Restaurant & Must Sees in Playa Dorada/Puerta Plata area

Jane · #1 01-02-2002, 11:24 PM

We will be spending a week in the Playa Dorada area of Puerta Plata and will not be taking the all-inclusive meal plan. Can anyone give us dining recommendations in the area and also suggest any places or things we should do/see while there. Thanks.

Alexandra · #2 01-03-2002, 08:07 AM

You can go to Hemmingways in the Plaza (shopping mall in Playa Dorado). Their food is good and after diner you can enjoy music and dance.

A must visit in Puerto Plata is Cafe Cito, near the Central Parc. Great food and very comfortable (closed on Sundays). You can take a taxi or motoconcho (much more fun and cheap) from Playa Dorada to Central Parc. Buy an icecream at the shop and eat and enjoy the (small but nice) parc.

There are some restaurants on the Malecon that are nice. Just take a walk from Central Parc around the area and you will find some nice places to go. Need specific information? Send me an email!

Have fun,

Alexandra

grantc · #3 01-03-2002, 03:22 PM

if you go down the Coast to the East about 20 min to Sosua you will find all kinds of great restaurants.

Pierre Georgios - pricey but great food and atmosphere

Waterfront - a little less and the food is just as good if not better

La Roca - just up the road from the beach great lunches and dinners. Priced around the same as Waterfront

Mora Mai - across the street from La Roca

Brittania Pub - good lunches - Best pizza in town if Johnny is still cooking

Moma Mia - very good pizza and pasta reasonably priced.

the list goes on. A word of warning though. Once you have visited Sosua you will not want to go back to Playa Dorada.

Dolores · #4 01-03-2002, 05:10 PM

Browse through the Puerto Plata, Sosua, Cabarete, Playa Grande sections of DR1 Travel. Lots of must sees to choose from. This is a coast to rent a car and go out and discover. Get together with another couple and go out and explore.

Leanne · #5 01-03-2002, 10:50 PM

If you are venturing in to Puerto Plata, you must go to Cafe Cito near Central Park. It is a wonderful restaurant and the staff are all incredible. The owner is a Canadian who is now living in Puerto Plata. We really enjoyed it. it'll definitely be on our list of places to go to again when we are there. I would recommend that you make reservations though. it is a very small restaurant that is always busy.

Tor · #6 01-04-2002, 06:24 AM

re Grantc
You forgot Rest. Bologna. My favorite Restaurant in Sosua.

mkohn · #7 01-04-2002, 07:13 AM

The breakfasts at Sofy's B&B in Puerto Plata are great - American style. You don't have to stay there to enjoy them. But staying there is also nice.

Paulino · #8 01-04-2002, 08:57 AM

Upon visiting Puerto Plata in mid-November I enjoyed a great pizza at a place along the Malecón called - if my memory serves me right - something like "tu y yo" (meaning you and I - of course). Or perhaps the pizza wasn't all that great, perhaps it was simply the change from my in-laws' "arroz y pollo" that was so welcome. Well it actually WAS quite good! The place was easy to find, there was a giant banner hanging on the wall reading "Pizza pizza".

By the way I've also been to Cafe Cito downtown PoP, I didn't find it worthwhile returning to though. Service was rather slow, and the helpings were too small by my standards. It's been nearly three years, though, so things may have changed. The Canadian owner was a likeable guy.

Hillbilly · #9 01-04-2002, 12:09 PM

I enjoyed the Cafe Cito. I take my friends to Sofy's B&B, it is a great breakfast! Little difficult to find however: Take the first or second right, after you pass the traffic circle by the ballpark. It is not paved, and there is an open building on the left, filled with bottles of beer and rum. Her phone number is 586 6411-ask for Noelle....
there is another spot called, I think ARCOIRIS-the rainbow. Ask Noelle about it. Beautiful restrauant under huge trees.

And do not miss Los Manguitos. Just to the right after you leave the Playa Dorada complex. it is part of a row of little places. Food is very good and not expensive.

If you are a little bit adventerous, and like fish, you should try and get to Plaza Johan. This is a very, very Dominican place that I always try and go to when in POP. You will have to get a cab, since it is out past Riu Merengue, about two or three minutes past them. Your driver will surely know it.
You go in, and tell the waitress how "many"fish you want to eat.( There is no menu-they only do fish)
You will also ask for "tostones"(the Dominican equivilant to the potato chip or fried potatos). You can buy the driver his meal too! Don't sweat it. the cost for 4 is less than the cost for 2 at any other place I know of!! Enjoy ice coated Persidente Beer!!.

Still adventerous? Get the cabbie, who is now in love with your gang, to take you up to the Cafeto on the road from Cabarete to Santiago...Called the Jamao highway....Spectacular views, good food and great atmosphere. You might want to take a light sweater...

have fun

HB

Marc · #10 01-05-2002, 02:00 PM

Sofy's B&B is a must for breakfast, it will not disappoint.

Puerto Plata
There is a good chinese restaurant as you come in from the East, we eat there quite often but have no idea what the name of it is. I think it is the only one in town, so if you ask, I am sure you will be pointed in the right direction. There is a Pizza Hut and of course Hemmingways (super pricey) in the plaza at Playa Dorada...There is another restaurant above Supermercado Jose Luis that is on the main drag through PP that is apparently also quite good.

Sosua/Cabarete are the best bet as they have not been overrun by all inlcusives. Sosua has a great Mexican restaurant, lots of pub food, and the list of restaurants that grant posted. Not sure if he mentioned El Toro.

Cabarete has fantastic restaurants along the beach which are a must do at/after sunset. Take your pick, there are a lot of them.

Good luck, and congrats on stying away from the hotel buffet's!

marc