2 Best Restaurants in Aruba

Set in a beautifully restored 100-year-old mansion with a lovely outdoor courtyard, Quinta del Carmen's cuisine is best defined as modern Caribbean-Dutch. There are a few traditional Dutch favorites like cheese croquettes and mushrooms and cream; the watermelon salad is sweet, salty, and perfectly refreshing; and the sucade-lappen (flank steak stewed in red wine and herbs) has a depth of flavor that comes from hours in the pot. Or you can enjoy gourmet shareables, wines by the glass, sangria specials, and creative cocktails in the gorgeous Tapas Garden, which sprawls across the beautifully manicured lawns. Don't miss the interior stand-alone bar full of awesome antiques. Some vegan options are available, too.

Dutch pancakes are unlike North American-style flapjacks since they can be both savory and sweet, offering opportunities for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and this legendary spot in the Renaissance Marketplace is considered the absolute best place to try them. More like thin crepes, they can be covered in (or stuffed with) a multitude of ingredients, which might include meats, vegetables, and cheeses. The menu includes dozens of varieties of both sweet and savory styles, as well as puffy little silver-dollar-size poffertjes. You'll enjoy them in the indoor-outdoor café, but if you eat outside, keep an eye on your syrup bottles, as the little resident sugar birds are always trying to get into them for a sweet treat.