From beach snack bars to gourmet dining with ocean views — restaurants personally recommended by someone who lives here year-round.
Before you order: Most restaurants do not include ITBIS tax (18%) and service charge (10%) in their prices — add 28% to any menu price to know your real bill. Cash is nearly always better — ask "Descuento por efectivo, por favor?" (discount for cash, please?) and many places will say yes.
The widest choice on the coast — from casual beach bars to intimate gourmet dining
A firm favourite with expats and Canadians alike. Great meals at great prices in a welcoming, no-fuss atmosphere. One of the most consistently popular spots on the Pedro Clisante strip.
On your way down to the beach? Don't miss this neat, friendly little bar and snack bar tucked into the side street pathway. Very popular with locals and visitors — a perfect pit stop before or after the sand.
Located at the end of Calle Dr. Rosen, overlooking the bay toward Mount Isabella and Puerto Plata. Superb views and an excellent venue for happy hour and sunsets — a top spot in Sosúa to end an evening.
A lovely spot along Pedro Clisante for incredible cakes, pastries, and a wide breakfast menu. Returns visitors again and again. Also open for evening dining — a great all-day option.
A special and intimate boutique hotel restaurant at the east end of Sosúa. High quality gourmet dining and attentive service at a surprisingly reasonable price. Busy in peak season — reserve ahead.
Up Calle Llibre in Residencial Hispaniola at the east end of Sosúa. A lovely setting with great views. Live entertainment on Saturday evenings in peak season. One bonus: taxes are already included in the prices.
A beautiful restaurant inside the Sea Horse Ranch private oceanfront development. Gourmet menu, stunning setting, ideal for sunset dining or a long lunch. Reserve in peak season — it fills up fast.
Fine Dining
Tucked inside Sosúa Ocean Village, Restaurant Maria pairs elegant oceanfront dining with really excellent food — Mexican and international dishes served on a terrace looking out over the Atlantic and Mount Isabella. There's an infinity pool and jacuzzi on site too, so it's as much a relaxed afternoon spot as a dinner destination.
Beach Restaurant
Ten minutes west of Sosúa at Perla Marina, right on the beach under the palms. A beautiful setting for lunch or evening dining. Go for sunset — you'll leave with memories that stay with you.
Authentic Italian at the east end of Pedro Clisante towards the beach — brick-oven pizza, house-made pasta, and fresh seafood on a quaint patio with old-world charm. Consistently pulls some of the best reviews in Sosúa. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available. No website — booked and reviewed through TripAdvisor.
Just east of central Sosúa, opposite Las Sirena Supermarket. A wide menu and great pizzas — they deliver too. A genuine family favourite: there's a supervised children's climbing frame and play area, so parents can eat while the kids burn off energy.
Sosúa's newest arrival, just off the east end of Pedro Clisante in El Batey. A two-storey, 270-seat space with the full Hard Rock treatment — big screens, live music and sports, and a lively bar scene. Walking distance to two of the north coast's best beaches.
Beach bars, fresh lobster, and a lively sunset scene just 10 minutes east of Sosúa
A superb restaurant with an Italian flavour just east of Cabarete. Beautiful interior setting, fine quality dining, and excellent service. Reservations matter in peak season — and arrive early to secure parking in the restaurant's own lot.
One of the standout spots along Cabarete Beach, right on the sand under the palms. Known for a lively happy hour and a great sunset scene that draws a big crowd. Big menu, good prices, and a setting that's hard to beat at golden hour.
A beachfront favourite with a lively open-air terrace right on the sand. Known locally for fresh lobster at prices that would make a European restaurant blush — this is the place to order it.
Worth the journey — two spots you won't find on the resort circuit
At the far northwest tip of the north coast — two hours from Puerto Plata, two and a half from Sosúa — Punta Rucia Lodge is one of the region's best kept secrets. It's properly remote, with few amenities nearby, and that's exactly the point. The lodge and its cabins sit right on the beach, the restaurant overlooks the pool and the sea, and the dining is very good. If you're looking to escape completely for a few days, this is the place.
A short drive east past Cabarete, where the Yásica River meets the ocean at La Boca. Park at the river's edge, and a small boat carries you across to the restaurant — half the fun is getting there. It's rustic and proud of it: whole fresh fish, lobster, and shrimp cooked over a wood fire, served at simple tables by the water. You'll need a car, and come hungry — this is an experience as much as a meal.
On Playa Portillo (El Portillo beach) in Las Terrenas — tables set virtually on the water, with waves lapping as you dine. Peruvian, Mediterranean, and Caribbean fusion built around the day's fresh fish and seafood. Beautiful for a long lunch or golden-hour dinner; doubles as a relaxed beach bar by day.