Where can I find the best ribs in Curacao? We investigated this question and tested both top restaurants and insider tips on the island. Without giving away the result: we were quite surprised!

Why a ribs challenge?

Spare ribs (in American English) or simply “ribs” are something of a classic in Curacao. You can find them everywhere: in luxury hotels, in many restaurants, on the beach, and even at the Truk di Pans. Everyone loves them! Juicy pork ribs that, in the best case, “fall off the bone” and are grilled in a delicious barbecue/honey sauce. Who wouldn’t find that delicious?

Dear vegans/vegetarians among you: please don’t torture yourselves with this report: just leave! This “challenge” is all about meat. Curacao also offers delicious salads and alternatives. Reviews of meatless highlights to follow…

The secret of perfect spare ribs

Over the years, I have eaten so many delicious ribs in Curacao that I sometimes asked for the “secret tips for preparation” and grilled them at home. I actually ate the best ribs of my life in Curacao. I didn’t have to “gnaw” them off the bone with my teeth, as is often the case in Bavarian beer gardens. Instead, they ‘fell’ off the bone, were super tender, simply delicious, and a true delight! They were accompanied by lovingly decorated and selected side dishes. For a few years now, this has been called “fine dining.”

Let’s get started (=in medias res)

Who were the participants? Of course, our selection is not representative of the island, and we are far from knowing all the locations that are known for delicious ribs. Here are the restaurants (with links to Google Maps) that we have included in our current selection and tested for you and us:

• e lanternu (Bisento/Fontein)
• Blues at the Avilla Beach Hotel (Pietermaai)
• De Buurvrouw (Grote Berg)
• Blue View (Westpunt)
• De Tijd (Willemstad)

In addition, we don’t want to deprive you of our many years of ribs experience and will also report on the following, even though we haven’t tested them recently:

• Koraal Rooftop Bar (Coral Estate)
• Truk di Pans (Karbon Grill & VIP Grill)

e lanternu in the west of Curacao

Our challenge began in the west of Curacao at the restaurant e lanternu. The ribs are listed on the menu as “loin ribs (full slab)” for 38 Cg (approx. 21 USD). “Full slab” means “full plate”; there are no specifications regarding size or weight. I ordered fries as a side dish and actually got a full plate with a decent portion of spare ribs (approx. 12-13 ribs), the side dish, and some salad.

Ribs in the restaurant a-lanternu in the west of Curacao

I didn’t have to cut the meat; it was easy to slide off the bone with a knife. The ribs were hot, extremely juicy, and there was a remarkable amount of meat on the bone. As stated on the menu (“basted with sweet sauce”), the marinade was pleasantly sweet (honey?) and not as smoky as you would expect from barbecue ribs. Nothing was burnt, but it still tasted grilled.

Restaurant a-lanternu in the west of Curacao

The fries were delicious: crispy on the outside, cooked through and juicy on the inside. The salad was also fresh and crisp – with a few bacon bits for good measure. It’s probably impossible to servce ribs as a fine dish on a plate any more perfectly than this (Bryan is responsible for this at e lanternu). Or is it?

Blues Restaurant at the Avilla Beach Hotel

We continued on to the Blues Restaurant in Pietermaai, a rather “fine” address in one of the luxury hotels on Curacao. The ribs are listed on the menu as “BBQ Ribs” and also as “full slab” with “orange-infused BBQ sauce” – served with fries on the side. At the hefty price of 46.95 Cg (approx. 26 USD). Again, there was no indication of weight or quantity.

Ribs in the Blues (Avila Beach) restaurant in Curacao

The baby ribs were also served stylishly on a wooden board, together with the fries in a separate bowl, and instead of salad, there was a small grilled corn on the cob. Again, I didn’t count the number of ribs. But the portion was definitely smaller than at e lanternu. In retrospect, I would estimate the number of ribs to be about 10. Just take a look at the photos!

Wow, super delicious! That was my impression after the first bite. And the grilled pineapple slice was also a perfect accompaniment. The ribs were juicy, delicious, and fell easily off the bone. There may have been a little less meat, but I was satisfied. The marinade was sensational and tasted slightly sweet.

Blues (Avila Beach) restaurant in Curacao

The fries were perfect, and the pineapple, which I would have liked to have had more of, was a real highlight that I had never had with spare ribs before.

In addition, if you reserve a table and arrive at the right time, the Blues offers a sensational sunset for free.

De Buurvrouw on Grote Berg

You all already know De Buurvrouw from our article and YouTube video. The skewers here are legendary. Definitely a fine culinary address in Curacao! But: Do they also have the best ribs on Curacao?

Here, too, the ribs came in the “baby spare ribs” version with fries and mayo on an attractive wooden board, fresh and hot to the table. Instead of salad or another side dish, there were thin potato chips and a few herbs on the ribs. Why and what for herbs (cress and parsley)? Never mind! The ribs were just as easy to remove from the bone as in our previous tastings and tasted excellent. Lots of meat and a portion to satisfy your appetite!

Ribs in the restaurant De Buurvrouw in Curacao

The marinade on the ribs was well-balanced and very pleasant on the palate: not too smoky, not sweet, not sour. An honest and perfect rib marinade. That’s what you expect, and that’s how it tastes!

Maike had the legendary Antillean rice as an additional side dish, and it was delicious as always. Buurvrouw is always happy to accommodate special requests, which we appreciate.

Palapa of the restaurant De Buurvrouw in Curacao

The ribs are available here in different weights: 500, 750, or 1000 grams (43.50 Cg to 74.50 Cg – approx. 24 to 41 USD). I had the 500-gram version and was very happy with it.

Blue View in Westpunt

Our ribs journey continued to the west of the island: to Blue View in Westpunt – known as a sunset and Instagram hotspot with spectacular sunsets. Some of the tables are on glass floors, offering a view of the sea from the cliffs on which Blue View is located. The view is definitely fantastic. So let’s go inside!

Ribs in the restaurant Blue View in Curacao

The ribs are listed on the menu as “baby back ribs smoked BBQ sauce” for 39.75 Cg (around 22 USD) – with “Caribbean fruit flavors.” I was excited! And it arrived as advertised and ordered: a decent rack with about 12-13 baby ribs with fries, some salad, and a corn on the cob. At first, I couldn’t find any “Caribbean fruit flavors.”

That didn’t detract from the taste of the ribs: they were very tasty and the marinade went perfectly with them. With a little imagination, I was able to find the promised “Caribbean fruit flavors” after all: in the marinade, which was excellent. It wasn’t as plentiful and rich as in the previous tests, but it was sufficient.

Restaurant Blue View in Curacao on the cliffs with glass bottoms in Westpunt

At Blue View, you get authentic ribs with a wonderful side dish: a fantastic view of the Caribbean Sea. Bon appetit!

De Tijd in Willemstad

The ribs legend on Curacao! If you ask anyone about “ribs in Curacao,” they will surely mention “De Tijd.” Why? We made our way to Willemstad to find out. De Tijd is located on the road from Punda to Pietermaai—a few meters behind the famous Curacao sign—in the middle of the city and in the trendy district.

Cozy, colorful benches outside invite you to stop and try the No. 1 dish, which is listed at the top of huge chalkboards in sizes ranging from 350 to 1000 grams. Cost: 31 Cg for 350 grams to 88 Cg for 1000 grams (approx. 17-49 USD). I opted for the 500-gram version (45 Cg = 25 USD).

Ribs in the restaurant De Tijd in Curacao

What arrived at the table? At first glance, a slightly charred piece of ribs with fries and a kind of potato salad. No classic salad, no pineapple, no corn on the cob. The ribs were larger than before (not baby spare ribs, but also not the huge ones we know from Bavarian beer gardens). Everything was different here!

The ribs didn’t taste “burnt” at all, fell off the bone just as easily as in our previous tests, and there was plenty of meat on them. The marinade was completely different: it tasted smoky at first, like real barbecue sauce, and we loved it. We also found the homemade potato salad, which was served as a side dish, to be very tasty.

Restaurant De Tijd in Willemstad

As a city restaurant, De Tijd can’t offer a sunset over the sea. But it does offer classic ribs and an atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re at a barbecue with friends. We now understand why De Tijd is repeatedly recommended as a restaurant tip.

Interim conclusion

From grilled pineapple with delicate baby ribs to classic and authentic barbecue ribs, our rib challenge has now covered everything. What appeals to you? Leave us a comment below the article! Who is your winner?

We don’t want to keep other locations that we know well and last visited in 2024 from you, so we’ll give you a quick report on them too. Please scroll or swipe down to the conclusion if you are not interested in this.

Koraal Rooftop Bar at Coral Estate

In a beautiful palapa right by the sea, you will find a rooftop bar at the Coral Estate Resort that hosts a “Green Egg” BBQ evening with ribs & co. and live music once a week on Fridays. The location is unique on Curacao and worth at least one evening drink at the well-equipped cocktail bar. Here, too, you can experience the perfect sunset over the sea (and also enjoy the infinity pool – included).

Ribs in the Koraal bar & restaurant in Curacao

How good are the ribs? At our last tasting, they were served on an extremely appealing plate with mashed potatoes and salad. The portion was smaller than on all our previous visits, but I was still full. The marinade was delicious, and the ribs fell off the bone – you can’t get much better than that. The last time I ate ribs here was in 2024 (in 2025 it was fresh tuna), so my rating falls into the “out of competition” category. I simply can’t say whether they are still just as delicious. In 2024, the ribs cost 48 Cg. (approx. 27 USD).

Palapa of the Koraal bar & restaurant in Curacao

By the way, this is where I got my very own ribs recipe (spoiler: pre-cook them in cola), and since my first visit, I’ve been making them at home just like I enjoyed them there for the first time. Best regards to Nani and Sandan!

Ribs at Truk di Pan

On Curacao, food trucks (Truk di Pan) are a popular alternative to traditional restaurants. Freshly grilled food is sold here after dark. You’ll find seating and dining areas, often music, and above all authentic food and the opportunity to immerse yourself in real life on Curacao. Unfortunately, we don’t have any photos of the ribs at the two Truk di Pans. We ate other (super delicious dishes) at each location. You’ll have to help yourself with your own experience or Google reviews, for example. Sorry!

Karbon Grill on Winston Churchillweg

At probably the best-known Truk di Pan, ribs cost 18-28 Cg. (small – medium – large) – about 10-16 USD – depending on the portion.

Truk di Pan Karbon Grill in Curacao

VIP Grill on the road to Westpunt

The VIP Grill between Grote Berg and Daniel is even cheaper. When we visited, the ribs cost 17-23 Cg. (small – large) – starting at around 9.50 USD.

Truk di Pan VIP Grill in Curacao

Conclusion … and the winner is🏆🥳

You’ve probably already guessed: there is no real, objective winner. It really depends on your personal preferences and taste! You can get extremely delicious spare ribs all over Curacao. Sometimes with a sunset, sometimes with a special atmosphere, sometimes with pineapple…

Our personal favorite, and where we will definitely stop again on our next visit when we want to eat ribs?

It’s “e lanternu” – a very small, authentic, and cozy restaurant in the west of the island that we have come to love and appreciate. Greetings to Bryan and the friendly and lovely team. No sunset, no fancy schmancy, just honest and down-to-earth cuisine. Super delicious, super fresh, super ribs, super warm service!

Everywhere on Curacao, you can get delicious ribs that are in no way comparable to our “beer garden spare ribs.” Just pick a location and enjoy your stay on this great island with its lovely people! Go for it!

Disclaimer

In the photos, the restaurants appear to have been partially empty. That was not the case! However, we always try to take photos without other people in them, as we would otherwise have to ask for their consent to publish them. All restaurants were well frequented!

Food is a matter of taste! What I/we like may not be to your liking. Eating in a restaurant is also always a snapshot in time. Today, the food and service were sensational – tomorrow it may be different. We know it, you know it!