Al Fresco Dining by the Ocean at Harold’s
The first beach bar at The Sandpiper was a makeshift countertop built with a used shop sign from a store across the street.
All the cocktail mixes and ingredients were kept in cooler boxes on ice and the bar was staffed with a single bartender. Before this set-up, guests called the main hotel bar from a telephone mounted on a tree trunk near the beach to place their order. A staff member—like veteran Bartender Harold Shepherd—would then run the order to the beach.
Shepherd is the one who initially proposed a beach bar separate from the main bar located in the middle of the hotel. Since he worked the main bar and served cocktails on the beach day in and day out, he saw an untapped opportunity to offer convenient and friendly service. “The guests would prefer to have somebody stationed on the beach”, Shepherd remembers suggesting to management. His idea stuck.
The first beach bar didn’t have electricity or a roof for shelter from the elements. Despite this, hotel guests, tourists, and locals alike were immediately drawn to Shepherd’s one-man operation on the West Coast. And since the beach bar became a success, the team at The Sandpiper readily implemented its next iteration: a more structured wooden hut with a coconut palm roof, and the addition of a cardboard sign made by loyal returning guests that read “Harold’s Place.”
The steady improvements continued with the help of Shepherd’s suggestions and his ability to tap into his guests’ needs. Shepherd advocated for lawn chairs and tables on the grass in front of the bar for extra seating. “We only had six tables. So, we had a full hotel of people rushing for the tables because they were first come, first served”, Shepherd remembers.
Eventually the bar completed its location with seating on a beautiful patio, began serving tasty bar bites and a lunch menu, and installed a mahogany bar sign (again contributed by a loyal returning guest who brought the sign from England) making the name “Harold’s Bar” official.
Now almost 30 years since Shepherd single-handedly operated the beach bar, “Harold’s” is introducing another change based on valued guests’ requests: the opportunity to dine al fresco morning, noon, or evening. “We don't rest on our laurels. We keep improving all the time”, Shepherd says. “We keep improving in terms of standards and quality.”
Now, Harold’s serves an all-day menu designed by Executive Chef Andrew Jean—with extended dining hours to enjoy the early evening view of the white sand beach and delicious menu options. The à la carte menu is also offered at Harold’s during dinner service. “Everybody wants to eat outside because look at the conditions now”, Shepherd says as he gestures to the sun setting over the horizon. “You want to eat outside.”
Once the sun finally sets, a warm glow from the bar adds to the ethereal charm of dining by candlelight in the open-air. Since Harold’s is closer to the shoreline than the dining hall, you’re lulled by the soft drone of whistling frogs and gentle washes of ocean waves. Start with a signature cocktail designed by Shepherd himself (a Gentle Bent named after a long-standing guest, a Harold’s Smile, a High Tide, or any other cocktail on the speciality list). The atmosphere is inviting and relaxed—those dining mingle with friendly staff or fellow diners and sit comfortably in casual attire. Chances are you’ll finish your meal having made at least one kind acquaintance.
Whether you opt for a dish from the all-day menu or the à la carte menu, you’ll enjoy the crisp taste of fresh ingredients (including herbs and vegetables from the garden behind the kitchen) and flavours inspired by Caribbean-European fusion. “Right now we are definitely into food that is closer to home. Farm to table. Fork to sea. All the usual slogans that are used”, Jean says while describing the menu’s style of food. “It’s got to be as close to the Caribbean as possible.”
On the all-day menu you’ll find gems like the Bajan-style fish cakes and the spicy flying fish wrap with cucumber slaw and curried mayo. Or, if you’re in the mood for an expertly plated dish from the à la carte menu, you’ll find the fisherman’s jewel (or catch) of the day crab-crusted, tomato relish, crumble feta, and watermelon tian and an array of choices from the grill: Scottish salmon, Caribbean shrimp, pork chop, “Creekstone Farm” beef rib-eye, beef tenderloin.
What’s next for Harold’s? “The sky's the limit”, Shepherd says. He imagines expanding again—possibly seeing more tile patio built to the edge of the deck for more seating even closer to the ocean. But a few things will never change: personable bartenders and an unforgettable dining experience (complete with a cocktail). “We want to be the best for sure, and that's on the entire island. That's my aim”, Jean says. “I think we've got the talent to do it.”
