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What to eat in the Dominican Republic? Top 6 Dominican Meat Dishes

Last update: Thu Feb 13 2025
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01

Fried Chicken Dish

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
4.2
Pica pollo
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Pica pollo refers to Dominican-style fried chicken that is often eaten with a side dish of fried plantains and paired with a refreshing beverage on the side — usually beer or Coke. The freshness of the chicken comes from lemon juice in which it is marinated, while the coating mostly consists only of flour, or rarely, cornmeal.

MOST ICONIC Pica pollo

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02
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Dominican food is a unique mixture of African, Spanish, and Taino Indian influences, without spiciness but with a lot of herbs and sauces. La bandera Dominicana (literally translated as the Dominican Flag) is one such dish and a staple of Dominican cuisine.


Similar to many Latin dishes, it starts with stewed beans and white rice, with the addition of meat, either stewed or roasted. The rice used in the dish is usually long-grained, cooked until it gets tender and dry on the exterior. It is mandatory to create a bit of concon - a dry, golden and crispy layer of rice, slightly burnt on the bottom of the pan. 

MOST ICONIC La bandera Dominicana

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03

Stew

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
3.9
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Chivo guisado is a Dominican goat stew. It is usually prepared with pieces of goat meat, onions, bitter oranges, garlic, and tomatoes, while the secrets to this delicacy are wild oregano and Scotch bonnet peppers. Local goats feed on wild oregano, which is the reason for great flavors of chivo guisado.


It is recommended to serve this tender and flavorful stew with chenchén (cracked corn pilaf), which is another delicacy from this country.

MOST ICONIC Chivo guisado

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04

Stew

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC and  2 more regions
3.9
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Carne guisada is a simple, traditional beef stew flavored with cumin, jalapeños, and chili powder. It is popular throughout Latin America, especially in Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The dish is usually simmered over low heat for about two hours until the meat becomes tender.


It is recommended to serve it on flour tortillas, although it can also be paired with rice or potatoes.

05

Burger

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
3.8
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Chimichurris is a Dominican hamburger characterized by the addition of numerous spices to the meat patty, such as oregano, garlic, parsley, and red pepper flakes. It is usually not prepared at home, but bought from street food vendors. Like most burgers, chimichurris is served in a bun and topped with a variety of ingredients such as mayonnaise, shredded cabbage, tomatoes, and onions.


It is said that the real Dominican chimichurri will always be served with a glass of cold, frosty beer on the side.

MOST ICONIC Chimichurri burger

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06

Beef Dish

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC and  one more country
3.8
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Niños envueltos (lit. wrapped children) is a traditional dish consisting of rice and ground beef that are wrapped in cabbage and cooked in tomato sauce. Apart from the main ingredients, the dish also often contains garlic, basil, bell peppers, and onions, while the tomato sauce is made with olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper.


The dish is slowly simmered until the cabbage becomes tender and the rolls are fully cooked. The rolls are often served with bread and a fresh salad on the side. It is believed that this dish is actually a Dominican adaptation of Middle Eastern dishes which were brought to the country by immigrants in the 19th century.

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

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Dominican Meat Dishes