Curaçao's kitchen, known locally as kuminda krioyo, grew out of centuries of trade and migration: African cooking traditions, Dutch ingredients, Latin American neighbours and the sea. The result is hearty, flavourful food that locals eat mostly at lunch. Here is what to order.
Dishes to try
- Keshi yena: the island's signature dish. A Gouda or Edam cheese (or slices of it) filled with spiced chicken or beef, olives, raisins and capers, then baked until the cheese melts. It dates from colonial times, when the leftover rinds of Dutch cheese were stuffed with scraps.
- Stoba: slow-cooked stew. Kabritu stoba (goat) is the classic; karni stoba (beef) and stews with papaya or cucumber are common too.
- Funchi: cornmeal cooked into a firm, polenta-like side, served in slices or fried. It goes with almost everything, especially fish and stews.
- Piska ku funchi: fried or grilled fish, often red snapper or wahoo, with funchi, fried plantain and a spicy onion sauce. Simple and excellent by the sea.
- Sopi: soups are a meal here. Look for sopi di yuana (iguana soup), kadushi (made from a local cactus) and yambo (okra soup with a famously slippery texture).
- Bakiyau: salted cod, stewed or cooked with peppers and onions, often served for lunch.
Snacks and sweets
- Pastechi: deep-fried half-moon pastries filled with cheese, spiced meat, tuna or chicken. The island's favourite breakfast and snack, sold in bakeries and snack bars.
- Arepa di pampuna: sweet pumpkin pancakes, often served alongside main dishes.
- Pan bati: a slightly sweet, thick pancake-style bread eaten with soups and stews.
- Kokada and tentalaria: coconut and peanut sweets sold in small bags at markets and shops.
- Bolo pretu: rich, dark fruitcake made for weddings, birthdays and Christmas.
Drinks: Blue Curaçao and more
The island's most famous export is Curaçao liqueur, flavoured with the dried peel of the laraha, a bitter orange that grows on the island. The blue colour is added; the original liqueur also comes clear, orange and other colours. You can see how it is made and taste it at Landhuis Chobolobo. For something soft, try a fresh batido (fruit milkshake) or the many tropical juices sold at snack bars.
Where to eat it
The classic place for a local lunch is Plasa Bieu, the Old Market food hall in Punda, where several small kitchens cook stews, fish and funchi to share at long tables. In the far west, Jaanchie's in Westpunt has served traditional food since 1936. Find these and more in our restaurant guide, or join a guided food tour in Willemstad on GetYourGuide to taste several dishes in one afternoon.
Frequently asked questions
What is the national dish of Curaçao?
Keshi yena, a baked Gouda or Edam cheese filled with spiced meat, is widely seen as the island's signature dish.
Where is Blue Curaçao made?
The original Curaçao liqueur is made at Landhuis Chobolobo in Willemstad, using the peel of the local laraha orange.
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