8 Best Restaurants in North Coast, Dominican Republic

With a setting as artistic as a gallery—befitting its location within Casa Colonial, a refined boutique hotel—and an ambitious Caribbean-fusion menu, Lucía is successful on all fronts. In a room with orchids galore, crisp white linens, and waiters in white guayabera shirts giving impeccable service, guests love the delicious appetizers and signature dessert, the molten chocolate volcano. When the digestif cart is rolled over, be daring with a Brunello grappa or the local Brugal Unico rum.

If you are looking for a rustic hideaway with great food, this may be your place. The "furniture" might be a tree stump, decoration a cow horn; tablecloths are raw burlap; the floor is dirt. Men sidle up to the bar, which looks like a western movie set, smoking Dominican cigars (bought here). The food served up by chef-owner Juan Alberto, is why they come: flavorful and authentic, the seafood is always a star. Look for langoustines and lambi (conch), pulpo (octopus) and land crab, not to mention the freshest fish. Juan goes that extra mile in his preparations, far beyond the ubiquitous creole sauce you find in most Dominican fish joints. If you come with a group, Juan may even hire musicians to entertain.

If you're staying at this beachfront ecoparadise, you'll likely take most of your meals here; if not, it's worth the trip, not only for the freshest seafood but also for the soothing ambience. The menu changes seasonally but holds tight to some perennial favorites. Most vegetables and herbs are grown in Natura's own organic garden or are procured locally. If you aren't into seafood, Natura offers one of the area's best filet mignon. But don't miss the rich, flavorful soups and vegetarian (and vegan) dishes that round out the menu. Almost everything—including the gluten-free bread, burger buns, pastries, etc.—is made from scratch. Desserts are seasonal, but anything chocolate is a judicious choice. Service is warm, caring, and efficient; the international music, atmospheric. 

This family-run restaurant is a local favorite among Cabarete and Sosúa expats. The food is good, if unimaginative, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. The menu is varied including seafood, meats, and pastas with international influences and local flair. There are sure to be options to please everyone, even picky eaters. Families will love the children's zone where kids can play in a towering castle with slide within view of outdoor seating and select tables inside. The owners are often around and when you see how they interact with their regulars, it's not hard to figure out why it's so popular; here it feels like being part of an extended family. When busy, service can be slow, as in most places. 

Overlooking a craggy shoreline with unobstructed ocean vistas, this renovated restaurant with a global menu is hitting all the high points, offering both delicious food and a fun atmosphere. The menu runs the gamut from pizza to fragrant Tandoori chicken from deliciously light gnocchi to hearty Ethiopian zilzil (a dish of braised beef and peppers). Ingredients are high quality, from the pancetta to the house-made gelato. The music nights are sceney.

Reservations are essential when there's live music, the best time to be there; otherwise just tell the security gate that you are going to the Beach Club.

The oceanfront vantage point of this Cabarete Beach restaurant is one of its main selling points, but the whimsical kids' corner with its Alice in Wonderland theme doesn't hurt either. The menu features house-made pasta, seafood and grilled meats, all prepared with Mediterranean flair. For dessert go for the panna cotta and/or the tiramisu al limoncello.

This cute spot tucked away in Cabarete's residential zone is popular among tourists and locals alike. Owner Ysanet Batista Vargas is a U.S.-born Dominican powerhouse known for food justice activism and her catering business operating in New York City; her Cabarete restaurant, a co-op, brings this same level of intensity to an ancestral, plant-based menu that highlights fresh, sometimes raw, organic, and locally sourced food. Staff is well-trained and efficient, and slight delays around peak hours are worth the wait as this is the only restaurant catering specifically to non-meat eaters in the area. Choose from hearty veggie remixes of traditional favorites like sancocho, guisados, and chowfan that can be washed down with local, fresh fruit juice or coconut water. Prices are in Dominican pesos, but U.S. dollars are accepted. Join the restaurant's WhatsApp group for information on cooking classes and workshops.