If you’re interested in a very vegan friendly (and eco-friendly) vacation experience in Aruba, you NEED to book your stay at the Boardwalk Boutique Hotel!
My husband picked this hotel with us knowing nothing about it, just that it looked colorful and quiet, and like the perfect oasis to spend our honeymoon. We were 100% right!
The staff is incredibly friendly, and they put fresh sweet iced tea and cold water in your room every day when they service it. The place is also very eco-friendly, with notes to save water where you can, a compost section, and more. They strive to give you the best guest experience and by all means, they succeed!
Their new(ish) hotel cafe, The Coco Cafe, is vegan hospitality certified with tons of options for you to choose from. The breakfast menu was limited, but still always something for you to order as a vegan / vegetarian. There were definitely more vegan options on the lunch and dinner menu. Everything we ordered was amazing.
I’ve got full details on the food experience so that you know what to expect and order when you visit (️⭐️ = our favorites):
Chips & guac: The guac was puréed like a store bought guac but the pico was good with a hint of spice and the chips were tasty too. Overall a good appetizer if you’re ordering other things.
The summer rolls: ***make sure you ask for tofu instead of shrimp. These are fantastic! The purple noodles made me so happy biting into them. They’re fresh and a nice cold appetizer to have in the warm Aruba weather. The peanut sauce is the perfect pair to them. ️⭐️
Hummus & pita: we ordered it with NO feta cheese to make it vegan. The dish altogether is good, although I feel it could use a bit more garlic or so. However when paired with the fresh cucumbers & tomatoes as well as the tangy olives, it makes a perfect appetizer to dip and enjoy. I ordered it twice during my stay if that tells you anything!
Coconut water in a coconut: you need to grab one of these to sit by the pool! Coconut water is usually lukewarm so if you want something cold, I don’t suggest it. However, it’s a nice hydrating treat for poolside activities. Also makes for a great “Instagram-able” photo!
Cappuccino: loving the coffee options available at the hotel! I got a decaf cappucino (hot) and it was so good despite the weather also being hot. I ordered it with oat milk and added my own brown sugar. The foam was perfect.
Tofu veggie scramble: this was the best savory item on the breakfast menu. It comes with one cherry tomato, a side of hummus, & sourdough toast. I highly recommend spreading your hummus on the toast & topping it with the scramble. ️⭐️
Coco Isla Bowl: this was the best sweet fruity item on the breakfast menu. This is a strawberry, blueberry, mango blend topped with kiwi, strawberry, blueberries, homemade granola, & toasted coconut flakes. Pro tip: ADD PEANUT BUTTER for some extra protein and that added creaminess to your bowl. This bowl kept me full for a few hours! ️ One of my favorite items on the menu! ⭐️
Sweet potato fries: we had these as a nighttime snack and they have my stamp of approval! If you like Mediterranean food, this is loaded with tomato, onion, coriander, Kalamata olives, bell pepper, chimichurri, labneh, & guacamole.
Asian tofu salad: this one is actually called the “Asian Beef Salad” on the menu but if you ask to make it vegan, they add crispy tofu. This is good, but I think my brain tricked me into thinking it was more of a noodle bowl & less of a salad. So order this if you want more lettuce instead of noodles.
Avocado Toast: the sourdough is very good but for $17 it's a bit of a pricey breakfast for not having any protein included.
Vegan tacos: my husband loved these tacos! They were beyond meat chick’n tenders, guacamole, & pico de gallo served with corn tortillas. The chick’n was crispy & you got three tortillas to make three tacos.
Pasta pomodoro: this was a meal that made me feel at home. You have to order it without the parmigiano if you want it to be dairy free! The sauce was very good as it tasted homemade.
Mango sorbet served in a coconut: this is the only vegan dessert option on the dessert menu. I know, many vegans are disappointed in sorbet being the only dessert available to them. However I would say you can make the best of it and order it, because we actually really enjoyed it after our dinner. It was sweet and icy and presented beautifully, in a coconut with a leaf under it.
Açaí bowl: açaí, tropical fruit, & homemade granola. I added peanut butter on the side, which is awesome to add because not only does it add protein, but it also makes it taste like peanut butter & jelly.
Coco poke bowl: you have to remove the tuna and order tofu instead to make this vegan. The sauce that comes with it is also not vegan. My husband said this was good, however he's picky about his tofu (because we make it so well at home) and this tofu wasn't particularly crispy, but overall he liked the bowl since it had a bunch of stuff mixed in it.
⭐️ Food favorites: summer rolls with tofu, tofu scramble, & coco isla bowl
Everything on the menu is clearly marked dairy free, or vegan, or can be made vegan.
Other things to note:
Boardwalk Boutique is an adults only hotel. To come to The Coco Cafe, you must be 18 or older.
This is NOT an all inclusive hotel. However, it's similar in that you never have to physically use your wallet for anything, they will always ask for your room number so that you can pay later.
This hotel is across the street from Palm Beach, a two minute walk but not directly on the beach like the main resorts. I found it to be totally worth it, the hotel was situated in a more quiet area than the other resorts.
Overall we are pleased with the experience we had here and we can't wait to come back as soon as possible! Will you be visiting the Boardwalk Boutique Hotel?
Comments