Old Tree Peking Chinese Seafood
Peking-style Chinese seafood on Cole Bay's Union Road.
Why Go
The name alone sets Old Tree apart from Cole Bay's other Chinese restaurants: Peking Chinese Seafood signals a kitchen grounded in Beijing's culinary tradition, where seafood preparation is elevated to an art form. Located at 39 Union Road, Old Tree brings northern Chinese cooking styles — including the Peking (Beijing) approach to roasting, braising, and frying seafood — to a street that has become St. Maarten's most diverse food corridor.
The Experience
Union Road in Cole Bay hosts an impressive concentration of food options, and Old Tree's Peking seafood specialty gives it a distinct identity among the Chinese restaurants in the area. Peking-style cooking differs from the Cantonese approach that dominates most Caribbean Chinese restaurants: it favors bolder seasoning, wheat-based noodles over rice noodles, and preparation techniques (including Peking duck-style roasting) that create different flavor profiles. The seafood focus means the kitchen works with the Caribbean's daily catches through a northern Chinese lens — a combination that produces dishes you will not find at other Chinese restaurants on the island. The Union Road location near service businesses and apartments confirms a neighborhood clientele that values this specialization. For diners who have tried the Cantonese options and want something different from the Chinese culinary spectrum, Old Tree opens a new door.
What to Try
Ask about Peking-style seafood preparations — dishes that feature crispy-skin techniques, bold Northern Chinese sauces, or Peking duck (if available) represent the kitchen's specialty. Wheat noodle dishes and dumplings are northern Chinese traditions that differ from Cantonese versions.
Insider Tip
Union Road at 39 is in the lower section of the road, near shipping and service businesses. The Peking seafood specialization may mean slightly different operating hours or menu availability than standard Chinese restaurants — call ahead to confirm. The Union Road food trail (La Chingona, Come y Calla, Trey Wah, Old Tree) now covers Mexican, fusion, and two distinct Chinese traditions.
The Practical Stuff
Location: 39 Union Road, Cole Bay, Dutch side. Hours: check locally. Payment: US dollars, cash likely preferred.
Pair It With
- Come y Calla / Shut Up & Eating Guide — Two bold food concepts on the same Union Road — Peking seafood and Caribbean-Mexican fusion
- La Chingona Taqueria (Cole Bay) Guide — Cole Bay food crawl: tacos at La Chingona, seafood at Old Tree