“Welcome, dushi!” says Tirzah Statia with a beaming smile. Statia is tourism ambassador for the country of Curacao and our group’s tour guide for the week,. “Dushi” is a word that anyone visiting this island learns very quickly – in Papiamentu (the unique indigenous language of Curacao), it roughly translates to “cute” or “sweet,” but the word has evolved to be a catch-all slang term and form of address that conveys positive vibes and approval. That cute dog? It’s dushi. The friendly local? She’s dushi. And the unique flavours found in every nook and cranny of this island? Extremely dushi.
Curacao is one of the southernmost islands in the Caribbean. Best known for its eponymous blue liqueur, Blue Curacao, a starring ingredient in cocktails around the globe. The island’s food and drink scene, however, is about so much more than blue cocktails. In addition to Caribbean favourites like johnnycakes and fried plantains, the Dutch influence (Curacao is one of the islands in the Netherlands Antilles) can be felt across the island, with bakeries selling fresh stroopwafels and bitterballen (Dutch meatballs) and Gouda cheese ubiquitous menu offerings.
Willemstad, the capital city, is home to winding streets and waterways lined with canal houses in every bright colour imaginable, as well as a thriving dining scene that reflects the city’s diverse and food-centric culture. Eating fresh shrimp ceviche and steaming arepas while the sun sets over the Caribbean Sea – it doesn’t get more dushi than that.
Where to Eat
1. Lionfish Caribbean
Dutch-born Lizette Keus is an accomplished lionfish hunter. Every few days she dives with her spear into the Caribbean waters off Curacao, where the invasive and venomous lionfish species is plentiful. Hunting them is part passion, part sustainability initiative and part business – Keus runs Lionfish Caribbean, a bright pink storefront in Willemstad’s Otrobanda area, where you’ll find educational exhibits (they explain how catching and eating lionfish supports marine conservation efforts), a jewellery store (Keus makes earrings with the Lionfish scales) and a quick-service counter serving up a range of delicacies made with the fish.
The standout dish: Lionfish ceviche
Lionfish is a tender white fish with a mild, buttery, flavour. At Lionfish Caribbean, the fish meat is paired with fresh lime, passionfruit, jalapeno and coconut for a bright ceviche served with corn tortilla chips.
2. Pasawá Box Eatery
Opened in 2023, Pasawá Box Eatery in Willemstad features a courtyard dining area – or streetfood setting – surrounded by stacked shipping containers converted into quick-service takeaway spots. All are adorned with bright murals by local artists and arranged around a courtyard dining area with a bar at the centre. You’ll find Portuguese barbecue, tacos, noodles, burgers and anything else you might feel like, grouped around a central bar area with a DJ stationed above to keep the atmosphere lively.
The standout dish: Pulpo a la Plancha
The barbecue spot in one corner immediately stands out as the busiest takeout window at Pasawá Box. They serve BBQ Curacao-style flame-grilled seafood and meats served with a side of rice and beans (don’t forget to load up your tray with sauces from the self-serve bar).
3. Netto Bar
The oldest bar in Curacao can be found in the historic Otrabanda neighbourhood of Willemstad; a charming hole-in-the-wall spot plastered with old photos, strings of lights and vintage license plates lining every inch of space. Ernesto (“Netto”) Koster opened the bar in 1954, and quickly gained recognition for his signature invention: Ròm Bèrdè. “Green rum” in Papiamentu, the spirit is distilled with an assortment of local herbs and spices (the recipe is top secret, but a few distinct notes can be picked out). Order a shot and get to know the locals that fill the tables and spill out onto the streets in front of Netto Bar.
The standout drink: Ròm Bèrdè
Anise is the first flavour you’ll taste in Netto Bar’s signature green rum, which carries through with a distinct, licorice-like aftertaste. This is a drink to be experienced straight-up, rather than in cocktails. Don’t forget to say salud.
4. Harbor Restaurant
Where to eat in Willemstad you ask? Perched on the water overlooking Sint Anna’s Bay and Willemstad’s colourful waterfront is the Harbor Hotel & Casino Curaçao, home to a sophisticated eatery by the same name. Stunning views from Harbor Restaurant include the row of colourful Dutch canal houses known as the Handelskade, as well as the Queen Emma Bridge (a hinged bridge connecting two parts of Willemstad that opens and closes at set times every day to allow for boats to cross) and, if you visit on a Thursday, a gorgeous fireworks show that adds even more colour to the already-rainbow coloured city.
The standout dish: Fish Tower
The restaurant’s signature Fish Tower is a combo of tuna ceviche, crispy wontons, wakame, Japanese mayo, green onion and sesame.
5. The Johnnycake Box
Johnnycakes – cornmeal-based flatbreads cooked on a griddle or skillet – are popular throughout the Caribbean. One of the best breakfast spots in Curacao, swing by this unassuming spot in the Saliña district of Willemstad for an on-the-go meal to fuel a day of sightseeing. Here, the johnnycakes are extra-large, crispy on the outside and perfectly fluffy on the inside. They’re available solo or in a range of filling sandwiches, with fresh fruit salads and plant-based bowls – as well as a range of fresh coffee options – on the menu. Don’t forget a side of crispy baked plantain chips.
The standout dish: Johnnycake breakfast sandwich
Farm-fresh eggs and melty Dutch cheese, wrapped up in a fluffy johnnycake – there’s no better way to start a day in Curacao.
6. Mood Beach
Mood Beach is like something out of an influencer’s immaculately-tailored travel feed: the boho-style oceanfront restaurant is studded with daybeds, decorative swings and walkways that scream “photo op.” Kick back in one of the cabanas with a cocktail, or order from the menu of surf and turf classics (you’ll find rib-eye, tenderloin and smoked steak tartare in addition to the fresh shrimp, tuna and sea bass). A separate dining area known as Mood Marina serves up a variety of Asian-inspired bites, from edamame and sushi to Peking duck, oysters and poke bowls.
The standout dish: Pornstar Martini Cheesecake
The Pornstar Martini (a vodka Martini with Passoã and fresh passionfruit, served with a shot of Prosecco on the side) has been en vogue lately, and Mood Beach’s dessert interpretation – an oh-so-fluffy Prosecco cheesecake smothered with sweet fruit – is to die for.
7. Cooking class with Helmi Smeulders
Chef Helmi Smeulders is known as “the Caribbean Spice Girl” – a nickname earned after twenty years dedicated to growing and sharing the local dining scene (Top Chef fans may recognize her from her appearance on the US show’s Curacao-themed episode last June, when she appeared as a guest judge). Smeulders operates a business that offers unique culinary experiences out of her spacious studio kitchen, including cooking classes and a monthly “field dinner” experience that brings guests out to one of Curacao’s working plantations for a four-course meal (with wine pairings) in the fields.
Smeulders teaches a crash-course on essential Caribbean ingredients (Scotch bonnet peppers, plantains and so on) and techniques used in Caribbean cooking. The cooking class starts with coffee and a tasting, then includes a hands-on lesson and wraps up with a meal and wine on the patio.
8. Floating market
Since the early 1900s, vendors from neighbouring Venezuela have sailed the 70km to Curacao and docked their small wooden boats along the Punda harbour in Willemstad, offering fresh fruit, produce and other wares for sale. The boats and their stalls on the dock are draped in fabric as colourful as the surrounding buildings, and the atmosphere is bright and lively with music, laughter and a mixture of languages to be heard throughout the day. Visiting the floating market is one of the things visitors to Curacao should do. Stroll along the overflowing stalls and see what catches your eye. (Tip: come prepared to haggle.)
The standout item: Tropical fruit
Curaçao’s own hot and arid climate prevents the growth of many tropical fruits like bananas and pineapples. The produce from nearby Venezuela, though, is fresh and flavourful – the kind you just can’t get in Canada.
9. Hofi Cas Cora
On the outskirts of Willemstad in the centre of the island, this working farm offers a unique dining experience that showcases the best of locally-grown produce. Using sustainable small-scale farming practices, Hofi Cas Cora grows up to 15 vegetables at a time to supply the attached eatery and farm store with fresh, seasonal produce. Their marketplace also has organic beauty products and locally-made preserves, as well as a coffee bar and sunny seating areas. A weekends-only brunch restaurant serves a variety of dishes featuring their farm-fresh eggs, as well as plant-based fare and French toast topped with in-season fruit.
The standout dish: Pumpkin waffles
Arepa di pampuna (pumpkin pancakes) are a popular breakfast and snack food throughout Curacao. At Hofi Cas Cora, they’re made in a waffle-maker, sprinkled with powdered sugar and then served with homemade cinnamon syrup on the side.
10. Den Paradera Herb Garden
In 1991, Dinah Veeris opened this unique botanical garden after a decade spent interviewing Curacao’s elders about the herbal remedies and traditions passed down through generations. Her property, found on the eastern side of the island, is divided into three parts: a botanical garden (for growing medicinal herbs like chamomile and stinging nettle), the historic garden (which pays tribute to the island’s ancestral traditions with art installations and quiet reflection spaces) and a shop. Take a tour and learn about the native plants of Curacao and how they’re used – for example, you’ll see how ‘kadushi’ (‘dushi cactus’) is harvested and made into a thick green soup, said to improve health and wellness.
The standout: Agua fresca
At the end of the tour, take refuge in the shade and learn how to use some of the herbs and ingredients from the gardens in a refreshing and uplifting agua fresca. Choose your preferred combination of lemongrass, edible flowers and more, then mix and enjoy.
