Best Local Restaurants You Need to Try
Aruba’s capital Oranjestad is more than just a cruise ship stop and duty-free shopping. Hidden among its colorful Dutch colonial buildings is a genuinely excellent local food scene — one that most tourists completely miss in favor of resort restaurants.
Here are the spots worth going out of your way for.
Zeerovers Fish Shack
This is the most authentic dining experience on the island, full stop. Zeerovers (which means “sea robbers”) is a no-frills fish fry shack right on the water in the Savaneta fishing village, about 15 minutes from Oranjestad. Local fishermen bring in their catch daily, and the kitchen fries it up fresh — fish, shrimp, and the occasional catch of the day. You order by weight, grab a cold Balashi beer, and eat at a plastic table with half the island.
It is loud, chaotic, and absolutely delicious. Go for lunch.
Gasparito Restaurant
Set inside a cunucu house — a traditional Aruban countryside home — Gasparito has been serving authentic local cuisine since 1976. The menu features Aruban classics like keshi yena (a stuffed cheese dish slow-cooked with chicken or beef), pan bati (a slightly sweet cornmeal pancake), and fresh caught fish. The setting is warm and intimate, and the service is genuinely friendly.
This is the place to bring someone you want to impress.
The Old Cunucu House
Another beautifully restored traditional home turned restaurant, The Old Cunucu House serves Aruban and Caribbean dishes in a garden setting. The goat stew is legendary among locals, and the portions are enormous. Prices are very reasonable for the quality.
Wilhelmina Restaurant
Right in the heart of Oranjestad on the main square, Wilhelmina is a local institution. It is one of the few places on the island where you can sit on a proper terrace, watch Aruban life go by, and eat a solid local lunch without spending a fortune. The lunch specials rotate daily and always include fresh fish options.
Getting to these restaurants
None of these spots are walkable from the main resort areas — you’ll need a ride. A local driver can take you to Zeerovers and back for lunch, or do a dinner run to Gasparito in the evening. It’s worth it. The food at these places is a world away from the hotel buffet.