Calabria Trattoria brings authentic southern Italian cooking to Aruba — a family-run trattoria in Metro Mall plaza on Caya Harmonia 1 in Noord, named for the Calabria region of Italy and run by an Italian-Aruban team that takes the regional authenticity seriously. With a 4.5-star rating across 430+ Google reviews and frequent comparisons to nonna’s home cooking from Italian-heritage diners, Calabria has earned a loyal following on a Palm Beach restaurant scene full of pretenders.
Getting here is easiest with your own car. We rent them direct, no middleman: Aruba car rental.
Before you book: an age policy worth knowing
- Children under 5 are not permitted. The restaurant states this prominently on its own site, and notes that ID may be required to verify age.
- Reservations are taken through the restaurant directly.
- A credit card is required to hold a table for two or more; a no-show or a cancellation inside 24 hours is charged $30 per person.
- The full menu is published on their site rather than through a booking platform.
Taken from calabriatrattoria.com and checked on 23 September 2026. Restaurants change policies without notice — confirm before you plan around it.
Our Aruba restaurant shortlist
We keep notes on hundreds of places on the island. We will send you the short version — the ones actually worth your evenings, by area and budget.
By submitting you agree we can email you about your Aruba trip. One or two emails, then nothing. Unsubscribe in one click from any of them.
About Calabria Trattoria
The dining room is intentionally cozy — warm lighting, white tablecloths, an open kitchen where you can watch the pasta program in motion. The owner is hands-on and the staff treat returning customers like family. Server Joel is repeatedly mentioned by name in reviews. The menu is built around the trattoria classics: hand-rolled pasta, wood-fired pizza with a great bite and crisp, gnocchi made fresh, and a strong seafood-pasta program (linguine with shrimp, clams, mussels). Reservations strongly recommended — the place fills nightly. Metro Mall location is convenient to Eagle Beach and Palm Beach.
Signature dishes & menu highlights
The Gnocchi is reviewer-praised as ‘velvety’ — a signature dish worth ordering. Wood-Fired Pizza has ‘great bite and crisp’ and is one of the most-mentioned items. The Linguine with Octopus, Clams, Mussels, and Shrimp in Tomato Sauce is the flagship seafood pasta — described as ‘amazing.’ The Linguine with Shrimp in Lemon Sauce is the lighter alternative. For closing: the Coconut Cake is described as ‘rich and moist — a must-try.’ Pair the meal with a wine from the curated Italian regional list — ask the owner for a pairing recommendation.
The full menu with prices — checked September 2026
Transcribed from the restaurant’s own published menu at calabriatrattoria.com in September 2026. The restaurant calls this a sample of the menu and runs daily specials on top of it; all prices are in US dollars and can change without notice.
Antipasti — $5 to $22
- Il Pane — their homemade bread — $5
- Polpette della Nonna — two large slow-cooked meatballs in tomato sauce — $14
- Bruschetta on grilled homemade sourdough — $16
- Caracole / escargot broiled in garlic butter and white wine — $16
- Crispy fried calamari with arrabbiata sauce — $18
- Pizza fritta — fried pizza dough with fresh mozzarella and marinara — $18
- Cozze — mussels in San Marzano tomato sauce and white wine — $22
- Prosciutto di Parma with a fresh mozzarella ball on arugula — $22
Salads — $12 to $19
- Insalata mista with aged balsamic — $12
- Caesar salad — $16
- Insalata Caprese — $19
Pasta — $22 to $45
- Spaghetti pomodoro — $22
- Penne puttanesca with Calabrese chili — $24
- Spaghetti with Nonna’s meatballs — $28
- Gnocchi Sorrentino — potato gnocchi, tomato basil sauce, melted fresh mozzarella — $29
- Spaghetti with an imported burrata ball — $30
- Fettuccine al limone — $32 (add shrimp for $12)
- Rigatoni with their in-house Calabrese sausage and red peppers — $32
- Lasagna with slow-cooked beef ragù — $32
- Fettuccine Bolognese — $34
- Pollo alla parmigiana with spaghetti — $34
- Spaghetti gamberi — shrimp, garlic, parsley, tomatoes — $36
- Shrimp scampi — $36
- Linguini alle vongole — clams, white wine — $38
- Pollo prosciutto — chicken cutlet, prosciutto, parmesan sauce — $38
- Linguini with shrimp in vodka sauce — $39
- Linguini pescatore — squid, shrimp and white fish — $45
Gluten-free pasta is $2.50 extra, and there is a $10 sharing fee.
Risotto
- Risotto gamberi — garlic shrimp, lemon, Parmigiano Reggiano — $36
- Risotto alla pescatore — clams, shrimp, mussels, squid, tuna and white fish — $45
Wood-fired pizza — $20 to $29, served 5:00 to 7:30pm only
The dough is cold-fermented for 48 hours, and pizza only comes out of the oven between 5:00 and 7:30pm — arrive early if pizza is the plan.
- Margherita — $20 (mozzarella di bufala $2 extra)
- Pepperoni — $22
- Patate della Zia Angela — white pizza with thinly sliced potatoes — $22
- Quattro stagioni — $24
- A la salsiccia Calabrese — fennel sausage, red peppers, mozzarella di bufala — $24
- Il giardino — grilled vegetables and mozzarella di bufala — $25
- Fresh mozzarella ball and prosciutto with arugula — $29
Fish mains — $35 to $36
- Calabrese baccalà fresco — cod braised with tomato, potatoes, olives (when available) — $35
- Grilled swordfish with tomato-caper-olive sauce (when available) — $36
- Garlic jumbo shrimp with potatoes and grilled vegetables — $36
Desserts
- Tiramisu, coconut cake or carrot cake — $11 each
No service charge is added to the bill except for parties of six or more, which pay 18%.
Our verdict
Pasta is the heart of this menu — sixteen pasta mains from $22 to $45, with the $22 spaghetti pomodoro as the cheapest route to dinner and the velvety gnocchi reviewers rave about listed as Gnocchi Sorrentino at $29. If you are coming for the wood-fired pizza, book the early side of the evening: pizza is served only between 5:00 and 7:30pm, with a Margherita at $20. The ceiling is the seafood — linguini pescatore or risotto alla pescatore at $45. A starter, a mid-list pasta and a dessert works out around $55 a head before drinks. And plan around the house rules: closed Sunday, no children under 5, and a card is required to hold a table for two or more — a no-show or a cancellation inside 24 hours is charged $30 a person.
Practical info
Address: Unit 23, Metro Mall, Caya Harmonia 1, Noord, Aruba
Hours: Monday to Saturday 5:00–10:00pm, closed Sunday
Email: info@calabriatrattoria.com
Rating: 4.5★ on Google (490 reviews)
Website:calabriatrattoria.com
What guests are saying
Italian-heritage reviewers consistently call this ‘the closest to my Zia’s cooking in Italy’ and ‘a clear 5 stars without hesitation.’ Multiple reviewers mention 16+ years of Aruba visits and ranking Calabria as their #1 Italian on the island. The owner’s hands-on hospitality is the consistent atmosphere highlight — including the famous story of him fitting a walk-in party in despite a stated 1-hour wait. Service from Joel and the team earns repeat shoutouts. Pricing is moderate ($-$$ tier). Reservations strongly recommended.
While you’re planning your Aruba trip
Dinner cruises
These sell out before the snorkel trips do.
Great valueTropical Sailing Experience with BBQ Lunch or BBQ Dinner in Aruba
$135 / person
Check dates & book
Live prices from Viator · free cancellation up to 24 hours before · we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
🎟️ Pair Your Dinner with an Aruba Tour
Browse top-rated Aruba experiences — catamaran cruises, off-road adventures, snorkeling trips, and more. Booked directly through Viator.
Bring Aruba Home With You
Authentic Aruba merch — designed by locals, shipped worldwide.
Our cars
Rent a car with us — from $50 a day
Automatic and air conditioned, picked up at the airport, your hotel or our Oranjestad office. Pay 13% online to hold the car and the rest when you collect it. Minimum 3 days.
See cars and prices →✈️ Search Flights & Hotels to Aruba
Compare prices across airlines and hotels in seconds.
We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
We are an independent Aruba travel guide. Our rankings are honest — we track live prices across 460+ tours and 180+ hotels, we update guides continuously, and no operator can pay for a better review. Read our editorial policy and who we are.
✈️ Cheap Flights to Aruba
Live lowest round-trip fares found on Aviasales
🚕 Airport Transfers
Pre-book a private transfer from Queen Beatrix Airport to your hotel
We earn a small commission from affiliate links at no extra cost to you. This never affects our recommendations.
Book direct · no booking fees
Our own bookings, if you need them
Run by us and local operators we work with directly. A small deposit online holds it, and you settle the rest on the day.
