Aruba, a tiny Caribbean island surrounded by lush tropical vegetation and golden sandy beaches. It is a heaven for tourists from all over the world, but it also attracted a number of world-class chefs who settled on the island. Together with local talent, they contribute to the island’s rich offering when it comes to superb restaurants. If you are looking for a location for a romantic dinner, you will have hard time deciding where to go.
Most Aruba restaurants are located on the beach or overlooking a beach, with romantic tiki torches and flowering tropical bushes making the places exceptionally romantic. Strong European influence brought high style and upscale décor to many restaurants, making it easy to find a romantic, classy spot to treat the love of your life. One of Aruba specialties is private, exclusive dining, offered by renowned chefs who prepare multi-course dinner for a small group of foodies. With wine pairing and elegant setting, this is a pricey option but sure to impress.
2 Fools And A Bull
2 Fools And A Bull is a unique restaurant located in Aruba’s restored Old Cunucu House. Two ‘fools’ are two chefs Roger and Roy, who entertain 17 guests around a circular bar with a five-and-half-course meal with optional wine pairing. Everyone eats at the same time, the jokes and banter fly around, guests get up, mingle, comment and have enormous fun. The background is a fabulous original French fire wall and a large blackboard with the menu for the evening. The atmosphere is like being invited to a home of a good friend who just happens to cook for gods. What is for dinner? You will not know until you sit down to eat. But, with two chefs with 40 years of experience between them, it is always a wonderful surprise. The reservation is a must and you might be put on the waiting list, but it is well-worth it.
Route 3 Palm Beach 17, Noord, Aruba, Phone: +297-586-7177
Atardi
Aruba Marriott’s beachfront restaurant Atardi, previously known as Simply Fish, is the perfect spot for a romantic dinner, with tables right on the beach, surrounded by stately palm trees on one side and ocean in front. It is the place for a romantic date, a glass of champagne while waiting for the sunset and superb dinner by accomplished Atardi chefs. The menu focuses on fresh fish and seafood cooked to perfection and it includes Lobster Tail, Sea Bass, Macadamia Grouper and Salmon but also Short Robs and Filet Mignon. Don’t skip a dessert, it is divine.
L.G. Smith Boulevard # 101 Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, Aruba, Phone: +297-520-6537
Barefoot Restaurant
Barefoot Restaurant is located right on the beach, across the street from Aruba’s Talk of the Town. The tables are set in the sand under the large palapa, overlooking the Caribbean Sea, or you can sit under the stars if you feel particularly romantic. The dress code says ‘flip flops’, but barefoot is fine too. This great tropical vibe does not prepare guests for the world-class food they will get, with spectacular wine list and mouth-watering desserts. Everything is prepared to perfection, from appetizers that include Two Tuna – tuna carpaccio and tuna tartar with teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds and Romance of the Sea with snapper, grouper and mahi mahi with lemon garlic sauce.
L.G. Smith Boulevard 1, Oranjestad, Aruba, Phone: +297-588-9824
BLT Steak
BLT Steak is a sleek, modern bistro in The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba, a contemporary version of American steak house but more relaxed and lively. There is a lovely patio overlooking the beach and the ocean. The menu offers a range of gourmet choices such as Certified Black Angus, USDA Prime steaks, Wagyu beef, fresh seafood, extensive raw bar and daily special. The ingredients are fresh, seasonal and local whenever possible, with occasional Aruba traditional flavors. The best deal, perfect for a date night, is a prix fixe three course meal that is sure to impress. Large cozy bar and the lounge area are popular local gathering spot, offering original cocktails, craft beer from all over the world and respectable wine list.
L.G. Smith Blvd 107, Noord, Aruba, Phone: +297-527-2399
Chalet Suisse
Chalet Suisse is an international chain of upscale restaurants located in specially built chalets, designed to look like typical Swiss mountain homes. Their Aruba location is very elegant, bright and luxuriously appointed, with crystal chandeliers, crisp white tablecloths and relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Chalet Suisse is located across from Eagle Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It is the place where locals and tourists come for a special occasion, romantic dinner or a celebration. The extensive menu ranges from fresh seasonal salads, succulent seafood, the finest meats imported from New York, sinful house-made desserts and a superb wine list with wines from all over the world. One of their specialties is the “Hafner, ” wine specially and exclusively imported for Chalet Swiss from Austria,
J.E. Irausquin Blvd 246, Aruba, Phone: +297-587-5054
Elements Restaurant
Elements Restaurant is an upscale restaurant in Aruba with floor-to-ceiling windows that open to the large deck overlooking the beach and the ocean. Bright, elegant, romantic and adults-only, Elements is a perfect spot for an important date or a special occasion. Elements’ menu is globally-inspired and focuses on natural, organic ingredients and European-size portions, well-balanced for healthier living. The menu features sustainable seafood, natural meats and locally grown produce and includes vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dishes. Every Monday evening Elements serves a special Aruban Dinner in addition to the regular menu. If you are planning a romantic dinner, Elements has just what you need: a special 6-course meal with a bottle of wine in a private secluded palapa right on the beach, with white curtains, candlelight and the sound of waves.
J.E. Irausquin Blvd 55B, Oranjestad, Aruba, Phone: +297-583-1100
Flying Fishbone
Lively and informal during the day and incredibly romantic at night, Flying Fishbone is an open-air restaurant right on the beach, with toes in the sand, surrounded by swaying palms and soothed by the sound of waves from the Aruba’s Savaneta Bay. The menu focuses on succulent fresh seafood and juicy steak dishes, beautifully plated, combining European cuisine with Caribbean flavors. Everything is cooked to perfection, but the star of the show is the iconic Savaneta’s Seafood History with a mix of fresh seafood caught by the local fishermen. The wine list is extensive and well-curated and the restaurant staff can offer knowledgeable suggestion for dish and wine pairing. Don’t miss the dessert, there are some special treats from all over the world.
Savaneta 344, Savaneta, Aruba, Phone: +297-584-2506
Fred Restaurant
Located on the second floor above Que Pasa? in the Aruba’s downtown Oranjestad, Fred Restaurant is a heaven for foodies. Adult-only, the restaurant is a cozy, opulently decorated space looking more like a luxurious home than a public space. Fred seats a maximum of 16 guests, who are served a 5-course surprise dinner with optional wine pairing. The chef prepares food in front of the guests who can watch the magic and chat with chef and other guests. The menu is a surprise and depends on what is available and in season and what the chef feels for at the moment. What is sure is that everything is prepared to perfection with fresh, high quality ingredients. Reservations are a must.
Wilhelminastraat 18, Oranjestad, Aruba, Phone: +297-565-2324
Gostoso Restaurant
Cozy and homey, Gostoso Restaurant is a hidden jewel, a favorite restaurant with locals and a popular spot for a nice evening out when you feel for upscale Portuguese and Aruban Cuisine. It is hidden in a maze of winding Oranjestad roads, easily found by locals but the tourists stumble by it only by accident or when brought by local friends. The menu includes delicious appetizers such as beef carpaccio, salty cod fish called bacalau, conch and creole sushi roll. The entrées have such treats as fresh catch of the day, New York Black Angus rib-eye and strip loin, fish kebabs, filet mignon and tenderloin. The star of the menu is the restaurant’s signature Espetada Portugese style, a N.Y. strip loin kebab, first marinated with garlic, bay leaves, red wine and sea salt and then grilled.
Caya Ing. Roland H. Lacle 12, Oranjestad, Aruba, Phone: +297-588-0053
Ike's Bistro
Ike's Bistro is an open-air poolside bistro at the Manchebo Beach Resort in Aruba, beautifully decorated with local coral rocks and pieces of driftwood, tropical rattan and bamboo furniture and romantic custom lights. It is known for a Mediterranean-inspired menu with fresh, flavorful Caribbean ingredients and flavors. It is great place for a leisurely breakfast by the pool with treats such as fruit smoothies, coconut fresh toast and goat cheese and asparagus omelets. Dinner at Ike’s is a festive affair under the stars and by the shimmering pool, enjoying imaginative seasonal Mediterranean-Caribbean menu or four-course Chef’s Tasting Menu. Ike’s has an extensive wine collection with wines from all over the world.
J.E. Irausquin Boulevard 55, Aruba, Phone: +297-582-3444
Italy In The World-Wine Restaurant
Located in a small yellow house, the oldest Cunucu house in Aruba, Italy In The World-Wine Restaurant is a tiny Italian restaurant with only a few tables and the décor that consists entirely of floor-to-ceiling bottles of wine. The menu is written on a blackboard on the wall and it changes daily. It includes such treats as ravioli, vitello tonnato, pasta salads, lasagne, meatballs, panna cotta, tiramisu and more. Chef Mauro takes care of his guests himself, making suggestions about the food and wine pairing and dishing out his house-made fresh pastas, cheeses, salami and other delicatessen imported directly from Italy.
Oranjestraat 2, Oranjestad, Aruba, Phone: +297-748-8985
LG Smith's Steak & Chop House
Located within Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino, LG Smith's Steak & Chop House is an upscale, colorful, beautifully decorated restaurant well known for its USDA-inspected, aged-prime steaks, rack of lamb, fresh local seafood and other house specialties. Some of the chef’s favorite dishes are Foie Gras Duo, Wagyu Tenderloin and The Dome. Occasionally LG Smith offers a special treat – A Cobe Night, serving this superb Japanese piece of meat. There are also delightful starters and sinful desserts. The bar mixes interesting, unique cocktails and a nice assortment of beers and wines. A select menu is available at the elegant trendy Midnight Lounge, where the party continues into the night.
Lloyd G. Smith Blvd 82, Oranjestad, Aruba, Phone: +297-523-6195
Matthew's Beachside Restaurant
Located right on the beach at Casa del Mar Beach Resort, Matthew's Beachside Restaurant is a popular, very romantic eatery where guests eat under the tent or under the stars, surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. Besides the fantastic view of the ocean, Matthew’s offers full breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, all- you-can-eat spare ribs on Tuesdays, Italian night on Thursdays, Karaoke on Wednesdays and the daily happy hours three times a day. From 4-6pm there is a live music at the bar, which also has three flat-screen TVs so the guests can catch their favorite game. There is a special menu for romantic dinners.
J.E. Irausquin Blvd 51, Oranjestad, Aruba, Phone: +297-588-7300
Passions On The Beach
Passions On The Beach at Amsterdam Manor is considered Aruba’s most romantic destination. With tables right on the beautiful Eagle Bach, it is relaxed and very tropical, surrounded by lush tropical vegetation, with a view of the ocean that turns magical at sunset time. And when the stars come out and tiki torches are lit, the romance is truly in the air. During the day you can lounge at Passions Beach Bar and have a light lunch or enjoy a fruity tropical drink. Passions on the Beach specializes in fresh fish and seafood with distinct Aruba flavors, but the menu is diverse and has something for everyone. Enjoy your meal with a glass of wine from their extensive wine list, or a signature cocktail they are famous for.
J.E. Irausquin Blvd 252, Noord, Aruba, Phone: +297-527-1129
Que Pasa Restaurant, Bar and Art Gallery
Located in a historic colorful Aruban building in downtown Oranjestad, Aruba, Que Pasa Restaurant, Bar and Art Gallery is a restaurant, bar and art gallery, the place where you can look at the artworks of local artists on the walls while waiting for a lunch or dinner and sipping a fruity cocktail or cold beer. The place is incredibly cozy and colorful, with comfortable chairs, soft music in the background and pleasant air-conditioning to cool you from the tropical heat outside. The menu is an interesting fusion Dutch, Italian, Mexican, Caribbean, Belgian and even Japanese. The focus is on freshly caught local fish and seafood, but also on high quality beef and delicious specials. It is Indonesian night every WEdnesday.
Wilhelminastraat 18 Just 5 minutes walking from Renaissance Hotel Oranjestad, Aruba, Phone: +297-583-4888
Quinta del Carmen
Located in the beautiful 1916 "cunucu style" house in the heart of Aruba’s Oranjestad, Quinta del Carmen is an elegant, Old World restaurant with superb food that combines local flavors and everyone’s favorites. Indoor dining room is a luxurious space with antique furniture and crisp tablecloths, but most people prefer magnificent courtyard dining room surrounded by climbing flowering vines and other tropical vegetation. The menu has something for everyone, from delicious carpaccio and fresh salads to grilled local freshly caught fish. The wine list is extensive and well-curated. The bar makes delicious unique cocktails. Desserts at Quinta are famous so leave some space for them.
Bubali 119, Oranjestad, Aruba, Phone: +297-587-7200
The Chophouse at Manchebo
Contemporary, cool and trendy, The Chophouse at Manchebo, in the Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa, is an upscale steakhouse in Aruba, specializing in steaks and chops, but also offering house-made pastas, organic, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. The dining room is a modern fresh combination of white, grey and black colors, a perfect background for the art of the Executive Chef Sandro Herrold and Chef Willy Sarmiento. The menu is extensive, accompanied by small but wonderfully curated wine list with many wines available by the glass. While their premium steaks and chops are the main draw, try some of the local specialties such as Aruban stew called Carni Stoba with beef, olives, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions and cilantro. Leave some space for their wonderful dessert selection.
J.E. Irausquin Blvd 55, 000000, Aruba, Phone: +297-582-3444
The Kitchen Table by White
Located at Blue Residences along Eagle Beach in Aruba, The Kitchen Table by White is a private, exclusive gourmet experience offered by Aruban Chef Urvin Croes. There are only 16 comfortable seats around a semi-circular table. The guests sit at the same time and watch chef and his team prepare, plate and serve seven or eight-course dinner featuring Aruban-Caribbean specialties. Wine pairing is optional but guests can choose wine from the restaurant’s extensive collection. It is a unique opportunity to learn more about Aruban cuisine prepared by a renowned chef, in a magnificent setting overlooking the beautiful Eagle Beach. Reservations are a must.
J.E. Irausquin Blvd 266, Oranjestad, Aruba, Phone: +297-528-7015
The Restaurant at Tierra del Sol
The Restaurant at Tierra del Sol and Golf gated community has been one of the most popular upscale dining options in Aruba for the last 20 years. It is the place where both locals and tourists come to celebrate a special occasion, have a romantic dinner or entertain business associates. Elegant but relaxed décor and the view of the island’s rugged north coast create wonderful background for exceptional meals prepared using the best possible fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. The menu is a great fusion of local and international cuisine, with something for everyone, cooked to perfection and plated as pieces of art. During the day, bars and lounge offer small bites and original cocktails.
Caya di Solo 10, Malmok, Noord, Aruba, Phone: +297-586-7800
Wilhelmina Restaurant
Wilhelmina Restaurant is an upscale restaurant located in downtown Oranjestad with a pleasant view over the B.J. Arends City Park, only minutes away from the Renaissance hotel. The restaurant has a beautiful elegant Old World dining room and bright, lively outdoor space in the walled garden full of greenery. Chef Dennis van Daatselaar uses high-quality ingredients from around the world to prepare an ” a la Carte” menu of creative plates that include fresh seafood, the best Certified Black Angus steaks and homemade fresh pasta. The well-curated wine list has something for every budget without sacrificing quality. Wilhelmina restaurant is fairly small and very popular, so reservations are highly recommended.
lokaal 2, Wilhelminastraat 74, Oranjestad, Aruba, Phone: +297-583-0445
Yemanja Woodfire Grill
Yemanja Woodfire Grill Restaurant is located behind the Renaissance hotel in Oranjestad and has been one of Aruba's most popular restaurants for many years. The spacious restaurant is rustic and cozy, cool and airconditioned, perfect for a romantic dinner for two or a large group celebrating a special event. The restaurant’s cozy terrace, lit by torches and surrounded by palm trees, is a romantic, private oasis. Chef Joyce de Cuba - Hüsken, originally from Amersfoort, the Netherlands, is behind the fire at Yemanja Wood Fired Grill, offering unique fusion of Caribbean flavor and European style. Beside her regular menu there are daily specials that depend on seasonal ingredients and fresh catch.
Wilhelminastraat 2, Oranjestad, Aruba, Phone: +297-588-4711
