47 Best Restaurants in Aruba

A stellar spot with stunning seaside views, this strictly adults-only dining spot embodies the resort's global reputation for promoting green living and a healthy lifestyle. The wide-ranging menu of internationally flavored dishes includes many organic, vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free choices that use locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. Note that the adjoining beach bar is open only to resort guests.

A popular Indonesian take-out staple has become a sit-down restaurant, where diners can experience a real rijsttafel (rice table), a shareable feast of many different dishes. Though not served in the traditional manner on a lazy Susan–style rotating platter, everything else is authentic, in services of 5, 7, or 9 dishes from a choice of 16 different delights. They also have many other Indonesian favorites a la carte, like sateh (kebab) and rendang (curry). Located on the marina, the chic beach house décor is fresh and airy. They offer many vegetarian choices, too.

The second location of chef Urvin Croes’ poke, bao, and sushi spot is an ideal place to watch the boats in the marina and enjoy an awesome alfresco lunch, dinner, or post-shopping or pre-casino snack. The award-winning chef is known island-wide for his artistic plating and modern cooking at his upscale outfit called Infini, but this franchise shows off his playful side with fun creative tweaks on fusion Asian cuisine and comfort food. Chef Croes takes creative vegan dishes very seriously, and this place boasts some of the island’s very best.

Across from the golf course in the upscale gated vacation community called The Gold Coast, this inland oasis cresting the salt pond is sought after for its chef’s commitment to serve authentic Aruban fare. Try the traditional breakfasts of pastechis, arepas, and Dutch pancakes, or poolside lunches that include authentic sopi (Aruban fish soup) or Aruban seafood pizza. Fresh catch-of-the-day, usually fried whole and served with typical local sides like funchi, is always on offer, and you can also sample Aruban stobas (stews) of meat and seafood at dinner. There's a daily chef’s special for vegetarians and vegans, as well as a children’s menu.

Located across the street from Divi Village Golf and Beach Resort, this trendy beachfront spot serves the perfect seaside casual fare—panini, wraps, burgers, and salads—as well as great cocktails and live entertainment. Enjoy superb swimming and sunset views there. They also serve breakfast. 

This landmark family-run bakery has been a local favorite since it first opened in 1949, and it's still home to the island's most authentic baked goods, including epic cakes, cupcakes, and pastries. There are also sandwiches and savory snacks like pastechi (handheld stuffed pastries) and hot dog broodjes ideal for a grab-and-go lunch or breakfast.

The bizarre rock formations at Casibari, which may make you feel as if you've dropped into Fred and Wilma Flintstone's dining room, make a great backdrop to this casual, offbeat restaurant, where wood-fired barbecue is king. Your generously portioned meal will be fire grilled under the stars, always accompanied by delicious sides that include coleslaw, Caribbean rice, and Casibari beans. Seating is strictly alfresco. After dark, the rocks are playfully illuminated for the nighttime crowd—this is a regular stop for the Kukoo Kunuku party bus dinner tour.

Since 1941, Charlie's has been the heart and soul of San Nicolas, famous for its interior decorated with eclectic bric-a-brac left behind by decades of international visitors. It also serves surprisingly good food, including delicious fresh fish and shrimp and killer steaks. They also bottle and sell their own brand of hot sauce called Honeymoon Sauce. Lunch or a very early dinner are the only options, since closing time is 6 pm. But you can book 4-course private dinners for five to fifteen people, and you will have the space to yourself from 6 to 9 pm.

This charming bistro dining spot is the quintessential meeting place for those seeking great signature cocktails, creative tapas, quality coffee, and healthy lunch options. They also offer a full dinner menu, with dishes that range from chicken cordon bleu to beef tenderloin with Dutch potatoes. Suikertuin means “sugar garden” in Dutch, and this spot is so named for the yellow sugar birds that frequent the courtyard behind the historic colonial heritage house.

Enjoy locally roasted coffee at this cheery spot and take home some of their special Aruba blend as an ideal souvenir. They also offer gelato, locally made pastries, soups, and sandwiches.

This red-hot landmark establishment in the heart of Renaissance Marketplace specializes in traditional Havana specialties and is the only spot on Aruba where you can enjoy an authentic Cuban sandwich for lunch. There's even a surprisingly good selection of gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan fare on offer. The atmosphere is fun and friendly, and the location is ideal for people-watching along the seaport marina. Their boast of having the best mojitos in town is a fair claim, and they also have a great bar and a mojito-to-go kiosk if you want to judge for yourself before committing to dining there. Daily Happy Hour is 4 to 6 pm.

Dine inside or out at this tiny spot dedicated to the revolutionary Haitian hero Jean-Jacques Dessalines, where the cuisine is inspired by the chef's family’s Haitian heritage. A number of classic Caribbean dishes are available, but try the Haitian spaghetti with turkey sausage and smoked herring, the classic Haitian griyo (pork shoulder), or the pikliz (spicy cabbage salad) for an authentic feel of Haiti. You'll find the restaurant tucked beside the old water tower that serves as the Museum of Industry. Lunch with chef's specials are served during weekends, though they are planning on making it available during most weekdays.

Dutch pancakes are unlike North American–style flapjacks since they can be both savory and sweet, offering opportunities for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and this legendary spot in the Renaissance Marketplace is considered the best place to try them. More like thin crepes, they can be covered in (or stuffed with) a multitude of ingredients, which might include meats, vegetables, and cheeses. The menu includes dozens of varieties of both sweet and savory styles, as well as puffy little silver-dollar-size poffertjes. You'll enjoy them in the indoor-outdoor café, but if you eat outside, keep an eye on your syrup bottles, as the little resident sugar birds are always trying to get into them for a sweet treat.

Located about five minutes from Arikok National Park's entrance, this spot has always been a legendary place for authentic Aruban baked goods, especially whole bolos (cakes). They still have about 20 kinds to choose from, including a few 6-inch sizes. Recently, they've upped their game to offer a wide range of hearty international and authentic Aruban breakfast, lunch, and dinner choices, making it also a great place to sample some of the island's traditional stobas (stews) and sopas (soups). The menu is still in Aruban florins though, so while they do take U.S. dollars, your change will most likely be in florin.

A contemporary poolside dining option at Manchebo Beach Resort, this alfresco oasis features inspired Caribbean-international cuisine, and vegans are especially excited about their entire menu devoted to gourmet plant-based dining. Creative preparations of meat, seafood, and fish—locally sourced whenever possible—are all enhanced with flavors from the on-site herb garden, and the chef often surprises with exotic daily specials.

Housed in a cheery blue-and-green cottage a few minutes from Baby Beach, this charming spot is run by Kamini Kurvink, who combines her Trinidadian heritage with local flavors to create unique Caribbean comfort food. Fish, seafood, and meat dishes are served with a spicy flair thanks to Kamini's secret signature hot sauce.

The historic 200-year-old red windmill called De Olde Molen is a famous Aruba landmark, brought from Holland in 1960 piece by piece and then reconstructed to its original glory. It has housed many different venues for dining and imbibing over the years, but now it splits its time as Diana’s Pancakes, which serves up Dutch-style crepes in a variety of delicious styles during the day, and at night Chef Fred creates an eclectic choice of international dishes. After dinner, you can hop up to Fransje’s Bar on top for a superb panoramic view of Downtown along with craft cocktails and Dutch snacks.

The café in the beautifully restored historic Nicolaas Store in the heart of downtown San Nicolas serves up great barista-style hot and iced coffees and snacks. With seating indoors or out, this is an ideal pit stop before or after exploring the outdoor art. The big communal courtyard out front is often the site of special events with live music as well.

With stunning seafront sunsets and tiki torch lighting to enhance the mood, the signature restaurant of Amsterdam Manor is a favorite escape for those seeking toes-in-the-sand dining with soft live music. Although always popular with families (children under three eat free) and small groups, they now have an adults-only focused time (8 pm and later) with a special prix-fix three-course menu to ensure couples can enjoy the ultimate romantic evening. Though \"reef cuisine\" is their specialty, there's also meat, vegetarian, and vegan offerings. Breakfast and lunch are served mostly on the deck and in front of their Passions Beach Bar.

Excellent coffee, creative snacks, and master baristas are the hallmarks of this local brand. They are also licensed for cocktails, wine, and beer, and make decadent milkshakes, too.

After a very successful run on Eagle Beach, dynamic duo Chef Kelt Hugo Maat and his partner, sommelier/host Sebastian Kruisselbrink, decided to relocate their Senses Fine Dining chef’s table experience to Palm Beach—but with a twist. Now operating as the signature dining spot of the Radisson Blu Aruba, this new concept encompasses a dual space that includes the chef’s table in a dedicated walled-off corner and a classy a la carte restaurant that is open for lunch and dinner. They also have an inviting alfresco terrace overlooking the resort’s water circuit. The chef’s table seats 16 guests (for those 18 and older) and offers an 8-course dinner, with or without wine pairing. They also offer a unique luxury brunch chef’s table. The a la carte menu features high-end mains like tomahawk steak.

There's always something cool happening at this bright and lively indoor--outdoor spot. The international kaleidoscopic menu includes everything from Dutch pancakes and Asian specialties to gourmet burgers and Caribbean seafood—surprisingly, they do it all very well. The many rotating special nights and monthly Bubbles & Bites evenings are very popular.

As the name suggests, this is a local favorite for pizza in Santa Cruz, but they also serve great snack platters, chicken, and burgers. There's outdoor garden seating and cold beer on tap, too. The prices listed on the menu are in Aruban florins. They do take USD, but you'll most likely get your change in florins.

Owner Roxanna Salinas has created an authentic Peruvian-style dining spot to share a taste of her home with locals and visitors alike. Authentic specialties are artfully served in a warm and colorful enclave, and a portion of proceeds from the wares sold at the on-site Peruvian craft market go to a local Aruban cancer foundation. Upstairs is a unique stand-alone chef's table experience, a long table communal affair of eight courses called The Kitchen Table; it's the island's only family-friendly chef's table experience. Peruvian beer and pisco sours (the national Peruvian cocktail) accompany the offerings, and not to be missed is the sweet caramel-and-liquor-laden national dessert, suspiro a la limena.

The Dutch still have strong culinary ties to Indonesia, so this welcome addition to Downtown offers an ideal place to indulge in quality comfort food from that corner of the globe. Exotic and traditional Asian specialties also abound, and this is one of the few places on the island where you can sample the elusive rijsttafel (rice table), a large assortment of small dishes meant to be shared by a group. They also make authentic Indonesian bubble tea.  There's a four-person minimum and two-day advance reservation for rijsttafel as it’s very time-consuming and complicated to prepare.

Look for the giant black-and-white-striped booth in the interior courtyard of Paseo Herencia for some truly decadent delights. Specializing in alcohol-infused gourmet baked goods, particularly little Bundt cakes (no cupcakes here) that are infused with your choice of liquor-laden syrups, there are also specialty coffees, sweet or savory crêpes, waffle bowls, ice cream, and frozen yogurt, all available with “drunken toppings.”

It’s hard to miss the brilliant outdoor art on the storefront of this spot specializing in light, healthy foods, where you can grab fresh pastechis, banana pancakes, and more. To date, there are five Eduardo’s locations on the island, but this one also has a drive-thru out back.

This cheery little hut on Palm Beach is famous for its healthy and delicious fresh fruit and veggie juices, smoothies, bowls, kombucha, and creative vegan options. All of their specialties are free of additives and artificial substances. They now have five outlets scattered about the island, but this is the original spot, so expect a line.

This barbershop doubles as a café out front and offers a little bit of everything to everyone, including ice cream, homemade baked goods and snacks, specialty coffees, and even cold beer and spirits. If you have some time on your hands, you can also play a game of pool, get a shave and a haircut, or just partake in the convivial socializing that happens here.

Next to the iconic California Lighthouse in the former lighthouse keeper’s home, this restaurant is best known for its Italian fare and grand open-air terrace overlooking the rugged West Coast seascape. The menu offers a selection of gourmet pasta, pizza, risottos, fish, seafood, and meats served with classic Italian flair and an extensive wine selection. There are some good vegan options, too.  The restaurant's location and views make it a popular spot for events like wedding receptions, so reserve ahead to make sure they are open to the public.