Discovering Paradise
Curaçao Cuisine
Explore the rich flavors of Curaçao cuisine, known locally as Krioyo, a delicious blend of African, Dutch, Latin American, Portuguese, and Sephardic Jewish influences creating a unique culinary experience.
A Culinary Journey Through Curaçao Flavors
From hearty stews and fresh seafood to cheese-wrapped keshi yena and crispy pastechi, Curaçao cuisine reflects the island's diverse cultural heritage and Dutch-Caribbean character.
Explore Food ToursPopular Curaçao Dishes
Blue Curaçao Liqueur
The island's iconic bright-blue liqueur, distilled from the dried peel of the local laraha orange at Landhuis Chobolobo. Bittersweet, citrusy, and famously vivid.
Main Ingredients:
dried laraha orange peelalcoholsugarwaternatural colouring
Region: Curaçao
Bolo Pretu (Black Cake)
A dark, dense, rum-soaked dried-fruit cake, deeply spiced and intensely rich. Curaçao's prized celebration cake, made for weddings, Christmas, and special occasions.
Main Ingredients:
raisinsprunescurrantsrumflourbrown sugarbuttereggscinnamonclovenutmegalmond extract
Region: Curaçao
Funchi
Curaçao's everyday cornmeal polenta, stirred firm and shaped into a block, or pan-fried into crisp golden sticks. The island's go-to starch with stews and fish.
Main Ingredients:
cornmealwatersaltbutter
Region: Curaçao
Guiambo
A rich okra-and-seafood soup thickened to a silky body, loaded with fish and shellfish and traditionally eaten over funchi. A treasured Curaçaoan comfort dish.
Main Ingredients:
okrafishshrimpcraboniontomatogarlichot pepperlime
Region: Curaçao
Kabritu Stoba
A slow-cooked goat stew, a beloved Curaçaoan classic. Bone-in goat simmered until tender in a rich tomato-and-pepper sauce, served with funchi or pan bati.
Main Ingredients:
goat meatoniongarlictomatosweet pepperhot pepperlimenutmegthymeWorcestershire sauce
Region: Curaçao
Keshi Yena
Curaçao's national dish: a round of melted Gouda or Edam cheese filled with spiced stewed chicken, olives, capers, raisins, and prunes, then baked until golden.
Main Ingredients:
Gouda or Edam cheesechickengreen olivescapersraisinsprunesoniontomatosweet pepperhot pepper
Region: Curaçao
Explore by Category
Mains & Stews
The hearty plates at the heart of a Curaçaoan table, from the cheese-shell national dish keshi yena to slow-cooked Krioyo stews of beef, goat, and fresh leeward fish.
Sides & Staples
The cornmeal foundations of Krioyo cooking: funchi polenta, the soft flatbread pan bati, and tutu cooked with black-eyed peas, served alongside almost everything.
Snacks & Street Food
The handheld bites Curaçaoans grab from bakeries and snack trucks, led by the golden deep-fried pastechi turnover that fuels breakfast across the island.
Soups
Comforting one-pot soups built on island produce, including a rich okra-and-seafood guiambo and a velvety Curaçaoan pumpkin soup.
Sweets & Drinks
What ends a Curaçaoan meal or fills a glass: the dark rum-soaked celebration cake bolo pretu and the island's iconic bright-blue Curaçao liqueur.
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Featured Restaurants
Culinary Experiences
Immerse yourself in the flavors of Curaçao with these authentic food experiences
Cooking Classes
Learn how to prepare traditional Curaçao dishes like keshi yena, funchi, and stoba from expert local cooks.
Find a Class →Food Tours
Explore the floating market, the Marshe Bieuw (old market), and hidden culinary gems on a guided food tour around Willemstad.
Browse Tours →Farm to Table
Visit local farms (kunuku) and aloe plantations to see where Curaçao ingredients are grown, followed by a fresh farm-to-table meal.
Discover Experiences →Curaçao Flavors: Recipe Collection
Take a piece of Curaçao home with you! Our exclusive recipe book features 50 authentic Krioyo recipes that you can recreate in your own kitchen. From breakfast to dinner and everything in between.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the national dish of Curaçao?
The national dish is keshi yena. It is a whole round of Edam or Gouda cheese, hollowed out and filled with seasoned, spiced chicken or meat (often with raisins, olives and capers), then baked until the cheese melts around the filling. The dish dates to colonial times, when enslaved cooks made a hearty meal from the leftover cheese rinds.
Is Curaçao food spicy?
Curaçao food is savory rather than fiery, built on seasonings, fresh herbs, garlic, onion and lime. Heat usually comes on the side in the form of pika, a tangy homemade hot sauce of Madame Jeanette peppers, vinegar and onion, so you can add as much or as little as you like. Just ask before stirring it in.
What are some traditional Curaçao drinks?
Popular Curaçao drinks include batido (fresh fruit smoothies), awa di lamunchi (limeade), tamarind juice, and fresh coconut water. For something stronger, try the famous bright-blue Curaçao liqueur, made from the dried peel of the local laraha orange, or a cold Amstel Bright, the island's go-to beer.
Are there options for vegetarians and vegans?
While traditional Curaçao cuisine features plenty of meat and seafood, there are vegetarian options available, especially in Willemstad and the tourist areas. Funchi (cornmeal polenta), tutu (mashed black-eyed peas and cornmeal), bonchi (stewed beans), fried plantain, and fresh vegetable sides are commonly available. For vegans it can be more challenging, but Pietermaai, Jan Thiel and Willemstad have a growing number of restaurants catering to various dietary preferences. It's always a good idea to specify your dietary needs when ordering.