Aruban Cuisine

Aruban cuisine mirrors the island's melting-pot culture, a hearty and flavourful blend of Dutch, indigenous, African, Latin American and wider Caribbean influences. A signature dish, shared across the ABC islands, is keshi yena, a comforting baked casserole or ball of spiced meat wrapped in cheese, a legacy of thrifty use of imported Dutch cheese. Other favourites include the savoury filled pastries known as pastechi, popular for breakfast, fresh Caribbean fish and seafood, the cornmeal staple funchi, hearty goat and beef stews, and Dutch touches like bitterballen. Fresh, hearty and diverse, it is best sampled at local snack trucks, markets and family restaurants.

What to look for

• Keshi yena - the baked spiced meat with cheese.
• Pastechi - the savoury filled breakfast pastries.
• The fresh fish and stews - the Caribbean seafood and goat stew.
• Funchi and pan bati - the cornmeal staple and griddle bread.

When to go

Year-round; local snack trucks, markets and family-run restaurants are the place to sample authentic Aruban dishes like keshi yena, pastechi and fresh fish, away from the international resort dining. Fresh Caribbean seafood is a highlight, and the island's diverse influences make for varied and satisfying eating.

Good to know

Much of Aruba's dining is international resort fare aimed at visitors, so tasting authentic local cooking means seeking out snack trucks, markets and family restaurants rather than the hotel strip, and the island imports much of its food, given its arid climate. As a hearty, characterful Caribbean melting-pot cuisine, though, from keshi yena and pastechi to fresh fish and funchi, reflecting the island's diverse heritage, authentic Aruban food is a satisfying and tasty discovery.

Nearby

Oranjestad's snack trucks, markets and local restaurants are the places to eat.