Finest Locations to Eat in Outdated San Juan, Puerto Rico
I spent a while in Outdated San Juan as a digital nomad. I found that among the many greatest issues to do in Outdated San Juan is eat. Outdated San Juan has a energetic food and drinks scene. Whether or not you’re in search of cheap however tasty meals or connoisseur treats, Outdated San Juan has one thing for you. These are a few of my favourite spots.
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La Casita de Rones
Near Pier 1 of the cruise ship docks is a pink constructing that may be an introduction to the rums of Puerto Rico. They provide a rum-tasting flight for $45 and several other tropical-themed cocktails. La Casita additionally affords a menu together with sandwiches, tacos, steak and, in fact, mofongo.
Barrachina (actual house of the Piña Colada)
The blended model of the Piña Colada (rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice) was invented on the Puerto Rican restaurant Barrachina. The unique Piña Colada was served over the rocks and likewise originates from Outdated San Juan, invented by bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero on the Caribe Hilton in 1954.
You possibly can nonetheless get a Piña Colada at Barrachina, and you’ll order from a menu of Puerto Rican dishes like mofongo. My daughter honeymooned in Puerto Rico and fell in love with this native dish. Everybody agrees that mofongo has smashed plantains, however after that, every restaurant appears to have its personal native model. At Barrachina, I had a mofongo topped with a rooster breast. It was served with the practically ubiquitous mayo ketchup sauce.
At Barrachina, you may eat inside or on their beautiful patio.
Pirilo Pizza Rustica
A neighborhood contact on the tourism board and a information each advised Pirolo Pizza Rustica as the most effective pizza in Outdated San Juan, and it didn’t disappoint. I had the 5 cheese pizza with some additional pepperoni, however the signature Pirilo pizza was additionally advisable to me, which, like so many dishes on the island, has plantains. Pirilo additionally has a second location in San Juan within the Ocean Park neighborhood by the seaside.
El Balcon Del Moreno
In my quest for the most effective mofongo, I additionally ate close to the vacationer data middle at El Balcon Del Moreno. I appreciated the presentation of this mofongo within the conventional dish that’s used to smash the plantains, even when it didn’t fee in my high half for mofongo taste.
The Cave
The Cave close to Plaza de Armas is a vibrant, cheery place and under no circumstances cave-like. It’s a Cuban restaurant. I had certainly one of their lighter dishes from their tapas menu, which was a black bean and rice risotto. It was a quite simple meal but in addition certainly one of my favourite meals within the metropolis. The Cave will get good opinions for its montaditos (small sandwiches with candy and savory components) or its fried garbanzo beans. The Cave additionally has a small cocktail menu.
El Patio De Sam
Sam’s Patio is a conventional Puerto Rican restaurant. This restaurant is positioned down the road from the most well-liked bars on Calle San Sebastián. Its entrance entrance appears to be like out at Plaza San Juan and the monument to Juan Ponce de León, the primary governor of San Juan. Whereas Sam’s Patio is historic, it solely dates again to 1945. The story goes that it was fashionable with U.S. servicemen stationed in San Juan throughout WWII who have been there to guard the transport within the space from German U-boats. With its quiet inside courtyard it was a pleasant different to the energetic bars up the road.
It’s a great spot to order fried pork and tostones (fried plantains) with mayo ketchup (with adobo).
Deaverdura
Deaverdura is among the top-rated eating places in previous San Juan. It’s a comfy informal restaurant with partaking employees. Whenever you sit down, they don’t hand you a menu however speak about completely different choices you may be desirous about. The restaurant is so well-known for its vegan-friendly choices that my native meals tour information thought it was a vegetarian restaurant. This isn’t difficult meals, however a superb instance of native delicacies.
I ordered a reasonably easy however scrumptious meal of rooster with rice and beans. As an alternative of the fried plantains, that are prevalent in Puerto Rican cooking, Deaverdura supplied fried breadfruit. It was fascinating to strive breadfruit. It tastes, cease me if you realize what’s coming, like bread.
Casa Luna Relaxation
Casa Luna relaxation is a more moderen restaurant that’s performing some dishes very historically however in a contemporary and colourful restaurant.
I had mofongo (fried plantains with garlic, onion, and butter), rooster criolla, rice and beans, and a Piña Colada cocktail. One factor that was completely different about this mofongo was that it was extra of a mofongo package. It was items of plantain served in a picket motor and pestle. My desk mates and I mashed our personal plantains. It was an fascinating expertise, however frankly, for taste, my favorites have been the very tasty beans and rooster.
El Convento Lodge
I ate on the patio restaurant, which is certainly one of two eating places within the previous convent turned resort, El Convento throughout from the cathedral in Outdated San Juan. I used to be staying on the resort, so I ate there partially only for comfort. The menu was extra worldwide, with dishes like risotto, pasta, and burgers, however the meals was fairly good. I’d have eaten there once more if I had not been attempting as many eating places as attainable. The service was a bit gradual the night time I used to be there, however to be honest, it was the day earlier than Hurricane Fiona hit the island so issues have been a bit uncommon everywhere in the metropolis.
Mercado La Carreta – Finest Breakfast in Outdated San Juan
I used to be invited to eat at Mercado La Carreta as a visitor of the native tourism board (they paid). After testing their web site, I selected to eat breakfast there and was not upset. Simply up the steps from Plaza Barandilla, this gentle and ethereal restaurant sits on a nook with large open home windows. It doesn’t have out of doors eating, but it surely feels prefer it has out of doors eating once you sit at one of many tables proper within the window.
I had the French toast mixture from their brunch menu. It was half strawberry cheesecake french toast and half blueberries and cream cheese french toast. Oh my goodness, was this nice! Get a facet of bacon to have some salty to go together with the candy, after which plan on strolling town for hours to work off the energy.
The service was nice. I believed I used to be getting additional particular service from Jim, who was my waiter. He was chatting with me about different locations to see in Outdated San Juan. It wasn’t till he introduced over the invoice that I spotted he had no concept that I used to be getting sponsored by the tourism board. He simply treats everybody as if they’re a particular visitor.
Cafetería Mallorca – Puerto Rican Breakfast
For a low-frills conventional Puerto Rican breakfast, head down the steps from Mercado La Carreta to the opposite facet of the Plaza Barandilla for Mallorca Cafe. Along with the pancakes and eggs, you may deal with your self to a mallorca. This candy bread sandwich was launched to the island by a Spaniard from the Island of Mallorca, from which it derives its identify.
A Mallorca is a sliced candy bread sandwich that’s buttered and full of one thing like ham, egg, and cheese after which pressed and coated with powdered sugar. This looks as if one thing made to have along with your morning espresso, and they’re historically eaten at breakfast. I nearly ordered it with out sugar, if such a factor is feasible, however when in Outdated San Juan…
It was fairly scrumptious. When my daughter was on the island for her honeymoon, they cherished the mallorcas at La Bombonera, which is a block to the west, however I couldn’t inform if La Bombonera continues to be in enterprise because it was closed each time I walked by.
Café Cuatro Sombras
Café Cuatro Sombras is a coffeehouse that serves single-source Puerto Rican grown espresso. This can be a farm-to-cup espresso expertise and an opportunity to get pleasure from a superb cup of Joe and likewise help the native farmers. The espresso comes from the Hacienda Santa Clara, which is owned by Pablo Muñoz and his spouse, Mariana Suarez. The hacienda has been within the Muñoz household since 1846. The coffeehouse was opened in 2011.
Along with a cup or a bag of espresso, you can too purchase one thing candy to start out your day.
Anita for Gelato
To beat the Puerto Rican warmth, what may be higher than a scoop or two of gelato? That was a rhetorical query. Anita’s has some nice flavors, each conventional flavors in addition to some tropical fruit impressed ones.
La Factoria – Finest-Recognized “Secret” Bar
La Factoria will be the best-known bar in Outdated San Juan. It anchors Calle San Sebastián, which is the celebration avenue in Outdated San Juan, however it’s a bit difficult to seek out because it actually has no signal. It’s a cocktail bar. It has been included in lists like the most effective 50 bars on this planet. The surprises don’t finish with the shortage of an indication. Its unmarked location contains “secret passages” to six completely different bars with completely different drink menus. This can be a bar that’s going out of its technique to be completely different. It’s also the “solely bar in Latin America to be named and/or nominated for the TOTC Spirited Award, TW50BB, and James Beard Award all in the identical 12 months (2018)”. So… one thing they’re doing is unquestionably working for them.
Finest Beer Bar – La Taberna Lúpulo
If you’re extra of a beer fan than a cocktail fan, then proper throughout Calle San Sebastián from La Factoria is a bar that locals instructed me was their favourite beer bar, La Taberna Lúpulo. It options pub meals and “50 faucets and 150 bottles of the best Belgian, English, German, and American Craft Beers.” On Saturday and Sunday mornings, they provide a hangover brunch that begins at 11 am.
El Cafetín
To spherical out well-known bars on Calle San Sebastián, Mojito followers can choose up a $5 Mojito at El Cafetín, which is subsequent door to La Taberna Lúpulo. In addition they provide a big selection of home “chichaitos” (guava, coconut, and fervour fruit).
Los Tres Cuernos
Los Tres Cuernos (The three horns) is a bar that’s not up on Calle San Sebastián however was advisable to me by my waiter Jim at Mercado La Carreta. I subsequently realized that may be a favourite bar among the many locals of Outdated San Juan. This can be a bar with a number of environment. The partitions are coated with greenback payments signed by earlier patrons. It’s identified for well-priced drinks… so I assume individuals had cash left over and determined to staple it to the partitions.
Carli‘s High-quality Bistro & Piano
For a stunning night time out in San Juan, take into account Carli‘s High-quality Bistro & Piano, which is within the Artwork Deco Banco Fashionable de Puerto Rico constructing. That is an upscale restaurant which is mirrored within the costs. You possibly can come for a starter and a cocktail or a full dinner of pasta, risotto, seafood, or meat from their in depth menu.
The restaurant options stay music. The night time that I used to be there, this was within the type of a guitarist out on the patio as a substitute of somebody on the piano inside.
Flavors of San Juan Meals Tour
One of many methods I found a few of these nice eating places was the Flavors of San Juan meals strolling tour. I like a superb meals strolling tour, particularly in case you can take one once you first get to city. Hurricane Fiona ruined my plans to do that tour very first thing, but it surely was nonetheless enjoyable. They launched me to the next eating places talked about above:
First Cease: Cuatro Sombras
- Cortadito (macchiato espresso)
- Croissant with black forest ham, swiss cheese, and guava butter
Second Cease: Patio de Sam
- Fried meat with veggies & Tostones with mayo ketchup sauce
Third Cease: Casa Luna Relaxation.
- Mofongo (fried plantains with garlic, onion, and butter)
- Hen criolla
- Rice and beans
- Piña Colada cocktail
Fourth Cease: Anita’s Gelato
Your tour could definitely varry from this itinerary. Alongside the best way, our information Marjorie Ana stuffed our heads with data and with different nice recommendations of locations to every in Outdated San Juan.
My tour was paid for by Uncover Puerto Rico, for which I’m grateful.
Cocina Abierta – In Close by Condado
Considered one of my greatest eating experiences was not in Outdated San Juan, however a brief Uber experience away at Cocina Abierta within the close by Condado neighborhood. Because of Uncover Puerto Rico for sponsoring this glorious meal (they paid). I used to be stunned to be taught that Puerto Rico imports 85% of all the things they eat. Cocina Abierta is presenting a menu with simply native components in an effort to attempt to change that. They’re additionally serving to promote an area app on your mobile phone known as PRoduce!, which permits locals to purchase farm-to-table.
Cocina Abierta has each inside and out of doors eating. It was raining the night time I used to be there, so I opted for inside.
I visited Cocina Abierta shortly after Hurricane Fiona hit the island of Puerto Rico. The night time I used to be there, they’d a particular menu to profit native farmers who have been affected by the storm. My dinner consisted of 4 programs.
1st course: “wild leaves” salad with tropical fruit French dressing, ausubal cheese, and candied nuts. A beautiful mix of candy and bitter flavors, however don’t pair it with a lavender and ginger beer mocktail. That was a rookie transfer on my half.
2nd course: tacos al pastor with oyster mushrooms for “meat,” star fruit pico de gallo, and breadfruit tacos. This was pleasant. I ran out of sentimental tacos earlier than I ran out of filling, however I did all however lick the dish.
third course: a pork mofongo (mashed plantains) with a ginger BBQ sauce and a mushroom consommé. I instructed my waiter that my seek for the most effective mofongo could also be over, however he truly prefers the mofongo on their regular menu, which has shredded duck inside and a Pekin duck sauce as a substitute of BBQ.
Dessert was a pineapple tart with a espresso caramel sauce, white chocolate crumble, and a lemon sorbet. Simply roll me out to my Uber, a contented man. The meals scene in Outdated San Juan is nice, however for individuals in search of a high-end eating expertise, don’t overlook a visit to Condado, which has different nice eating places along with Cocina Abierta
Conclusion
San Juan is a good metropolis for consuming. Take a meals tour. Go on a mofongo quest. Have your morning mofongo and luxuriate in your go to.
Learn extra about the place to remain in Outdated San Juan in Digital Nomad Cities – work from Outdated San Juan Puerto Rico.
