Set alongside the Malecón, within a 4-minute walk from the Hilton Hotel, this is the oldest and most visible Italian restaurant in Santo Domingo, with a reputation going back to 1954, when it was established by members of the Neapolitan Bonarelli family. The more formal of the two restaurants is Vesuvio I, a mecca for upscale fish and shellfish and top-notch service. Here you can expect fussed-over dishes that include carpaccio of kingfish with fresh onions, capers, and olive oil, one of the capital's best seafood cocktails; well-prepared seafood platters; and your choice of several kinds of fresh fish (grouper, snapper, mahimahi, tuna, or salmon) prepared any way you like, served with spaghetti and freshly made tomato sauce. Immediately next door, with the same address and phone, is the organization's glorified pizzeria, the Trattoria Vesuvio. Here, seafood is usually not available, but pizzas and simple Italian platters including grilled chicken with pasta and vegetables, are churned out of the kitchen at high volume and record speed. A particularly popular choice for groups of friends otherwise hanging out on the Malecón together, is a yard-long pizza ("Pizza El metro") that's usually cut into 24 pieces and as such, suitable for up to seven diners at a time.
Don't be confused by the existence in a residential neighborhood in another part of Santo Domingo of an independent competitor that splintered away from Vesuvio I about 20 years ago, Vesuvio II. Located at Av. Tiradentes 17 (tel. 809/689-6060), near the NACO hotel, it does a thriving lunchtime business with the local office crowd, and somewhat lukewarm evening trade, at prices and with a menu roughly equivalent to Vesuvio I. Frankly, we prefer Vesuvio I, finding it better managed, more popular, and more conveniently located.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
