Curaçao is a phenomenal Caribbean island that is stuffed with journey. This Dutch-speaking isle is part of the ABC island chain that features Aruba and Bonaire. Curaçao is situated within the Lesser Antilles, east of Aruba and 40 miles north of Venezuela. This island is known for many things together with its superb delicacies and eating places.
Image: Gatsu Gatsu at all-inclusive resort Sandals Royal Curaçao. Visitors can get pleasure from limitless sushi and signature cocktails close to the seashore.
Whereas vacationing in Curaçao, between having fun with the perfect seashores on the island (Mambo Beach, Curaçao!), viewing world heritage websites like Handelshade, and exploring nationwide parks, you’ll have the ability to bask in a few of this island’s distinctive delicacies. The native fare on this island, krioyo, is a mixture of Caribbean, Dutch, and Latin American flavors. Among the greatest eating in Curaçao may be discovered within the capital of Willemstad, and we’ve listed a few of our favourite eating places under!
The 12 very best eating places in Curaçao
1. The Wine Cellar
The Wine Cellar is a French-inspired seafood restaurant within the district of Pietermaai. If you happen to search up evaluations on The Wine Cellar, you’ll discover loads of evaluations from previous friends about how this was considered one of their greatest experiences in Curaçao. Their reasoning largely has to do with the nice meals, service, and environment at this location.
The Wine Cellar is good if you happen to’re on the lookout for someplace to have a tasty lunch or a romantic dinner. The menu right here is various and contains vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices. Among the well-liked menu choices at The Wine Cellar embody recent seafood reminiscent of purple snapper, salmon fillet, shrimp, and scallops. There are loads of non-seafood choices as effectively just like the filet mignon, tenderloin filet, rack of lamb, truffle pasta, and stuffed mushrooms.
A big a part of the attraction at The Wine Cellar is expectedly the wines. Choices embody glowing, reds and whites from Spain and Italy, French white wines, French purple wines, high quality purple wines from Chile and Argentina, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, and American Premium Wines. The Wine Cellar is excellent for an intimate and romantic {couples} date night time.
Knowledgeable tip: If you happen to love South American meals, you have to go to Zuka.
This restaurant makes a speciality of delicacies from Central America and South America, but in addition gives worldwide delicacies like lobster, skirt steak, and purple snapper fillet. Our favourite dishes embody the shrimp ceviche, the swordfish, and the tres leches truffles for dessert. This restaurant is simply accessible for friends of Sandals Royal Curaçao.
One of the best half? Zuka’s distinctive meals is included and limitless as a part of Sandals’ all-inclusive vacation package. Have as many glasses of wine as you would like with the dish of your selection as a result of (alcoholic) drinks are included and limitless throughout your total keep!
2. Kome
Picture credit score: Kome
‘Kome’ means eat in Papiamentu, a language broadly spoken in Curaçao. At Kome restaurant in Pietermaai (Willemstad), you’ll be impressed to just do that. You’ll be able to have a la carte dinner at this restaurant on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday whereas on this island. On Saturdays, Kome is open for brunch and their menu contains savory and candy choices in addition to classics. Wednesdays are put aside for Tapas and Copas with a big selection of things accessible for sharable parts. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices are additionally on provide right here.
The menu at Kome primarily consists of Caribbean-inspired dishes made with recent elements. Fusion choices can be found together with hen and waffles, pepper steak, burgers, and Thai hen. On the dessert menu: chocolate cake, sorbet, creme brûlée, and extra. When you’re deciding what to order at Kome, you may settle in with some chilly beers or cocktails and benefit from the ambiance.
Dinner is offered at Kome from Tuesday to Saturday from 12 pm to 10 pm. There’s seating indoors and out on the terrace at this restaurant. The open-air eating part at this restaurant tends to be extra serene. Kome is situated in an space that’s stunning and accessible, so that you would possibly wish to go for a stroll earlier than or after your meal.
Knowledgeable tip: Wish to get aware of Curaçao’s capital forward of your trip? Learn our Willemstad city guide for travelers to get began!
3. Gouverneur de Rouville
Picture credit score: Gouverneur de Rouville
Enter the courtyard of Gouverneur de Rouville, a restaurant that serves each native and worldwide delicacies. All the things at this restaurant has a Caribbean twist, which is simply a part of the rationale friends find it irresistible a lot. Gouverneur de Rouville is a best choice in Curaçao for eating if you happen to love eating places that take note of element with their decor and provide nice meals and views.
The inside of this restaurant is gorgeous and rustic. The peaceable view of the harbor invitations you to some moments of calm when you experience choices from the lunch, dinner, or dessert menus. There are just a few completely different consuming areas to select from together with the balcony, a romantic backyard, a non-public air-conditioned assembly room, and the Motown-themed bar. From Gouverneur de Rouville, you may get pleasure from views of the Punda district, specifically the well-known UNESCO world heritage website, Handelskade.
The service at Gouverneur de Rouville is highly-rated and among the visitor favorites on the menu embody ceviche, salmon cannelloni, salmon fillet, Caribbean hen, and carpaccio. Cocktails and beers can be found. Gouvernear de Rouville opens from 9 am to 10:30 pm Monday to Sunday.
4. BijBlauw
Picture credit score: BijBlauw
Sunrises, sunsets, and each time of day in between may be merely breathtaking when seen from the shaded courtyard at BijBlauw. The attraction of this scenic oceanfront restaurant lies in each its distinctive ambiance and assuredly ready dishes. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days per week, BijBlauw offers ample alternative so that you can stroll down and bask in a unbelievable culinary expertise. This family-owned and operated institution makes it a degree to make use of recent, in-season elements from across the island. Their menus change now and again to include new flavors and parts as they change into accessible.
Since nearly every part at this venue is made in-house, the restaurant can work round most meals allergy symptoms and dietary wants (simply allow them to know prematurely) whereas nonetheless offering a luxurious meal, paired with a terrific glass of wine if you happen to want!
5. Shelterrock Paradise
Shelterrock Paradise is a Caribbean-style seafood restaurant that presents a singular eating expertise. A lot in order that on Friday evenings, meals are cooked in coconuts! That is an expertise that should be booked prematurely for exact preparation to be accomplished for the meal of your selection. Choices for the coconut eating expertise embody hen, beef, shrimp, fish, seafood combine, vegetarian, and goat. Fridays are additionally karaoke nights.
Aside from that, this restaurant opens recurrently for lunch, brunch, dinner, and late-night meals and drinks. You’ll really feel such as you’re away from all of it right here, in a great way, with fairly unbelievable views of Christoffel Mountain. There are hammocks out on the balcony, thatched-style roofs, and most significantly, scrumptious meals and refreshing drinks. This restaurant has among the greatest native meals in Curaçao full with a romantic and comfortable environment.
Good to know: There’s a climbing park close to the Shelterrock Paradise restaurant the place yow will discover a little bit of journey if you happen to want!
6. MosaCaña Bar & Kitchen
Picture credit score: Affect By way of The Lens
Eclectic and upbeat, MosaCaña Bar & Kitchen serves up scrumptious meals. This European/Latin/Caribbean fusion restaurant is well-liked with each locals and guests to Curaçao. As this spot can get crowded, making a reservation forward of time is usually necessary, much more so if you wish to safe seating for dinner.
On the menu at MosaCaña Bar & Kitchen, you’ll discover a vary of choices together with fish, tacos, ceviche, and steak. This restaurant can be vegetarian-friendly and gives gluten-free choices. Among the issues friends love most about MosaCaña Bar & Kitchen are the nice music and repair, in addition to the tapas-style bar. Cocktails and beers constructed from regionally sourced alcohol can be found.
7. Restaurant Nultwintig
Picture credit score: Bronwyn Knight
Restaurant Nultwintig is close to the seaside and opens each day with lunch and dinner alternatives. This restaurant focuses on serving up high-quality dishes made with the freshest elements. On the menu at Nultwintig, you’ll discover a vary of worldwide fare together with recent fish, veal, steak, and lobster. Primarily based on evaluations from previous friends, this is likely one of the greatest eating places to dine at in Curaçao.
When it comes to what to anticipate throughout a eating expertise right here, effectively… for positive an completely stunning setting, an environment so welcoming it’s going to draw you proper in, pleasant and useful employees, and loads of choices for eating and cocktails. As Nultwintig is sort of well-liked, make a reservation prematurely.
8. Baoase Culinary Seaside Restaurant
Picture credit score: Baoase
Baoase Culinary Seaside Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is a romantic beachside location on a non-public seashore. This restaurant’s menu contains European, Asian, and Caribbean-inspired delicacies. You’ll be able to dine right here with some fairly standout views. If you happen to’re into seafood, you may strive some nice choices right here each Thursday. On Sundays, Asian delicacies takes middle stage whereas on Saturdays you may benefit from the culinary barbecue.
At Baoase, strive some buyer favorites together with the breakfast crepes, the spicy yellow curry, the burrata salad, tuna tartar, and the tenderloin carpaccio. There may be additionally a variety of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free choices accessible. Forward of your plans to dine right here, it’s best to order a desk. Seating choices embody ocean views, personal gazebos, and tables on the seashore.
Insider tip: Contemplating a seashore trip that features eating at superb eating places? There are fairly just a few all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, Curaçao included, which you can think about in your subsequent getaway!
9. Fort Nassau
Picture credit score: Kurt Peterson
You’ll see Curaçao in a wholly new approach at Fort Nassau, particularly since this restaurant is about excessive on high of a hill that overlooks the capital Willemstad. The area the place this restaurant exists in the present day was as soon as a fort (inbuilt 1796), and it has been used as a restaurant since 1959. Fort Nassau opens for lunch and dinner with a various menu that includes worldwide delicacies.
Fort Nassau prides itself on utilizing recent, high-quality elements for all of its dishes. High-rated menu objects right here embody the grilled lamb chops, mahi-mahi, scallops, and the coconut chia seed panna cotta for dessert. Aside from that, you may strive the pasta, salads, soup, sandwiches in addition to tasty entrees and desserts when eating right here.
The views from Fort Nassau restaurant are distinctive! When reserving a reservation right here, choices embody lunch with a view or late dinner (additionally with a view!). When it comes to seating, you may select between a eating expertise with a 180-degree island view, a Willemstad and sea view, or a sundown view for 2 on the terrace across the bar.
10. Sal The Kitchen
Picture credit score: Sal The Kitchen
Sal The Kitchen actually is aware of the best way to combine flavors in a approach that retains clients coming again. That maybe is the rationale that you just would possibly end up right here greater than as soon as throughout your trip in Curaçao. Sal The Kitchen is a high quality eating restaurant with an off-the-cuff ambiance that serves up Caribbean, Mediterranean, and French-style delicacies.
This restaurant is situated within the Pietermaai district of Willemstad. The menu right here contains choices of ‘small bites’: steak tartare, marinated tuna, salmon gravlax, and many others., and ‘not-so-small bites’: tenderloin, veggie carbonara, poussin caesar, and extra. There are alternatives for sides, desserts, and nightcaps. Among the buyer favorites at Sal The Kitchen embody the purple snapper, fried goat cheese, rib-eye steak, tuna tartar, and the fervour fruit sorbet for dessert.
Except for the distinctive flavors, at Sal The Kitchen, you’ll love the standard of the meals and the unbelievable views. The service can be nice and the environment is welcoming and intimate.
11. SOi95
Critiques recommend that SOi95 gives among the best eating experiences in Curaçao however why not go there to determine for your self? The title alone could be sufficient to attract you in with intrigue! When you get there, you may get pleasure from among the greatest Asian cuisines in Willemstad. This restaurant is an effective possibility for dinner, dessert, and cocktails.
If you arrive at SOi95, the funky and trendy decor will instantly seize your consideration. The menu you’ll be handed when you’re seated contains choices like pangsit prawns, purple snapper, goat arepita, and tres leches cake for dessert. There are various different scrumptious choices so that you’ll actually need to make up your thoughts about what you’re within the temper for, or ask for suggestions from the chef.
The menu at SOi95 adjustments pretty typically – largely because of the availability of recent elements on the island. This restaurant gives shared eating, and servings are barely bigger than you’d anticipate with tapas model. There’s an intriguing cocktail menu at SOi95 too that features choices just like the 24k Mojito, Midnight Martini, and Asian Saoco. Reservations for SOi95 may be made on-line whether or not you wish to safe seating within the indoor eating space or the rooftop terrace.
12. BKLYN
Picture credit score: BKLYN
Put together to be spoiled at BKLYN, a gastro-bar in Willemstad identified and liked for its stylish and modern model. Situated within the Pen Sq. space, this hotspot opened in March 2021. BKLYN is tremendous cozy and romantic, which makes it a terrific place for date night time in your {couples}’ trip. Meals at BKLYN are served tapas model.
BKLYN is enjoyable and energetic. Buyer favourite menu objects right here embody the oysters with a facet of caviar, flank steak with chimichurri, and the millionaire shortbread. Another fascinating objects to strive embody the lentil, pumpkin coconut curry, bao buns, the sundown park salad, honey soy glazed hen drum sticks, crispy coconut prawns, and extra.
A fantastic eating expertise at BKLYN is incomplete with out getting one thing scrumptious to sip on. The liquors served listed below are infused in-house and have tantalizing unique flavors. Attempt the in-house traditional “Hanging Grapes”, made with lemongrass-infused gin, recent passionfruit juice, selfmade ginger beer, and Angostura bitters. BKLYN opens from Tuesday to Saturday from 5 pm to midnight.
Native dishes to strive in Curaçao
There’s a world of meals to strive in Curaçao and a few of this island’s conventional dishes can put even essentially the most devoted foodie to the take a look at. This daring checklist contains issues like iguana soup, cactus soup, and plenty of different choices. We’ll deal with among the hottest native dishes you merely should strive in Curaçao:
• Keshi Yena – That is thought-about the signature dish of Curaçao. Apparently, the preparation of this dish begins with a ball of cheese, normally edam or gouda. Then, the cheese ball is filled with beef, hen, pork, or minced greens like onions, capers, tomatoes, pickles, and olives. The meat used on this dish is often spiced.
• Fried Plantain – A favourite on this island that consists of thinly sliced plantains which can be fried till gloriously golden brown. This dish can be well-liked on different Caribbean islands.
• Pastechi – A well-liked fried pastry that may embody hen, beef, tuna, greens, ham, cheese, or tuna filling. That is normally served as a breakfast dish but it surely may also be eaten as a snack. Pastechi is most frequently crescent-shaped.
• Stoba – Hearty and scrumptious, stoba is a stew that’s made with papaya, beef, or goat. The kind of meat used on this dish varies, however papaya is the signature ingredient that provides sweetness to this dish. Carrots, peas, and different elements are sometimes added as effectively.
• Guiambo – This soup has a little bit of a slippery consistency because of the okra and it features a medley of seafood. Generally, canned or recent oysters, cooked shrimp, and fish are added to Guiambo. Small items of funchi (listed under) are typically added to this soup as soon as it’s ready.
• Kadushi – Made out of cactus, kadushi is one other considered one of Curaçao’s conventional dishes. The spines of the cactus are eliminated, then the cactus is skinned, sliced, and ready. Usually inexperienced in shade and barely slimy – yow will discover this nutritious soup on the Outdated Market in Willemstad.
• Funchi – This savory dish is made out of cornmeal, and is similar to polenta. It’s also much like one other dish often called tutu, though black-eyed peas aren’t used within the making of funchi. Funchi is normally served as a facet dish, however it’s typically positioned into soups.
Bonus: Get eating credit score with Sandals’ Eating Out Program
Palms down, Curaçao has among the greatest eating places within the Caribbean. With an emphasis on making certain the elements used are recent and the dishes interesting, many of those eating places depart friends desirous to guide a flight again only for one other night time of dinner!
If you happen to’re a fan of consuming out, then you definately’ll love Sandals’ Eating Out Program. By way of this initiative, friends of Sandals Royal Curaçao will obtain $250 in eating credit score (per room) that can be utilized at any restaurant that’s included within the curated checklist of taking part institutions. That is the right alternative to dine at one of many top-rated eating places in Curaçao throughout your trip.
Credit score from the Sandals’ Eating Out Program can solely be used at one restaurant, and the remaining funds can’t be used to dine elsewhere. The credit score should be used throughout your keep as effectively. Visitors who’re eligible for the Eating Out Program embody anybody who has booked seven or extra nights in a butler-level suite at Sandals Royal Curaçao. The voucher can be offered to friends as soon as they verify in on the resort. The voucher contains meals, drinks, and gratuity!
For extra info: https://www.sandals.com/royal-Curaçao/dine-out-Curaçao/
Discover the perfect eating places in Curaçao throughout your keep
Pictured: Visitors of Sandals Royal Curaçao have the chance to bask in a eating expertise at any of the eight eating places and three beachside meals vehicles on the property. At all times limitless, the eating choices embody European fusion, Italian, Mediterranean delicacies, seafood, sushi, and extra.
The Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao is sort of a gem. Embarking on a culinary or any sort of journey to this island is sure to be rewarded with distinctive experiences. Because the eating places listed on this put up are really traveler favorites, we’ve little question you’ll have the ability to discover not less than one which you can get pleasure from throughout your trip.
A trip in Curaçao may be made even higher with a keep at one of many all-inclusive resorts in Curaçao. There are various perks to an all-inclusive trip on this island. One among these would be the high quality inclusions yow will discover at resorts like Sandals Royal Curaçao and the truth that every part you want can be offered in a single place together with drinks, meals, leisure, and extra. Sandals Royal Curaçao gives luxurious lodging, a number of eating places and swimming pools, and every part you’ll want for an unbelievable Caribbean trip!
Knowledgeable tip: If you’re accomplished experiencing the perfect eating places in Curaçao, you may take a while to take a look at among the most enjoyable things to do in Curaçao.
