Santo Domingo Restaurants & Eating

Try something new!

You'll find more than enough fast food chicken and burger joints along Calle El Conde. Some are the same ones you'll find at home.

Ignore them! Try something Dominican.

With a culture that includes Indian, Spanish, French and African heritage, dining in the Dominican Republic can be a rich and exciting experience.

Use your Santo Domingo visit as an opportunity to experiment, to try foods that you may not find at home. You may find that the spices and tasty flavors of Dominican foods are a feast for your palate.

Like people in many Caribbean countries, Dominicans generally include rice and beans as a part of their daily diet. Their dishes also include pork, chicken, goat and fish accompanied by fried plantains and salads.

Ask your hotel front desk for recommendations for restaurants that serve authentic Dominican food. Here are some of the foods you should consider.

• Fried pork riojana - a Spanish influenced dish featuring fried pork chops smothered in peppers, onions and mushrooms with a tomato-wine sauce

• Locrio de pollo – a traditional stewed chicken with rice

• Mangu – mashed plantain with vegetable oil or margarine often served with onions and a side of eggs

• Mofongo – small pieces of fried plantain mixed with pork and garlic

• Sancocho de Seven Carnes – a stew of seven meats (goat, chicken and different kinds of pork) and vegetables (yams, cassava, plantain, potatoes) served with rice

• Caribbean style stewed shrimp – served with testones (flattened fried plantain)

• Morir Sonando - sweet shake made with evaporated milk, orange juice, ice, and sugar

• Habichuelas con dulce – this is a traditional sweet bean desert

• Flan de Leche - A popular desert of creme caramel made with eggs, milk and sugar

• Batida de Lechoza - Dominican fruit shake made with papaya, milk, vanilla, ice and sugar

While you wait for your order, try a tall, cold El Presidente, the DR's beloved green-bottled beer.

And don't forget to stop at Helados Bon for some traditional Dominican ice cream.

The list is long. Try something new.