Eat · Bay Street, Rawson Square & the Straw Market
Café Matisse
An Italian restaurant in a courtyard on Bank Lane, a few minutes from Bay Street: a shaded lunch or an early dinner, book for evenings and check hours.
- Courtyard
- Italian
- Book dinner
- Order: Pasta or pizza in a courtyard
- Table seating
- Walk-in window: 12:00–14:00
- Queue risk: evening
- Vegetarian options
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 11Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bah…Downtown pavements are narrow and busy with vendors
- Caribbean ↗Several islands (Turks and Caicos above all, also the Bahamas and Jamaica) jail visitors for a single stray bullet or cartridge in their luggage; empty every bag and pocket before you pack.
- Caribbean ↗From August to October keep a free last day before your flight home and check the national hurricane centre daily; airports close when a named storm approaches.
- Caribbean ↗Wearing camouflage clothing is illegal for civilians in several islands, including Barbados, Antigua, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica; leave it at home, children's clothes included.
- The Bahamas ↗Check entry rules for your passport on the official Bahamas government sources before you fly; requirements differ by nationality.
- The Bahamas ↗Respect marine protected areas: fishing, collecting shells or coral and anchoring rules are enforced in national parks such as the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.
- The Bahamas ↗Do not bring firearms or ammunition; even a single forgotten round in a bag can lead to arrest.
- The Bahamas ↗Water-sports operators on Nassau and Paradise Island beaches are poorly regulated: use tour companies booked through your hotel and wear a life jacket.
- New Providence ↗Hurricane season (Jun–Nov, peak Aug–Oct): buy flexible fares and keep a buffer night in Nassau.
- Nassau ↗Downtown pavements are narrow and busy with vendors: bags go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Nassau ↗After dark, take a licensed taxi door to door; do not walk between clusters.
- Nassau ↗On days when several cruise ships are in port, Bay Street and the Straw Market are crowded from mid-morning: go before 09:30.
More
Map & directions
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Plan
Open now, when you can walk in, what to order
Go now?
Open?
Lunch and dinner; check the days
Busy this hour
Estimate by hour below
Easiest walk-in
12:00–14:00
Reservations
Reserve ahead
Paying
Cards taken
Per person
BSD 25–552026 estimate · check
Walk-in windows
Tip
Format
A walk-in lunch is only planned as primary when your arrival lands outside the “impossible” window.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
How to order, tip and pay, allergies, and booking
How to order
- Ask for a courtyard table.
- Order from the daily menu and specials.
Tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 15%, close to US habits.
Allergies and diets
- YesVegetarian · Pasta, pizza and salads. · say: “I do not eat meat or fish.”
- AskVegan · Ask.
- AskHalal · Ask. · say: “No pork, please.”
- AskGluten-free · Ask.
- AskNut allergy · Ask.
- Not on fileAllergy · Tell the waiter. · say: “I am allergic to ___.”
Paying
Cards taken
- Check the service charge on the bill.
- Ask the price of specials.
- Cards accepted.
Booking
- Booking
- Reserve ahead
- Reservations
- Taken
- Note
- Book ahead for dinner.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where this place is, how to get there, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
How to order here, in full
How to order here
The order of play at the counter or table, what to say, how much to order and how to pay.
- 1Ask for a courtyard table.
- 2Order from the daily menu and specials.
No shared language? Point at the dish or a photo of it. For a printed menu, translate a photo of it.
What to say
| In English | Say or show | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| How much is it? | How much is this? | Ask before you pick it up |
| Could you do a bit less? | Can you do a little better? | Smile and be patient |
| The bill, please | Can I have the check, please? | US usage |
| Hello | Hello / Good morning | Bahamians greet warmly; say good morning before asking for anything |
| Thank you | Thank you | Say it often |
Extras, condiments and what costs extra
- Service charge: May be added — Check the bill.
Paying and tipping
Sit-down restaurants: about 15%, close to US habits.
- Check the service charge on the bill.
- Ask the price of specials.
- Cards accepted.
- Tipping: Check the service charge; otherwise tip 15–20%.
- Check the bill for a service charge before tipping.
At the table
- Eat conch salad fresh, at a busy stall; skip it if your stomach is sensitive.
- Ask the price of fish by weight before it is cooked.
- Cover up over swimwear in restaurants.
Price and paying
- Typical spend
- US$25–55 per person (2026 estimate)
Paying, diet and allergies
Paying
Accepted.
Major cards.
Ask.
Diet and allergies
Yes means there is something for you; ask means possible with care; no means go elsewhere.
- Vegetarianyes
Pasta, pizza and salads.
Show: I do not eat meat or fish.
- Veganask
Ask.
- Halalask
Ask.
Show: No pork, please.
- Gluten-freeask
Ask.
- Nut allergyask
Ask.
- Allergynot on file
Tell the waiter.
Show: I am allergic to ___.
What is in the dishes
- Main coursefish
Read from the menu names and notes; recipes vary and cross-contact is not tested. Check with the kitchen.
Who it suits, booking and the kitchen
Who it suits, booking, closures
- How to book
- Phone ahead.
- How far ahead
- Same day or 1 day
- No-show / cancel fee
- Check the policy
- Dress code
- Casual; cover up over swimwear.
| When | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Public holidays | check before you go | Hours vary. |
| Some days | check before you go | Confirm. |
Show the kitchen
Tap a need to get a large screen you can hold up to staff. The wording is the guide’s; a helper who reads the language should confirm it if your allergy is serious.
Hour by hour, with queue times
Quietest listed hour: 12:00 (busy).
- 12:00busya short wait is possible
- 13:00heavyexpect a line
- 14:00busya short wait is possible
- 18:00busya short wait is possible
- 19:00packedexpect a long line
- 20:00heavyexpect a line
Desk estimate of crowd on a weekday; weekends and public holidays run one level higher. Not live data. No line length is on file, so waits are in words.
Comfort, facts and cons
Hygiene and comfort
- Restrooms
- Restroom on site · accessible restroom: check
- Seating
- Chairs at tables
- Kids
- kids' menu: ask · stroller: ok · Easy
- Access
- step-free: partial · Courtyard; confirm steps
Hygiene
- A sit-down kitchen; standard care.
Facts
- Reservations
- Taken — Book ahead for dinner.
- Capabilities
- food · toilet · seated_rest
- Getting there
- Bank Lane, off Bay Street · ~5 min walk
Cons
- Mid-to-high prices.
- Busy in the evening.
- Hours change; confirm.
Dish glossary
| On the menu | What it is | Order it how |
|---|---|---|
| Conch fritters | Fried batter balls with conch. | A local starter on some menus. |
| Peas 'n' rice | A local side. | Ask for it as a side. |
| Tiramisu | An Italian dessert. | A steady end. |
| House wine | A wine by the glass. | Ask the price. |
Price check
- locals pay
- Lunch is US$20–35; dinner US$30–55.
- tourist price
- Prices are for everyone.
- rule
- Ask the price of specials.
| Extra on the table | Typical charge | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Service charge | May be added | Check the bill. |
Deep dive
Questions, alternatives, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Is it good for children?
Yes.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
What should I order?
Pasta or a pizza.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Is it a good lunch stop?
Yes: shaded and near Bay Street.
Do I need a booking?
For dinner, yes.
If it is closed or full
Nearby alternatives
If it is closed or the line is too long
- Graycliff2 min walkA historic house on West Hill Street with a well-known restaurant, a wine cellar and a cigar shop: a booked lunch or dinner for a splurge, in a cool dining room; dress smart-casual.Reserve ahead
- Fish Fry at Arawak Cay20 min walkWalk-in conch and fried fish at a row of casual places; go at dusk, take a taxi both ways, carry small notes.
- Twin Brothers (Arawak Cay)20 min walkOne of the long-standing fry shops in the Arawak Cay row: cracked conch, fried fish and peas 'n' rice at a plain table; go at dusk by taxi, check that it is open, and bring cash.
Places without an authored walk are ranked by straight-line distance × 1.3 at 5 km/h (3 mph)3 mph (5 km/h).
All places to eat in Nassau, with filters →
Used as a seated rest node in Nassau in 4 days.
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage — Nassau (eat)
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Source: Price per person
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Prices are 2026 estimates from the menu or the price line on file. Check on the day.
Source: Opening hours
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Source: Best time
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The easiest walk-in window or the quietest hour in this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.