Curacao, Restaurants near Habitat

[DMdoogie]

I'm going to Habitat Curacao for a week on Aug 14. I know that Habitat has a restaurant, but we would like to try some other places, especially some budget eats. Are there any restaurants near Habitat, or if not, what's the best strategy to get to them? Cab, shuttle to town?
Last time I was there we went to the Rijstaffel (sp?) place, is it still around?
Thanks,
Doug

 

[Curacao Sunshine]

I love the pancakes at Daniels (apple and bacon to be specific). They have nice diners as well. We usually have great service but have heard of slower times. We may just be accustomed to the lengths of meals L'anterneau and the Butterfly Garden are also within a 10 minute drive. You can get a good lunch at Porto Marie. These will be the closest. You can eat in Lagun, approx. 20 minute drive and at a number of places in Westpunt, 25 minute drive. Here at Sol Food we have pizza which is within anyone's budget.
Going anywhere in Willemstad will take you 25 to 40 minutes.
For budget eats; there is a chicken place almost on the corner of Jan Noorduyweg and Franklin Roosevelt (actually written on a map) called Galinja; kinda like a Boston Market.
Off Franklin Roosevelt near a car wash you can turn west on Argentinaweg. There is a Chinese restaurant called Kim Loon that is very affordable.
Just before the car wash is the Green House with Lebanese food.
On Winston Churchill Weg (near the chicken intersection) Dona Eleana is on the left with affordable Columbian food.
Following Winston Churchill, go through one set of lights and the 5th (?) building on the right will be a snack called Wa On. Try the loempias (pica - hot or no pica). It's across from the police station and almost to the ring road.
Those will all be within a 20 minute drive from Habitat.
Of course local food at Dokterstuin (west) or at the Marshe Bieu (the old market) in Punda is very inexpensive.
In town for lunch, I like Sail above the Maritime Museum and for a light lunch Deli France located at a number of places. The best French fries IMHO are at Pronto Pasta and Pizza in the Gomez Plaza, Punda. For exquisite desserts - do you need a real lunch on vacation? Try Angelica's Delight in Otrabanda or Gelato ice cream at Bella Italia at the Zuikertuinje Mall.
The Indonesian place you might have gone to is Tempo Doe Loe (above the Hilton and Marriott). I like it as well but they are now only open at night.
Go to the store before heading to Habitat. From the airport, exit right, go 1/2 way around the rotary. If you turn at the 1st set of lights (Ford), L'Esperamos a local store will be on your left at the next set of lights. If you want to go to a store that may look more Americanized, from the rotary, go to the 2nd set of lights and take a right. Centrum will be on your left.
I haven't eaten at Habitat but I've heard the food has improved with the new ownership.
For the cost of taking a cab anywhere, you can rent a car. If you rent online, pick up and drop off at the airport you will save a lot than if you go to the counter at the airport and try to rent a car. Be sure to bring your paper work with you or they will claim you are not in the system. There are local people who will also rent; you can ask at the desk at Habitat. You can not walk anywhere within probably an hour from the hotel.

 

[Damselfish]

Landhuis Daniel is generally pretty good and the closest "nice" restaurant to Habitat. Definitely not budget eats but not outrageous. There's at least one local place that's closer, but we've never tried and I forget the name. (something to do with horses?)

I'm not going to get into lists of restaurants as they've been covered on other threads. There's lots of places downtown of course. There are also a number of restaurants around Piscadera Bay, in the Marriott and the other hotels there. In the same area but outside the hotels and on the beach is Hooks Hut, not as cheap as "hut" sounds but not bad. There's also a local Chinese place on the main road on the way that we've never tried. That's all a bit shorter than going all the way downtown.

If you don't plan on eating at Habitat all week you really need a car. (To save money and not have to eat lunch at the Habitat restaurant every day, take advantage of having the car to hit a grocery store near town for lunch makings. Other threads have discussed the location of the grocery stores - suffice it to say there's none near Habitat.) A cab to downtown or anyplace will be really expensive. Even a cab to Landhuis Daniel will be really expensive because it probably has to drive out there. We did that once many years ago, and it was like $100 - they actually stayed and waited for us to eat rather than driving back to town. Fortunately we were splitting it with a group.

Habitat has, or at least used to have, a shuttle to town. Unless something has changed, the catch is it is more of a daytime thing. (I was under the impression it is intended more to get some of their employees out there and shuttling guests is a side benefit.) The last shuttle returns too early to have dinner downtown unless you eat very early. No matter what time of day you use it it will cut into your diving, but it's ok if you want to spend a chunk of a day downtown.

You could also consider getting a vehicle for at a few days. Last I knew Habitat rented trucks. And the rental places will actually drive out there and pick you up, take you back to town to do the paperwork and pick up a vehicle. Again, this could wind up taking a chunk out of your day.

 

[RJP]

Here at Sol Food we have pizza which is within anyone's budget.

Note: you should not go to Sol Food for budget reasons...

You should go there for really great food!

:cool2:

PS - at remarkably good prices, but that's beside the point.

 

[Korsu]

Lots of reasons to stay in Banda Abao, Habitat etc but nearby restaurants is not one of them.
You will be happier with a car so you can grocery shop to have quick lunches at your room, snacks etc. The car will also get you exploring, which is what Curacao is all about. Unless you are locked in with a dive package the car allows you to sample some great diving from Habitat up to the West. (Including Sol Food for a stop.) And if you want some real local flavor try Marche Barber (Barber is half way between Habitat and the West end) on Sunday morning (before 11am) for a cup of goat soup and local bread.