Dominicans snacks we love: savory snacks in a picadera platter – buffet – on special occasions from a street vendor's cart when out and about in the city, while enjoying a day on the beach, or when stopping at one of our famous paradores. Here are our favorites ones.
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- Last reviewed . Published Jun 18, 2022Some of these tasty snacks are uniquely traditional Dominican food, while others have their counterparts in other Caribbean islands and Latin American countries.
In the latter case, each one has its own distinctive Dominican touch.
What is a Dominican snack?
Dominican fruits are the simplest snacks you can find, but if we had to pick a top three, it would probably be pastelitos, quipes, and croquetas. But there are many more to choose from. Here’s a selection of traditional Dominican snacks you’ll find in the blog. As you will see, there’s considerable overlap between the categories into which we've attempted to divide them.
The recipes featured below range from very simple snacks you can prepare in a couple of minutes to the more elaborate ones. Many, but not all, are fried, and some can also be baked or prepared in an air fryer for a lighter alternative.
On road trips
A road trip in the DR isn’t complete without a stop to buy refreshments and some artisanal queso de hoja, a white cheese similar to mozzarella. Best enjoyed with galletas de panaderia – savory crackers.
Boruga, a yogurt drink made with fermented milk is another obligatory purchase while on a road trip, especially at the paradores on the Autopista Duarte. Drink it ice cold but make sure you buy enough to take some home for later.
Chicharrón
Batata asada
Late-night snacks
In our country, the ideal snack after a night of partying is found in a carrito (street food cart).
Chimi [Recipe + Video] Dominican Chimichurri Burger
Rikitaki and Frikitaki
Yaroa
Sandwich de pierna
Mofongo
Chulitos
Party food - Picadera, and street food
In the Dominican Republic, the picadera (buffet) is usually ordered from small-scale home-based businesses or more formal local restaurants or specialty food businesses.
Pastelitos and empanaditas
Bollitos de yuca
Empanada de yuca
Quipe or kipe
Croquetas
Beach food
A day on the beach is not complete with some of our favorites.
Yaniqueque
Yuca frita
Pescado frito
Batata frita
Merienda
At home, there's no shortage of snacks you can make. These are some favorites.
Frito con salami
Pan con aguacate
Casabe
Casabe mojado con huevos
You’ll find all these recipes and more under Picaderas. Let us know in the comments if you think we missed any.