6 Best Restaurants in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Dining on the deck here with the gentle breeze blowing, you feel as if you’re actually aboard a yola (a small, local fishing boat). The menu, which has always had Mediterranean and Caribbean influences, has been contemporized and given a French flair. Seafood dominates the menu (you'll also find meat and chicken selections). Main courses, including the catch of the day—usually red snapper, grouper, or dorado (mahimahi)—are artfully prepared and presented and most side dishes are extra but worth it; the expanded kids' menu has five options. As always, service is professional and attentive. What does come up short are the desserts—there aren't enough of them—but the passion fruit cheesecake is a palate pleaser. Happy hour remains popular.

On a white-sand beach shaded by coco palms, this understatedly cool seafood restaurant is efficient, friendly, and fun. Start with a perfectly executed cocktail—like a lime or mango daiquiri—then dig into the savvy menu, where fresh fish and shrimp done three ways are staples. The prices are an excellent value for the amount of creativity and skill, which seems to increase each season. Refreshing salads and cooked appetizers never disappoint. And there are paellas, pasta, risotto, ravioli, and grilled lobster and meat. Sides are usually extra but worth it. The best dessert is the coffee rum trifle. Live music weekly is just one aspect of the beachfront entertainment; another is watching the kitesurfers—poetry in motion—just next door.

This outdoor eatery a few paces from the ocean is on a prime stretch of beach, with a thatch-roof palapa to shelter diners. By day, this Euro-hip hangout with beach beds and blender drinks is the place to be if you want to escape from your AI resort. (And they will let you hang out as long as you’re buying something.) It opens early (9 am) and stays open late (10 pm). Pricey artisanal pastas and other Italian dishes are given a contemporary twist, but you can also get lobster and fresh seafood. During the winter season you can expect to find a beach party going on Sunday afternoon; check online for promotions and special events.

This double-deck, open-air restaurant right on the sand is within walking distance of some of the big resorts, including Paradisus Palma Real and the Barceló Grand Resort complex, and it draws diners looking for fresh seafood. When weather demands, sheer white linens offer protection against sun, wind, or rain without obstructing the exquisite beachfront views. Families come, too, because kids have a safe haven and a special menu. At night, soft lighting creates a romantic effect, but service is lacking at times. Often staffers are slow, not overly friendly, and lack English skills. Weddings and other private events are popular, and the average diner can be ignored when there's something big going on.

Walk here along the beach; the dirt road is rutted and difficult to navigate.

If you crave waterfront dining, this palapa-roof restaurant is a great option, exuding Caribbean charisma with an Italian accent. The aromas promise exceptional seafood specialties, even hard finds like baby octopus, which is deftly prepared. The quality of the ingredients is immediately apparent from the authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano that can be found in many dishes and the wines by the glass from the international list. There are some Dominican specialties, including mofongo. The manager and waiters are professionals, yet the atmosphere remains as casual as the pareos on the beachgoers who drop in for lunch.

This trendy, open-air restaurant may be the epitome of beach bars. Mediterranean-Caribbean fusion cuisine as well as upscale burgers and tropical cocktails with fresh ingredients make this a destination worth paying for. And when you're sated, there are Balinese sunbeds surrounding an infinity pool, Jacuzzis, and even basic hammocks. Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are available on the beach if you want some activity after your siesta. There are daytime parties with DJs from Wednesday to Sunday.