After exploring around the island, we liked to end our day with a delicious dinner. We found that most of our favorite dinners ended up being in Willemstad.
By the time we sat down for dinner, I was already thinking about what we were ordering and whether we accidentally needed two appetizers (we did).
It helped that we already had reservations and had our spots picked out ahead of time, because these are popular restaurants and fill up fast. Renting a car also made it easy since we could go where we wanted and weren’t stuck in one spot on the island—I usually find the best deals with Discover Cars.
If you want a full day in Willemstad, check out my blog Willemstad Walking Guide: What to See, Do, and Eat—it makes it easier to picture where you’ll actually be throughout the day.
We sat down here already hungry (as I usually am), ordered a mix of dishes to share, and everything that came out just worked.
MosaCaña Bar & Kitchen ended up being my favorite dinner of the entire trip. The menu is creative, and every plate felt like it belonged together.
This is the one I would go back to first without even thinking about it. If you’re picking one dinner in Willemstad, this is the easiest decision.
If you want more details on what we ordered, see my full review of MosaCaña Curaçao Review (Dinner + Atmosphere).
We went here for dinner wanting something a little nicer, and it felt like a step up right away—from the space to how everything came out.
Kome is more of a fine dining spot, but it doesn’t feel formal or uncomfortable, and the space has a more artsy feel to it. The menu changes frequently, which I liked, and everything we ordered had a lot of flavor and came out looking polished without feeling over the top.
This is a good option if you want a nicer dinner that still feels easy to sit down and enjoy, casual dining meets creative food.
The drive up here sets the tone—you’re heading uphill, away from the city, and then suddenly you’re looking out over all of Willemstad.
Fort Nassau is where you go for the view. It overlooks the city, and once you’re seated, it’s hard not to keep looking out instead of at your plate.
The food was really good, but the setting is what makes this one stand out. The dishes and drinks felt a little more playful (I stuck with mocktails), and it’s one of those dinners that feels more like an experience than just a meal.
It’s a short taxi or drive from Willemstad, which makes it easy to work into your plans without rearranging your whole day.
If you’re planning this as a sunset dinner make sure to get reservations in advance.
We ended up here wanting something different from a traditional sit-down dinner, and the format makes that easy.
SOi95 leans into Asian-inspired dishes with a shared dining setup, so everything comes out in smaller portions. It gives you room to try a few things without committing to one main (which I always prefer because I want to try everything).
Everything we ordered had a lot of flavor and came out looking just as good as it tasted. This feels more like a fun night out than a standard dinner reservation.
After getting into town, checking in, and walking around a bit, this is the kind of place that works without requiring any planning.
De Gouverneur sits right in the middle of everything, which makes it easy to find when you’re still figuring out the layout of the city.
It’s a solid, straightforward dinner option that doesn’t require a reservation strategy (although I am type A so I did have a reservation)—just a good place to land on your first night.
These came up constantly while planning and researching, and they’re the ones I’d prioritize next time.
Rozendaels Original Cuisine focuses on Caribbean flavors with a more elevated approach. This would be a good option if you want something a little more traditional but still refined.
The Wine Cellar leans into classic fine dining with a strong wine focus. This feels like more of a date-night dinner.
Ginger blends Caribbean and Asian flavors. If you liked the idea of SOi95, this looks like a similar direction with a different take.
BijBlauw sits right along the water. This would be a good option for lunch or dinner if you want something scenic without it feeling too formal.
Plein Café Wilhelmina felt limited in options (for breakfast), and there are better places nearby that are more worth your time.
If you’re planning breakfast in Willemstad, I’d look elsewhere.
Dinner ended up being the main event each day, so this is how I’d structure it based on what we did.
One night at MosaCaña or Kome gives you a strong starting point for dinner. Adding Fort Nassau as your one “experience” dinner brings in something different with the view and setting.
Breakfast in Willemstad didn’t feel as strong overall, so grabbing something quick nearby or planning a bigger breakfast elsewhere on the island worked better for us.
If you want more ideas outside the city, check out my guide on Best Restaurants in Curaçao (Where to Eat + What to Order).
Save this for later on Pinterest so you don’t forget it.
Willemstad ended up being one of the best areas to eat on the island. The variety is there, the quality is there, and once you have a plan, it takes the guesswork out of deciding where to go at the end of the day.
If you’re figuring out where to stay nearby, you can find hotels in the area here—it helps to be close enough to walk or take a quick taxi to dinner.
And if you want to see how this all fits into your trip, learn more in my post about Curaçao 7 Day Itinerary: How to Spend One Week in Curaçao.
Dubai is all skyline until you drive an hour into the dunes and it goes completely silent. Bab Al Shams was that shift for us: slower, quieter, more intentional than anything we did in the city.
If you want nightlife or walkable everything, this isn’t your stop. But if you want a night that feels like a reset, it delivers, polished service, food I’m still thinking about, and a setting that never tries too hard.
Full review (and whether it’s worth adding to your Dubai itinerary) is linked in bio. 🏜️
I flew @emirates economy to Dubai fully expecting to just survive the flight. We booked seats by the exit row — @bradplummer1 got the legroom (he’s 6’7”), I got a normal seat right next to him, and it saved us money over booking two extra-legroom seats. Smart trick if you’re traveling with someone who needs the extra space and you don’t.
The food alone earned this post. Warm chicken, a Waldorf salad that actually tasted fresh, real butter on the roll, and a breakfast spread that put most airport brunches to shame. Add in the twinkling-star cabin lighting once dinner wrapped, and it felt less like a flight and more like the trip had already started.
Not everything was perfect — the wifi didn’t work for me at all, so if you’re planning to get work done in the air, download what you need beforehand. But that was the only miss in an otherwise excellent long haul.
If you’ve got Emirates lounge access in Dubai, use it. Showers, buffets, quiet corners to nap it makes the layover feel like a reset instead of a slog.
Full review seats, food, lounge, and the wifi situation is on the blog. Link in bio. ✈️
CÉ LA VI Dubai review: is it worth the hype or just a pretty view with mid food? Verdict... worth it, but you have to order smart.
We went à la carte for lunch and worked through a good chunk of the menu. The braised beef bao buns are the move. Rich short rib, gochujang mayo, fried onions, order these no matter what else you get. The gem lettuce salad shocked me too, radicchio, candied pecans, edamame, ginger sesame dressing, huge portion, easily shareable.
Not everything landed. The wagyu gyoza was fine but skippable, and the salmon maki was pretty without much depth. Skip those if you’re trying to keep the order tight.
We got so full off starters we never even made it to our main (regret, but also priorities), so we went straight to the pineapple crème brûlée. Massive presentation, layers of pineapple compote and citrus cream under a perfectly cracked sugar top. One of the best desserts I had in Dubai, full stop.
This isn’t a budget lunch and it’s not trying to be. But between the Burj Khalifa views and food that actually backs it up, it earns the price tag if you order right.
Full breakdown of what to get (and what to skip) | link in bio.
📍 CÉ LA VI Dubai
Dry Tortugas is one of the most remote national parks in the country, and getting there is part of what makes it feel so special. No roads. No bridges. You get there by ferry, seaplane, or private boat and that’s it.✈️💙
We went by seaplane. The 35-minute flight over turquoise flats, shipwreck sites, and open ocean is part of the experience. I spotted sea turtles, sharks, and stingrays from the air.
Once you land on Garden Key, Fort Jefferson is the main event. Photos do not do the scale justice. Construction started in 1846 to protect Gulf shipping routes, and during the Civil War it served as a military prison. The views from the upper levels are some of the best in the park.
We did the half-day tour. That was a mistake. Two and a half hours is not enough time once you factor in the fort, snorkeling the old pylons, beach time, and that quiet window before the ferry arrives with 150+ people. I am going back and booking the full day.
Everything you need to know before you go | link in bio 🌊
#drytortugas #keywest #nationalparks #floridatravel #keywestflorida
The Marquesa Hotel was everything I wanted from an Old Town Key West hotel and quieter than I expected.
It’s tucked into a historic 1884 property on Fleming Street, close enough to walk to Duval Street, Mallory Square, and most of what makes Key West worth visiting, but removed enough that coming back to the property actually felt like a reset. Three separate courtyard pools instead of one big resort pool. An adults-only atmosphere that changes how the whole place feels. And Café Marquesa right downstairs, which ended up being my favorite meal of the entire trip.
It’s not a beachfront resort. There’s no big pool scene, no kids running around, no direct water views. That’s exactly the point and the tradeoff works really well if you want Old Town walkability with a quieter, more boutique feel.
The hotel earned a Michelin 2 Key designation in 2025, which made sense the moment I arrived. Polished without being stiff.
Full review with rooms, pools, what’s included in the amenity fee, and who I’d recommend it for | link in bio 🌴
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