Dominican Cuisine

The food of the Dominican Republic reflects a fusion of Taíno, Spanish and African culinary traditions. Dominican main dishes are usually comprised of: fish (pescado), seafood (mariscos), chicken (pollo), some beef (carne), pork (cerdo) and goat meat (chivo). These dishes are usually cooked either fried (frito), in a creole sauce (salsa criolla), grilled (a la parrilla) or stewed (guisado). For side dishes Dominicans usually have either rice (arroz), beans (habichuelas) or plantains (plátanos). We have picked a couple of the popular dishes and have given a short explanation of the dish below.

This hearty stew is Dominican comfort food at its finest. It can combine several types of meat with a variety of vegetables. Many times this is served for a festival or a party.

is a hearty stew with the main ingredient being tripe (cow stomach)

Is (stewed goat) tender, braised goat meat.

(stewed chicken) tender, braised chicken meat

is stewed salted cod — this is a very popular dish in the Caribbean.

(white rice) is the number one side and sometimes considered the main part of the meal

Moro de habichuelas is a popular rice dish cooked with black or red kidney beans.

is a form of rice cooked with pigeon peas

Platanos called plantains in English are either Verde (green) or Maduro (ripe) with green plantains far more popular among the Dominican people.

is made with fried green plantains, garlic, and chicharrones (fried pork skins) that are mashed together and is made in a similar way to garlic mashed potatoes.

is a Dominican staple made from boiled, green plantains that are mashed and topped with sauteed red onions.

are fried plantains –  green are the most popular, but if you want your tostones a little sweet, look for the Maduro (ripe) plantains, most people refer to tostones simply by saying fritos (fried).

Yuca, also known as cassava, is a root that is boiled and served as a side and is usually drizzled with a sauce made of olive oil, garlic, and lime.

These tiny pops are made of creamy coconut centers covered in a thin layer of crunchy, candied caramel.

is flat bread and many times you will see people selling this on the beaches, it is made with ingredients such as flour, salt, and water.

are turnovers usually filled with ground beef, shredded chicken or cheese

A Dominican version of a Mexican tamale, but instead of corn dough, they’re made with either plantains or yuca and cooked inside a plantain leaf instead of a corn husk.

is fried pork and is usually served with fried plantains (fritos) or yuca.

are street burgers that are topped with cabbage and a sweet sauce made with a base of ketchup and mayonnaise

is the local beer and it is always served ice cold – Dominicans won’t drink it any other way.

is enjoyed throughout the Caribbean and the top two Dominican brands are Brugal and Barceló. Our rums are packed with flavor and smooth.

is a traditional local drink that combines rum, red wine, honey, tree bark, and 12 local spices.

Contact us and let us know where you are staying and we can provide you with a list of restaurants that have great Dominican food at affordable prices.