Shopping for Food?

[Kksmama]

I think we are settled on Den Laman for our first trip to Bonaire, all of the discussions on my thread and others were very helpful. I've also read great threads on dive sites, and bought the updated kindle book. But after sleeping and diving, eating is pretty high on my priority list. We'll eat out, of course, but will also want to make many meals and most breakfasts in our condo. Where did you go to buy groceries? Was there anything you brought or wish you brought with you? DH and I made a trip to Costco in Hawaii and consumed an "appropriate" amount of macadamia nuts and local vodka....wondering what is going to be available, and where, in Bonaire? We like to eat pretty healthy (it was organic vodka ). We also like a big pot of regular coffee in the morning, are pods more common?

 

[Lorenzoid]

The best grocery store is Van den Tweel, which is not unlike what you're accustomed to in the US--maybe just a tad smaller than a Publix, and fewer selections (look, we're spoiled in the US), but very good for a desert island. They have everything you could need, including lots of pretty vegetables, meats, cheeses and deli meats (at a deli counter) imported from the Netherlands, and certainly coffee (we actually look forward to the Douwe Egberts brand). They have ready-made kebabs, burgers, etc., to throw on a grill. There are other stores, and perhaps some are better than Van den Tweel for certain things than others, such as cheaper beer or booze.

We also freeze a few Costco ribeyes and take them in our luggage. Even in the Netherlands I'd rather eat American beef than what the Europeans are accustomed to. As I said, we're spoiled here.

 

[Steelyeyes]

I agree with Van den Tweel unless you're looking for Coffee Mate but for that there are three other stores just down the street.

 

[Jersey]

You'll have no issues with food, Van den Tweel is wonderful, the staff very helpful, many things are labeled in Dutch, but just politely ask someone for a translation. Grab some Gouda (red wax), salami, olives, tapenade, fruit and fresh bread for snacks. If you need large quantities, Bonaire FoodGroup has a warehouse just around the corner. Oh - and grab a big bag of carrots from The Warehouse grocery store (cheaper) just down the street to take to the Donkey Sanctuary - the donkeys will thank you .

Prices not all that off from what I pay in Metropolitan-Philadelphia area. Far better than what I've seen on other islands - Grand Cayman and St. Thomas come to mind as particularly expensive for groceries.

I freeze and vacuum seal some steaks and homemade cooked meatballs and sausage - makes pasta night easier. I also bring small quantities of spices in vacuum sealed bags. Wasteful to buy a whole container when I need enough for a couple meals - garlic salt, red pepper flakes, oregano, etc. Throw some bouillon cubes in too.

 

[dmaziuk]

Van Den Tweel is currently out of oranges so they removed the juice machine. That's a major letdown.

Fresh bread and small stuff is available from the Buns, it's on the road just outside Den Laman. Few blocks to the left there's "Chinese" opposite Hamlet Oasis, they're good for most basic necessities incl. Ron Carlos: the local organic not-vodka. For the others you need to drive through town so it's like 15 minutes rather than 5: warehouse is cheaper, VDT has deli cheeses and meats, and the 3rd one (next to the warehouse) is quite unimpressive.

There's a bottle shop outside of VDT that we must visit some day... but between Ron Carlos and Rum Berde there's little incentive to.

 

[Kksmama]

Very helpful, thank you all! I was wondering about fresh produce, glad to know there will be some (even if not oranges). Great ideas to bring spices and frozen meat, but try new coffee. And I'm guessing there will be nice selections of European chocolate

 

[dmaziuk]

Great ideas to bring spices and frozen meat, but try new coffee. And I'm guessing there will be nice selections of European chocolate

Opinions vary on that one. Spice rack at VDT looks just fine to me, as for meets you'll definitely save money if you BYO. But it's more fruit and cheeses and snack meats (smoked chicken) and fish for us, we can eat steaks at home. I did bring a kilo of TJ's "absolute black" Montezuma gold, but then again that's British chocolate, not Hersheys. The couple of coffees we tried here so far weren't impressive either.

 

[dmaziuk]

PS. I should probably clarify that "small stuff" you get at the Buns is slices of cake.

 

[scubadada]

Don't forget about Zhung Kong , just north of Den Laman.

 

[diversteve]

IDK if they still do it but vendors from Curacao or? used to set up in the little pavilion downtown selling fresh produce - and IIRC we saw some fish there also once. It's this one - downtown bonaire - Google Search: