One of the best parts of staying in Sint Michiel is how close you are to good, honest food. Every palapa at Mondi Lodge has its own kitchenette, and there’s an outdoor kitchen with a barbecue in the garden, so you can cook whenever you like. But you’ll want to eat out too, and these are the places we send our guests.
Sunset dinner at The Niffo Huts
Just down the road in Boka Sami, The Niffo Huts is a relaxed beach restaurant where you eat with your feet in the sand. Arrive about half an hour before sunset and watch the sky turn orange and pink over the bay. Our favourites are the tuna burger or tuna salad and the grilled picanha. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from midday until 10pm, and it’s an easy first-night dinner after a long journey.
Local lunch at Plasa Bieu
For real Curaçao home cooking, drive the ten minutes into Willemstad and head to Plasa Bieu, the old market hall on the edge of the Waaigat in Punda. Inside, a handful of small kitchens cook over open flames and everyone eats at long shared tables.
Order stoba, a slow-cooked stew of chicken, beef or goat with rice, beans and fried plantain. If you’re adventurous, try kadushi, a soup made from cactus, and finish with arepa di pampuna, a soft pumpkin pancake. Plasa Bieu is a lunchtime place, so arrive between noon and two.
Dishes to look out for
Whatever menu you’re reading, keep an eye out for these island classics:
- Keshi yena: a round of cheese stuffed with spiced chicken or beef and baked until golden.
- Stoba: a rich, slow-cooked stew, usually served with funchi or rice and beans.
- Funchi: a cornmeal side dish, similar to polenta, served soft or fried.
- Fresh fish: in fishing villages like Boka Sami, ask what came in that morning.
Drinks by the water
On Sunday evenings, locals and visitors head to Kokomo Beach on Vaersenbaai for happy hour with live music. It’s a lovely, easy-going way to end the week, and a great place to meet people.
Cooking at the lodge
Some of the best meals happen at home. Pick up fresh produce and fish locally, fire up the barbecue in our outdoor kitchen and eat under the trees while the parakeets settle in for the night. On mornings when our hens oblige, you might even find organic eggs from the lodge’s own chickens.
You’ll find more of our favourite places on our Experiences page.
Ready to taste your way around Sint Michiel? Check availability.