Long Hing Restaurant
Fresh Chinese dishes in Cole Bay — popular with tourists and locals alike.
Why Go
Cole Bay's central position on the Dutch side makes it accessible from everywhere on the island, and Long Hing Restaurant capitalizes on that geography by drawing both tourists and locals to its Chinese kitchen. Fresh ingredients and a welcoming environment have built a cross-community following that proves Chinese food on St. Maarten can appeal beyond the neighborhood level.
The Experience
The Cole Bay location near beauty salons, barber shops, and the Tropicana Princess Casino places Long Hing in a mixed commercial-entertainment zone that generates steady foot traffic from multiple directions. The kitchen emphasizes fresh ingredients — a claim that matters in Chinese cooking, where the difference between wok-fired vegetables cut that morning and day-old prep is immediately noticeable. The $$ pricing keeps the menu accessible, and the welcoming environment ensures first-time visitors feel comfortable returning. The dual tourist-and-local appeal suggests a menu that balances authentic Chinese preparation with the accessible flavors that Caribbean-Chinese cooking has developed over generations. Cole Bay's position between Simpson Bay and Philipsburg means Long Hing draws from both populations, and the Tropicana Princess Casino nearby adds an entertainment-district element that brings a late-evening dining crowd looking for food after gambling.
What to Try
Ask about dishes that highlight the fresh ingredients the kitchen emphasizes. Stir-fried vegetables and seafood dishes tend to show freshness most directly. If the menu features any Cantonese-style steamed dishes, those are the purest expression of a fresh-ingredient philosophy.
Insider Tip
Long Hing is in the Cole Bay area near the Tropicana Princess Casino — use the casino as a landmark if GPS struggles with the plus-code address. The casino's operating hours mean Long Hing may see a post-gaming dinner crowd on busy nights. Salon and spa businesses nearby make it easy to combine a beauty appointment with a Chinese dinner in one Cole Bay trip.
The Practical Stuff
Location: Cole Bay, Dutch side (near Tropicana Princess Casino). Price range: $$. Hours: check locally. Payment: US dollars, cards likely accepted.
Pair It With
- Tropicana Princess Casino Guide — Casino evening with Chinese dinner at Long Hing nearby
- 3quency Salon, Spa And Barber Shop — Beauty services and Chinese food — a Cole Bay afternoon