The Courtyard St Croix, an Oasis of Vegan Treats and Yoga in Christiansted
Artfully scrawled atop the archway entrance – beyond the ornate fountain, cafe chairs, and heavily-laden banana trees – four simple words hint at what’s in store at The Courtyard St Croix.
Welcome. Sit – relax – enjoy.
I wandered in here around lunchtime on a recent visit back home to St. Croix. It was the last day of my trip, so naturally I needed a bit of a detox/pick-me-up.
Indeed, my usual style of travel isn’t big on self-care. Long days of adventuring often give way to late nights rife with rum and large meals. The combo generally renders me ridiculously rundown by departure time for my return flight home.
The Courtyard St Croix, though, proved the perfect cure for my pre-flight sluggishness.
Salvation In a Glass
For me that day, salvation started with a glass of Passion Fruit Kombucha and an iced coffee that just might be the best on Saint Croix. The juice and smoothie bar here prides itself on using local, seasonally-fresh flavors.
Smoothies ($8) are available in at least eight different flavor combinations, Blueberry–Banana–Basil among them. Seven of the eight regularly available smoothie options feature locally-sourced organic bananas. All Courtyard smoothies are also non-dairy (they use fresh, local coconut milk), appealing to those adhering to vegan diets.
A choice of eight different add-ons can be blended into your Courtyard smoothie for an extra $2. Wheatgrass, spirulina, maca, and moringa are among the great choices.
The juices ($8) menu at The Courtyard features seven standard options. Fruits are sourced locally and cold-pressed. Coffee and tea options are all certified Fairtrade.
Plant-Powered Plates
While some dishes at The Courtyard St Croix contain meat, everything is primarily plant-powered. They also make pretty plates. Just check out the Black Bean Burger Cucumber Quinoa Salad that my lunch date devoured…
For my part, I opted for the Sage Chicken Salad (and another iced coffee).
All those sprouts and big, leafy greens went to work on my body immediately, clearing my mind and providing a very welcome jolt of energy.
Salads like these, healthy sandwiches, fruit snack, pates, and assorted baked goods round out the daily menu. If you follow a vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based diet, there’s something for you on The Courtyard menu.
Like Cafe Fresco, just a few blocks away, The Courtyard St Croix specializes in good food that’s great for you. The Courtyard difference, though, is that it’s much more than just an eatery.
The Courtyard St Croix Fitness Studio
In fact, The Courtyard is actually more fitness studio with a charming juice bar, rather than the other way around. Just upstairs from the bar, courtyard, and dining area lies an expansive, open-air studio. Yoga classes are held up here six-days-a-week.
I could easily envision coming here for lunch, enjoying more iced coffee while remote working the afternoon away, then catching a yoga class in the early evening hours.
It really is so welcoming here that you do feel compelled to six, relax, and enjoy… endlessly.
Visiting The Courtyard
The Courtyard St Croix is located on King Street in downtown Christiansted, directly across from Government House. For the full menu, details on yoga classes, and operating hours, visit The Courtyard STX facebook page.