Eat well in Dominican Republic with the perfect meal for every craving. From fine dining to casual restaurants, discover the best places to eat in Dominican …
Eat well in Dominican Republic with the perfect meal for every craving. From fine dining to casual restaurants, discover the best places to eat in Dominican Republic.
El Conde Restaurant
Calles El Conde & Arzobispo Meriño, Hotel Conde de Peñalba, Santo Domingo,
www.condepenalba.com/prueba1/hotel.html
Located in the Hotel Conde de Peñalba in the center of the Zona Colonial (Colonial Zone), this casual café serves traditional Dominican cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Inside, the restaurant is decorated with dark wood chairs, white tablecloths, and brightly colored paintings, and additional seating is available outside on the tree-shaded patio, directly across from the Parque Colón (Columbus Park). In addition to simple sandwiches, the menu includes local specialties such as chicken and rice, and mangú (mashed plantains topped with sautéed onions). El Conde is also a popular spot to spend the afternoon people-watching and sipping Presidente beer.
La Casita de Don Alfredo
Calle Principal, Hwy. 5, Playa Cabarete,
Come evening, the popular surfing town of Cabarete takes on a South Beach-like vibe, as laid-back surfers and resort guests meander among the casual restaurants and bars that set up beachside tables. Among the most popular of the beach’s “chairs in sand” scene is a rustic, two-level, thatch and wood villa called La Casita de Don Alredo. A good place for groups, they serve most dishes in enormous, feast-size portions, and the house specialty–heads-on Caribbean camarones sautéed in a coconut-cream sauce–arrives tableside in a gigantic cast-iron skillet. The addition of candles and lanterns creates an aura of fashionable dining as folks sip bottles of Presidente and soak in the sunset.
La Piazzetta, La Romana
Chavón Blvd., Altos de Chavón, La Romana,
www.casadecampo.com.do/restaurants
La Piazzetta, installed on east side of the Casa De Campo resort, features gourmet Italian fare in a re-created 16th-century Mediterranean setting complete with strolling musicians, cobblestone walkways, and colorful ceramic tiles. The romantic the stone terrace, surrounded by bougainvillea, overlooks the Chavón River, and the restaurant is a popular après-theatre spot for those who’ve attended Kandelá!, a musical staged at the nearby Altos de Chavón Amphitheate. Homemade pastas, exquisite sauces, fresh herbs, and fine chesses go into the creations of chef Massimo Caretta, formerly of Venice’s Hotel Cipriani. Try the bountiful antipasto bar to start but leave room to linger over a cup of cappuccino and classic tiramisu with cherry confit.
La Yola
Puntacana Resort & Club, Punta Cana,
www.puntacana.com/dining-recreation/bars/la-yola
A meal at La Yola, located right on the Caribbean, replicates the feel of al fresco dining on a yola, or small fishing boat, except in a more elegant style. The romantic teakwood and bamboo building, designed by Oscar de la Renta, is installed near the southern boundary of the exclusive Punta Cana Resort and Golf Club. De la Renta’s plan for the stilted, open-air restaurant incorporates elements such as palm-thatched roofing and glass floor panels that grant portal views of the sea below. The Mediterranean and Caribbean-inspired menu promises fresh-caught red snapper, mahi mahi, and grouper accompanied by organically grown vegetables.
Mesón d’Bari
302 Calle Hostos, Santo Domingo,
A time-honored restaurant in the Zona Colonial (Colonial Zone), Mesón d’Bari serves fresh regional fare in a restored, two-story house. Inside, the restaurant contains brick archways, white-clothed tables, and large, for-sale paintings by local artists. The menu, printed in three languages, includes specialties like cangrejo guisado (fresh crab stewed in brown sauce) and filete a la criolla (Creole-style filet of beef with tomatoes, onions, and sweet peppers). The bar is a popular hangout for local businessmen, artists, and baseball players, so expect the TV to be tuned into a game. The restaurant also hosts live merengue music on most weekends.
Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana
Playas de Uvero Alto, Punta Cana, 23000
www.zoetryresorts.com/Agua/index.html
Expect seclusion and serenity in one of 51 cane-thatched suites at Agua Resort & Spa on the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic. The award-winning, all-inclusive resort features “Endless Privileges,” amenities beyond gourmet dining (no buffets) such as daily champagne and fruit basket, unlimited worldwide calling, Bulgari bath products, and Frette linens. This Zoetry resort is popular for destination weddings and honeymooners including 24-hour, in-room private dining options and aromatherapy oils. In addition to the spa, fitness, and watersport facilities, guests may participate in photo and video safaris, painting, dance, cooking, and wine appreciation classes; there are also local volunteer projects.
