Breakfast with a view
Where to go for Breakfast on Bonaire? Very few restaurants on Bonaire are directly ON the water. Karel’s Beach Bar is not just on the water, it’s ON the water!
Karel’s is the dinghy stop for sailboats moored in the harbor in front of Kralendijk. They are open all day, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. In fact at Breakfast time the restaurant is transformed into the “Cappuccino Bar.” in the afternoon it’s just Karel’s and in the evening it’s awesome for happy hour. Sometimes after dinner live bands play at Karel’s. A TV near the street shows sporting events.
But this post is about breakfast: Karel’s Cappuccino Bar is the perfect location for your morning cuppa and some eggs. You can walk there for a coffee. You can enjoy, pancakes, sausage, toast or whatever strikes your fancy. The best part about breakfast on the pier at Karel’s: location, location, location. The west facing location of Karel’s means you won’t get the sunrise at breakfast time but you also aren’t in the sun’s direct rays/heat. Come back at happy hour to see what I mean!
It’s really all about the view
When you vacation in the Caribbean it might just be for a few days. During that short time if you are like me, your eyes are required to soak up some deep blue and turquoise. Personally that’s an important part of my Bonaire holiday. I can get dark water anywhere. I can get turquoise water here! Bonaire’s entire coast has a turquoise ring around it so you’ll get to take in a lot of blue during your stay. If you’re on the water at a restaurant like Karel’s you can’t miss the turquoise. And even being across the street detracts from your ability to soak up quite as many Caribbean colors. Added bonus – get up close and personal with the fish if you have a waterfront table at Karel’s.
Some of the best restaurants on Bonaire, although close, are not directly on the water (At Sea, Capriccio, Mona Lisa, La Cantina, It Rains Fishes, Cuba Compagnie…) So if you want that “on the water” view – you may have to give up a little in terms of quality being slightly lower and price being slightly higher – but the view might just be worth it.
Service ok, food ok, LOVE that view…
That’s about how I’d sum up Karel’s Cappuccino Bar. The service is friendly (and slow!) But slow works when you’ve got nothing to do but stare out at the turquoise… the food is OK, the coffee is fine but it would be basically impossible to beat the view. So, yes, I like the Illy coffee over at Luciano more and I like the cappuccino at Gio’s even better, but I am going to go to Karel’s now and again because there’s no other place where my eyes can soak up this much turquoise while I’m drinking my coffee. No one is rushing you out the “door” either.
Karel’s has sunset views and great prices on drinks at happy hour. The water doesn’t look as turquoise at sunset though – and in the mornings it’s quiet – so it’s decided despite all my misgivings – Karel’s is where to go to breakfast on Bonaire.
