2 Best Restaurants in Caracas, Venezuela

Serene white spaces define this simple but delicious eatery just outside of the main Las Mercedes thoroughfares, in El Rosal. Just a short walk from the Marriott and THE Hotel, Gourmet Market invites diners to feast alfresco on well-prepared risottos, pastas, brusquetas, and sandwiches (including such favorites as caprese, New York–style tuna, and smoked turkey). A well-edited wine list and helpful waiters attract loads of couples and businesspeople here for lunch, but come dinnertime the scene is more romantic, with lighted bamboo and shrubs protecting the patio from street noise.

When Sean Penn visited Caracas in 2007, rumor has it he came to sleek, modern Lola for lunch. Perhaps he, too, was perplexed by the wide range of cuisines the menu has to offer: Italian pasta, Moroccan tagine, Chinese dim sum, Venezuelan grilled fish, and fresh Indian naan. This eccentricity (or perhaps indecisiveness) is more than made up for by the incredible bi-level modern space. Try a steak, lamb, or fish dish, and leave room for an inspired dessert, especially the deconstructed bienmesabe, a traditional Venezuelan coconut-and-liqueur cake.