Dominican cooking, known as comida criolla, blends Taíno, Spanish and African traditions. It is hearty, filling and based on rice, beans, plantains, root vegetables and stewed meats, with sofrito, oregano and garlic for flavour.

La bandera

La bandera ("the flag") is the everyday lunch: white rice, red beans and stewed chicken or beef, usually with salad and fried plantains. Its colours are said to echo the national flag. Most Dominicans eat it daily, and lunch is the main meal.

Breakfast

Mangú, mashed green plantains topped with sautéed red onions, is the classic breakfast. Served with fried eggs, fried salami and fried cheese, it becomes "los tres golpes" ("the three hits").

Other dishes

  • Sancocho: a rich stew of several meats and root vegetables such as yuca, yautía and plantain, served with rice and avocado at celebrations.
  • Tostones: twice-fried smashed green plantains.
  • Locrio: a rice dish cooked with chicken, sausage or seafood, similar to paella.
  • Pescado con coco: fish in coconut sauce, a speciality of Samaná.
  • Chicharrón: crispy fried pork.
  • Habichuelas con dulce: a sweet bean dessert with milk, coconut and spices, eaten during Lent.

Drinks

Mamajuana is a local drink made by soaking tree bark and herbs in rum, red wine and honey, and is said to have medicinal powers. Presidente is the national beer, served ice cold. Dominican coffee is strong and usually sweet, and the country also produces excellent cacao and rum.

Music and dance

Merengue, the national dance, and bachata, once dismissed as music of the poor, are both on UNESCO's intangible heritage list. Music plays everywhere, from colmados (corner shops) to buses, and dancing is part of almost every gathering.

Baseball

Baseball is the national passion. The Dominican Republic has produced hundreds of Major League Baseball players, and the winter league season, from October to January, fills stadiums in Santo Domingo, Santiago and San Pedro de Macorís.

Traditions

  • Carnival: celebrated every Sunday in February, peaking around Independence Day on 27 February, with masked characters such as the diablo cojuelo.
  • Colmados: corner shops that double as social hubs, with music, cold beer and dominoes.
  • Family: extended family ties are strong, and Sunday meals bring relatives together.

Etiquette

  • Greet everyone when entering a room or shop with "buenos días".
  • Dress neatly; shorts are not accepted in government offices and some churches.
  • Time is relaxed socially ("hora dominicana"), but be punctual for business.
  • Bargaining is normal with street vendors.
  • Tipping around 10% on top of the included service charge is appreciated.

See our Dominican Republic country guide for costs and data.