Location: Dili
Top Restaurants in Dili
Where to Eat in Dili: The Best Restaurants and Bars
Having endured 20 years of struggle for independence from Indonesia, East Timor's coastal capital, Dili, has made remarkable strides toward reconstruction after innumerable damages and losses. Its former Portuguese colonial flavor can still be found in remaining villas and churches along the waterfront, as well as the 65-foot statue of Jesus overlooking the coast, reminiscent of Cristo Redentor in Rio Di Janeiro. The waterfront parks and white sand beaches are popular for diving and relaxing.
Things to do in Dili
1. Castaway Bar
Overall Ratings
4 based on 197 reviews
2. Caz Bar & Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 137 reviews
Reviewed By Angela W
Caz Bar is down the far eastern end of Dili towards Cristo Rei. It has tables across the road on the sand and wide open spaces and fans. The staff are friendly and the food includes some old familiar favourites like beer battered fish and chips.
3. Nautilus
Overall Ratings
4 based on 89 reviews
Nautilus Restaurant in Dili is located on beach Road a few minutes before you reach the U.S. Embassy. Great food (especially the kangaroo) - service is slow (but such is the case for most restaurants in Dili).
Reviewed By ProTourists
Well the chilling place is nice. The staff is lovely and well trained. The drinks are cold but the food.... aie aie aie... we're not picky but when you ordered simple bruschetta and the come in burger buns with cold tomato and very sweet mayonaise you don't order more.
Will go back for drinks and chilling but won't taste anymore food.
4. Diya Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 156 reviews
No visit to Dili is complete without dining at Diya, the Discovery Inn’s acclaimed in-house restaurant. Since opening in 2007, Diya has become a veritable institution on the Dili dining scene. In a refined and intimate atmosphere Diya’s international chefs offer a dynamic menu, Featuring the best of European cordon bleu and sub-continental cuisine. A full bar and cellar stocked with the finest wines from Australia, New Zealand, France, Chile, Italy & Portugal completes your Diya dining experience. Diya restaurant can cater for special parties on request and vegetarian dining options are also available. Be it a business breakfast, a leisurely lunch or a celebratory dinner, dining at Diya is always a memorable experience. As the restaurant is extremely popular, advance bookings are recommended. Diya Restaurant is also the headquarters for the Discovery Inn’s renowned catering service
Reviewed By zimof1 - Purrmerend
This restaurant is teh best in Dili for sure. A nice fushion kitchen with Indian influences and beautiful plating makes this restaurant the best in Dili. It doesn't come cheap but when you ahve the chanceit's worth. Upstairs there is a nice bar for pre dinner drinks.
5. Food L Do gourmet deli
Overall Ratings
4 based on 50 reviews
Reviewed By kenya458 - Dili, East Timor
Food - L - Do at Timor plaza has recently reopened after renovation.
I think this is the only restaurant in Dili where you do not risk food poisoning.
Apart from that the coffee is good, well served and freshly brewed. The menu offers delicious breakfasts, inviting sandwiches and pizzas.
The music is not loud but soft so you can have conversation with your friends. The air con temperature is well set.
6. Little Pattaya
Overall Ratings
4 based on 79 reviews
Reviewed By matmob - Adelaide, Australia
The setting and location was beautiful - right on the beachfront and lovely plants in the restaurant which was open to the sea (no doors or windows). However, the food let it down. Most of the vegetables were from a frozen packet which was most disappointing as there is an abundance of fresh veges in Dili. Prices average.
7. Tibar Ximangano Beach Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 52 reviews
Tibar Ximangano Beach Restaurant is Timor's finest dining experience. Perched on the top of a small cliff overlooking the stunning Tibar Bay.
Reviewed By Grace M - Taif, Saudi Arabia
Was not happy with the food. Chicken was hard to chew on it. The first order was wrong. It seems to be popular among ex pats
8. DiZa
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 214 reviews
Reviewed By Leo L - Fairplay, Colorado
Had a solo meal, was a fantastic venue. Beach-side, great sunset. All was well till they got my order wrong twice. Ordered Pork Chops first got fish, then got pork ribs. I was a little disappointed. Food was good, really didn't what to eat ribs with fork & knife. Drinks were very good. Wait staff knew I was disappointed so they brought one of the best Creme Brulle' I ever had on the house. I was disappointed but overall it was okay. READER!! Highly recommend double checking the order.
9. Tito's Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 23 reviews
Reviewed By mrdom
One of a number of Portuguese restaurants working to improve the average dining quality in Dili, Tito's has a prime beachside location with good decor - the sort of place you can bring visitors to impress them. Service staff were a bit clueless, although the owner came around later to check on everyone. The fish (grouper - third choice as the first two were unavailable; in fact, lots of things were unavailable, the only beer they had was Bintang and Super Bock) was a bit boring but came with lots of good veges. The pork was fantastic however - chunks covered in an oily, flavoursome sauce (as opposed to the BBQ pork common at other Portuguese restaurants). It's worthy place despite the high prices but roughly equivalent to competitors like O Beiro (just up the beach and geared more towards BBQ, with slightly lower prices) and City Praia (cheaper BBQ joint and surely the best-value Portuguese restaurant in Dili, as long as you don't need to be on the beach).
10. Osteria Italiana Dili
Overall Ratings
4 based on 88 reviews
Reviewed By Anna C - Suva, Fiji
One can't expect in Dili an authentic Italian cuisine but this cafe was quite good. The place is clean and the staff is polite and smiling. I had wine, pizza napolitana and parmigiana di melanzana which had no parmesan but was still quite tasty:-) The pizza has two options of crust - thick and thin so anyone's taste can be satisfied. Give it a try if you are craving for Italian food.
