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 Avalon
Sophisticated and fun, with bold colors and designs and a menu to match. Try the Sushi Samba (traditional Japanese sushi touched with a South American accent) accompanied by one of the restaurant's specialty martinis. A personal favorite is the island-inspired Blue: a smooth concoction of gin, Blue Curacao and lemon juice.
Blues
Dine on a pier jutting out into the Atlantic at the Avila Beach Hotel, enjoying jazz and creative, innovative food such as blue mussels cooked in wine sauce with shallots and herbs. Or stay on land at the hotel's Belle Terrace. Wednesday is Antillean Night featuring a live steel band or mariachi music and such Curaçao classics as keshi yena: minced chicken mixed with olives, capers, pimentos and raisins and stuffed between layers of Gouda cheese.
 Jaanchie's Restaurant
In Westpunt, a small village nestled atop volcanic rock pounded by the surf, Jaanchi Christiaan runs the restaurant his father started in 1936. Here he serves what some say is the island specialty—iguana. Additional dining options may have more appeal such as freshly caught fish, shrimp and conch, chicken and funchi (polenta).
Jaipur Indian Restaurant
Enjoy succulent dishes from the tandoor oven as well as other Indian foods while dining outside in the beautiful courtyard, part of the Kurá Hulanda Hotel. The sweet smelling blossoms and the sounds of the nearby waterfall are part of the charm.
 La Pergola
The vista is so dazzling from the dining room that on a clear day you can see Venezuela, but homemade pasta is on the menu every day. Order early to get the Caribbean pumpkin stuffed ravioli or gnocchi with mushrooms in a cream sauce, both specialties of the house and worth those extra calories.
Landhuis Daniel
An exotic fusion of French-Mediterranean and nouvelle Creole flavors using foods from the island or the surrounding seas. All in a beautiful Dutch Colonial plantation house, an architectural style dating back centuries.
 Restaurant & Café Gouverneur de Rouville
A French-style bistro offering stunning views across the bay to the candy-colored downtown of Willemstad, as well as time-honored Curaçao dishes like Karni Stoba (beef stew) and trendy items such as goat cheese with honey and nuts in puff pastry.
Restaurant Fort Nassau
Dating back to 1796, this fortress-turned-restaurant once feted Queen Beatrix and Crown Prince Claus of the Netherlands. A fantastic wine list and an international cooking style with a Caribbean touch make it the perfect fine dining experience.
 Restaurant Rijsttafel Indonesia
Rijsttafel or rice table is part of Curaçao's rich culinary heritage via Indonesia, which was also colonized by the Dutch. An oblong metal container is placed upon a table; its inside contains lit candles that heat the surface. Satays, kabobs and other meats are set on top of the metal, and sauces and bowls of rice are served on the side. Magnificent.
Tasca Don Francisco
Paella—the classic rice and seafood dish of Spain—as well as other absolutely fresh seafood offerings are what make this family owned restaurant so great. Yearn for an all-American steak? No problem, it's also on the menu.
For more delicious dining options, use our Dining & Nightlife Guide.
Crème de la Crème
What's cooking in Curaçao? Ask Hans van Triest. The executive chef of Sjalotte Restaurant at the Floris Suite Hotel returned from Miami recently with the Chef of the Year award from the Taste of the Caribbean competition. His chef de partie, Loucine Pastoor-Brooks, also came home with a gold medal.
The regional contest is among 16 culinary teams from around the Caribbean. It's a three-day highlight of the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference, sponsored by the Caribbean Hotel Association.
The annual celebration of the best in Caribbean cuisine is "a live showcase of the diverse culinary skills and styles of the region," says Rick Crossland, chairman of the contest's governing committee.
Curaçao's big win was its first. In addition to Curaçao, teams in 2006 came from Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Grenada, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten/Martin, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Although van Triest was voted the Caribbean's best chef, other Curaçaoans were winners too. Stephan Brallet of Kurá Hulanda won Curaçao Chef of the Year 2006 and Howard Sintjago of the Otrobanda Hotel netted silver in the bartending category.
"We were excited to watch our team compete against the top culinary contenders from the Caribbean," said CHATA President Paul Kok. "Winning the highest honors at Taste of the Caribbean makes our chefs and bartender role models for our younger generation and encourages us to continue to invest in our culinary talent on island."
In the qualifying rounds of competition, Team Curaçao nabbed its first gold medal with a 3-course meal prepared in a "live kitchen:"
- Starter - Team Curacao's dinner began with a "Carnival Parade of Conch:" a tangy salad with a tropical fruit salsa and yucca chips; stir-fry with cabbage and watercress, accompanied with a coriander pesto; and sopi slowly simmered with a touch of pika.
- Entrée - The main course, named "Flavours of Curaçao" featured stoba of pork, plantain and okra; pan-fried lamb and a savarin of ginger and nuts; sweet and sour pumpkin topped with a warm black bean salad; and a balchi di keshi.
- Dessert - The grand finale was "The One and Only Bolo Pretu;" a traditional curaçaoan bolo pretu with cocado, orange sherbet, and Angostura bitters, accompanied with a sate di anasa.
 Bistro Le Clochard
Rif Fort Unit 1
Tel: 462-5666
Fax: 462-6355
E-mail: clochard@attglobal.net
Website: www.bistroleclochard.com
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Located at the historical Rif Fortress, we treat your palate to such delicacies with a perfect combination of pure pleasure and romance. Swiss chefs not only create exquisite French and international delicacies, but also some of the best dishes from their country. Bistro Le Clochard is one of the finest restaurants of the Caribbean.
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 Restaurant & Café Gouverneur de Rouville
De Rouvilleweg 9F, Curaçao, N.A.
Tel: 462-5700
Fax: 462-5757
E-mail: info@de-gouverneur.com
Website: www.de-gouverneur.com
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While you enjoy your lunch, dinner or just a drink, sea vessels pass by only a few feet away. De Gouverneur is at the Otrobanda waterfront, providing a magnificent view over the port entrance and Handelskade. Serving a rich variety of international and local dishes in a romantic ambience, with wonderful service.
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 Subway
Winston Churchillweg 173
Santa Maria
Tel: 868-0349
Lokaal E, Lindberghweg z/n
Tel: 461-8678
Schottegatweg Noord No. 6
Saliña
Tel: 461-8670
Unit # H-101, The Brionplein Shops
Otrobanda
Tel: 461-1661
Kaya Charles Maduro z/n
Brievengat
Tel: 736-1156
Website: www.subway.com
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Come and enjoy a Fresh, Healthy Subway Meal at one of our 5 locations on the island.
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 The Waterfront Terrace
Waterfort Boogjes
Punda, Curacao
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Great Seaview Dining and Fun at three spectacular restaurants:
Scampi's Restaurant
Open 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Tel: 465-0769
La Pergola - Ristorante Italiano
Open 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Tel: 461-3482
The Grillking - Family Steakhouse and Seafood
Open 8 a.m.-12 a.m.
Tel: 461-6870
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On a soft starry night, we sit outside on what used to be the ramparts of a fort, built in 1828 to protect the historic Otrobanda on St. Anna Bay in Willemstad, and is now Bistro Le Clochard. We feast on La Potence, one of the specialties of the house: tender beef skewered on a spiked ball, its design based on a Medieval weapon. The heated metal cooks the meat, sending rich juices into the plate of rice below. The dish has Swiss origins and reflects the culinary diversity of Curaçao, a centuries old port where travelers from around the world brought their food traditions with them. The flavors of Curaçao's past are reflected in the myriad of marvelous restaurants here today.
