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. (For more on the art gallery, refer to "Shopping," later in this section.) 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 $5 to $10. Sandwiches and platters go from $10 to $20. 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.
