Bonaire Vacation::: Restaurants & Cuisine

So, what's there to eat on an island populated by middle-aged Dutch folk, generations of Papiamentu-speaking Antilleans, and a large handful of South American natives? You might be surprised. As opposed to this mighty generalization about the people who inhabit the island of Bonaire, one thing is for sure, they've all got a solid appetite for good food.

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The local fare that is advertised with a sign saying: Aki ta Bende Kuminda Krioyo, or "local food sold here". Inside there will be a selection of sopi (soups), stoba (stews) and food that is hasa (fried). The main dish will be served with rice, potato or funchi (cooked cornmeal).  Many people order it mitar mitar, which is half-and-half, with rice and potato or funchi.  Another treat is to ask for the pika siboyo, a sauce made with onions marinated in vinegar and hot peppers. The local food is not made with hot spices, so if you're after some heat, the pika siboyo will give it to you. Overall, the portions tend to be huge, tasty, and make it totally worth navigating the Papiamentu menu.

Read this extensive article on Bonaire's local food for further reading.

(The local BBQ also deserves a shout-out. Bobbejan's BBQ is a fantastic hole-in-the-wall bistro of sorts that served only carry-away BBQ until Bobbejan fixed up his courtyard with a few tables. It's in Kralendijk and open Fri. - Sun. nights )

The exciting thing about exploring food offerings on Bonaire is the number of niches that have been filled. One can find Italian, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Dutch, French, Colombian, Lebanese, Peruvian, Argentinian, and American, to name a few.

For example:

The Cantonese Restaurant “China Nobo” makes all their food to order. Now, a lot of eating establishments boast this offering, but Mr and Mrs Chan follow through with the real thing. No vegetable is pre-chopped. And if you're looking for a deal, their take-away lunch menu is very filling and very economical (it's hard to beat $4 a pop).
Kaya A.A. Emerenciana 4
717-8981

“Bistro de Paris” (see image to right) is the only authentic French restaurant in the ABC Islands; everything is made in house, from the croissants to the soups. Start with the escargot and end with the crème brulée. For lunch, they have a selection of open-faced sandwiches, paninis and salads.
Kaya Gob. N Debrot #46
717-7070

For Peruvian, check out “Plazita Limeña”. It's a family-run restaurant known for excellent seafood dishes, especially their cerviche.
Kaya Grandi 6
717-7667 

Local food can be found at:

El Fogon Latino: garlic shrimp and local fish with delicious sauces. Cheap too!
Kaya Nikiboko Zuid 88
717-2677

Maiky Snack: off the beaten track, the trek makes the goat stew and fried plantains even better.
Kaminda Nieuw Amsterdam 30
786-0086 or 09-567-0078

Mi Banana: appropriately yellow interior, fresh fish prepared Colombian style and vegetarian options. Inexpensive.
Kaya Nikiboko Noord 42C
717-4472

Rose Inn: known for its "cold beer" (see image!) and great Bonairian cuisine with a coconut twist on their home-made funchi. Check for funky hours.
Rincon
717-6420

Author S.J Rendall - Travel writer.