New Ocean View Restaurant Opens in Barbados

Foodies heading to the Caribbean will have a new place to dine on the island of Barbados as Pureocean, located at Divi Southwinds Beach Resort in the St. Lawrence Gap district, recently opened its doors to the public.

The newcomer to the esteemed national culinary scene welcomes clients with a combination of dramatic contemporary Caribbean architecture, a serene setting and inventive bistro fare. 

Chef Henderson Butcher’s farm-to-fork, dock-to-dish Bajan fusion cuisine is served at breakfast, lunch and dinner under the shelter of an airy pavilion or at a beachside table. It is the latest iteration of Divi Resorts’ proprietary Pureocean restaurant brand, each location carefully sited to offer a pure view of beach or sea.

Butcher, an island native, adds flourishes of local ingredients to his recipes, from Mt. Gay Rum to organic vegetables and herbs grown in the resort’s own greenhouse. There are Bajan specialties such as pudding and souse and flying fish, plus daily specials of smoked shrimp and pulled pork that Butcher smokes on premises. He works with local farmers and fishermen to source the menu. Cocktails also feature native produce, like the Divi Cosmo Martini, which uses guavaberry juice, and the Old Passion, which mixes Mt. Gay Extra Old Rum with passionfruit and fresh ginger.

Divi Resorts built the restaurant from the “sand” up, replacing the existing Jocelyn’s Beach Bar. The trellis-like pavilion is fashioned of Guyanese greenheart wood with decorative flashes of cobalt blue.  The 135-seat interior has no walls or windows, providing unobstructed views of the outdoors and a feel-the-breeze ambience. The eye-catching structure has been a magnet for people strolling along the beach, according to Divi officials.

The Pureocean opening in Barbados is the third installation of Divi’s new dining concept. In 2009 in Aruba, Divi Resorts invented a chic open-air lounge called Purebeach, set on a wide swatch of white sandbeach, to cap the expansion of Divi Phoenix Beach Resort. Its success led to remaking the property’s main restaurant into Pureocean, so named for its placement at the water’s edge. The company plans to extend the brand to its Bonaire and St. Maarten properties. A wrap-around deck will be added in Barbados to accommodate casual consumers ordering cocktails and small bites while gazing out to the ocean. 

Visit www.diviresorts.com.