George Town, Great Exuma Island
End of the Line
November 2024
A bonus of traveling to exotic locales to fly fish is getting to experience differing cultures and cuisines. Those can add immeasurably to the excitement of any such venture. When the On The Fly South crew is on the road, we always are on the lookout for opportunities such as that.
Our bonefishing trip to Great Exuma was no exception and the location of our headquarters at Peace and Plenty in George Town was ideal for diving into island food and drink among the locals.
The shaded porch at Sharie’s Tropical Spot. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
Just a short stroll along Queen’s Highway, we stumbled upon two jewels located side-by-side on the shore of Elizabeth Harbor. We first noticed Sharie’s Tropical Spot, an open-air bar featuring cold Kaliki and Sands beer. On our first visit, Sharie’s mom was handling the drinks in this no-frills establishment that features a couple of tables and benches on a shaded porch. Mom used a blender to whip up a batch of banana daiquiris that cooled the tropical heat of the afternoon!
Sonia’s Seafood & Conch Salad Spot. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
While sitting in the shade, we noticed that next door was Sonia’s Seafood & Conch Salad Spot. Naturally, we had to try out that local specialty. As we sipped our drinks, we could watch her chopping the conch and other ingredients by hand, which she then delivered next door where we were seated. Not only was the dish delicious, it was more than we could handle at one seating, prompting us to leave with a to-go box.
Preparing the conch salad. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs
Two days later, we found ourselves once again following the siren’s call down the road for another dose of the food and drink. This time we met Sharie in person, as she manned the blender to produce mango daiquiris this time. Meanwhile, a few steps away, we got a basket of conch fritters ordered from Sonia’s. Both the food and drink lived up the standard from our first visit.
Sharie’s Mom, along with banana and mango daiquiris. Photos by Polly Dean.
Another aspect of the bar and the eatery was the diversity of the clientele. Groups of tourists lined up to place orders, but intersperse were locals that chowed down on Sonia’s food and grabbed bottles of the local beers to wash it down. You could even get into a game of dominoes on the porch at Sharie’s, but be aware that’s a game that many Bahamians enjoy and at which they excel. And there was the ubiquitous ring toss game to keep you busy while awaiting your order.
Conch salad and dominoes. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
All in all, a walk down Queen’s Highway to Sharie’s and Sonia’s is a must during a visit to George Town.
