Punta Cana Restaurants

Punta Cana's mushrooming growth in recent years has spawned a smattering of new restaurants that might entice you to venture off the grounds of your all-inclusive resort and eat at least some meals elsewhere. Although the options are still limited outside of the resorts, there's a much broader array of eateries than ever before, ranging from oceanfront cafés to top-notch restaurants on the grounds of boutique hotels that are open to outside visitors. Familiar American chains like Hard Rock Cafe and Tony Roma's Steakhouse are also among the choices.

Still, the majority of visitors to the region are guests at all-inclusives, and eat most—if not all—of their meals at the resort where they are staying, for reasons of convenience and/or budget. Generally, a variety of options are included in all price plans at any given resort, always including a main buffet open for all daily meals. In addition, many all-inclusive resorts offer at least one or two à la carte restaurants included with the standard package; the largest resorts may have five or more. In cases where a "VIP" package is offered, there's usually at least one exclusive restaurant for guests on this plan. For any of the à la carte restaurants in the resorts, dinner reservations are usually necessary, especially in high season.

A dinner dress code barring shorts, tank-tops, and beachwear is fairly standard at the à la carte restaurants. Although jackets are not typically expected, some restaurants require long pants and collared shirts for men. Check ahead at your resort if you're looking for more casual options.

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