Padre Nostro
A tiny Roman trattoria hiding on Koninginnestraat
Why Go
Slip into a five-table dining room in downtown Paramaribo and, for a couple of hours, you could swear you've been teleported to a backstreet in Rome ΓÇö right down to the accent behind the pass.
The Experience
Padre Nostro is the kind of place you almost walk past. From the outside it's an unassuming storefront on Koninginnestraat, a short stroll from the Palmentuin and the Presidential Palace. Inside, it's snug — five or six tables tops, warm lighting, a chalkboard of specials, and the unmistakable clatter of a real Italian kitchen. The chef is Roman, the family runs the floor, and the menu is anchored in classic trattoria cooking: hand-rolled pastas, thin-crust pizzas fired hard, antipasti built around imported salumi and cheeses, and creamy risottos that would hold their own in Trastevere. Because there are so few seats and the cooking is à la minute, service unfolds at an unhurried Italian pace — plan to linger, not to graze between other stops.
What to Try
Start with the antipasto misto to sample the imported Italian cured meats and cheeses, then split a wood-fired pizza before diving into a house-made pasta ΓÇö the carbonara and any daily ravioli are consistent winners. Ask about the risotto of the day. Save room for tiramisu, or, better, the Italian-style gelato spun with local exotic fruits like passionfruit and soursop ΓÇö it's the most Surinamese thing on the menu and the detail regulars rave about.
Insider Tip
Only six tables and a chef cooking everything to order means walk-ins are a gamble ΓÇö call +597 864 9163 a day or two ahead, especially for Friday or Saturday. The restaurant is closed Wednesday and Sunday, and only opens for dinner (roughly 5ΓÇô10 PM), so it won't work as a lunch stop. If you have dietary requests, flag them when you book; the kitchen is small and happy to accommodate with notice.
The Practical Stuff
Address: Koninginnestraat 11, Paramaribo, Suriname. Phone/reservations: +597 864 9163 (email padrenostro16@gmail.com). Hours: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat 5:00ΓÇô10:00 PM; closed Wednesday and Sunday. Dinner only. Cash and common cards typically accepted, but confirm when booking. Central location ΓÇö easy taxi ride from most downtown hotels, or a short walk if you're staying near the historic center. Dress is casual; the room is intimate, so it's better suited to couples and small groups than large parties.
Pair It With
- 101 Suites Guide — A convenient downtown stay that puts you within an easy walk or short taxi of Padre Nostro's door ΓÇö ideal for rolling straight from an unhurried Italian dinner back to bed.
- Palmentuin & Presidential Palace stroll — Wander the royal palm garden and colonial waterfront at golden hour, then head three minutes over to Koninginnestraat for your 6 PM table.
- 597SpeedUp Watertubing Guide — Burn off the day on the river, then reward the sunburn with carbonara and gelato ΓÇö Padre Nostro's late-afternoon opening is perfectly timed for post-adventure hunger.