Because of the hip, hospitable, and well-informed locals who congregate within its appealingly casual premises, Rackham's is the first pub we visit every time we come to Grand Cayman. The pub is set on an open-air pier jutting seaward, just south of the center of George Town, and is protected from the sun and rain by an overhanging roof. As you gaze seaward from your perch here, notice the schools of tarpon swimming beneath the pier. The pub was named after "Calico Jack" Rackham, an 18th-century pirate who seemed to delight in terrorizing the shipping lanes offshore. The friendly local crowd at Rackham's includes paralegals, financiers, and office workers from throughout Canada, Britain, and the U.S.; about half a dozen watersports professionals; and a healthy mixture of West Indian locals. Come here for an insight into who's living and working on Grand Cayman these days. Everyone -- thanks partially to the party-colored cocktails served -- gets along swimmingly well. Shots of Jack Daniels cost CI$5 (US$6/£3) each, and a head-spinning version of Cayman Islands lemonade (vodka, peach schnapps, triple sec, cranberry juice, and whiskey sour mix) goes for CI$6 (US$7.50/£4). American and international fare is served at the restaurant, including burgers, fries, conch salad, and filet of beef with french fries. Salads and sandwiches cost CI$8.25 to CI$9.50 (US$10-US$12/£4.95-£5.70), with main courses priced from CI$13 to CI$28 (US$16-US$35/£8-£17). Open Monday to Friday 9am to 1am, Saturday 9am to midnight, and Sunday 10:30am to midnight.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Portable Cayman Islands, 3rd Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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