Keshi yena, pastechi, funchi and where to eat like a local
Aruban cuisine is a mix of Caribbean, Dutch, Spanish, South American and African influences. Many visitors never get beyond the hotel restaurants, but local food is delicious, generous and often very affordable.
Dishes to try
- Keshi yena – Aruba's national dish: a round of Gouda or Edam cheese filled with spiced meat, olives and raisins, then baked
- Pastechi – Aruba's favourite snack: a fried pastry filled with cheese, beef, chicken or tuna, eaten at breakfast
- Funchi – a cornmeal side dish, similar to polenta, served with stews and fish
- Pan bati – a slightly sweet cornmeal pancake
- Stoba – a slow-cooked stew of goat, beef or fish
- Cala – crispy fritters made of black-eyed peas
- Bolo di cashupete – a festive cashew cake
Where to eat local food
- Zeerovers – fresh fish and shrimp by weight in Savaneta
- Gasparito – traditional Aruban dishes and local art
- The Old Cunucu House – Aruban cuisine in a historic country house
- Papiamento – Aruban fine dining in a historic house
- Rich's Arubian Dish – home-style Aruban cooking
- O'Niel Caribbean Kitchen – Caribbean soul food in San Nicolas
- Driftwood – local fish in Oranjestad
- Taste My Aruba – modern dishes with local ingredients
Snacks and food trucks
For pastechi, look for local snack bars such as Tia Rosa, Pastechi House and Welcome Snack. In the evening, food trucks (known locally as "truki") serve everything from barbecue to Mexican food, especially along Route 3 behind Palm Beach and in Oranjestad. Some stay open until late at night.
Read more
- Food festivals in Aruba – Restaurant Week and the Autentico culinary festival
- Dining tips
Good to know
- National dish: keshi yena
- Favourite snack: pastechi
- Budget tip: snack bars and food trucks
Opening hours, menus and prices change regularly, so check the restaurant's website or social media before you go.
See also: all restaurants in Aruba.
Last updated: September 2026.