Leola, Chef Scott Conant’s New Italian Jewel, Makes a Dazzling Debut at Baha Mar

Over the past few months, Baha Mar has quietly been working toward something big. Over the weekend of November 7th dates, the resort officially debuted Leola, the highly anticipated Italian restaurant from two-time James Beard Award winner and longtime Food Network favorite, Scott Conant. The opening immediately set a new standard for dining on Cable Beach, attracting dedicated fans, resort insiders, and curious luxury travelers eager to experience what the chef calls his “most personal restaurant yet.”

From the moment guests arrived at the 8,800-square-foot space, it was clear that Leola was designed to be more than just a restaurant; it’s an escape. Curated by the renowned Restoration Hardware, the space evokes a 1920s Italian speakeasy reimagined for the Bahamian shoreline: featuring velvet banquettes, gilded accents, low-lit chandeliers, and that warm, moody glow that makes the entire area feel intimate yet cinematic. Families mingled with attendees throughout the 106-seat dining room, while the expansive 130-seat terrace opened to ocean breezes. While the ambiance set the tone, the true highlight was the food. Soulful, meticulous, and unmistakably Scott Conant.

The Leola Antipasto—a generously layered spread of imported charcuterie and cheeses—circulated throughout the room, setting the tone for the evening. A chic pasta station showcased Conant’s famed Pasta al Pomodoro, which quickly became a crowd favorite, while the 100-Layer Eggplant Parmigiana emerged as the quiet showstopper, its perfectly balanced pomodoro earning audible reactions throughout the room.

Additional decadent favorites followed: Foie Gras Tortelli with balsamico tradizionale, Rigatoni with jumbo lump crab and Calabrian chili bottarga pangrattato, and the theatrical Veal Parmigiano, a towering, family-style centerpiece designed for four to six to share. Guests paired dishes with an Old World–leaning wine list, and delicately crafted libations with the elegance of a refined Italian aperitivo bar. As night settled in, the energy hummed between the two bars, with guests drifting out to the terrace for gelato-cool breezes and late-night sips with a view. 

For Scott, the evening served as more than an opening; it was a homecoming.  Conant cited that the beauty and spirit of The Bahamas have always inspired his work. When asked about the name of his newest haunt, he told guests that the name Leola nods to “leone” (“lion”) and to his grandfather, who used it affectionately throughout his childhood. Throughout the evening industry friends and Baha Mar’s chicest group of foodie’s filtered in throughout the night, many remarking that the restaurant “felt like it had always been here”, a rare compliment for any debut. Neighboring chefs from Carna and Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House slipped in for a late toast, rounding out an evening that firmly positioned Leola as the island’s newest fixture.

Davis revered Conant, “a passionate champion of the resort,” and welcomed him officially into the property’s top-tier culinary lineup.

And just like that, Baha Mar has its newest must-book reservation. Guests left with the sense they were witnessing the beginning of a new era for Italian cuisine in The Bahamas. As one diner remarked on the way out: “It felt like a classic the moment we walked in.”

If opening weekend is any indication, Leola isn’t just another restaurant at a resort, but a culinary destination in itself.