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All Dominican Republic Santo Domingo El Meson de la Cava
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

El Meson de la Cava

Renowned restaurant tucked in a cave once occupied by buccaneers.

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

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About

In 1965, this cave was used for storage by soldiers of the Organization of American States (OAS), an international organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., that counts all independent states in North, Central and South America as members. Two years later, it was turned into the Meson de la Cava restaurant.

The restaurant, considered one of the most distinguished in the area by both residents of and tourists to the Dominican Republic, is tucked into a natural limestone cave created by waves over billions of years. In addition to provisions from the OAS, the restaurant displays several of the valuable belongings found in the cave from previous occupants, which include the Taino Indians, buccaneers who hid in the caves before launching an attack on Santo Domingo, and the guerrillas who fought against the occupation by foreign forces in 1930.

The restaurant has three entrances at street level, but visitors must descend a 40-foot spiral staircase to get to the lobby, which is filled with stalactites and stalagmites.

While some might expect that the restaurant relies on its unique environs to draw visitors in, the Meson de la Cava is known for preparing some of the region's best cuisine. Local, hand-selected ingredients are brought in daily, as is a catch from the Caribbean Sea. The diverse menu is focused around Spanish-influenced modern classical French and local Caribbean cuisine.

Related Tags

Caves Restaurants Unique Restaurants & Bars Subterranean Sites Ecosystems

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Added By

bebeto

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nbj914

  • nbj914

Published

July 29, 2010

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  • Yahoo! Travel: Meson de la Cava (El): http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2769911-el_meson_de_la_cava_santo_domingo-i
  • Frommer's: El Mason de la Cava: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/santodomingo/D39995.html
  • Trip Advisor: El Mason De La Cava: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g147289-d1045821-Reviews-El_Meson_De_La_Cava-Santo_Domingo_Dominican_Republic.html
El Meson de la Cava
Av. Mirador Sur #1
Santo Domingo
Dominican Republic
18.441678, -69.957126
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Nearby Places

Dr. Rafael M. Moscoso National Botanical Garden

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

miles away

Memorial Museum of Dominican Resistance

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

miles away

Ruins of San Nicolás de Bari Hospital

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo

Dominican Republic

Places 10
Stories 1

Nearby Places

Dr. Rafael M. Moscoso National Botanical Garden

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

miles away

Memorial Museum of Dominican Resistance

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

miles away

Ruins of San Nicolás de Bari Hospital

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo

Dominican Republic

Places 10
Stories 1

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