Must-see restaurants in Santo Domingo

  • Pat’e Palo

    Santo Domingo

    The most happening and deservedly longest-surviving of Plaza España’s restaurant row, Pat’e Palo is for anyone tired of the same old bland pasta and…

  • Samurai

    Santo Domingo

    One of the best Japanese restaurants in the city, with yakinuku-style tables (grill the meat and seafood at your table), a sushi bar and a large dining…

  • Lulú Tasting Bar

    Santo Domingo

    Class it up at Lulú, a stylish Zona Colonial tapas bar that lures a fabulous after-work crowd looking to unwind over cigars and cocktails and nibble on…

  • Buche Perico

    Santo Domingo

    One of the city's more spectacular dining rooms, with light streaming through the greenhouse-like ceiling several stories above and a flowering vine…

  • Trattoria Angiolino

    Santo Domingo

    Small and casually sophisticated, this old-school family-owned trattoria serves up delicious and large portions of pasta including pappardelle ragout,…

  • Maison Kreyol Restaurant

    Santo Domingo

    The simple, bare bones dining room belies the quality of the cooking here in delicious dishes such as grilled spicy goat, a whole snapper and okra…

  • Il Cappuccino

    Santo Domingo

    You might leave this oasis of comfort and sophistication (on an otherwise gritty stretch) feeling envious of the regulars who are welcomed like family. It…

  • Mesón D’Bari

    Santo Domingo

    A Zona Colonial institution popular with tourists and sophisticated capitaleños (Santo Domingo residents) on weekends, Mesón D’Bari occupies a charmingly…

  • D’Luis Parrillada

    Santo Domingo

    This casual, open-air restaurant perched over the ocean (and unfortunately the oft-polluted Playa Montesinos) just a few blocks from the Zona Colonial is…

  • Hermanos Villar

    Santo Domingo

    Occupying almost an entire city block, Hermanos Villar has two parts: the bustling diner serving classic Dominican cafeteria food such as rice and beans…

  • Mecenas Café

    Santo Domingo

    In tranquil Parque Mirador del Sur, this cafe and culture center beckons artsy Dominicans and travelers in the know. The menu is all over the globe, with…

  • El Conuco

    Santo Domingo

    Unashamedly touristy, El Conuco is stereotypically Dominican in the same way the Hard Rock Cafe is authentically American. Nevertheless, Dominicans as…

  • Jalao

    Santo Domingo

    A towering and cavernous restaurant brimming with Dominican style, Jalao is over-the-top theme park touristy but attracts local crowds, too. The walls and…

  • Mesón D' Bari

    Santo Domingo

    The new and fashionable outpost of one of the Zona Colonial's most popular places for traditional Dominican fare such as crab-meat empanadas, stewed conch…

  • Adrian Tropical

    Santo Domingo

    This popular family-friendly chain occupies a spectacular location overlooking the Caribbean. Waiters scurry throughout the two floors and outdoor dining…

  • Fresh Fresh Café

    Santo Domingo

    Get back on the healthy straight and narrow at this palette cleanser of a cafe with a loungey outdoor seating area with hammocks and outlets good for…

  • Mitre Restaurant & Wine Bar

    Santo Domingo

    This sleek restaurant, located in a nondescript building in an upscale business and residential district, serves a creative and ecletic fusion of Asian,…

  • La Bricola

    Santo Domingo

    From the candlelit open-air patio to the soft melodic piano, La Bricola embodies romance – a meal here is the perfect place to pop the question. Set in a…

  • Monte Andentro

    Santo Domingo

    Ensconced in the hip courtyard of a gorgeous 16th-century edifice, Monte Andentro triples as an erstwhile design store and cocktail lounge. The atmosphere…

  • Maniqui Restaurant & Lounge

    Santo Domingo

    Decked out like a burlesque club, this lavishly and curiously decorated space, seemingly inspired by modeling, is in the middle of the Plaza de la Cultura…

  • El Mesón de la Cava

    Santo Domingo

    This is where Batman would take a date – this craggy stalactite-filled limestone cave is home to a long-running unique and romantic restaurant. Formally…

  • Paletas Bajo Cero

    Santo Domingo

    The display of popsicles at this small shop is nearly as aesthetically pleasing as appetizing, when fully arrayed (that is, just after the shop opens) in…

  • Barra Payán

    Santo Domingo

    Capitaleños have been lining up for this fast-food joint's signature delicious pork sandwich (as well as burgers) before and after late nights out since…

  • El Patio Culinario

    Santo Domingo

    Only in the Zona Colonial could you have food trucks set up in a Dominican version of an outdoor food hall surrounded by buildings dating to the era of…

  • Tres Cerditos

    Santo Domingo

    On a raised platform at the eastern end of the Malecón, this chicharronera (fried pork eatery) is from the people behind D'Luis Parrillada across the…

  • Pizza Colonial

    Santo Domingo

    Sophisticated and stylish, with oversized framed poster reproductions of European Renaissance paintings decorating the triple-height ceilings, Pizza…

  • La Cocina de Cheska

    Santo Domingo

    You might stick out at this locals-only spot with tables on the Parque Arturo Pellerano Castro, a charming cobblestone plaza at the southeastern tip of…

  • Falafel

    Santo Domingo

    This restaurant’s stunning, open-air dining room is the courtyard of a ruined building lit by shimmering candles, which makes it at least as good a place…

  • Café SBG

    Santo Domingo

    You might not be in the DR to eat in an upscale mall. But best to get over it. This European-style brasserie with a stylish outdoor terrace is one of…

  • Sicily's Empanadas

    Santo Domingo

    Good, cheap meals to take on-the-go are rare in the Zona Colonial. This is one of the best with a selection of more than a dozen varieties of empanadas,…

  • La Cafetera Colonial

    Santo Domingo

    Once a well-known hangout for artists, intellectuals and journalists, this long and narrow greasy spoon opened in 1932 and still caters to a regular…

  • Mijas Restaurante

    Santo Domingo

    Upscale and trendy Spanish restaurant serving some of the best tapas in the city. Live music Saturday nights.

  • Manolo

    Santo Domingo

    Owned by Hotel Riazor next door, Manolo has an indoor dining room and an elevated outdoor terrace that is great for a leisurely meal or drink. However,…

  • Kogi Grill

    Santo Domingo

    The mod design of colored mirror tiles and the informal vibe match the somewhat playful menu. Groups can choose to grill at their table, but regardless of…

  • Ananda

    Santo Domingo

    Vegetarians will want to try out this long-running cafeteria-style restaurant and yoga center (beginner hatha classes 6pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursday)…

  • Cafe Affogato

    Santo Domingo

    Chintzy grandmotherly decor aside, this is a solid choice for filling breakfasts of wafffles or pancakes and lunches of sandwiches and salads or an…

  • Pizzarelli

    Santo Domingo

    A diminutive version of Pizza Hut, and a step up in quality, Pizzarelli anchors a strategic Zona Colonial intersection. Personal pizzas (from RD$295 to RD…

  • La Cadena

    Santo Domingo

    In Gazcue, La Cadena is within walking distance of hotels in the neighborhood and carries produce, meats and everything you should need.

  • Supermercado Nacional

    Santo Domingo

    The largest grocery store in the Zona Colonial – this is the place to load up on cheap water, soda, alcohol and juice.

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