Places that combine wholesome, well-prepared food with immediate access to interesting contemporary paintings do not appear frequently in Nevis. In this regard, the Café des Arts (tel. 869/469-7098), at the northern end of Main Street in Charlestown, is particularly unusual. Don't come here after dark, because the place defines itself as a breakfast and lunch eatery with a bar and an art gallery attached. Separated from the cares of the outside world with high masonry walls and the shade from a copse of flamboyant trees, the place serves sandwiches, wraps (including a breakfast burrito), and pastas. Full breakfasts cost from US$5 to US$8 (£2.50-£4). Sandwiches and platters go from US$10 to US$20 (£5-£10). The house drink is a coconut-flavored rum punch. The owner, your host, is Yorkshire-born Gillian Smith, who has learned a thing or two about the island since her arrival on Nevis, and if she likes you, she'll tell you a tale or two.
