Mel’s is a small family-run breakfast café tucked into King Plaza in Noord, Aruba — a hidden gem with a perfect 5.0-star rating across 557 Google reviews (checked October 2026) and a fiercely loyal local following. Owner Danny and his small team pour heart into every plate, blending Dutch and American breakfast traditions with healthy bowls, eggs benedict, and house-made specials. This is the spot you’ll wish you’d discovered on day one.
Getting here is easiest with your own car. We rent them direct, no middleman: Aruba car rental.
Planning a trip to Aruba?
One email before you go, with what is worth booking ahead and what is not. No weekly newsletter.
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 Mel’s
Located behind the main King Plaza entrance, Mel’s runs a tight, focused menu — breakfast and brunch only, Tuesday through Sunday 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, closed Mondays (hours per the café’s own site, October 2026). The kitchen handles dietary restrictions seriously: gluten-free pancakes are available on request, and the owners walk through every option for guests with allergies. The space is small, warmly decorated with quirky art and hidden Smurf figurines (kids love finding them), and the owners genuinely greet every guest. The Dutch breakfast tradition shines through — fluffy Dutch pancakes done properly — alongside American classics like eggs benedict and Aruban breakfast plates.
Signature dishes & menu highlights
The Dutch pancakes are the must-order signature — ten varieties, sweet or savoury, and the single dish Google reviewers name most. The Classic Eggs Benedict ($19) is the other perennial favourite, and the Arubian Breakfast ($21) — arepa, croquet, pastechi and eggs with two meats — is the local-flavour pick. The Healthy Corner covers overnight-oat and yogurt bowls ($13–$14), and coffee runs $4 for a regular to $4.50 for a cappuccino. Service is warm and personal — reviewers describe owner Danny coming out to chat with guests, and regulars treated like family.
The full menu with prices — checked October 2026
Transcribed in October 2026 from the café’s own published menu. Prices are in US dollars.
Dutch pancakes — $11 to $19
Sweet: Berry Party (strawberry, blueberry, banana and whipped cream) $17 · Tropical Paradise (banana, coconut and pineapple) $16 · Caribbean Legacy (banana and Nutella) $16 · Dutch Sunset (apple, cinnamon and sugar) $15 · Aruba Midnight (Oreo and vanilla ice cream) $16. Savoury: Spanish Farm (bacon, apple and gouda) $18 · Italian Feast (salami, ham, tomato, olives, mushroom, onion and cheese) $18 · American Heritage (bacon or sausage, cheese, tomato and ham) $19 · Global Cheese Meeting (brie, goat cheese, gouda and cream cheese) $18 · Canadian River (smoked salmon, capers, tomato and cream cheese) $19. Poffertjes — 15 mini pancakes with powdered sugar — $11.
American-style pancakes — $13 to $17
Three fluffy pancakes with maple syrup and whipped cream: The Classic Stack $13 · Berry American (blueberry) $15 · The Dutch Kiss (chocolate chip) $15 · The Sweet Stack (blueberry and chocolate chip) $17.
Omelettes and egg breakfasts — $16 to $24
Served with breakfast potatoes and toast. Omelettes: Three Cheeses $16 · Cheese and Spinach $16 · The Atlantic (smoked salmon, herb cream, capers and red onion) $24 · Build Your Own (three fillings) $19. Breakfasts: Two Egg Special $16 · All American Breakfast $19 · Morning in the USA (three eggs, bacon, sausage, ham and two American pancakes) $24 · The Arubian Breakfast (arepa, croquet, pastechi, eggs your way and two meats) $21.
Eggs Benedict — $18 to $26
Two poached eggs on an English muffin with breakfast potatoes: Classic (ham or bacon, gouda and hollandaise) $19 · Morning in Florence (spinach and gouda) $18 · The Amsterdam (cold smoked salmon, red onion, capers and herb cream) $26.
Healthy corner and handhelds — $12 to $15
The Sunrise Bowl (overnight oats with Greek yogurt and fruit) $14 · Light Start (Greek yogurt, granola and fruit) $13 · Berry Good Bowl (seasonal berries) $13 · Breakfast Club sandwich $13 · Sunrise Wrap $12 · Griddlewich (brown-sugar mini pancakes, egg and your choice of meat) $15.
Drinks
Coffee, espresso and tea $4 · cappuccino, latte, mochaccino, hot chocolate and French vanilla $4.50 · 32 oz Botum coffee $12 · juices and soda $4 · mimosa $7, or two for $13.
Practical info
Address: Caya Harmonia 5 Unit 2, King Plaza, Noord, Aruba
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM, closed Mondays (per the café’s own site, October 2026)
Phone: +297 280 4455
Rating: 5.0★ on Google (557 reviews, checked October 2026)
Typical spend: AWG 20–40 per person (Google visitor estimate) — roughly $11–$22 at the fixed 1.79 peg
Website:melsaruba.com
Our verdict
Come for the Dutch pancakes — they are the dish Google reviewers mention most (90 reviews name them), they run $15–$19 whether you go sweet or savoury, and one is a full meal. The cheapest good morning here is the $11 poffertjes or the $13 Classic Stack with a $4 coffee; the ceiling is the $26 Amsterdam Benedict. Two people eat very well for $35–$45 before tip, which squares with Google’s AWG 20–40 per-person visitor estimate.
Plan around the hours: the kitchen runs 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM and is closed Mondays, so this is a before-the-beach stop, not a dinner option. A 5.0 rating across 557 reviews is about as close to unanimous as Google gets. More options in our best breakfast restaurants in Aruba guide.
What guests are saying
Reviewers consistently use words like cozy, welcoming, and family-feel. The Dutch pancakes get the most specific praise. Multiple celiac diners mention feeling safe ordering after the owners walked through ingredient handling personally. The art and hidden Smurfs add a unique character that reviewers remember. Pricing is fair-to-moderate — generous portions, fresh ingredients, perfect for a relaxed start to a Palm Beach day. Closed Mondays — plan accordingly.
While you’re planning your Aruba trip
Plan the rest of your trip
Top-rated Aruba experiences with live availability.
Popular pickAruba Morning Snorkel Sail aboard Palm Pleasure Catamaran
$124 / person
Check dates & book
Well reviewedAruba Afternoon Snorkel Sail aboard Palm Pleasure Catamaran
$85 / 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.
Beach Quote T-Shirt — “May all the paths you take in life make sure some of them lead to the beach” Coral Tee
Aruba Is The Best Island T-Shirt — Aruba Flag Travel Tee
Aruba Is The Best Island Sweatshirt — Island Flag Graphic Crewneck
Professional Palapa Hoarder T-Shirt
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.
