Italy In The World-Wine Restaurant — Restaurant in Oranjestad (city)

Italy in the World brings the very essence of Italy straight to Aruba, and it does so with heart, authenticity, and unforgettable flavour. Set in one of Oranjestad’s oldest and most charming landmarks, a lovingly restored early 19th-century Cunucu house, the restaurant offers more than just a meal… It offers a journey.

We were lucky enough to dine here twice during our May 2024 trip, and both evenings were nothing short of magical. From the moment we stepped in, the warm, intimate atmosphere enveloped us. The passion of the chef and owner, Mauro, is evident in every detail.

The food? Incredible. The truffle and mushroom risotto was hands-down the best we’ve ever had. Rich, creamy, and deeply satisfying. The four cheese, truffle, and mushroom ravioli was equally out of this world, every bite bursting with flavour. To top it off, we were honoured to be the first to try the pizza from Mauro’s brand-new oven, a thoughtful and generous surprise that truly touched us.

Mauro’s warmth and hospitality made the experience even more special. He helped us select the perfect wines to pair with our dishes, some of the finest Italian wines we’ve ever tasted, and his energy, kindness, and genuine love for what he does left a lasting impression.

We were honestly heartbroken to leave Aruba the next day, knowing we couldn’t return for one last dinner. Italy in the World is a rare gem, a place where food, history, and human connection come together to create something unforgettable.

Thank you, Mauro, for making our two dinners so special. We can’t wait to return and...

Having visited Italy many times, I was taken to my favorite destination when my wife and I dined at Italy in the World. Many elements of the experience gave me the feeling of being at a treasured hideaway restaurant in Italy.

It starts with the personal attention of the staff, which has the feel of a family run business, and it probably is, with each worker collaborating as a team for your meal.

It extends also to the dining area both inside and out, where you will feel at home — or on the streets of Italy, though not quite, of course.

We had a tasty Chianti and if I had one suggestion is that they provide a wine menu. Oddly, I did not know that the restaurant was a wine restaurant, especially when the waiter was a little unsure whether they had chianti and didn’t give us a wine menu. In fact, I asked for a Chianti and he wasn’t sure if they had it, which I thought was odd and I expected to get a random red and that’s the way he said it would be, but he found a Chianti thank goodness.

My pumpkin ravioli was delicious, and a large portion for a ravioli dish where you tend to get six, but I probably had 10 there. Quite generous!

My wife had ossobuco, and it was quite large, flavored and sauced up quite well. It was accompanied by a pasta in a sauce that went perfectly with the meat.

We had a chocolate cream cake – – emphasis on the cream for both its rich chocolate and whipped cream.

So if you want to feel like you’re in Italy, but not quite, stroll into Italy...

This was a rough dinner experience on several levels. The main issue was the service. We were a group of 10 which I know is difficult but they asked 4 people at the table if they wanted wine and got it for them and then forgot about the rest of the table for over 20 minutes. My 2 kids were never asked if they wanted something to drink. When the water at the table ran out, I waited almost a half hour before finally getting up and bringing the caraffe to the server to ask for more water. My kids still had nothing to drink so I again got up and asked if they could have some lemonade, we had been sitting for an hour and a half at this point waiting for food. The food took 2 hours to come out and it was ok, some things good some things salty. The sides of pasta that came with the dishes were terrible, the pasta almost reminded me of halfway cooked ramen noodles and the splash of sauce was very salty. Start to finish was over 3 hours, it would have been longer but we eventually got up and asked for the check. They did have live music but it was so loud you couldn't have a conversation with the person across from you. This is a total pass for me, we will...