You'll find ample
dining options on all three islands, spanning a wide range of international and local cuisines and concentrated in the capitals and major tourist areas. On Aruba dining out tends to be an elegant and expensive affair, and you'll find a crop of top-class restaurants, though a number of good, reasonably priced options are also to be found. Dining on Bonaire and Curaçao is less expensive than on Aruba and caters to all tastes and budgets. The best bargains on both islands are at snack stands and bars, busiest at lunchtime and serving scrumptious local meals (goat or conch stew, iguana soup, fried fish), cooked on an open grill, that can cost less than US$6.
You'll find imported brands of beer and wine at most restaurants and bars, as well as the locally produced beers - Aruba's Balashi and Curaçao's Amstel Bright . The islands' popular cocktails include the local liqueur Curaçao Blue , made from the peels of the Valencia orange. You'll also find delicious fruit drinks and smoothies sold at many snack stands.
Popular dishes on all three islands usually include goat, chicken and beef , as well as local fish such as red snapper, wahoo and barracuda. Not-to-be-missed Aruban specialties include stoba , goat stew with vegetables; soppi di pisca , a fish soup made with coconut milk; freshly caught red snapper or wahoo served with plantain or funchi (cornmeal); and keshi yena , a baked mixture of Gouda cheese stuffed with beef, fish or chicken and seasoned with spices, raisins, tomatoes and olives. For dessert or for a snack try the mildly sweet pan bati , which is similar to a thick pancake. You'll find similar local dishes on Bonaire and Curaçao, though slight local differences in their names.
Prices at dinner will on average set you back US$20-25, though you'll pay twice that at the finer restaurants on Aruba. On all three islands a 10-15 percent service charge is normally added to your bill; while the service is included it's not uncommon to add a little extra at your discretion (especially on Aruba where this is customary).
On all the islands reservations are recommended, especially during high season. Be aware that some restaurants open only for dinner, so it pays to check ahead if possible.
