Santo Domingo Restaurant Tips by marielexoteria

Restaurant Name: Tacos del Sol

Tacos del sol (tacos of the sun) is an unpretentious place that lets their food speak for them. A great place to eat good Mexican food, with tables in the open air and soft rock music to a volume level that allows you to talk without screaming. The location combined with their inexpensive prices, the food presentation and the ambiance makes it a popular place to eat among the young.

Open from 6pm every day. Come as you are, no need to book a table.

Favorite Dish: Ground beef burrito. They used to have a fries dish that was to die for (don't know if they still have it).

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Theme: Mexican
Comparison: less expensive than average

Address: Megacentro mall
Directions: See my tip about the mall on the shopping section.

Restaurant Name: Pizzarelli

Pizzarelli is owned by an Italian family living in Santo Domingoand it's been around for years. The original concept was a pizza only restaurant, but gradually increased to serve calzones (like a pizza but baked in with the topping as filling), pasta, panini, desserts, salads and drinks. Yummy! They also happen to have one of the best lasagnas I've had.

Some of the bigger restaurants have a child's corner where they can play.

When in Santo Domingo (Santiago, Puerto Plata, La Romana or Punta Cana), give this place a try.

Favorite Dish: Pizza with ham, cheese and sweet corn topping. Previously my favorite was their garlic and parsley topping.

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Theme: Pizza
Comparison: about average

Address: All over Santo Domingo
Directions: For addresses, hover your mouse on "sucursales" and click on the desired city.
Website: www.pizzarelli.com.do (only in Spanish)

Restaurant Name: Auto Sandwich Payanos

They claim to have the best sandwiches in America. I don't know if it's true but they have good sandwiches and natural juices without being overpriced. I particularly like the ham & cheese sandwich and I always ask to change the regular (yellow) cheese to Danish. Yummy!

They have various locations around the city. Open Monday to Saturday 8am-8:30pm.


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Theme: Other
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Av. 27 de Febrero 253
Directions: Almost in front of Supermercado Nacional, walking distance from the intersection of Lincoln and 27 de Feb.

Restaurant Name: La Cafetera

La Cafetera is a place that opened by the time of the dictator Trujillo, and it's still open and doing good. Grab a cup of coffee or a cold drink if you need or want to take a break from walking. I don't drink coffee so my tip is based on word of mouth from no less than my mom (among other people) :)


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Theme: Coffeehouse
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Calle El Conde
Directions: Walking distance from the Old Town.

Restaurant Name: Expreso Jade

Expreso Jade is a restaurant that caters Chinese fast food (or good food quickly as they said in Seinfeld) in different styles (Szechuan, Hunan, Peking) and with some ingredients imported from China for some of their dishes. It certainly is more nutritious than the regular burger, and the taste is great too, for being fast food. They're usually full during the lunch rush hours (or were, as of 1999-2000) and now they also have delivery.

I'm no connoisseur of Chinese food, but they used to have pork chops and I liked them very much with their fried rice and egg rolls.


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Theme: Fast Food
Comparison: less expensive than average

Address: Av. Abraham Lincoln, a few blocks from Av. Kennedy
Directions: Various locations throughout the city. Click on "sucursales" for more addresses.
Website: www.expresojade.com.do (only in Spanish)

Restaurant Name: Yogen Früz

Do you want to eat ice cream but you're afraid of putting on some pounds? The light alternatives don't taste as good as the real thing? Then Yogen Früz is the place to visit. They sell frozen yogurt ice cream that they prepare right in front of you. Choose the flavor you want from their berry/fruit selection and get ready to enjoy. I can give testimony that their ice creams don't taste like yogurt, and I'm very picky when it comes to flavor because I didn't use to like yogurt.

NB: my comparative price is based on prices between all ice cream shops I've visited.


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Theme: Ice Cream
Comparison: less expensive than average

Address: Various locations, mostly in malls

Restaurant Name: Helados Bon

Helados Bon is a Dominican ice cream company with a lot of shops around the country. They have their regular ice cream and their Etiqueta Negra (Black Label) which is their luxury ice cream line. We had a small cup with 2 flavors: rum raisin and coconut.


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Theme: Ice Cream
Comparison: less expensive than average

Address: All around the city and the country
Directions: We went to the one in Megacentro mall.

Restaurant Name: D'Luis Parrillada

This is a steak house by the Caribbean sea that combines selling typical Dominican dishes with yummy grilled meat or fish. On arrival they give you free sancocho (Dominican style stew) served in a little wooden cup. Using the sancocho as a starter I asked for pork ribs and Mr. Sweden for beef tenderloin (10oz) with fries, but you can have boiled yucca with onions, rice or tostones (fried green plantain) as side dish. My ribs were big and well seasoned but they had way too much fat and too little bones (as opposed to what I'm used to, but I'm not complaining hehe). Mr. Sweden found his meat somewhat boring but that's because there wasn't any sauce available. We shared a big Presidente and a flan.

Even though the restaurant is by the sea, you won't have any great views at night but you'll be blessed with the breeze coming from it as a reliever for the warm weather.

We were 6 people eating various dishes and our total bill was 116US, which was very good.

There's a cute cat at this place who seems to be their mascot. If you see her/him, pet and/or feed her/him if you feel like it.

No reservation needed with the exception of red days and Christmas/New Year's.


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Theme: Steakhouse
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Address: Ave. George Washington 25

Restaurant Name: Hard Rock Café

I make a tip of HRC because it was brought to my attention that ours is the second biggest HRC in Latin America, only surpassed by the one in Buenos Aires. The restaurant has 2 floors and some tables outside and a lot of cool memorabilia from Madonna, Nikki Sixx, John Lennon, Stevie Nicks, etc. and some Latin and Spanish artists like our very own Juan Luis Guerra. I didn't eat or drink there but I went to the Rock Shop because I collect their t-shirts.


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Theme: American

Address: c/El Conde 103
Directions: In front of Parque Colón and the Cathedral.
Website: www.hardrock.com