If you’re trying to figure out the best restaurants in Curaçao, this ended up being one of the easiest parts of planning—and one of the highlights of the trip.
I didn’t expect the food to be this good, but it ended up being one of my favorite things about the island.
You get a mix of:
This guide is exactly where I ate, what stood out, what I’d go back to—and what I wouldn’t.
If you’re planning your trip overall, check out my full Curaçao Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors to map everything out alongside your meals.
Before getting into specific spots, a few things that made a difference:
We drove all over the island, and trying to bounce between far-apart restaurants would’ve gotten old fast.
Renting a car makes this much easier—this is what we used to get around the island and it gave us full flexibility for beach hopping and meals.
Hofi Cas Cora was my favorite breakfast of the trip.
It’s set on a farm, and everything feels fresh. The food was really good, and the setting makes it feel like more of an experience than just grabbing breakfast.
If you only do one breakfast, I’d pick this.
This one is set in a garden with shaded seating tucked into greenery.
It feels calm and a little hidden, and the whole setup makes it easy to slow down for a bit. The food was great, but the setting is what stands out.
If you want more details, see my full review of Number Ten Curaçao (what to order + what it’s like).
We stopped here on a morning we were already near Jan Thiel, and it worked perfectly.
Good food, cute setup, and easy to fit into your morning before heading out for the day.
This was my favorite lunch.
It’s quick, fresh, and different from most of the heavier food you’ll be eating on the island. We liked it so much we went twice.
If you’re bouncing between beaches and want something lighter, this is a solid stop.
You’re sitting on a cliff overlooking the ocean while people are jumping into the water right next to you.
That’s the main draw here—and it’s worth it.
The food is local and simple, but the experience is what makes this one memorable. It’s the kind of place you plan your route around.
You can also pair this with nearby beaches—check out my Best Beaches in Curaçao (with Map + Tips) to plan that out.
This is an open-air restaurant with a relaxed setup—nothing fancy.
It’s the kind of place where you sit for a bit, take a break from driving, and try something more traditional. The food leans local, which made it a good change from typical beach lunches.
This was the best meal of the trip.
Everything—from the food to the overall experience—was just done well. This is the one I’d prioritize if you’re deciding where to go for dinner.
Make a reservation.
The menu rotates, so it keeps things interesting.
Everything we had was good, and the space feels more like a planned dinner than something casual. It leans more toward a fine dining experience, but it still feels approachable.
You’re going here for the view.
It sits up above Willemstad, and you get a full overlook of the city—especially at sunset when everything starts lighting up.
The food was good, and I’d recommend trying the cocktails (I went with mocktails), but the view is what makes this one worth planning around.
This is an Asian-influenced restaurant with a shared dining concept.
You’re ordering multiple small plates and sharing everything, which makes it easy to try a lot in one meal. Everything we had was full of flavor and well presented.
It felt more like a fun night out than a traditional dinner.
Right by the water near the bridge in Willemstad.
This is one of those easy dinner spots when you’re already exploring the area. Good mix of food and location, and it fits well into a Willemstad evening.
This is your splurge dinner.
You’re dining right on the beach, and everything feels elevated—from the setting to the service. It’s more of a full experience than just going out to eat.
If you’re deciding if it’s worth it, learn more in my post about Baoase Luxury Resort Curaçao Review.
We went here for breakfast, and it just wasn’t our favorite.
The food felt bland, and there weren’t many options we were excited about. I mostly ended up just eating bread (which I love but is not ideal with a full day of activities).
With so many better spots on the island, this is one I’d skip.
We stopped here because it worked for where we were that day.
The food was fine, but nothing stood out. If it’s convenient, it works—but I wouldn’t go out of your way for it.
The biggest thing that helped was grouping restaurants by area.
You don’t want to finish a beach day on the west side and then drive all the way back across the island for dinner unless it’s something you’re set on.
A simple approach:
It keeps things simple and avoids unnecessary driving.
Pin this for later — it’ll make planning easier.
The food in Curaçao ended up being one of the highlights of the trip.
If I had to narrow it down:
That’s a solid starting point.
Make a few reservations, plan around your beach days, and you’ll be set.
If you’re still planning out your days, check out my Curaçao 7 Day Itinerary: How to Spend One Week in Curaçao so you can line everything up with where you’ll already be.
Haywood Smokehouse is the BBQ spot that ruins you for every other BBQ spot. Lean brisket so tender it doesn’t need the fat, fried pork ribs you won’t find anywhere else, and don’t sleep on the banana pudding for dessert.
Save this before your next Waynesville or Dillsboro trip 🍖🔥
Booked this Bryson City yurt for the ‘ber months and it’s already my top fall pick this year. 🍂
The Junaluska Yurt sleeps six but feels more like a stylish cabin than a yurt, two real queen bedrooms with actual doors, a full kitchen, and a private bathroom with a walk-in shower. Check-in is just a door code texted to your phone, no lobby, no waiting.
The real win is outside: wraparound porch, private fire pit, free firewood, a gas grill, and Smoky Mountain sunsets that stop you mid-sentence, picture all of that with October color on the ridgeline. Heads up, the last stretch in is a gravel road, so skip the low-profile rental, and there’s no restaurant onsite, you’re minutes from Bryson City, Dillsboro, and Sylva for dinner.
Two to three nights is the sweet spot. (We actually stayed in the dead of winter and it was still stunning, fall just takes it up a notch.) Full review linked in bio.
Italian food felt like the last thing I expected to find in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains... until I sat down at Ilda in Sylva.🍝
They call it Italian-Appalachian, and that’s not just a tagline. Homemade pasta, craft cocktails, local ingredients pulled straight from the mountains around it, this is the kind of meal that makes you forget you’re two hours from the nearest city. It’s cozy, it’s a little upscale, and it is not a walk-in kind of place, call ahead, because tables go fast on weekends.
It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. But if you’re already making the trip out to Sylva, this is the one reservation worth planning your day around.
Full write-up, including what to order, link in bio.
Booked my fall cabin before September even started, and I’m not sorry about it. 🍂
These are the stays that make you actually want the cold to hurry up fireplaces, mountain views, the kind of porch you don’t leave. Not every one of these is going to fit every trip, but if a cozy fall getaway is on your radar, this is the roundup to start with.
One of my favorite travel seasons is almost here, and I have zero chill about it. 🍁✈️
There’s just something about fall trips cooler air, apple orchards, that first flannel of the season, food that actually makes sense with the weather again. I’m already mentally packing for it before September even starts.
If fall is your favorite time to travel too, tell me where you’re headed... I’m taking notes for the list.
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
