I’m almost 100% sure that food isn’t the first thing you think about when you think about Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles. During my visit in February 2016, I found out it’s best to forget any kind of dietary plans the moment your passport gets stamped, because the food is amazing! Bonaire has so many different sides ; the ever-changing landscapes, historical sights, a beautiful underwater world,  it shouldn’t be a surprise that food is just another thing to add to the list. The below list of tried and tested restaurants on Bonaire is mainly courtesy of my friend because she was in charge of finding the best restaurants on the island and she did so mostly by word-of-mouth.

Lunch

Kite City
An American guy we met on the plane advised us to visit the Kite City food truck. We loved the sound of that so we didn’t think twice about it and added the food truck to our itinerary when we drove along the south of the island. It’s very easy to find, if you’re driving towards the south and you pass the airport it’s on your left along the seaside.

When we visited the truck, it was busy. There were only two members of staff to take the orders and to cook everything inside the truck, but the mood was relaxed, music was playing from the speakers and most people were lounging on the big pillows.

My friend ordered the Barracuda wrap, but I didn’t feel quite as exotic as her so I ordered the beef quesadilla. Both dishes were incredibly delicious!

Between 2 Buns
Our divemaster Mark from Wannadive and Anke from Goood Resort told us to have lunch at Between 2 Buns. So in between two dives we made our way to the restaurant which is close to the dive school.

I ordered the Sopranos sandwich with mozarella and parma ham, yummy!

Posada Para Mira
On this trip, we travelled to the north to enjoy the National Park. In that post, I told you we didn’t bring food, so by the time we reached the Cadushy distillery in Rincon we were hungry! Luckily, the owner of the distillery had a great restaurant in mind for us in Rincon and that’s how we ended up at Posada Para Mira, which was just down the road.

The food experience could’ve been so much better there. Apparently, this restaurant is famous for its iguana dishes.

We were too hungry to take the risk with a dish we didn’t know; so we ordered a plain burger. It could’ve been boring, but the burger was clearly home-made and tasty.

The restaurant offers a beautiful view of the hills surrounding Rincon, and it’s very roomy and airy (there are no windows). There were some backpackers typing away on their computers next to us, which gives you an idea of the vibe of the restaurant.

Dinner

Cuba Compagnie
The first tip Ankie from Goood Resort gave us was to go to Cuba Compagnie for dinner. She kindly booked a table for us, since it fills up pretty fast.

The restaurant is located on Wilhelmina square in Kralendijk, which in turn offers a great view of the harbour.

Service is great, the staff is kind and the food… Yum! I ordered the pineapple & chicken curry which was served in an actual pineapple. The only other time I had my dish in a pineapple was in Singapore and I have to say I loved it both times.

Dinner was enough, but the brownie fudge dessert looked so enticing we decided to splurge and continue our meal.

If you would only have time for one restaurant on Bonaire, Cuba Compagnie should be that restaurant!

It Rains Fishes
The second tip Ankie gave us in terms of dinner was the restaurant It Rains Fishes. The location is by the water, so if you manage to secure a seat near the side you’ll have a beautiful view.

Service was friendly, but compared to Cuba Compagnie staff was not as helpful. Dinner is pricey in my opinion. I ordered the cod fish and a glass of wine which totalled up to 35 USD which was the same for the two course meal and wines at the Cuba Compagnie.

The food was not bad though, so if you like fish: this is a good place to visit.

La Cantina
The third tip was the restaurant La Cantina, which offers Latin American tapas-style dishes.

The courtyard is very cute and it’s worth asking for a table there.

They have a special local beer there, Bonaire Blond (although it’s brewed and shipped from the Netherlands). This is the strangest beer I’ve ever tried. Every time I pushed my lime in, the beer started to foam so much I would end up with a half empty bottle. It was hilarious, because it happened twice to me and once to my friend. The waiter was so kind to bring us a new beer every time it happened.

We ordered a few dishes to share: tortilla & guacamole, chorizo hot dog, beef stew, papa bravas and everything we sampled was delicious. Another restaurant which is well-worth a visit.

Full Moon Party

Jibe City
Who remembers my post about Koh Pha Ngan in Thailand, home to the famous Full Moon Beach parties? During my visit there in 2009, the only party there was the Black Moon party. On the plane to Bonaire, we overheard the cabin personnel talk about the Full Moon Party at Jibe City at the Hangout Bar.

We made it there early (4:30pm) so we sat by the water to watch the windsurfers.

We enjoyed a beer and had some nachos.

In the evening the party started by the beach.

There were only a few dishes we could have for dinner and we both picked the tuna. My advise. Don’t have dinner at the Hangout Bar! Snacks are great, but the tuna was tough and the only side dish was plain rice and a slice of courgette…

We were pretty tired on our first day on the island, so we left the party early. It’s nice to know to keep a look-out for the Full Moon party though. Bonaire isn’t a party island, and it seems that one of the only big parties is the one at the Hangout Bar.

Conclusion

The main message I’d like to bring across in this post is to not skip dinners and lunches on Bonaire; restaurants serve delicious food and the staff are always joyful and friendly. Dining is a great experience on the island.

This was my last post about Bonaire. My next location on this trip was Willemstad, Curacao where a UNESCO heritage sight is located. This will feature in my next post.