-seasoned. Some salad leaves were bitter, but I guess that happens with natural, non-industrial products.

With very few tourists and no cruises on the island due to covid, the opening hours seem to have been shortened and randomized. We found the restaurant closed both Saturday and Sunday, despite the sign promising otherwise.

Pros: Freshly cooked, Well seasoned

Cons: Small portions, Only one dish per day

SandraLemon

Points +56

Vegan
04 Jan 2021

Wonderful traditional Caribbean food everything is fresh!

No sugar no preservatives everything is delicious and vegan

LuciaTheresia

Points +26

Vegan
10 Nov 2020

Wonderful atmosphere

Full vegan, very healthy and wholesome food, very nice staff. I will come again:)

MarcoVCook

Points +102

Vegan
17 Mar 2019

Home cuisine

Cook is cook😄you can smell and taste tradition, home-food. In this island not that easy. Congrats and support

xavierfretard

Points +387

Vegan
05 Jan 2018

Ital Food!

Great ital food in a super cool shack!

ranwe

Points +52

Vegan
04 Sep 2017

Yum!

Food is excellent as are the juices.

RomaDhanani

Points +409

Vegan
25 Jul 2017

Love this place!

Super tasty and nutritious at the same time, perfect combination. The food never disappoints!

Eefie

Points +1213

Vegan
17 Oct 2016

Super!

I love this place and the food ❤️❤️❤️
Nice place, friendly people & the daily special tasted so pure & fresh. A pitty they had the most of our vacation vacation themselves.

slithers

Points +701

Vegan
09 Jan 2016

Island Delight

Update: I went back here on December 30, 2016 when my family cruise stopped in Phillipsburg. It's still there and still good. Note, however, that is a long walk from where the cruise ships dock (about 2 miles each way). It was worth it for me. :)

**Original review from 12 / 17 / 2014***
I love this place - went twice for lunch so far & felt refreshed each time. It has what seems to be Jamaican decor & friendly, unassuming staff. The food is simple, healthy & tasty. I agree with previous reviews, except it is closed Sat. There is generally 1 or 2 meal options which seems to be grains, beans & greens. Highly recommend for vegans & vegetarians in Phillipsburg (especially near Front St, Back St & boardwalk - you can walk from there). They told me they close at 5:30 or 6 usually but earlier if it gets dark & mosquitos are out.
P.S. I took a picture of my Dec 17 meal (quinoa, beans, greens & plantains - uploaded to HappyCow)
Updated from previous review on Wednesday December 17, 2014

Pros: Tasty, Healthy, Good Atmosphere

Cons: Only 1 or 2 Options, Limited Hours (mainly lunch)

puurjackie

Points +35

Vegan
15 Jun 2015

Delicious homemade food

Just enjoyed a delicious homemade vegan meal at a local rastafari restaurant.
Today's special was: Stew of pumpkin And eggplant,
baked plantain, salad and quinoa.
Served with mabi, a fermentated drink made of bark from the drank mabi tree. As a chef the drink makes me curious!!! Time to experiment!!!

Pros: Nice staff, Vegan options, clean

Cons: closed after 6 pm

TjMcGarry

Points +46

Vegan
04 Feb 2015

good home cooked

Food made with love, like your vegan Mom should have cooked like, or hopefully does.

AmyMarieBattaglia

Points +44

Vegan
25 Jan 2015

best meal on the island

THANK YOU for your healthy, nutritious vegan plate . If I could have had three meals daily from you I would have. A must dine, vegan stop in St Maarten

DanimalPanda

Points +478

Vegan
03 Mar 2014

Changed my life

I became vegetarian and then 3 months later vegan. because of this temple. I saw the love that is put into food, and learned new things.

I carry cayenne pepper with me at all times now, inspired by their cayenne on every table.

They have amazing fresh juices! I make oat & lime juice often now! It is filling and refreshing! Perfect for quenching thirst and keeping stomach light on a hot summer day in the caribbean!

Looking forward to being amongst the freedom fighters again!

Pros: don't change a thing, its perfect :D

stever

Points +31

Mostly Veg
27 May 2010

Good Food/Limited Selection

Just got back from St. Maarten. The previous reviewer had it all right. Nothing changed but I'd like to add one important thing. Make sure you come as close to noon as possible. The first day, we arrived at 3PM and were told there was no more food left. She cooks a good, healthy meal but that's it. If it's gone, it's gone for the day. Come back tomorrow. Other than that, the food was really good, and nutritious.




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