IN LATE 2021, A NEW SEVEN MILE BEACH HOTSPOT opened its doors to the public.
Ms. Piper’s Kitchen + Garden, nestled within the lush exterior space of The Hampton by Hilton hotel, offers a whimsical hideaway from the hustle and bustle of the tourist strip, and this whimsy is echoed in its design.
In its former life, the property housed Comfort Suites. Purchased by Dart in 2019, renovations began in 2020, and despite COVID challenges, took a little more than a year to complete. Ms. Piper’s now lives in what was the previous restaurant and dive shop.
The restaurant, located in a cottage, with a show kitchen, secret garden, pool and outdoor bar, is designed and themed around central fictional character Ms Piper, who has a detailed back story.
Ms Piper arrived on island in the 1970s and drives a Moke, has a dachshund puppy called Whimsy, loves to listen to old reggae and French ye-ye, and enjoys a good glass of Negroni in the evenings.
Every aspect of the restaurant is created with Ms Piper in mind, and her storyline, as well as a spirit of sisterhood and community, is intertwined into the menu, overall design and accents throughout the space.
Many of these accents are sourced from female-led companies. Straw placemats are made locally by Janet Minzett, and seagrass water glass covers by Andrea Caldero in Cayman Brac, while a Cayman-inspired toile was designed by Kate Thornley-Hall in Toronto.
Ms. Piper’s specialty Negroni glass was crafted in Brooklyn by Meg Moorhouse’s design studio, Love & Victory, while Lucy Gardner’s Swahili art frames the entrance door.
The menu itself is a work of art, inspired by Nor’Wester magazine, a 1970s staple on coffee tables island-wide. The back cover even features a 1972 Cayman Airways advert supplied by the Cayman Islands National Archives.
The menu theme is inspired by Ms Piper’s imagined travels to friends worldwide, giving the restaurant the freedom to adapt and change items regularly.
The signature cocktail menu is inspired by iconic women from around the world who have smashed the glass ceiling and paved the way for others. For example, the cocktail Grapefruit 64’ is inspired by Yoko Ono and her 1964 book of instructions ‘Grapefruit’, the Fad Muse is inspired by Iris Apfel, and the Como La Flor cocktail is inspired
by Selena.
The restaurant pulls in a range of visitors, from poolside sun -seekers, to dine-and-dash lunch breaks, and groups relishing the family-style dinner concept or weekly themed events.
It’s a beautiful tucked-away venue, where the design adds to a feeling of being transported to a magical place within the storyline of Ms Piper.
This article appears in the Spring/Summer 2022 issue of InsideOut magazine, now available at magazine stands and delivered to select homes in eco-tote bags sponsored by LIVING.KY.
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