One of my favorite things about living in Curacao is their rich coffee culture. This is no doubt thanks to being located so close to South America and having a predominant Dutch/European culture. In the past year I’ve been living on the island, I’ve made it a goal to try out as many cafes as possible. The ones mentioned below are cafes worthy of being on the list, meaning: good coffee, great ambiance, yummy bites, and a place to sit with your laptop.
Question: Have you tried any of these cafés in Curacao? Let me know in the comments below!
Table of Contents
Kafé 5999
Located in Zeelandia Shopping Mall near Saliña is Kafe 5999. This cafe is my go-to for pumpkin spice lattes when I get the craving in fall as they make their syrup from scratch. What I love about this place is that they have unique coffee flavors like Speculaas and Black Sesame in addition their seasonal flavors. They also have delicious food with a unique changing menu featuring staples such as: truffle avocado toast, the rich club sandwich, bao buns, and more!
There is plenty of seating inside the bright and modern room plus a patio area for outdoor seating. The ambiance is very social with groups and families having lovely banter over coffee. While I love Kafe 5999 for interesting flavors and delicious comfort dishes, my main gripes are the inconsistencies with the food and drinks (sometimes they don’t taste as good as the last time!) and the high costs (close to $10 for a large flavored latte). That said, this cafe is part of my rotation.
Hours: Mon-Fri 7 AM – 3 PM + Sat 9 AM – 3 PM
Website: kafe5999.com/
Unique Features: Online ordering for pickup, plenty of vegan options, grab and go section
Must-try: Speculaas Latte with oat milk and a fresh pastry
Van Gogh Coffee
Van Gogh Coffee is a cute cafe in Pietermaai, housed in a historical blue building, just a few minutes walk from the floating bridge. I love their patio seating and being able to people watch those walking down the street. The menu is quite robust, and they offer cafe staples in addition to hot dishes. To be completely honest, I come here for the coffee first, food second. Did I mention they roast their own coffee here? My favorite part about this cafe is their cute little drive thru inside of an old Citroen! This is one of the few places on the island you can get your coffee via drive thru.
The ambiance of this cafe is cozy and quaint. There are far more people working on laptops or friends and couples having quiet conversations compared to, say, Kafe 5999. We love to come here when there are events in Pietermaai (like when they light the pagara for New Years) because the vibe is always calm. My only gripes with this cafe are that service can be slow and the decaf coffee has a weird fruity taste to it. Van Gogh is a bit more of a drive for us than other cafes so we don’t come here too often, but when we do we have a great time.
Hours: Mon-Fri 7 AM – 4PM + Sat 8 AM – 4 PM
Website: vangoghcoffees.com/
Unique Features: Drive thru and dine in, online order for pick-up, huge tea selection, and you can rent a bike through them for the day.
Must-try: Their classic lattes really hit the spot – delicious roasty espresso!
Number Ten
Number Ten is a hip cafe set in the middle of a garden by Landhuis Bloemhof and the Cathedral of Thorns. Stepping past the entrance of the cafe you enter a charming garden patio with eclectic design accents and the sounds of birdsong coming from the trees. Number Ten offers all day breakfast and lunch options in addition to typical espresso-based beverages (and cocktails!). Not on the menu, but tucked inside the small indoor area, is an incredible array of fresh multi-layer cakes, cookies, and pastries. I couldn’t resist picking up a slice of chocolate oreo cake and a slice of funfetti cake.
The ambiance is upbeat yet chill. I kept saying, “this place is so cute!” every corner I turned. They confirm reservations by placing your name in scrabble letters on a table. I saw couples, friends, families, and business people all enjoying a cup of coffee and chatting. This cafe is a place for anyone and everyone, though I will say the coffee is slightly expensive. I paid 12.50 ANG ($7 USD) for the equivalent of a 6 oz. decaf vanilla latte with oat milk. This is definitely a place I can see myself coming back to every month for a brunch date or coffee with girlfriends.
Hours: Mon-Fri 7 :30AM – 3 PM
Website: numbertencuracao.com/
Unique Features: Instagram worthy colorful cakes, charming outdoor patio seating, eclectic decor
Must-try: Their cakes are amazing! Breakfast bagel sandwich for a nostalgic taste of home
Cafelito [Now Called Java Cafe]
[Edit: 7/2025 – Cafelito went through a re-brand to Java Cafe. Still delicious cafe food in the same location, but with a different flair.] Cafelito is a small café in the Saliña Galleries known for their pink “love latte” and all-day breakfast menu. Out of all the cafes in this list, Cafelito feels the most mom and pop with the decor of the cafe feeling much like a cozy home. Everyone who works there is super friendly and happy to chat with you which is a refreshing change from some cafes who try to get you in and out quickly. Their menu has breakfast classics, some with unique twists like the Smores French Toast and Red Velvet Waffles. They also have sandwiches, soups, and salads (shout out to the Chicken Cafelito Salad – so good!).
The ambiance at Cafelito is a little more social than quiet, but they also have great wifi and airco indoors so I have seen people working on their laptops inside. It’s always lovely seeing families and kids enjoying some of the fun menu options. While there is no view from the outdoor seating (you’re looking at a parking lot) the indoor cafe area is decorated nicely. My only gripes with Cafelito is their decaf coffee was powdered last time I ordered it. I would skip the decaf and go for the real stuff here as their lattes are delicious.
Hours: Mon-Fri 6:30 AM – 3 PM + Sat -Sun 8AM – 3PM
Website: javacafecuracao.com/
Unique Features: They do a brunch themed high tea that’s very Instagrammable
Must-try: Love Latte with oat milk and a Chicken Cafelito Salad
Hofi Cas Cora
A farm-to-table cafe on Curacao? Yes, we have that on the island! Hofi Cas Cora is a large family run farm with a cafe and marketplace. You can tour the farm with nicely marked walkways and enjoy seeing the ~15 various crops they grow at a time. The marketplace offers a space to purchase freshly grown produce and local nuts and seeds, like a local farmer’s market. The cafe is located within an open-air house with beautiful views of the farm. A large chalkboard behind the counter notes any specials of the day.
I had a vegetable quiche and salad with coffee during my visit and loved how fresh everything tasted. The menu also features pancakes, waffles, sandwiches, and wraps all made with locally sourced produce. Vegetarians and vegans will feel at home here as the menu is very accommodating. After brunch, I strolled over to the small petting zoo next to the farm and said hi to the friendly animals. The ambiance was quintessentially tropical with the open air seating, smiling and laughing patrons, and island breeze blowing through. I highly recommend any visitors to Curacao stop by here to see how green the island can be.
Hours: Tues-Fri 8 AM – 3 PM + Sat 9 AM – 3 PM
Website: hoficascora.com/
Unique Features: On-site farmers market with fresh veggies, nuts and seeds, and preserves for purchase + farm and petting zoo
Must-try: Definitely try the Pumpkin Waffles!
Bo Kofi
Bo Kofi is our go-to spot for take out coffee. Located inside Pasawa Box Eatery (which I wrote about here) Bo Kofi is a cute little container cafe serving up some of the most delicious coffee I’ve had on the island. Recently they installed a drive-thru window which we use often. They also serve up some tasty pateschis (if you’re lucky enough to snag one) and homemade loaves. I don’t know what makes their espresso taste so good, but it’s roasted to perfection and blends harmoniously with whichever milk is in the cup.
In terms of the ambiance, we usually get our coffee to go, but the few times we did sit inside the cafe it was quiet and chill. There’s not a ton of indoor seating and seems more of a to-go place, but there is plenty of outdoor seating as part of the greater Pasawa area if you wanted to get together with friends. Out of all of the cafes on this list, this one has the least expensive (and tastiest) coffee, and we absolutely love it.
Hours: Tues-Fri 7 AM – 10 PM + Sat 8 AM – 10PM
Website: instagram.com/pasawa_cur/
Unique Features: Drive-thru window, delicious pastechis, and lots of flavor syrup options
Must-try: I love a classic vanilla latte with oat milk – it’s perfect
Starbucks
Okay, hear me out. Normally I wouldn’t include a chain like Starbucks on a best cafes list, but I come here every week. They’re the only cafe I know of that’s open past 4 PM on a Sunday. They’re also typically open on holidays so they’ve become a regular staple in our coffee routine. There are technically two Starbucks on the island and they’re both located at Renaissance Mall and Renaissance Hotel by Rif Fort. Not only are they open long hours every day, but their coffee beans and flavored syrups all have that classic Starbucks taste. It’s very nostalgic. I also like that they host local events such as coffee tastings and healthy living workshops!
The ambiance is great when it’s not crowded. They just renovated the interior so it looks lovely and modern with plenty of seating, but when cruises are docked at the port the cafe becomes a madhouse. I always see people on their laptops working and families enjoying a cold frappuccino to cool down from the heat. It seems to be more for cruise passengers and anyone who wants their Starbucks fix to go. Surprisingly, they import almost everything from the regular Starbucks menu so quality is pretty good. You’ll need to be patient though as the staff is constantly training new people and they’re never in any rush to get your order.
Hours: Sun-Thurs 7 AM – 10 PM , Fri + S at 7 AM – 11 PM
Website: instagram.com/starbuckscuracao/
Unique Features: Classic Starbucks flavors, and sometimes they get flavors for the international market (like Red Velvet Syrup)
Must-try: You know what Starbucks tastes like! I love a Caramel Macchiato.
Bliss the Berry
I would be remiss not to include Bliss the Berry, one of the most popular cafes on the island. They are known for their ocean views from the patio and colorful acai bowls. This cafe is located on Mambo Beach, so it’s a great place to have coffee, enjoy a little beach time, and go shopping for the day. Though I haven’t been to Bliss the Berry yet, I’ve heard from many friends that it’s THE place to go for a healthy brunch and good coffee. Plus, this is the only place (that I know of) on the island that makes acai bowls.
The reason I haven’t been to Bliss the Berry yet is simply because I try to avoid Mambo Beach. Great for tourists, but everything is overpriced, often crowded, and has a party vibe. Despite that, I would recommend giving it a try as it’s one of the best regarded cafes on the island of Curacao. Not to mention – very Instagrammable!
Hours: Mon-Sun 7 AM – 4:30 PM
Website: blisstheberry.com/
Unique Features: Acai bowls and ocean views
Must-try: They’re most well known for their colorful acai bowls.
[UPDATE March 23, 2024] I finally tried Bliss the Berry after publishing the blog post. The cafe is gorgeous with a boho chic vibe and sea views at Mambo Beach. The crowd is noticeably on the younger hip side taking selfies and smoking cigarettes. The food itself was tasty, though the acai bowl and smoothie we ordered were both very banana-forward. They also forgot to put vanilla syrup in my latte. This cafe holds the record for most expensive breakfast we’ve ever paid for on the island, so while the views were great we would only come here on special occasions.
Activities
If you’re in Curacao, definitely check out some of these great activities from Viator that focus on the food and drink culture of this vibrant island!
Disclaimer: the following are affiliate links which, when clicked and booked, generate a small income to maintain this blog. Thank you for your support!
Final Thoughts
[EDIT – 7/2025 – I’ve also been frequenting Outside In at BijBlauw, especially when I want a place to co-work!] I mentioned that Curacao has a rich coffee culture, and this is by no means an exhaustive list. Most restaurants have either an espresso machine or a nespresso so you can enjoy a coffee after lunch or dinner. I love living in a place where people feel empowered to open their own businesses, and each cafe listed (except Starbucks) is uniquely and thoughtfully decorated in the visions of the owner. It’s always a treat to visit a new cafe or return to an old favorite.
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