While staying at Le Grand Courlan on the fabulous Caribbean island of Tobago we were recommended to dine at La Tartaruga, an Italian restaurant opposite the beach in Bucco. It is owned and run by the charming Gabriele, a native Italian who had moved to the Caribbean 12 years ago, and must have one of the best wine lists on the island.

Connoisseurs can choose from a huge selection and the restaurant has in fact won the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence from 2002 to 2007. For those of us who need a little more advice with our choices, the attentive staff have an easy manner and expertly advise you which wine goes with each dish. Bottles start from around $30US up to $3,000 for a truly special occasion. Meals average around $35. I ate the finest squid I have ever tasted, while the tiramisu was second to none.

La Tartaruga is open Monday to Saturday and you can eat inside or al fresco on the terrace. Getting there was no problem as we just jumped in a taxi – the driver gave us his number so when we were ready to go back to our hotel he came back and picked us up. If you are lucky enough to visit Tobago I would highly recommend that you visit La Tartaruga.