The Best Food & Restaurants in Puerto Rico From Local Guides

Puerto Rico has some amazing food, restaurant & dining options scattered all over the island. Traditional Puerto Rican food options abound for obvious reasons but you might be surprised at the quantity and diversity of the restaurant, kiosko (food kiosks) and food cart/food truck options. Additionally, and not surprisingly, most of the major schools of Latin ethnic foods are also well represented in Puerto Rico. You can see all the great restaurants, food trucks/carts and dining options our local guides have curated below.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind:

Sushi - A lot of the sushi in PR is, for lack of a better term, is "Puerto Rican Sushi". What I mean is that it very often contains local ingredients, a lot of cooked stuff, and is sometimes fried. While this Puerto Rican sushi is worth trying for sure, it's not my cup of tea as I prefer a more traditional Japanese style sushi. Check the menu before you go if this is a concern.
Pizza - Once again, for lack of a better term, almost all Pizza on the Island is "Puerto Rican Pizza". There are very few Pizza joints that serve anything close to a New York Style pizza. Most pizza on the island will contain combinations of ingredients that you wouldn't see anywhere else. Food for thought.

Some Puerto Rican Food Vocabulary:

Pinchos - Skewers of meat often with a spicy barbecue sauce or pique (hot sauce).
Alcupurria - Deep fried mashed green plantain or yuca fritter generally filled with mixed seafood, crab, chicken or beef.
Pasteles - Tamales stuffed with pork and adobo seasoning encased in green plantain masa and wrapped with a banana leaf.
Pastelillos - Deep fried pastry with a variety of fillings similar to empanadas. Pastelillos. They are often smaller than a traditional empanada.
Bacalao - Traditional Puerto Rican fish stew made with salted cod that is soaked to desalinate.
Bacalaito - Bacalaitos are salted cod soaked to desalinate, formed in to thin patties or fritters and then deep fried.
Pique - Hot Sauce. Most places have their own house made pique's and trying them all is a constant source of enjoyment for those of us who like it spicy.

Old San Juan

The Ultimate Old San Juan Food & Restaurant Guide & Map

From world class restaurant to local authentic eateries Old San Juan has an amazing collection of food, restaurant and dining options. The Ultimate Old San Juan Food & Restaurant Guide presents all of our favorite spots in Old San Juan in a single easy to use reasource with an interactive and shareable map... it's the ultimate planning tool. Click above to check out all the curated local food and restaurant experiences.