Madame Janette (Cunucu Abou 37, Oranjestad) – this restaurant is a favorite among members of the island’s Dutch community. Ramon Helgers and Karsten Gesing founded Madame Janette in 1999, offering fine dining in a casual atmosphere. Ramon is responsible for the exotic fruits, herbs and vegetables you will find in not only their dishes, but […]
Gasparito Restaurant & Art Gallery (Gasparito 3, Oranjestad) – this is a nice little eatery located within a vintage Aruban house, whose walls are adorned with artwork by local painters. It’s menu is dominated by Caribbean dishes such as Conch Stew and Keshi Yena (Dutch cheese stuffed with beef, chicken or seafood). A favored dish […]
Flying Fishbone (Savaneta 344, Savaneta) – this intimate beachside restaurant is perfect for a moonlit dinner in the old fishing village of Savaneta. Reflecting a marriage between European cuisine and Caribbean flair, its dishes are sure to please every palate. Mark a steady course through innovative appetizers and onto the irresistible main entrees, including Savaneta’s […]
Cuba’s Cookin’ (Wilheminastraat 27, Oranjestad) — this fun restaurant is located in an old farmhouse. Original artwork captures scenes of Cuban street life while up-tempo music keeps the warm staff smiling each night. Sip a mojito (a traditional Cuban cocktail), and start with the plantain chips, great with the muy picante (very hot) salsa. Your […]
Bucaneer (Gasparito 11C, Noord) — You may get the feeling you’re dining below the deck of a sunken ship, as 12 large aquariums with colorful fish surround you. This restaurant’s unique decor creates a warm and relaxed atmosphere. Bucaneer’s second dining room resembles an underwater cave, complete with a 5,000-gallon sea water tank, unseen elsewhere. […]
Aqua Grill (J.E. Irausquin Blvd. 374, Palm Beach) — set in a contemporary decor combining the traditions of a New England fish house with the ease and character of the Caribbean, Aqua Grill is Aruba’s premier seafood sensation featuring fresh local catches, delicacies from waters abroad like live Maine lobster, the island’s largest raw bar, […]
Amazônia (J.E. Irausquin Blvd. 374, Palm Beach) — Amazônia’s staffers know that it is not easy to be everything to everyone, but they get close. Whether you love meat or you are a vegetarian; whether you have a large appetite or you like diversity in food; whether you choose to dine indoors surrounded by funky […]
Protestant Church (Wilheminastraat 1, Oranjestad) – this is Aruba’s oldest house of worship (built in 1846). Looming above a terracotta tile roof, the square tower, decorated with stars, hearts, and wooden shutters, reminds visitors of Pennsylvania Dutch country.
Fort Zoutman Historical Museum and Willem III Tower (Fort Zoutmanstraat 4, Oranjestad) – built in 1798 to defend the island against pirates, this old Dutch fortress acts as the location for the Historical Museum of Aruba. The museum’s exhibit traces Aruba’s history from the settlement of the ancient Caiquetio Indians to Spanish and then Dutch […]
Beth Israel Synagogue (Adriaan Lacle Blvd. 2, Oranjestad) – this house of worship was built for Jews (mainly merchants) who came during the early 20th century, when the oil refinery industry took hold in Aruba. It attracted worshippers from other parts of the Caribbean and Europe (including at one point World War II Holocaust survivors). […]