reasonably priced restaurants and grocery stores

[dorisw]

Greetings to you all, I am happy to have found this forum!
Starting next week we will be staying first in a room at the Marriott Resort and Stellaris, then in an apartment at the Divi Village resort.
1) Could you recommend restaurants with decent food at the lower end of the price scale in walking distance of either places, since we don't want to eat in upscale restaurants more than a few times?
2) Could you recommend where do shop for groceries, particularly for our stay at the Divi Village, although we may want some for the Marriott as well?
We are not getting a car, except for a couple of days towards the end of our stay. We are hoping to eat out perhaps once a day max, and shop for and prepare the rest of the meals ourselves. If not walking distance, we don't mind bus trips as long as we don't have to walk for a mile to get to it. Did a lot of travelling in Europe recently and found that taking the bus or street cars made us feel more "at home" with the locals.

[Arubalisa]

Welcome to the forum.

Here is some info to get your started in your research

http://www.aruba.com/forum/tags/restaurants%20inexpensive.html

http://www.aruba.com/forum/tags/cheapest%20grocery%20store.html

Additional tips for a first time visitor

http://www.aruba.com/forum/tags/first%20time.html

[Tom and Stanley]

I always shop at Super Foods but Certified is also good. . . Food prices are pretty much consistent. Lings maybe a little more but they have everything. . . For restaurants, if you stay off the main streets and popular tourist places you can find great food at good prices. Ask the service staff at your hotel were they go. . . . Works for me finding a great place. . .

Tom and Stanley

[dorisw]

I have stewed over the lists of reasonably priced restaurants on this forum already. Problem is, never having been to Aruba before, and no street map in hand, I don't know where what is. I know you have been over these questions before, so please bear with me. I was hoping to get some specifics as to cheap restaurants in walking distance to the Marriott as well as to the Divi Village. Thanks in advance.
Are Super Foods and Certified near these locations?

[sunworshipperII]

Well I think near the marriott, Casa Tua is pizza, salads and italian dishes reasonable priced. I don't think smokey joes is too highly priced (ribs and chicken)then they also have your fast food like wendys MCDonalds Kentucky fried chicken.. marriott has a sports bar.

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by dorisw

I was hoping to get some specifics as to cheap restaurants in walking distance to the Marriott as well as to the Divi Village. Thanks in advance.

There is really nothing within walking distance of the Divi Village with the exception of their own Seabreeze as well as Mulligans at the Divi Links. You can purchase tickets to reedem for food and beverage at the nearby Tamarijn and Divi, however they are expensive.

Expensive restaurants within walking distance are Windows on Aruba $$$$ and the Promenade $$$ http://www.promenadearuba.com/ The Promenade for example offers an "all you can eat" Appetzier Nights for $32.50.

Maps with restaurant locations
http://www.restaurantsaruba.com/googlemap.html
http://www.frommers.com/images/destinations/maps/jpg-2006/176_resortareadining.jpg

Everyone's definition of "cheap" is different. One of the cheaper restaurants on Palm Beach would be http://www.saltandpepperaruba.com/Salt and Pepper.

As sunworshipperII said there is fast food as well, however, their prices are more expensive than fast food in the U.S. Two weeks ago Mc D's was advertising the McCombo for $7.50. The McCombo was only offered Monday-Thursday.

Are Super Foods and Certified near these locations?

http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=12.5326545&lon=-70.0511026&z=16&l=0&m=b This map is centered on the location of the nearby full service supermarkets. You can see their location in proximity to the Divi Village. Distance is about 1/2 mile.

http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=12.5578309&lon=-70.036726&z=14&l=0&m=b 3.6 miles from the Marriott to the supermarkets

[dorisw]

Thanks for all your suggestions!
If air plane is as scheduled, we'll be there tomorrow! From -8Celsius to ?

[islandj]

You need to hit the early birds at the resturants. Most places offer a good 3 course meal for around 15 to 30 bucks. For example at Tango next to Salt and Pepper they offer a early bird for 25bucks, comes with a app. meal and dessert, I ate there and it was good. Bingo has some good prices, Im a local and I shop mostly at Lings, I like the feel better there, feels more open, clean, and the prices are not bad at all compared to others. Super Food has the best breads. Just get out and explore, talk to hotel staff and have fun, no worries your on Vacation.