Great Food - The Beach, Playa Coson

Although you wouldn’t know it from the sign on the road, tucked back in the palm trees near the end of Playa Coson is a fabulous gourmet restaurant just waiting to be discovered. The Beach is only open to the public for lunch. The rest of the time, it’s the private restaurant for the Peninsula House hotel – a luxury boutique hotel that was recently awarded #2 Best Resort in the Caribbean by Conde Nast traveler readers.

The entrance to The Beach from Playa Coson, Dominican Republic

Don’t let the pedigree deter you, though. The Beach is an unassuming locale with delightful service and tasty fare that’s worth every dollar. The menu changes daily and features an array of fresh fish, meats and local fruits and vegetables. The day I visited, I was offered six first courses and six main courses and more dessert options than I could imagine.


Playa Coson, in front of The Beach, Dominican Republic

The first offering was toasted slivers of fresh coconut with a touch of salt that served as the perfect palate teaser for lunch. For my main course, I chose a local specialty, camarones con salsa chinola, jumbo shrimp atop a buttery sauce infused with the sweet tangy addition of passionfruit. My dining companion had been craving avocado and selected a salad featuring shrimp and avocado. When it arrived, it was a tower of densely packed sweet shrimp and fresh avocado with the simple additions of lime and parsley.

Palm Trees at The Beach, Playa Coson

Our dishes were simple but the use of fresh, local ingredients made them outstanding. The setting, on the porch of a small Caribbean-style cottage, added to the experience. The waves of the ocean lapped against the white sand beach of Playa Coson as the palm trees shaded the restaurant and helped keep the sunshine from heating things up too much.

View of The Beach, Playa Coson, Dominican Republic

Several of the desserts caught my eye but my entree was so generous more food was out of the question.  The call of the beach beckoned us to walk off the stupor of wine and lunch but for those less motivated, beach chairs were available outside the front gate. It’s a shame we can’t all enjoy the restaurant for dinner but it’s worth a trip down the road to have lunch at The Beach.