Restaurants in Haiti
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Épi d’Or
This Haitian take on the Subway-style sandwich outlet was taking Port-au-Prince by storm when we visited. As well as fantastic sandwiches, it also serves crepes, pizza and ‘MacEpi’ burgers, and there’s an inhouse patisserie, all in bright surroundings and with cool air-con. Pay first, then present your ticket to complete the order. Be prepared for lengthy lunchtime queues.
reviewed
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A
Fior di Latte
Fior di Latte is not particularly well signed (it’s next to the American Airlines office). This restaurant’s vine-covered canopy is a lovely place to take an extended lunch break. The menu is Italian, with great plates of pasta and pizza, and some really tasty quiches thrown in, too. Finishing a meal with a bowl of homemade ice cream is a must.
reviewed
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B
Papaye
‘Caribbean fusion’ aren’t words you expect to see written in a Haitian restaurant review, but Papaye carries off the idea with considerable aplomb, taking Creole dishes and jamming them up against Asian, European and other culinary influences. Somehow it works, and is worth repeated investigation.
reviewed
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C
Harry’s
A popular extended bar-resto, Harry’s is one for the nightbirds. Pizzas are the thing, but there are sandwiches and a smattering of Creole dishes, too. It’s unconventionally cool, and when you’ve eaten, grab a beer and challenge the locals to a game of pool on one of the tables.
reviewed
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D
Presse Café
We like Presse Café for its casual bistro air. Decorated with old newspapers and photos of jazz heroes, it’s a great place for a relaxed snack and drink, and even better for its lunchtime buffet. On Thursday and Friday evenings there’s usually live music.
reviewed
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E
Mun Cheez
A long-established and popular 1st-floor fast-food joint with good food, overlooking the junction with Ave Pan Américaine. It’s a cheery spot; you can sit with a beer and burger and watch the world go by.
reviewed
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F
Quartier Latin
A newer restaurant that’s proving itself popular, Quartier Latin throws French, Italian and Spanish dishes into the mix, and serves up generous and tasty dishes as a result. There are a few tables outside around a tiny pool, and a generally relaxed ambiance – further exhibited by the encouragement of its diners to write reviews and other messages on the walls at the entrance.
reviewed
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G
Lakay
One of the busiest restaurants in Cap-Haïtien, and it’s not hard to see why. There are tables facing the seafront where you can enjoy a drink, otherwise you step inside to eat under bamboo thatch and load up on generous plates of Creole food, plus a few pizzas. The atmosphere is lively, and at weekends there are often bands (an admission charge of US$4 applies).
reviewed
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H
Boca Mocha
Expats call Boca Mocha the Haitian Starbucks, but it’s nicer than the epithet suggests. Coffee is the order of the day – we fell for the white-chocolate mochaccinos – but there are some refreshing smoothies and a suitably fortifying selection of sandwiches and cakes. There’s wi-fi, the art on the wall is for sale and the air-con is positively arctic.
reviewed
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I
Tiffany’s
This well-regarded restaurant in Bicentenaire has a cool, dark interior that attracts a slightly more well-heeled crowd, making this one of the few higher-end downtown restaurants to hold its own against the gravitational pull of the Pétionville dining scene. The French-influenced menu and good wine list are equally attractive draws here.
reviewed
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J
Akenssa Plaza Restaurant
This is a cheap and cheerful place in the town center, although busier during the day than in the evening, when beer tends to win out over food in the ordering stakes. All the Creole standards are here, such as griyo (pork) and lambi, piled high with rice and plantain. Pasta dishes and burgers cater to other tastes.
reviewed
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K
Arc-en-Ciel
This is a decent no-frills sort of a place, serving up healthily large portions of Creole standards. Along with platters of griyo (pork), plantain and the like, there’s good jerked chicken and a dash of American fast food. Later in the evening, diners compete with dancers as the music and atmosphere crank up a pitch.
reviewed
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L
Anba Tonel
Most people hit Pétionville’s restaurants for an alternative to Creole cuisine, but Anba Tonel may be the place to change minds. Kibby (fried stuffed meatballs) is the highlight here, along with the winning (and unlikely) lambi (conch) kebabs. It’s all served amid wonderfully kitsch decor, quite unmissable.
reviewed
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M
Chez Yvane
It looks like a bright American diner, but Creole is the order of the day here. It’s good, too, going beyond plat complet (complete menu; consisting of rice and beans, salad, plantains and meat of your choice) for some interesting stews and soups. Also known locally as Chaffeur Gide.
reviewed
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N
Magdoos
The best place in Pétionville for Lebanese food, Magdoos also doubles as one of the places to be seen: check out the young, beautiful and rich here every Friday night. While you’re at it, enjoy the spread of Middle Eastern mezze, kebabs, and the Arabic music on Friday and Saturday evenings.
reviewed
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O
Le Buffet Resto-Bar
Le Buffet is a hole-in-the-wall place serving simple but satisfying Creole dishes. Ask what’s available that day – usually chicken, griyo (pork) or kabrit (goat) with plantains, undoubtedly washed down with a cold Prestige and accompanied by a tomato and avocado salad.
reviewed
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P
La Crevette
This place has a long covered dining area that overlooks the wharf and sea, so you’ll be unsurprised to find seafood playing heavily on the menu. It’s particularly busy at weekends, when locals also come for the cocktails and the dance floor to get the party going.
reviewed
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Q
Café Terrasse
Enter this café on Rue Ducoste to the side of Le Plaza hotel. For such a small place it has a broad international menu, and there is a couple of dining options – in the upstairs salon or on the terrace café, designed for quick refueling. Good salads and crepes.
reviewed
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R
Chez Gerard
One of the places you dress up for, Chez Gerard is in a verdant covered garden hidden behind grand wooden doors. There are liveried waiters and dripping candles galore, and a Cordon Bleu menu of the highest order. If you want France in Haiti, look no further.
reviewed
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S
Eritaj Café
A great new seafood place on the main drag, the Eritaj has a shady courtyard with bright murals on the wall, a chilled atmosphere and a well-stocked bar. Locally caught fish is the order of the day, but there are some interesting pasta dishes also on offer.
reviewed
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T
Le Coin des Artistes
Come here if you’re after seafood. It’s an informal sort of an affair, with an open-air grill in its terraced garden. The catch of the day is cooked over coals and served with Creole accompaniments, tasty and highly enjoyable with a cold one from the bar.
reviewed
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U
La Pause
La Pause is a successful minichain, with branches on Delmas 32 and in Pétionville. Swift service and good value is what’s done – Creole, pastas and other international dishes fly over the counter to customers who’ll no doubt be back for a return visit.
reviewed
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V
Petit Coin Restaurant
A cozy little restaurant, with a hint of French bistro. Three tables on a tiny terrace allow you to catch the last of the day’s sun and people-spot, before retiring to the interior. The menu is Creole, with a couple of French dishes, all of it tasty.
reviewed
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W
Pain K-Det
Near Rue Veuve, this is a pleasant bar with a good line in sandwiches, ice cream and other snacks. It’s a popular hangout, especially on Friday when it has a happy hour between 7pm and 9pm, and blasts music out of the speakers on its terrace.
reviewed
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X
Croissant d’Or
This small bakery sells fresh baguettes, cakes and savory pastries. It always seems packed out and one visit will explain why – it’s the best bakery in town. Load up on sticky treats, or go for the quiche or pizza slices as filling snacks.
reviewed