Aruba has some of the best restaurants in the Caribbean, specializing not only in native cuisine but also showing off Dutch influences and adept interpretations of seafood and grilled dishes from around the world. Here's a taste!
I'm usually wary of hotel restaurants, but this chic and contemporary eatery in the Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino offers some of the best steaks on Aruba. Get a table by the window for spectacular views of the marina and ocean.
One of Aruba's newest and hippest restaurants, Pinchos has a unique outdoor setting suspended above the Caribbean Sea; rattan furniture and huge overstuffed pillows add to the laid-back ambience. The menu consists almost entirely of "pinchos" or kabobs. Located on the pier of the Surfside Marina, Pinchos is of one of the most beautiful (and popular) spots to watch sunsets in Aruba.
This is a gorgeous open-air seafood restaurant situated under a huge palapa near downtown Oranjestad. The eclectic mix of Dutch, Aruban and Caribbean foods is unmatched, and the menu includes stuffed pastries and pasta dishes that will appeal to vegetarians. The casual “barefoot” atmosphere -- typified by the restaurant's white-sand floor -- is what Aruba is all about.
It's a bit of a misnomer to call Flying Fishbone a waterfront restaurant; depending on the tide, you might actually find your feet in the water while you dine. This Saveneta restaurant offers you the very best seafood on island, including multiple catch-of-the-day specials, as well as hearty beef tenderloin, sirloin, ribeyes, and other steaks and chops.
Many longtime visitors -- including my in-laws -- call this the best restaurant in Aruba. Papiamento is an island institution that offers international cuisine in a classic Aruban country house. The restaurant allows guests to dine in a lush outdoor garden or in one of the home's intimate and antique-filled rooms. Some dishes are grilled on hot stones; tenderloin topped with gorgonzola is a house specialty. Yes, this is where Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands eats when she visits!
