What to Eat in Aruba

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• What else should the list cover? Desserts and pastriesNon-alcoholic drinksLocal alcohol

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1. Try keshi yena

   Aruba's undisputed national dish: a baked shell of melted Gouda or Edam stuffed with shredded spiced chicken, raisins, olives, capers, and peppers. Originating during slavery, it made clever use of hollowed-out cheese wheels packed with table scraps.

   Best ordered at traditional crioyo eateries across Oranjestad or Savaneta, accompanied by fried plantains and funchi.

2. Try pastechi

   The iconic Aruban breakfast snack: a crescent-shaped deep-fried turnover made of slightly sweet dough with a blistered crust. The gold standard is melted Gouda cheese (pastechi keshi), followed by seasoned beef, chicken, or tuna.

   Grab them from neighborhood sneks and roadside food trucks before 10 AM, as the freshest batches sell out early.

3. Try cabrito stoba

   Rich Aruban goat stew braised for hours with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic, cumin, and a splash of lime juice. The slow cooking turns the goat meat fall-apart tender while infusing the rich, velvety gravy.

   A weekday lunch staple served alongside yellow funchi polenta and pickled onions spiked with madame jeanette chilis.

4. Try funchi and funchi hasa cu keshi

   Aruba's foundational staple made from boiled cornmeal and butter, stirred until thick and sliced. Enjoy it soft alongside rich stews, or order 'funchi hasa cu keshi'—deep-fried cornmeal fries blanketed in melted Dutch cheese.

   Fried funchi fries with cheese are a beloved bar snack, perfect for dunking into hot pica sauce alongside a cold beer.

5. Try pan bati

   A fluffy, slightly sweet griddled flatbread whose Papiamento name means 'smashed bread'. Made from a batter of cornmeal, wheat flour, and milk cooked on a hot comal, it resembles a thick crepe with a spongy texture.

   Eaten instead of dinner rolls, pan bati is the ultimate tool for soaking up leftover crioyo sauces and stew gravies.

6. Try comcomber stoba

   A seasonal stew cooked with spiky West Indian gherkins (comcomber chiquito) and braised salted beef or pork tails. When stewed, these indigenous wild cucumbers lend a distinct, pleasantly tart tang to the savory broth.

   A true heritage dish found mostly in inland village canteens after rainy periods when wild gherkins flourish.

7. Try keri keri

   Flaked firm white fish (traditionally reef shark, wahoo, or mahi-mahi) boiled with aromatics and sauteed with sweet peppers, onions, celery, garlic, and yellow curry powder. Served mounded atop rice or pan bati.

   A bone-free local favorite, ideal for a light lunch at waterside shacks in fishing villages like Savaneta.

8. Try pisca hasa crioyo

   Pan-fried catch of the day (red snapper, grouper, or kingfish) crisped golden and drenched in a savory creole sauce made of simmered tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, onions, capers, and garlic.

   Head to open-air seaside docks in Savaneta where you choose your fish fresh off the boat by the pound.

9. Try calco stoba

   Tender conch stew simmered in a buttery tomato-wine sauce with garlic, onions, and bell peppers. Conch meat is naturally tough, so island cooks pound it thoroughly before slow braising to achieve a tender, squid-like bite.

   Due to Caribbean conch harvesting regulations, this is an occasional delicacy; order it immediately if written on the daily board.

10. Try sopi di pampuna

    Velvety Caribbean pumpkin soup made from calabaza squash stewed in savory broth, enriched with cream, a hint of nutmeg and cinnamon, and finished with salted cheese cubes melting at the bottom of the bowl.

    Often served as an appetizer during Sunday family dinners; check whether the stock base is vegetable or beef.

11. Try sopi mondongo

    Hearty, aromatic tripe soup brimming with cassava, sweet potatoes, plantains, and corn on the cob. Simmered painstakingly with herbs, celery, and lime, it is celebrated locally as the ultimate restorative weekend dish.

    Typically prepared on Saturdays and Sundays in neighborhood canteens; squeeze fresh lime over the broth before eating.

12. Try ayaca

    Seasoned cornmeal pocket stuffed with braised chicken and pork, raisins, prunes, olives, capers, and cashews, wrapped tightly in banana leaves and boiled. Adopted from Venezuelan hallacas, it is Aruba's defining holiday specialty.

    Ubiquitous during December holidays, though select traditional lunchrooms serve them year-round from freezer stock.

13. Try bitterballen

    Deep-fried Dutch beef gravy balls encased in a crunchy breadcrumb crust. The inside is piping hot, silky savory beef ragout, traditionally eaten dipped in sharp mustard.

    The premier bar bite across Aruba's pub scene; bite a small vent hole first to let steam escape before dipping.

14. Try bolo pretu Desserts and pastries

    A dense, deeply aromatic black fruit cake loaded with prunes, raisins, dates, and candied citrus peels soaked for months in rum, cherry liqueur, and brandy. Traditionally gifted in decorative boxes at Aruban weddings.

    Sold by the slice in local bakeries; because of its high alcohol content, it keeps well and makes a great edible souvenir.

15. Try pan boyo Desserts and pastries

    Traditional Aruban spiced bread pudding baked from stale bread soaked in sweetened condensed milk, eggs, dark rum, raisins, and cinnamon. Served warm with a caramelized top crust, often paired with vanilla ice cream.

    A comforting staple on Sunday lunch menus; ask for it warmed through so the rum aroma unfolds fully.

16. Try quesillo Desserts and pastries

    The island's rendition of caramel flan, distinguished by its firmer texture and small air pockets that hold pools of bitter-sweet caramel syrup. Made with eggs, condensed milk, and vanilla.

    Present on virtually every local dessert menu; order it chilled to conclude a heavy stew meal.

17. Try cocada Desserts and pastries

    Rustic coconut patties made by simmering freshly grated coconut meat with brown cane sugar, condensed milk, and spices until chewy. They range from creamy pale bites to dark molasses tablets.

    Found packaged in clear bags near supermarket checkouts and roadside fruit stalls around San Nicolas.

18. Try awa di lamunchi Non-alcoholic drinks

    Aruba's quintessential thirst quencher: freshly squeezed green key lime juice mixed with crystal-clear island water and raw cane sugar, poured over crushed ice.

    The standard accompaniment to pastechi at breakfast; look for homemade jugs on the counter rather than bottled syrup mixes.

19. Try awa di tamarijn Non-alcoholic drinks

    A refreshing sweet-and-tart infusion made from steeped brown tamarind pulp and raw sugar, served ice-cold. It has an earthy, tangy flavor that pairs naturally with spicy fried foods.

    Available at neighborhood 'batido' fruit shake vans and traditional lunch counters across Oranjestad.

20. Try fresh awa di coco Non-alcoholic drinks

    Chilled young green coconut water hacked open on the spot with a machete. Once you drink the electrolyte-packed water, the vendor splits the shell so you can scoop out the sweet, soft jelly flesh.

    Look for pickup trucks parked near Eagle Beach or on the southern drive toward Baby Beach.

21. Try Balashi beer Local alcohol

    Aruba's homegrown pilsner (5% ABV), brewed locally since 1999 using desalinated Caribbean seawater. The ultra-pure water creates a crisp, light-bodied lager with a delicate malt sweetness and dry hop finish.

    Order a bucket of cold 'chuchubi' (the affectionate nickname for Balashi bottles) right on the sand.

22. Try an Aruba Ariba cocktail Local alcohol

    Aruba's legendary signature cocktail, shaken since 1972. It blends vodka, white rum, fruit juices, and coecoei—a crimson indigenous liqueur made from wild agave sap, rum, and cane sugar.

    Ensure the bartender pours genuine local coecoei liqueur; without this red cactus base, it is not an authentic Aruba Ariba.

23. Try Palmera Rum Local alcohol

    Aruba's long-running domestic rum brand, blended and bottled on the island since 1965. Offerings range from oak-aged amber varieties meant for sipping to coconut-infused rums built for beach punches.

    Widely available at neighborhood grocery stores across the island at far lower prices than imported Caribbean labels.