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Discover how Aruba’s melting pot of cultures contributes to a local cuisine influenced by European, South American, and Caribbean settlers.
Aruba's home-cooked food is influenced by a wide variety of settlers that found their way to the island over the past five centuries. The first people in Aruba were the Amerindians, a group of Caquetio natives, originally from South America.
Their meals consisted of freshly caught fish and conch; staples you’ll still find on today’s menu in Aruba. In later years Aruba’s local food was influenced by European colonial settlers, especially those of the Netherlands and Spain, followed by local food and culinary influences brought to the island by African slaves, merchants, Eastern and Asian immigrants.
More below.
Welcome to Aruba, the sun-soaked Caribbean paradise where the food is as vibrant and inviting as the island itself.
Dine on fresh seafood to your heart's content--it's one of the foundations of our local culinary scene.
Dine at one of Aruba's many styles of steakhouses--from Argentinean and Brazilian to American and Japanese.
Aruba is a food lover’s paradise and home to more than 90 nationalities, which can be tasted through our diverse cuisine.
Relish traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine presented in elegant fine dining and family-style restaurants.
Dine like you are home with our numerous restaurants featuring traditional and contemporary American cuisine.
Explore the colorful cuisine of South and Central America while vacationing with us.
Aruba may be far from the bustling streets of Beijing or Shanghai, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some fantastic Chinese cuisine right here.
Savor authentic European flavors brought to Aruba over several centuries.
When your feet sink into the warm sands of Aruba, you can almost taste the burst of flavors waiting for you at the island's top Mexican restaurants.
From traditional Dutch to Asian, African, and Spanish, dining options are as diverse and welcoming as our people.
We all know Aruba for its picturesque beaches and lively nightlife, but the island's culinary scene is just as impressive.
Want to discover the vibrant flavors of the East without leaving the picturesque One Happy Island? Let us help you!
With all these different cultural and culinary influences from all over the world, Aruba’s local cuisine developed into a fascinating fusion of flavors. Especially during the last decades, as a side-effect of the further development of Aruba’s tourism industry, the island became a magnet for award-winning chefs from all over the world. Along with the various types of international cuisines, they bring from their home country and experience worldwide, they spin their magic, adding new dimensions to Aruba’s culinary scene. An excellent way to sample the island’s fusion of flavors, along with Aruba’s authentic food, is culinary event Autentico, held every year in October.
Authentic local food
Sample the best authentic local food in Aruba at small eateries, family-owned restaurants and modest snacks and food trucks you’ll find alongside the road. Try Aruba local food such as keeshi yena (stuffed cheese), balchi pisca (fish balls) and cabrito stoba (goat stew), or authentic local food like pastechi and empanada, deep-fried snacks filled with meats or chicken. Home-made stews, soups, fresh fish dishes, and combination platters served with protein, plantains, rice and a small salad are some of the most common authentic local meals, and very popular with the locals. Can’t wait to try it all? Your culinary discovery starts at Aruba’s Airport! Upon arrival you can get a taste of the best authentic local food at the food truck plaza right across the Arrivals terminal.
Aruba local restaurants
Aruba’s local restaurants range from high-end fine dining to casual, rustic local eateries. Most local restaurants in Aruba are concentrated in the capital Oranjestad, in Noord, Palm Beach, Eagle Beach, Savaneta, San Nicolas and Pos Chiquito. Aruba’s local restaurants feature traditional dishes and authentic meals where you get a true taste of the island. Oftentimes these Aruba local restaurants are in a unique spot, over-water, on the beach, inside a traditional Aruban cunucu house or add a typical Caribbean vibe to your dining experience
World class dining
Aruba offers over 250 restaurants to choose from, so make sure to discover some of the best restaurants in Aruba during your stay on the island. Besides Aruba’s local cuisines, the island is home to cuisines from all over the world: Italian, French, Caribbean, American, Indian, Chinese, Surinamese, Peruvian, Colombian, the choice is endless. Most restaurants in Aruba offer menu items for guests with special dietary needs and restrictions, such as gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan and vegetarian options.
Discover more world class cuisine
Aruban home cooking has been influenced by Amer-Indians, merchants, pirates, Dutch and Spanish colonial powers, African slaves, Oriental and Asian settlers.
Experience a bit of Aruban flavor by visiting local restaurants. The local culinary scene offers Asian-influenced dishes such as bami and nasi goreng rice, or saté with peanut sauce; Dutch traditional dishes like pea soup and thin pancakes served with a variety of sweet and savory toppings. Johnnycakes (fried, puffy biscuits) and pan bati (Aruban pancake) replace traditional bread.
Many restaurants feature fresh fish such as wahoo, red snapper, mahi-mahi, and barracuda served in a variety of sauces.
Try a stew of beef (carni di baca stoba), chicken (galiña stoba) or the sweeter goat meat (cabrito stoba), served with rice and beans (arroz moro) or cornmeal mash (funchi). The pastechi (deep-fried, crescent pastry with a variety of fillings) is a national snack. The fiery Madame Janette pepper, the local version of the scotch bonnet family, spices up meat, soup and seafood dishes.
Those who have tried truly authentic Aruba food will tell you that it is some of the most flavorful cuisine they have ever had. Recipes from several different cultures have come together, combined and perfected over the years to create Aruban cuisine as we know it now. Since food is such a big part of the Aruban culture, meals are prepared with pride and love, this comes back in the delicious flavors of the dish.
We’re just getting started with the amazing effects Aruba has to offer. Dig into your trip details below to unlock a Caribbean experience that will fill you with sunshine and send you home with a happy afterglow that never fades.
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