As you would expect on an island that's home to 40 nationalities, Aruba offers cuisine from around the globe. Chinese, Indonesian, French, Japanese, Argentinean, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Mediterranean, Dutch, and American food are all available. Fast-food outlets are plentiful, especially along the Oranjestad waterfront. (And don't laugh -- they can offer an interesting slice of Aruban life. We popped into McDonald's for an inexpensive breakfast one morning and, as in a small-town diner, eavesdropped on conversations over the Papiamento newspaper.)

But don't miss the Aruban dishes. Fried fish with funchi (cornmeal), stewed lamb with pan bati (pancake), and keshi yena (a hollowed wheel of Edam cheese filled with meat and baked to combine flavors) are popular local dishes.

Restaurant prices are for dinner per person, including an appetizer or a salad, an entrée, and a drink. All prices are given in US dollars.
$ under $15
$$ $15 to $30
$$$ $30 to $45
$$$$ over $45

L'Escale Restaurant
Aruba Sonesta Resort and Casino
Seaport Village, L.G. Smith Boulevard, #9, Oranjestad
297-8-36000
Dress Code: dressy
Reservations: recommended
$$$-$$$$
We think this is one of the most romantic restaurants in the Caribbean, thanks not only to its beautiful décor, harbor view, attentive staff, and excellent dishes, but also to its musical entertainment. Every night, from 8 to 10 pm, a Hungarian string quartet strolls through the eatery, taking requests from diners. We heard everything from Beatles to Brahms, all performed tableside under low romantic lighting by these outstanding musicians. Have them play your special song and re-live your first date.
If that's not enough for lovers, the menu presents plenty of additional reasons to visit L'Escale. Baked Caribbean grouper, calypso chicken stuffed with king crab, chateaubriand, and pasta with shellfish are presented in style. There is also a fairly extensive wine list, with many Chilean vintages and other choices to please any discerning palate.

The Old Cunucu House Restaurant
Palm Beach 150
297-8-61666
Dress code: elegant
Reservations: recommended
$$$-$$$$
Housed in a restored 80-year-old Aruban homestead, this well-known restaurant features local cuisine. Entrées include specialties such as an appetizer of Aruban mezze, cheese pastiche, or Aruban fish soup. Follow up with keshi yena, fresh conch, or seafood Palm Beach, a dish of lobster, fish, scallops, and squid in a cream sauce with wine, flamed with pernod. Open for dinner Monday through Saturday.

Charlie's Bar
Zepperfeldstraat 56, San Nicholas
297-8-71517
Dress Code: casual
Reservations: not needed
$$
Located in San Nicholas, about a 15-minute ride from downtown Oranjestad, lies Aruba's best known and loved bar. Charlie's is an institution known to generations of Caribbean travelers looking for a watering hole. Many visitors have left memorabilia -- from yacht flags to pieces of clothing -- on every available surface in the structure. After a drink, settle in for a meal of garlic shrimp.

Pavarotti
Palm Beach 21A
297-8-60644
Dress Code: dressy
Reservations: recommended
$$$
Operated by the same management as the Old Cunucu House, this Italian restaurant and American grill tempts diners with an extensive menu. Choose from Italian favorites such as pasta with clams, penne pasta with pink vodka sauce and shrimp and crab, or angel hair pasta with clams, scallops, calamari, shrimp, and octopus in marinara sauce. Grilled items include lamb chops, filet mignon, and T-bone. Open for dinner only, Monday through Saturday.

Le Petit Café
Emmastraat 1, Oranjestad
297-8-23166
Dress code: casually elegant
Reservations: optional
$$
Located on a busy corner off Oranjestad's main street, this indoor-outdoor eatery specializes in meat prepared on hot stones. Waiters bring the sizzling dish to your table.