top of page
  • Writer's pictureNaureen Chhipa

Where to Eat in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | My Favorite Restaurants

After eating at a handful of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic restaurants, we narrowed it down to the 4 best restaurants in Santo Domingo, offering delicious and authentic local food. It's no secret that I'm a big-time foodie; I love eating around the world.

Foodie Guide to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Santo Domingo.
Your Ultimate Guide to Eating in Santo Domingo

On this solo trip I took to Santo Domingo (the capital of the Dominican Republic,) I made sure to add a handful of restaurants to explore in La Zona Colonial and Santo Domingo in general. Exploring the culinary scene was missing from our last trip to Santo Domingo due to covid restrictions, so this time I made sure to indulge in the best fine dining Santo Domingo has to offer! Here's your ultimate guide on where to eat in Santo Domingo.

I made sure to indulge in the best fine dining Santo Domingo has to offer!

Where to Eat in Santo Domingo at a Glance



Where to eat in Santo Domingo 1. Lila Modern Cuisine

Lila Modern Cuisine | Foodie Guide to Santo Domingo

Best Restaurants in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Lila Modern Cuisine

Our first stop is Lila Restaurant. Lila offers modern Asian cuisine with a Dominican twist. I found Lila to be chic and contemporary in decor, with outdoor patio seating available and fantastic food. We ordered The Nachos (pork shoulder, guacamole, queso, jalapeño, tomate, and spicy gochujang sauce). Tiradito Pulpo Rocoto (Pulpo marinado en vinagreta de ahi amarillo rococo, aguacate y cilantro). Yellowtail Hamachi Tiradito (pescado hamachi, ponzu, puerro, y tobiko). Lila restaurant has delicious seafood platters to share!

Restaurants in Santo Domingo. Best Place to eat seafood in Santo Domingo Lila Modern Cuisine.
To Share Dishes at Lila Modern Cuisine: The Nachos, Tiradito Pulpo Rocoto, and Yellowtail Hamachi Tiradito.

We also had a Dominican sushi roll topped with sweat plantains-- I love maduros! This Dominican sushi roll's savory, crunchy, sweet mixture is just pure perfection!


Best place to eat Dominican Sushi in Santo Domingo, Lila Modern Cuisine. Dominican Sushi Roll.
Dominican Sushi Roll at Lila Modern Cuisine


El Meson de la Cava | Foodie Guide to Santo Domingo

Underground cave restaurant in Santo Domingo El Meson de la Cava.
El Meson de la Cava | Cave Restaurant in Santo Domingo

El Meson de la cava is a romantic, hidden spot restaurant visited mainly by locals with delicious traditional Dominican cuisine. I had a local goat stew meal that was so flavorful and took me back to the authentic taste of the old-time Dominican cuisine I grew up eating. I love the ambiance and food of this restaurant and highly recommend a visit if you want to venture outside of La Zona Colonial and explore other restaurants in Santo Domingo.


Top 5 Restaurants in Santo Domingo El Meson de la Cava
Goat Dish at El Meson de la Cava


Valiente Restaurante | Foodie Guide to Santo Domingo

Top 5 Restaurants in Santo Domingo Valiente Restaurante.
Valiente Restaurante | La Zona Colonial | Santo Domingo

Valiente Restaunte is sexy, trendy, and modern with an old-school flair. What's cool about a handful of these restaurants in La Zona Colonial is that some of the original colonial zone walls were kept and used in the modern arcitecture and design of the current restaurant/hotels. This wall, for example, is from the 1400s.


Historic restaurants in La Zona Colonial, Valiente Restaurante Santo Domingo.
Old Colonial Zone Wall at Valiente Restaurante


Maraca | Foodie Guide to Santo Domingo

Top 5 Restaurants in Santo Domingo Maraca. Epic Painting inside Maraca Restaurant in La Zona Colonial.
Maraca | Where to Eat in La Zona Colonial

Maraca is currently the trendiest restaurant in La Zona Colonial. Everyone who walks in wants to take their Instagram photo in front of the epic painting at the entrance, so there's usually a line-- 'cause you know, you never just take one picture for the gram, you take like 20!


Trendy Bar Maraca in La Zona Colonial, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Where to Eat and Drink in Santo Domingo.
Bar at Maraca Restaurant | La Zona Colonial

After seeing this restaurant all over Instagram, I had to see for myself what all the hype was about. Maraca is a stunning restaurant with well-crafted cocktails and even better food!


Food in Santo Domingo Steak Tartar at Maraca Restaurant.
Wagyu Beef Tartare

The cuisine at Maraca is more modern and creative than traditional. One of my favorite appetizers was the Wagyu Beef Tartare topped with a Quail yolk marinated in soy sauce.


Thanks for reading! Have you been to Santo Domingo? We want to hear from you -- Tell us what your favorite restaurants and bars were, and we'll make sure to visit next time!













If you go to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic:


Santo Domingo General Info:

https://www.visitdominicanrepublic.org/santo-domingo


Zona Colonial Self-Guided Walking Tour:

https://www.wheretonau.com/post/santo-domingo-zona-colonial-walking-tour


Restaurants On Our List | The Best 4 Restaurants in Santo Domingo:

Lila Modern Cuisine

https://www.instagram.com/lila.sdq/?hl=en

El Meson de la Cava

https://elmesondelacava.com

Valiente Restaurante

https://www.instagram.com/valienterd/?hl=en

Maraca

https://www.maracamenu.com/eng



Pin it for later!


Fine dining in Santo Domingo. Food travel guide.

Top Restaurants in Santo Domingo | Maraca Restaurant















More Foodie Guides from Around the World. Where would you like to eat and drink today?


New Orleans Oaxaca Mexico City Tokyo Madrid Iceland




0 comments

Related Posts

See All
bottom of page