Frenchtown, a ten-minute walk west of Charlotte Amalie along the harbour road, is the most characterful neighbourhood on St. Thomas for an evening meal. It was settled in the late 19th century by French-speaking fishermen and their families from St. Barts and the islands of St. Martin and Guadeloupe, and the neighbourhood retains a slightly different feel from the rest of the island: quieter, more residential, and with a handful of restaurants and bars that stay open after the cruise ship crowds have dispersed.
The restaurants here are mostly small, informal places with tables on covered terraces and menus mixing Caribbean staples with French-inflected touches — fish in creole sauce, grilled lobster when the season and price allow, good rum punches. The neighbourhood is also where many of St. Thomas's year-round residents eat out, which keeps the cooking honest and the prices more reasonable than the tourist-facing places along the waterfront.
Frenchtown is also known for its fish market, where local fishermen bring in their catch in the early mornings. If you are staying in a villa or self-catering accommodation, it is the best place to buy fresh fish.