Breakfast Review: Salt and Pepper, Aruba

Salt and Pepper is, in my world, the greatest breakfast place there is.

From the first time we started going to Aruba almost ten years ago until now, they have maintained the same level of excellence. Day after day, year after year, the breakfast is consistently amazing. That kind of consistency is rare anywhere. On an island, on vacation, with all the variables that can come with time and turnover, it feels even more impressive.

I always order the Aruban Breakfast. For me, there is no other choice. It comes with two sunny side up eggs, a freshly baked warm croissant, crispy bacon, and two island staples, a croquette and a cheese pastechi.

The croquette is one of those foods that does not translate perfectly if you try to compare it to something American. It looks a little like a fried mozzarella stick at first glance, but that does not really capture it. It is warm, breaded, and perfectly fried, with a soft savory center that feels like comfort food from another world. The cheese pastechi is another golden fried masterpiece, with just the right amount of cheese tucked inside. The closest comparison might be a tiny calzone, but with a better texture and a lighter, more satisfying bite.

I tell everyone to order the Aruban Breakfast. Almost nobody listens. They drift toward the American Breakfast instead. It is fine, I guess, but I never understand it. Why travel somewhere beautiful, somewhere distinct, and then order the same breakfast you could get at home?

Now, in principle, I am against deep frying and seed oils. In practice, when I am in Aruba, I surrender. Salt and Pepper breaks me. I go every day, and every day it is the same. Perfection. I also add Madame Janette’s papaya hot sauce, which takes the whole thing over the top. I dunk the croquette and the pastechi into it and get that final crescendo of flavor that makes you stop, close your eyes, and thank God you are alive.

The coffee is always excellent, and it arrives properly hot, which my father would have appreciated. My wife likes the mimosa. I go for the spicy Bloody Mary. This trip we brought our friends and kids, and whatever anyone ordered, they loved it. Even the whole wheat bread tastes fresh baked. I usually steal half of my wife’s pancake, which is sublime. Somehow the batter seems infused with strawberries and cream, so the entire pancake tastes like warm strawberry shortcake.

When I eat there, I find myself closing my eyes and saying little prayers of gratitude, making involuntary noises of happiness like some kind of breakfast mystic. I always tell my wife that I want to thank the sweet Aruban lady in the back making this food. I have no idea who is actually cooking, whether everything is made in house, or what the real operation looks like. But in my mind, it is someone’s grandmother rolling croquettes by hand and pressing out pastechi dough with love. The consistency is so good it feels personal. My imaginary Aruban grandmother is back there, and she has never missed.

The décor adds to the charm. Salt and Pepper is filled with salt and pepper shakers from all over the world, brought in by guests over the years. It is a simple idea, but somehow it works perfectly there. They even encourage people to bring their own. I have often thought about how fun it would be to recreate a place like this somewhere else, but I do not think it would land the same. Aruba gives it its magic.

Inside, it is darker and cool, a welcome contrast to the glorious, consistent days of sun and trade winds waiting outside. We like to sit in that cool interior and look out the window, knowing paradise is just beyond the glass. The whole place feels like a Dutch old world café filtered through Aruba’s warmth and ease. It is its own thing, and it works.

The staff is always eager to please. We usually try to make friends right away on the first day and let them know we will be there all week. We bring a lot of loving energy, but it is always reciprocated. Even when we do not get the same server, the service is warm, joyful, and genuinely welcoming. It lives up to the spirit of the One Happy Island.

I am a fanboy, a disciple, and a complete fanatic when it comes to Salt and Pepper. That is why it is my favorite.

Breakfast score: 9.99