There are a lot of great restaurants in Aruba! From cheap eats to fine dining restaurants, you will find something delicious at any time of day. For the best food and drinks in Aruba, visit the places below.
Island Grind Coffee
There are three Island Grind shops – we went to the one in Noord. This is a tiny coffee shop on the side of the road that you can drive through or walk up to a window. There were a lot of cars in line when we were there, but we parked and walked up the window instead. It’s your typical cafe with coffee and other breakfast items such as muffins and sandwiches.
We ordered frozen coffees for everyone, and they were amazing! I was expecting bland, but they were really sweet and tasty. I wish we had noticed this place sooner so we could have gone more than once.
Like everywhere else on the island, the straws are paper, so they get flimsy quickly if you don’t take the straw out between sips or drink fast.
The Dutch Pancake Restaurant
This is my favorite restaurant in possibly the whole world. It’s located at the back of the plaza in Oranjestad off Lloyd G. Smith Blvd. They make incredible and aesthetic Dutch pancakes, and they also offer eggs, toast, potatoes, and fruit. You have to get a pancake to really experience it, though! My favorite is the Chocolate Delight, which is a pancake slathered in Nutella and topped with fruit and powdered sugar. Nutella is a common Dutch delicacy for desserts in Aruba, and I am totally OK with that (*insert drooling emoji).
Don’t let the long line deter you if you go during prime breakfast hours. You can’t make reservations, but they move quickly, and the wait is completely worth it.
Indo
This is a small Indonesian restaurant in Noord. We went here with a large group the first night we arrived in Aruba in 2021 and were exhausted from traveling. I remember eating chicken and rice and that they had vegetarian options. I also wished we had ordered more plantains because they were delicious. Otherwise, I don’t remember much about the food except that it was really good!
The owner came out and talked with us, and he was incredibly friendly and accommodating. If you want to support a small business while traveling to Aruba, definitely check out Indo on Route 3.
Eduardo’s Beach Shack
Eduardo’s is a MUST when you visit Aruba. It has two locations, but the one on Palm Beach by the hotels just captures the whole island vibe. We would get there by parking in the lot next to the Holiday Inn, walking through the lobby, and heading left on the sidewalk. We just walked along the path until we got there, so I’m not sure which hotel it is closest to. They have amazing smoothies, juices, acai bowls, bowls of fruit, and food like avocado toast, vegan tacos, poke bowls, etc. It’s also a super aesthetic place with a cute fake swing to take pictures on.
Check out their Instagram to get a good feel for the shack.
Watch for the birds and lizards – they’ll eat your scraps right out of your hand if you let them!
Lola Taqueria
This is a cute taco place within walking distance from the hotels. Although the focus is tacos, the restaurant offers healthy bowls and bean burgers, too. We usually go here at least twice every time we visit, especially on Taco Tuesday, when certain tacos are $1. Warning: Taco Tuesday is a busy night, and you have to get there early. I sometimes crave a taco or bowl from this place, but I don’t think I could ever recreate it (so I book a flight to Aruba instead).
Pofferdorie
This is a fun little food truck by the hotels at the end of the strip. Poffertjes are little puffs of pancakes that serve as a great dessert after eating dinner at one of the restaurants on the street. They have a lot of different flavors, so you can decide which one sounds best to you. I’ve had caramel apple, bourbon, and, of course, Nutella! All are good and go down easy, lol. You get 10 per order, so they’re easy to share if you don’t want to eat them all yourself. You have to try them at least once — then you will probably be back for more!