Local guide · Curaçao
Soto: The Curaçao Village You Only Find If You Know Someone
4 spots · updated May 27, 2026
Soto is the kind of place that doesn't appear on any tourist itinerary. A small, quiet inland village in Banda Abou, tucked between Barber and Santa Martha, where the food scene is entirely built for the people who live there.
- When
- Soto spots operate on informal hours — mornings and early afternoons are most reliable. Weekend visits may find spots closed; call ahead if possible.
- Try
- Fresh-made pastechis at Pastechi na señoraLocal snacks at Chang Soto snekCold drinks at Japie's CuraçaoWhatever's cooking at San Juan Center
- Good for
- Off-the-beaten-path explorersAuthentic village atmosphereFresh pastechis from local home cooksA genuine break from tourist Curaçao
Where to get them?
Order: most good reviews from locals first.
Japie’s CuraçaoWest ·· 10 reviews
Chang Soto snekWest ·· 5 reviews
San Juan CenterWest ·· 12 reviews
- Pastechi na señoraWest ·fewer than 3 reviews yet
More tours
Banda'bou Explorer Snek TourMore about this guide
There is no tourist infrastructure in Soto. No trip advisor lists, no hotel recommendations, no social media buzz. What there is: a handful of ultra-local food spots that serve the village and surrounding kunuku workers, and an atmosphere that feels genuinely unhurried.
Chang Soto snek is the village anchor — a small snack bar on Groot Santa Martha road that serves pastechis, local bites, and cold drinks for the community. It's named for the village it serves and has the kind of loyal regulars who've been coming for years. San Juan Center is the neighbourhood's multi-purpose spot — part minimarket, part snack bar, part community meeting point.
Japie's Curaçao, on the road between Barber and Soto at Jan Donker, is a drinks spot with a loyal following that straddles the two villages. Pastechi na señora in Soto is exactly what the name suggests — a home-kitchen operation where the pastechis are made fresh, the portions are generous, and the prices reflect genuine village economics.
If you find yourself in Soto, you've already done something right. Eat where the locals eat, and don't expect a menu in English.