![]() ![]() Small tables are tucked in corners throughout the ancient brick structure, and the affordable Lebanese menu overflows with falafel sandwiches, shawarmas, flatbreads and other meat platters. Dine in a spacious, multi-level outdoor courtyard with starry city skies for a roof. You’ll feel like you’re in the Mediterranean from the moment you enter Falafel, steps from the heart of the city, but tucked away enough to feel secluded. ![]() With such fair prices, the place fills in the evenings with after-work crowds. Mix up montaditos like goat cheese and caramelized onions topped on house-baked bread with pork sliders, or sautéed chorizo, among other options. Outside, four distinct food stations hug a colonial courtyard, offering a variety of hot or cold tapas, and wood fired pizza. Set in a refurbished colonial building with original tiles and coral stone walls, the woodsy interior counts up to six separate food sections including an indoor dessert area, and an upscale air-conditioned bar. Two years ago, Mercado Colón created buzz with its European-inspired market-style restaurant serving tapas with a Dominican twist. Dominican ingredients with modern twists lead to soul food bites such as sweet plantain ravioli, cassava and cheese balls, spicy coconut fried fish, and the signature eponymous house dish, originally from the mountainous central DR region of Moca: a creamy sausage and corn-based soup. The dining area resembles a gigantic greenhouse and noise-free fans masterfully positioned on a high ceiling cool the room while giving the impression of dining al fresco. Buche’ PericoĪ sensory experience both on and off the plate, Buche’ Perico is a standout in the Colonial Zone, not just for its stunning outdoor setting, but also for its new Dominican cuisine. Calle El Conde, between Calle Duarte and Calle 19 de Marzo. Sit outdoors under the umbrellas to watch the Conde’s lively pedestrian stream, or take refuge in the spacious interior, with tables past the counter stools. It’s a place where regulars turn up daily to discuss the day’s events, while choosing from one of a dozen fresh fruit batidas–made with or without sugar and milk–and the area’s cheapest egg sandwich breakfast. Sitting directly on Calle El Conde, this cozy diner-style establishment has the luck of attracting poets, scribes, artists, and activists since the 1930s. ![]() Serving the best espresso in the Colonial City–no small feat, and they sell their roasted blend–isn’t La Cafetera’s only claim to fame. Head upstairs and sample signature crab-filled catibias–empanadas made with yucca–stewed goat in a criollo sauce, or longaniza, and end with the house dulce de coco. The bar is a haunt of neighborhood regulars, showing up daily as early as 6PM, while the dining room walls–particularly on the second floor–resemble an art gallery. Tucked a block away from bustling Calle El Conde, Meson D’Bari delivers “grandmother recipe” Dominican dishes in an old world atmosphere. The two-story, bright-blue colonial home turned restaurant has been a favorite for over 30 years. Meson D’Bari–made even more popular since Anthony Bourdain’s visit in 2012–is an obligatory stop in the Colonial City. Visit the oldest monuments in the Americas–from the Catedral Santa María la Menor to the Ozama Fortress–and enjoy panoramic views over the Ozama River, flanking the Ciudad Colonial. Along the way, sample local dishes in cafeterias, stop for a dulce de leche, cool off with a batida, and don’t miss dining al fresco on farm-to-table “new” Dominican cuisine in leafy, romantic courtyards. On street corners, colmados–the quintessential Dominican bodegas–blast bachata and serve ice-cold Presidente beer into the wee hours of the night, when the area’s lantern-lit squares beg for a stroll. The pedestrian Calle El Conde, running the length of Zona Colonial, as locals like to call the area, is lined with comedores serving platos del día, European-style sidewalk cafés, and fast food stands next to discount clothing stores and barber shops. It’s a neighborhood that bustles all day and night with passersby–from shoppers to street musicians, lovers cooling off on park benches, tourists meandering around museums, and mobile vendors hawking everything from fresh coconut water to chicharrón slices. Recently renovated, the city’s most historic district keeps tradition alive while evolving as rapidly as the capital’s gastronomic scene. Santo Domingo’s Ciudad Colonial is a microcosm of Dominican culture. ![]()
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