Ruthy's Yum Yum Restaurant
Tiny roadside kitchen with the wings — and secret sauce — everyone on Shoal Bay Road pulls over for.
Why Go
You'll spot Ruthy's before you smell it: a candy-yellow, hot-pink and lilac shack framed by hibiscus hedges, tucked into Little Dix on the last stretch of road before Shoal Bay East. It looks like a beach shack a kid painted, and inside Chef Christina is quietly running one of the most beloved casual kitchens on the island — the kind of place locals rattle off their order by heart and visitors circle back to on the way home.
The Experience
Ruthy's is unapologetically small and unfussy. A handful of tables sit under the eaves, but most of the action is takeout: fishermen from Island Harbour, families driving back from Shoal Bay, and tradesmen on lunch runs all queue up at the little window. The vibe is bright, chatty and Caribbean-casual — expect soca on the speakers, a bit of a wait when it's busy, and a warm back-and-forth with whoever's on the counter. It's the antithesis of Anguilla's polished beach clubs: cheap, cheerful, and completely delicious.
What to Try
Start with the Yum Yum Wings — the dish that put Ruthy's on the map, glossed in a house-secret sauce that walks the line between sweet, savory and just-hot-enough (order the BBQ variation if you want it sweeter). The cheesy mahi-mahi quesadilla is the sleeper hit — a genuinely perfect cheese-to-fish ratio and probably the best quesadilla on the island. Pizzas are hand-built with generous toppings and come in a gluten-free crust, and if you catch Chef Christina in the mood, ask about the off-menu pulled BBQ chicken & pineapple wrap.
Insider Tip
Skip the dine-in tables. Call your order ahead (264-729-5530), grab a pizza or a box of wings, and drive the three minutes down the road to Shoal Bay East — spread it out on the sand for what is, hands down, the best-value beach picnic in Anguilla. Bring napkins; the Yum Yum sauce does not mess around.
The Practical Stuff
Located in Little Dix on the road to Shoal Bay East — it's the last restaurant before you hit the beach, and hard to miss thanks to the technicolor paint job. Open Monday–Friday 12pm–9pm and Saturday 5pm–9pm; closed Sundays and public holidays. Budget-friendly (think casual lunch prices, not resort tabs). Takeout and delivery are the main game, so calling ahead saves you a wait. Cash is always safest on Anguilla for small spots like this. Phone: +1 264-729-5530 or +1 264-772-0506.
Pair It With
- Shoal Bay East — Three minutes down the road and one of the Caribbean's best beaches — the natural spot to eat your Ruthy's pizza or wings straight from the box, toes in the sand.
- Island Harbour — Just up the coast, this working fishing village is a great post-lunch wander for colorful boats, Scilly Cay views, and a rum punch on the pier.
- The Fountain Cavern National Park — Ten minutes away in Shoal Bay, this Amerindian petroglyph site is an easy, atmospheric add-on for a half-day out east built around lunch at Ruthy's.
