Bella Hadid & EmRata Visited This Beachside Restaurant, So I Did Too

Some vacations are not meant for relaxing; plenty involve packed itineraries with long days of exploring cobblestone streets, expansive museums, and beautiful churches. For me, traveling to Grand Cayman was not one of those trips. Instead, I spent my five days there chilling on the beach and exploring the island’s restaurant scene — sometimes, I did both at the same time. My favorite meal of the trip? Dinner at Tillies, a beachside restaurant at the iconic Palm Heights hotel.

TBH, I had high expectations going into my reservation. Tillies is considered the it restaurant of the island, drawing celebrity guests like Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski. And it’s easy to see why.

The Ambiance

Entering the eatery feels like walking into an oasis of lush plants, luxe table settings, and sandy feet. (The sandiness is optional, BTW. You don’t *have* to walk on the beach — I just highly recommend it.)

Located on the award-winning Seven Mile Beach on the western side of the island, Tillies is perfectly set up for watching the sunset over the water. It’s why I wanted a 6:00 p.m. reservation — perfect for my mom and I to have a glass of champagne, eat some bread and butter, give Giuseppe (our extremely charming waiter) our orders, and walk onto the sand.

We were not the only ones with that idea. People flooded the beach at 6:15 p.m., dressed to the nines for their Instagram photo shoots with the sunset as their backdrop.

The Food

After taking in the sights, we headed back to our table, just in time for the appetizers — Tillies’ Ceviche and the Oyster Mushroom — to arrive. The ceviche was fresh and light with the slightest kick of sour flavor. (I had a lot of excellent ceviche during my trip, and this one was easily the best.) The oyster mushroom dish was an unexpected hit. Featuring cashew cream, tamarind jus, and coconut quinoa crumble, it was earthy and scrumptious.

Both of these appetizers were Giuseppe’s suggestions, and he guided the rest of our ordering, too. Suffice to say, these dishes were the perfect prelude to our entrées: Steak Diane and Fish Milanese. They were delicious and unique — the steak was cooked to perfection and came with crispy hand-cut fries, while the fish came with a light breading and fresh vegetables.

From beginning to end, the meal was delicious, and the bottle of champagne paired perfectly with every bite. My only regret was not ordering the Olive Oil Martini — a woman at the table next to us had it, and it looked unreal.

TL;DR

After experiencing it firsthand, I can say that the elevated beachside restaurant is deserving of all of the hype. While I did not spot any celebs during my meal, I would not have been surprised to see a Hadid sister soaking in the good vibes.