Don Pepe
Calle Santiago at Av. Pasteur
Santo Domingo
tel.: 809/689-7612
Santo Domingo
Spanish
This may sound like a Mexican fast-food joint, but it was once the home of one of Santo
Domingo's old families, the Guerreros. With its pink-stucco, arched interiors, it still
looks like an elegant residence. Demi-pillars, chandeliers, and European tiles add to the
effect. The owner, Pepe, serves traditional Spanish fare made with high-quality
ingredients. Soups are particularly flavorful, such as the sopa de ajo (garlic soup) and
black bean. Poultry and game, are good choices, as are the paella and the mariscos
(shellfish). Finish with flan and a teja, a thin, dark cookie in the shape of a roof tile.
Credit cards: AE, DC, MC, V.
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El Conuco
152 Casimiro de Moya
Santo Domingo
tel.: 809/686-0129 or 809/689-4290
Santo Domingo
Caribbean/Creole
The name means "the countryside," and it is hard to believe that this
thatched-roof patio--alive with hanging plants, hibiscus, and frangipani--is smack in the
center of Santo Domingo. The Dominican dishes here are superb, from la bandera (white
rice, kidney beans, and stewed beef duplicating the colors of the flag) to a magnificent,
delicately flaky bacalao de la comai (cod in white cream sauce with garlic and onions).
The ambience is always celebratory; waiters dance with you or take to makeshift drum
sets--all in time with the taped merengue music that plays in the background.
Credit cards: MC, V.
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Fogarate
Av. George Washington 517
Santo Domingo
tel.: 809/688-0044
Santo Domingo
Caribbean/Creole
This Dominican-themed buffet restaurant is full of color: in the picket fence painted in
primary hues, in the striped tablecloths, and in the long floral skirts worn by
waitresses. Typico decorations include bright carnival masks and models of local buses.
The buffet, which is open for lunch and dinner (service till 1 am), is quite a spread,
with such local favorites as sancocho, flat bread, red beans, rice, yuca, creamed
potatoes, savory pork, and beef. Dessert is coconut cream or flan. Don't be surprised if a
merengue dancer pulls you from your seat.
Credit cards: AE, MC, V.
Fonda de la Atarazana
La Atarazana 5
Santo Domingo
tel.: 809/689-2900
Santo Domingo
Spanish
Here, dinner and dancing on the brick patio of a 17th-century building in the Colonial
Zone make for a very romantic evening. The place is known more for its atmosphere than its
food, though.
Credit cards: AE, MC, V.
La Bahía
Av. George Washington 1
Santo Domingo
tel.: 809/682-4022
Santo Domingo
Seafood
The catch of the day is always tops at this unpretentious spot. Try the kingfish in
coconut sauce. The conch, which appears in a variety of dishes, is also good. For
starters, try the sopa palúdica, a thick soup made with fish, shrimp, and lobster and
served with tangy garlic bread. The decor strikes a nautical note, with fishing nets and
seashells.
Reservations not accepted. Credit cards: AE, MC, V.
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La Briciola
Calle Arzobispo Merino 152-A at Padre Bellini
Santo Domingo
tel.: 809/688-5055
Santo Domingo
Italian
The owners did an exemplary job of modernizing the interiors of these adjoining,
16th-century colonial buildings while preserving their architectural integrity. The
arch-ceiling, stone-and-brick main dining room and the more casual piano bar overlook a
courtyard whose trees are lit romantically at night. A vocalist serenades. Mahogany
furnishings, wooden chandeliers, and Italian tile work create an elegant atmosphere.
Excellent fresh pastas include velvety gnocchi fume (with Scamorze cheese, ham, and
cream). The classic Italian and seafood dishes are deftly prepared: try the osso buco or
the grouper al limone (with lemon). Have the paternal owner, Franco Ricobono, help you
select from the extensive, all-Italian wine list. His son Alexandro can help you choose a
grappa to complement the delicious tiramisu.
Hours: Closed Sun. Jacket required. Credit cards: AE, DC, MC, V.
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Pappalapasta
Calle Dr. Baez 23
Santo Domingo
tel.: 809/689-4849
Santo Domingo
Italian
Delicious food and a location around the corner from the Presidential Palace make this
restaurant popular with politicians, diplomats, and those who seek their favor. A series
of intimate dining rooms is handsomely decorated with rattan and polished hardwood
furnishings, abstract artwork, Tiffany-style lamps, and cut-glass windows. Start with a
classic selection of antipasto--carpaccio, eggplant Parmesan, or tuna with capers. Pumpkin
ravioli in almond butter and gnocchi al pesto are pasta standouts. You may also opt for
the sublime sea bass meunière or snapper chiaro di mare (with olives, capers, garlic,
tomato, and peppers). The service, although attentive, is surprisingly leisurely; maybe
they're waiting discreetly for your deal to be closed.
Hours: Closed Mon. Jacket required. Credit cards: AE, MC, V.
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Restaurant Reina de España
Cervantes 103
Gazcue
tel.: 809/685-2588 or 809/687-5029
Santo Domingo
Spanish
Here, classic Spanish food is served in an elegant setting. Stone walls and mahogany
details are warmed by light from crystal chandeliers. In the foyer, a waterfall cascades
down the stone work. If your Spanish is rusty, you can just point at what you want--up to
the rafters for tapas of the aging hams and cheeses that hang down there or over to a
table laden with lobster, sea bass, red snapper, and prawns. The very fresh seafood is
delicately prepared, from the squid in its own ink to the paella. The rabbit in garlic
sauce and the grilled sweetbreads are also standouts. The chocolate soufflé or homemade
nougat ice cream are happy endings, indeed.
Credit cards: AE, DC, MC.
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Restaurant Sully
Av. Charles Sumner 19 at Calle Las Caobas
Santo Domingo
tel.: 809/682-2169
Santo Domingo
Spanish
Sully (pronounced sue-lee) is the name of the owners of this Spanish-Dominican restaurant,
run with great family pride. Patrons have confidence in the quality of the food and,
notably, the freshness of the seafood: It's the big draw here, and visitors have been
known to take a 15-minute cab ride from the Malecón to sample it. The dishes are served
steaming hot, from the Spanish bouillabaisse to mussels in a puréed marinara sauce.
Several variations of paella are offered, from the traditional Valenciana to the more
daring negra, black from the ink of the squid. Lobster here is prepared 10 ways; it's
divine served with a brandy sauce.
Credit cards: AE, DC, MC, V.
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Scherezade
Av. Roberto Pastoriza
Santo Domingo
tel.: 809/227-2323
Santo Domingo
Middle Eastern
The exotic decor--Moorish arches, tile work, a terrace with orchids--is just one of the
things that has made this new restaurant so popular. The excellent service is provided by
waiters who wear embroidered vests and fez hats. Hummus, not butter, comes with the pita
bread. For a starter, you might try the velvety cream of asparagus and watercress or the
tabbouleh. Superb entrées include the Madagascar shrimp in green pepper and spinach sauce
or the Arabian lobster, grilled simply with oil, garlic, and lemon. Desserts include
baklava, orange soufflé, or ginger flan.
Hours: Closed Mon. Credit cards: AE, DC, MC.
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Spaghettissimo
13 Paseo de Los Locubres
Santo Domingo
tel.: 809/565-3708 or 809/547-2650
Santo Domingo
Italian
This contemporary Italian spot deserves the word-of-mouth fame it enjoys. Owner Frederic
Gollong will charm you with his dry wit and welcoming ways. The canopied entrance leads
first to the bar and then to the buffet dining room. From the carpaccio of swordfish to
such delicacies as the meringue confection aptly named The Cloud, the quality and
freshness of the food are apparent. Savor Frederic's own smooth foie gras and the roasted
red and yellow peppers in olive oil. For a pasta course, try the penne with artichokes,
mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and olive oil. Consider the specials of the week, such as
lamb with eggplant in red sauce. On Wednesday night, live jazz on the candlelit patio
captures a devoted crowd.
Credit cards: AE, DC, MC, V.
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Vesuvio
Av. George Washington 521
Santo Domingo
tel.: 809/221-3333
Santo Domingo
Italian
Businessmen "do lunch" here on weekdays, celebrities such as Julio Iglesias pop
in from time to time, and Dominican families make the atmosphere lively on Sunday. This
place has been an institution for 42 years, and although the decor could use an update,
the food and service are superb. Almost everything on the menu is either freshly caught,
homemade, or homegrown. Start with any of the antipasti, then segue into the squid-ink
linguine with squid and shrimp or the risotto with sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and
basil. The boiled lobster with tomato, onion, and olive oil is simple but memorable. The
elaborate pastry cart will tempt you, as will the wine list (the admirable cellar has 200
selections).
Reservations not accepted. Credit cards: AE, DC, MC, V.
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