San Juan's thriving food scene combines traditional Puerto Rican cuisine with innovative fusion ideas 漏 Alleko / Getty Images
香港六合彩即时开奖 has partnered with San Juan-based travel community to provide comprehensive guides, curated lists and insider tips for your next trip to Puerto Rico.
Riding a wave of culinary excitement and an emphasis on all things local, the restaurant scene in Puerto Rico is thriving.
Over the past five years, Puerto Rico鈥檚 farmers and restaurateurs have echoed the island鈥檚 resilience post-Hurricane Mar铆a, especially in San Juan, one of the Caribbean鈥檚 most vibrant culinary centers. From world-class gastronomic temples to no-frills storefronts serving home-cooked staples, a progressive spirit imbues the city's acclaimed chefs, who fuse the island's rich cultural legacy with modern cooking techniques.
Marmalade
Best for gourmet tasting menus and award-winning wines
Located on Calle Fortaleza in Old San Juan, the world-renowned Marmalade has put Puerto Rico on the foodie map. Celebrated chef , an Iowa native, draws on the island's diverse heritage to deftly blend indigenous and international ingredients.
His prix-fixe menu features playful, socially conscious riffs on classic Caribbean fare, best paired with selections from the award-winning wine list or expertly crafted cocktail menu. Popular dishes include pasture-raised beef tenderloin and pesto-drizzled swordfish with local heirloom tomatoes.
1919 Restaurant
Best for a memorable fine-dining splurge
In the elegant Condado Vanderbilt Hotel, 1919 is one of the most acclaimed fine-dining destinations in the Caribbean, thanks in no small part to the culinary genius of chef Juan Jos茅 Cuevas. An alumnus of the Michelin-starred Blue Hill in New York, Cuevas is a farm-to-table pioneer on the island, sourcing local produce where possible. (Case in point, the Vanderbilt Hotel鈥檚 eggs all come from Puerto Rico farms).
You can鈥檛 go wrong with the sous vide salmon, vacuum-packed and slow-cooked in a water bath to preserve natural flavors, then given a twist according to the season. For an unforgettable dining experience, opt for the chef鈥檚 menu accompanied by sommelier-selected wine pairings. Plush leather seats, mahogany tables, crystal chandeliers and sweeping Atlantic views lend poise and formality to the ambiance.
Vianda
Best for exceptional locavore fare
This innovative Santurce restaurant is the passion project of former NYC chef Francis Guzm谩n and his wife, Amelia Dill, who operate a cool front- and back-of-house dynamic. The sleek minimalist space centers around a stylish wood-paneled bar, which draws a lively mix of visitors and regulars, making it one of the best spots in the city for an early evening cocktail.
Vianda's farm-to-table menu channels the island鈥檚 rich culinary heritage, and critics and locals alike wax poetic over the sourdough tostadas and ra铆ces locales (local roots), an inspired appetizer with beets and vegetables. (The restaurant's name means root vegetable). The must-try dish is mariscada, a gourmet reinvention of traditional mofongo, combining the much-loved mashed-plantain staple with mussels and shrimp and topping it with seared salmon.
Throughout Puerto Rico, Guzm谩n is renowned for both his culinary brilliance and his philanthropy: as San Juan emerged from COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, he dedicated much of his time to helping out-of-work chefs, creating a pop-up series of culinary events.
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Santaella
Best for a hip tropical vibe
Located in a nondescript building in Santurce, Jos茅 Santaella鈥檚 signature restaurant is a lively, fun place to dine with friends. The edgy industrial d茅cor (it used to be a hardware store) contrasts with a 鈥渢ropical creole鈥 theme that fuses traditional comida criolla (creole cooking) with international ingredients to create memorable nouvelle Puerto Rican cuisine.
Popular plates include succulent jumbo shrimp garnished with garlic cream sauce and a trifongo that adds yucca and sweet plantains to the classic mofongo recipe. One of the house specials 鈥 roasted cauliflower and butternut squash, infused with Middle Eastern spices and served atop feta labneh and almonds 鈥 showcases Santaella鈥檚 farm-to-table mission.
Expert mixologists craft Caribbean libations with a twist and playful riffs on classic cocktails; house favorites are the watermelon mojito and the tequila-infused espresso martini.
Lote 23
Best for free-style grazing
Leading the charge for Puerto Rico鈥檚 growing love for food-hall-style restaurants, Lote 23 has become an institution in the revitalized Santurce district. Foodies can walk, browse and graze on more than a dozen culinary specialties, ranging from pizza and tacos to bao and creative burgers.
Try mofongo at El Cuchifrito, wood-fired pizza at Doroteas and pernil sandwiches (Puerto Rico鈥檚 answer to pulled pork) at Perniler铆a Los Pr贸ceres. There鈥檚 plenty of outside space and picnic tables for visitors to relax.
Jungle Bird
Best for Asian-fusion small plates and wild tiki cocktails
Located in the heart of vibrant neighborhood of Santurce is Jungle Bird, owned by Roberto Berdec铆a of La Factor铆a. With inside and patio seating, a funky vibe and wildly creative mixologists, it鈥檚 the perfect launchpad for exploring the neighborhood of La Placita.
The bar鈥檚 kitchen, Jungle BaoBao, is helmed by James Beard semifinalist Paxx Caraballo Moll, who combines indigenous Ta铆no ingredients, like sweet chili, dragon fruit, cassava and red beans, to create delectable Asian-Caribbean fusion dishes.
The hyper-seasonal menu changes regularly, underscoring the former artist鈥檚 commitment to all things local; expect to feast on house-made kimchi, raw snapper with fresh mango and his signature 鈥渆noki bloom鈥 鈥 crispy mushroom clusters topped with togarashi and saffron.
Jungle Bird is also known for tiki-style cocktails, such as Frida鈥檚 Visit to MoMA, a fruity tequila and cacha莽a-based concoction, and the Saturn, made with London gin, passion fruit and lemon.
Raya
Best for a unique take on a grilled cheese sandwich
Mario Pag谩n is one of Puerto Rico鈥檚 most famous chefs 鈥 in addition to owning multiple restaurants in San Juan and spearheading his own catering company, he鈥檚 appeared on Food Network's Next Iron Chef 鈥 and his latest venture finds a suitably sleek setting inside the award-winning O:LV Fifty Five hotel in Condado. (It's small and super popular, so be sure to reserve at least two weeks in advance.)
Every item here is exquisite and resembles an edible painting. Menu staples include wasabi morcilla grilled cheese, made with blood-sausage focaccia, and tuna poke 辫别驳补铆迟辞, puffed rice topped with tuna sashimi and drizzled with soy.
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Arya
Best for inspired culinary twists
One of San Juan鈥檚 most popular rooftops, is also located inside the O:LV in Condado. A high-end spot, the skyline views and seasonal all-day menu draw a stylish crowd. Modern American and fusion fare feature alongside inspired renditions of Puerto Rican classics; favorites include velvety tuna tartare, pork longaniza (a Spanish sausage similar to chorizo) and a bacon cheeseburger loaded with lettuce, tomato and garlic mayo and served on a sesame brioche bun.
Prime time is sunset, as creative mixologists work their magic, shaking and stirring potent cocktails; try a signature sake, a refreshing watermelon mojito or a tiki classic spiked with rum.
El Jibarito
Best for no-frills authentic dishes
With a family-friendly ambiance, salsa music drifting in from the courtyard and simple decor 鈥 vinyl tablecloths and fluorescent lighting 鈥 this quirky restaurant offers a distinctly Puerto Rican dining experience.
The homestyle comida criolla here is widely considered the best on the island, and the hands-on owners celebrate Puerto Rico鈥檚 diverse culinary influences, turning out authentic fare infused with Spanish, African and Ta铆no flavors from a small but capable kitchen. Popular cooked-to-order dishes include tostones (fried plantains) and mofongo with red snapper.
Jos茅 Enrique
Best for bold interpretations of Puerto Rican classics
Born and raised in Santurce, Jos茅 Enrique is a beloved local icon. A James Beard Award finalist for five consecutive years, he's a pioneering chef known as much for his mold-breaking talent in the kitchen as for his front-line efforts in the wake of Hurricane Maria, when he provided free meals for families in need.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, the pioneering chef returned to his roots in 2007, and at his , the blackboard menu champions seasonal, organic ingredients native to Puerto Rico.
Artfully plated dishes, such as crispy fried yellowtail with papaya and avocado, speak to Enrique's culinary flair, with balanced, delicate flavors, creative seasoning and daring experimentalism that always hit the mark. The menu changes daily, but crowd-pleasers include panko-crusted swordfish 鈥渟chnitzel,鈥 fried fish of the day and tenderloin served with mamposteao (stewed beans and rice).
La Alcapurria Quem谩
Best for snacking on the go
Just a 15-minute walk south from the oceanfront at Condado, is a no-frills locale serving up Puerto Rico鈥檚 beloved snack, alcapurrias 鈥 deep-fried fritters made from plantains (or grated yucca) stuffed with flavorful beef, pork or fish. You'll find several iterations at this colorful Santurce pit stop, but the bestsellers are beef and crab. The kitchen also delivers on traditional homestyle entr茅es, including carne guisada (traditional beef stew) and chicharr贸n de pollo (crispy skin-on chicken).
Mercado La Carreta
Best for a history-soaked brunch in Old San Juan
An upbeat go-to spot, provides a great base for exploring Old San Juan. Grab a table overlooking stately Plaza de la Barandilla and choose from a flavor-forward menu of brunch classics, like beer-battered chicken and waffles, Mallorca sandwiches 鈥 an homage to Puerto Rico鈥檚 famous sweet bread 鈥 and jibaro platters with pork, rice and beans and amarillitos (sweet fried plantains). The restaurant also carries specialty coffees from award-winning local producer Gustos Coffee.
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