Photograph from @casamota
When in Santo Domingo, do as the Dominicans do — and head to Mesón d’Bari for the best traditional fare. A local go-to, the restaurant offers hearty Dominican favorites, including stewed goat, spicy sausages and crab empanadas. There are two outposts: The original, located in the historic Ciudad Colonial neighborhood, evokes a bygone Dominican timelessness — baseball games on a TV in the corner; bachata music blaring from the speakers — while the latest location, in Naco, is gorgeously sunlit with a tropical interior by Carlos Mota. It’s his first-ever restaurant project and highlights the city’s best assets: beautiful azure skies and lush island life.

Photograph from @casamota

More to explore in Travel