As a frequent visitor to Aruba, the question I am most often asked is, “What’s a good, all-inclusive resort in Aruba?” I always reply,”If you’re a foodie at all, don’t do an all-inclusive. There are too many great restaurants on the island to try! I have an ever-growing list of them, and each time we go back, I cross a few more off my list, only to replace them with a few more for my next trip.

We do have some favorites we absolutely have to visit, like Bugaloe for its fun atmosphere, live music and beautiful sunset on the water. And Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar, becoming our after-casino-in-Oranjestad tradition, but we still have never done the scorpion shot, for which they are best known.

Some new places we tried this trip were Fire and Flames BBQ Bar & Grill. We went there for the $1 Wing Wednesday special but were wowed by the BBQ combo with four-bone baby back ribs and quarter chicken.

Lola Taqueria has been on my list for a while, but there was usually a long wait, so we kept skipping it. Luckily, October is not the busy season, so we were able to get a table this time. They are located in the heart of Palm Beach and share a spot with sister bar, Craft. They had great authentic Mexican food with a twist. The tacos were on the small side, but they were filled to the brim, and that, along with the huge platter of Nachos Libre topped with the pork carnita, left us feeling full.

For more upscale dining, Barefoot is usually our go-to last-night meal with great toes-in-the-sand fine dining. But this time we tried Azar, Open Fire Cuisine. We enjoyed the wood-fired grilled steaks, chicken and fish. It also had a unique selection of house-made specialty sauces to pair with your dinner, including Rocoto Hollandaise, Guasacaca, Azar Chimichurri, Truffle Veal Jus, Green Pepper, and Foyot (Bearnaise & Veal Jus). And I don’t know how they did it, but they made me love the mashed potatoes! I would go back just for a bowl of that delicious creamy goodness.

So if you find yourself vacationing in Aruba, go to as many great restaurants as you can. There’s something for everyone’s taste.

— Tracey Cullen, art director