Redcliffe Quay is the most atmospheric part of St. John's — a cluster of 18th-century sugar warehouses, slave holding pens, and trading buildings that have been carefully restored and converted into shops, restaurants, and cafes. The brick and timber structures date mostly from the 1700s, when this waterfront was the commercial heart of one of Britain's richest sugar colonies.
Today the complex is the best place in town for browsing local crafts, artwork, spices, and rum. Several good restaurants and bars occupy the ground floors. It is quieter and more interesting than the nearby Heritage Quay, which caters primarily to cruise ship passengers. In the early morning, before the day-trippers arrive, Redcliffe Quay has a genuine old-town atmosphere worth lingering over.