Papiamento Restaurant

Located in a former home built more than 100 years ago, this intimate restaurant excels in ambience and Caribbean specialties. Outdoor tables sit next to a pool and pretty tropical gardens, while the dining room boasts an array of European antiques. A son of the restaurant’s original owners, the current chef specializes in such dishes as bouillabaisse, crunchy okra, and cinnamon-and-brown-sugar sweet potato mash. Also on offer is seafood prepared with local spices and coconut milk. Whatever you choose, don’t miss the wine cellar, which once functioned as the home’s cheese room and now features nearly 2,000 bottles by 120 labels.

Papiamento could very well be Aruba’s most romantic restaurant—the whole place has a dreamy fairytale quality and they serve the best local fare. In the lush garden, trickling pools greet you and create a sense of serenity. The space is decidedly elegant with a clean, open space and an outdoor seating area set under a canopy of foliage created by their beautiful trees. White-clad chairs lend a very upscale look to the place—a wedding or bridal party would feel at home here. Eduard Ellis, the chef and general manager of the restaurant, brings together fine dining with regional flavors. While seafood seems to be the focus (as with most Caribbean islands), Papiamento’s vision stems from the unflinching standards of the Ellis family, whose roots are from Holland. They’ve served Caribbean food in their farm home in the countryside (Cunucu in Papiamento) for over 200 years now, so they should know a thing or two about fine cuisine. You can expect dishes like Keeshi Yena: a very authentic local specialty stew typically made with chicken, herbs, and melted Gouda cheese. Other favorites of mine include the Burgundy Pate (given the chef’s fondness for wines), and a fine Julius salad served with baked croutons and dressing. A delicious Pan Bollo or Aruban bread pudding with Ponce Crème for dessert finishes the meal off perfectly.