Cabarete punches well above its weight for food. For a small beach town, the variety is remarkable — you can eat fresh ceviche with your toes in the sand at lunch, try genuine Dominican home cooking for dinner, and find excellent coffee and pastries for breakfast without walking more than ten minutes from the beach. The international expat community means cuisines from all over the world are represented, and the local Dominican spots are the best-value meals you'll find anywhere in the Caribbean.
We've been eating our way through Cabarete for years. This is the list we'd hand to anyone staying at RR210 or passing through the north coast. Fifteen restaurants, honest opinions, no fluff.
Prices below are indicated as: $ = under 300 DOP per person, $$ = 300–700 DOP, $$$ = 700+ DOP (roughly $5 / $10 / $15 USD at current exchange rates).
Breakfast & Coffee
The go-to breakfast spot for Cabarete's expat community and a genuine institution. Excellent coffee, fresh smoothie bowls, avocado toast, and eggs done properly. The outdoor terrace fills up fast — arrive by 8:30am on weekends if you want a table. Also a reliable spot for working remotely; the WiFi is strong and they're relaxed about people sitting with laptops for hours.
Right on Kite Beach at the Cabarete Kite Point school. Excellent breakfast and lunch with a killer view of the kite action. The combination of fresh food, strong coffee, and watching skilled kitesurfers session makes for a genuinely enjoyable morning. Good spot to observe wind conditions before deciding whether to book a lesson.
Lunch on the Beach
One of Cabarete's landmark beach bars. Tables right on the sand, cold Presidente beer, fresh grilled fish, and a relaxed atmosphere that makes it very easy to stay for three hours when you only meant to stop for one. Great for watching the windsurfers and kitesurfers on the main Cabarete Bay. Go for the fish — it arrived this morning.
Exactly what the name promises, and they do it well. The mojitos are the best in Cabarete — properly muddled, generously poured, and served with a view. The food menu is simple but solid; this is more a place to drink and watch the beach than to eat a serious meal. Sunset hour is the time to be here.
Another Cabarete institution, right on the main beach. Ono's has a loyal following for its relaxed vibe, consistent food, and excellent cocktails. Good for groups — the tables are big, the drinks come fast, and nobody rushes you. Known for lively evenings that start early and end late.
Aura is Cabarete's most polished beach club experience — think daybeds, a proper cocktail menu, and food that's a step above the typical beach bar. It draws a mix of well-travelled expats and visitors who want the beach club feel without the full Punta Cana resort price tag. The cocktails are the reason to come; the food is a solid bonus. Best on a weekend afternoon when there's a crowd and the vibe is right. Slightly pricier than the rest of Cabarete but still reasonable by international beach club standards.
Dinner
If you're celebrating something or want a genuinely special dinner, Bliss is the answer. Creative international menu, beautiful plating, excellent wine list, and an elegant outdoor setting. It's pricier than most of Cabarete, but the quality is real and the experience is worth it for a special occasion. Book ahead in peak season.
Cabarete has a surprisingly strong Italian community and Miro's is the local favourite for pizza and pasta. The wood-fired pizza is genuine — thin, blistered crust, proper ingredients — and the pasta dishes are made fresh. Relaxed atmosphere, reasonable prices, good for families. A reliable choice when you want something simple done well.
The best-kept secret for travellers who want to eat like a local. Parada 22 is a proper Dominican comedor (lunch counter) serving the national bandera — rice, beans, stewed meat, and salad — for around 200 pesos. The food is honest, generous, and delicious. The clientele is mostly local workers. This is the real Dominican Republic on a plate.
Yes, there's excellent sushi in Cabarete — and not just tolerable Caribbean sushi, but genuinely good Japanese food. Yamazato has built a loyal following among both expats and visiting foodies. The fish is fresh, the rolls are creative, and the sake selection is solid. Go on a Friday evening when the atmosphere is liveliest.
A local institution that gets overlooked by tourists because it doesn't look like much from outside. That's a mistake. La Casita serves some of the best Dominican seafood on the north coast — fresh catch cooked simply, with the national sides done right. The lobster when it's in season is exceptional value compared to what you'd pay at a resort. Come hungry and order whatever the server says came in that morning.
One of Cabarete's most beloved dinner spots, right on the beach. Casa del Pescador specializes in grilled whole fish, fresh shrimp, and lobster — the kind of seafood dinner that makes you understand why people move to beach towns. The beachfront setting is beautiful at night, and the service is warm and unhurried. It's on the higher end of Cabarete pricing but genuinely worth it for a special evening meal. Reserve ahead in peak season.
Dominican Food — What to Try
If it's your first time in the Dominican Republic, here are the dishes worth ordering wherever you see them:
- La bandera: The national dish — white rice, red beans, stewed meat, and salad. Simple, filling, and good at a hundred different price points.
- Mangú: Mashed green plantains, typically served for breakfast with fried eggs and salami. Sounds simple; tastes extraordinary.
- Sancocho: A hearty stew with chicken, vegetables, and root vegetables — more flavour than it looks. Traditional Sunday lunch food.
- Tostones: Twice-fried green plantain slices, served with everything. The Dominican version of chips and endlessly snackable.
- Chinola juice: Fresh passion fruit juice, usually mixed with water and sugar. Intensely tropical and refreshing — order it at every opportunity.
- Presidente beer: The local lager, served ice-cold. Light, clean, and remarkably good in the heat. The unofficial drink of Cabarete beach.
Where to Eat by Area
Cabarete's food scene is concentrated in two main areas, each with a distinct feel:
- Kite Beach: The strip closest to the Royal Residences and the kite schools. El Cocotazo Café, Lax Beach Club, and Aura Beach Club are all here. More active, younger crowd, great for watching the water while you eat. Best at lunch and afternoon.
- Cabarete Bay / Town: The main town beach strip with Ono's, Mojito Bar, Bliss, Vagamundo, Miro's, and Yamazato. More variety, livelier evenings, the centre of Cabarete's nightlife and restaurant scene. Everything is walkable from the main beach road.
- Off the beach: The best-value spots — Parada 22, La Casita de Yolanda — are inland, a short walk from the beach. Worth seeking out for the most authentic Dominican food at the lowest prices.
Quick Reference: What to Order Where
- Best breakfast: Vagamundo (smoothie bowl + coffee) or El Cocotazo (view + fresh food)
- Best beach lunch: Lax Beach Club (fresh fish) or Mojito Bar (best mojito, simple food)
- Best cocktails: Aura Beach Club (daytime) · Mojito Bar (sunset) · Ono's (evening)
- Best seafood dinner: Casa del Pescador or La Casita de Yolanda
- Best special occasion: Bliss Restaurant — book ahead in peak season
- Best local Dominican meal: Parada 22 — rice, beans, meat for 200 pesos
- Most surprising: Yamazato — genuinely good sushi in a Caribbean beach town
- Best for families: Miro's (pizza, relaxed, reasonable prices)
The Full Cooking Option
Planning your trip around the food? Pair dinner at Bliss or Casa del Pescador with a day trip to the 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua (30 min from Cabarete) or a morning session at Kite Beach — you'll have earned your appetite.
One genuine advantage of staying in a condo like RR210 over a hotel is the full kitchen. There's a fresh produce market in Cabarete town, a supermarket within walking distance, and excellent local bakeries for bread and pastries. Cooking your own breakfasts and the occasional dinner significantly reduces your food budget — and the balcony at RR210 is a genuinely great place to eat.
The Perfect Base for All of This
RR210 is right on Kite Beach — Lax, Mojito Bar, and Ono's are a short walk away, and the full kitchen means you control as much of your own cooking as you like. Two bedrooms, ocean view, private pool.
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