I've tested the best restaurants in Aruba and these are the 8 places you can't miss, from seaside dining to the best local snacks (2024)

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Papiamento

Papiamento, a gorgeous century-old heritage house, is where the Ellis family has been providing a special brand of hospitality for over 30 years. The restaurant has a stellar wine cellar, a mini-museum room full of European antiques, a cozy lounge, and an outdoor tropical plant-adorned dining area that surrounds a pool. Just don't expect to take a swim — the pool is only for aesthetic enjoyment.

This is where I first tried Aruba's national dish keshi-yena, the island's answer to comfort food. There are different ways to make it, but the Ellis version is a secret family recipe — a delightful mélange of spices, chicken, beef, raisins, cashews, and prunes, topped with melted Dutch cheese. It's addictive. They also make a mean bouillabaisse stocked full of local fish.

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Elements

Elements is the signature restaurant of Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, an elegant, adults-only seafront spot known for serving fresh and sustainably sourced fare. Its award-winning "world cuisine" menu offers creative takes on meat and seafood. There's also an excellent vegan menu and a romantic a la carte Sunday brunch. But I especially enjoy the new Authentic Aruban & Caribbean Buffet, which was originally introduced at lunch but became so popular they decided to also offer it at dinner. The buffet is an ideal way to try many local dishes and desserts that can be difficult to find all in one place, like papaya stew or local fruit cake. And don't miss their Aruban ceviche.

Or, for a special intimate experience, opt for a romantic dinner for two under one of their private palapas on the beach. There are only four available, so reservations are mandatory.

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Infini

Celebrated local chef Urvin Croes, a pioneer of molecular gastronomy in Aruba, opened this intimate chef's-table experience at the Blue Aruba Rentals condominium complex last year.

Put yourself in his very capable hands and watch him and his team work magic at Infini's open-kitchen venue as he creates a surprise menu of 12 gorgeously plated courses, each of which may be paired with wine or hand-crafted co*cktails. I was recently impressed that he was able to recreate the entire menu for me using only plant-based ingredients. Dietary restrictions can be accommodated but must be requested ahead, and reservations are mandatory as the restaurant only seats 18.

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Quinta del Carmen

The outdoor courtyard of a restored mansion seems an unlikely spot to offer up Dutch comfort food, but in the case of Quinta del Carmen, it works. Mining memories of home cooking in the Netherlands, the owners offer their grandma's favorites.

Try sucade lappen, a traditional dish of meat stewed in wine, herbs, and spices — it's melt-in- your-mouth tender. And save room for their stroopwafel parfait for dessert, a decadent twist on French parfait using the popular thin Dutch waffles stuffed with caramel.

They have great barkeeps, too. Enjoy killer hand-crafted co*cktails in the art-filled indoor bar or paired with tapas in the expansive outdoor co*cktail garden.

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Taste My Aruba

Opened in 2021, Taste My Aruba resides in a beautifully restored 100-year-old heritage house with an open-air courtyard. There's no set menu, but fresh fish and seafood is the specialty, so whatever's caught that day is the main attraction. But if seafood isn't your thing, an organic meat dish or a vegan choice is also available.

Owner and local restaurateur Nathaly de Mey is well known for her larger-than-life personality and passion for the freshest fish and local specialties, which make this a must-visit eatery.

There is also an Irish bar inside (the owner lived in Ireland for a while) where local musicians often serenade guests. De Mey is now busy adding a second venue under the same roof specializing in tapas paired with creative co*cktails and artisan beers.

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Brutto Beach House

Brutto Beach House is a hip, trendy new eatery well worth seeking out. Despite the name, it's tucked away from the beach off the Palm Beach nightlife strip (follow your ears as they always have a DJ dishing up lounge music).

Though modern Asian fusion is the concept, the wide-ranging menu of shareables and "big treats" is more internationally eclectic. The creative plating and artisanal co*cktails lean high-end, but this spot comes across far more playful than pretentious. For example, my Aperol spritz came in a compostable plastic baggie with a bamboo straw and a rubber ducky floating in it. Their Lobster Mac n' Cheese is also a must-try.

And even more fun is their "Boozy Brunch" held every Saturday and Sunday. You can indulge in endless mimosas, Bellinis, and prosecco along with a creative a la carte menu of brunch fare. Once you've tried their version of French toast that comes with caramel apples, peanut butter, and bacon, you'll never look back.

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Cuba's Cookin'

As popular with locals as it is with visitors, this legendary tribute to the authentic flavors of "The Big Island," as Arubans call it, is an anchor of the offerings of lively Renaissance Marketplace on the marina. Cuba's Cookin' is known for the best hand-crafted mojitos in town, nightly live Latin music, and a fabulous collection of Cuban art.

But it's the food at Cuba's Cookin' that keeps folks coming back for more. They make a mean Ropa Vieja (tender shredded skirt steak and peppers in a traditional sofrito sauce) and their Mean Woman's Pasta follows the authentic vegetarian Cuban casserole recipe. (It's called Mean Woman's because the men would be angry that their wives could not find any meat at the market that day.) They also have an excellent plant-based fare menu including Ropa Vieja made with tofu. A vegan's dream.

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Passions on the Beach

Picture romantic, toes-in-the-sand dining by tiki torch, and that's Passions on the Beach. As the name suggests, this restaurant is located on Eagle Beach in front of Amsterdam Manor, making it a dreamy setting for starry-eyed indulging.

The ambience is magical, and though I've yet to stop by with my significant other, I often dine here with friends — the menu offers lots of sharing ops. Even if you're only a party of two, I suggest sharing the appetizer platter, which includes my favorite watermelon salad, and the Treasure of the Sea platter, with lobster, shrimp, Calypso, coconut grouper, Aruban ratatouille, and more. There are also vegan options like plant-based surf and turf.

Although romantic by design, families also frequent this venue, so if private canoodling is your desire, choose a table at the far end of the beach.

View Insider's comprehensive guide to visiting Aruba.