La Bombonera (259 Calle San Francisco, Old San Juan) — You can’t miss the stained glass and gorgeous Moorish-style tilework on the facade of this local café, which was established in 1902. In the window you’ll see piles of freshly baked pastries. Inside there’s a long counter with salmon-colored stools and a wall lined with […]
Il Mulino New York (The Ritz-Carlton San Juan, 6991 Avenida de los Gobernadores, Isla Verde) — You’ll want for nothing at the San Juan outpost of the Manhattan restaurant, where a team of tuxedoed waiters effortlessly coordinates your entire meal experience. The dark-wood-paneled walls and heavy velvet drapes are an odd juxtaposition with the tropical […]
El Picoteo (Hotel El Convento, 100 Calle Cristo, Old San Juan) — You could make a meal of the small dishes that dominate the menu at this tapas restaurant on a mezzanine balcony at the Hotel El Convento. You won’t go wrong ordering the grilled cuttlefish or the pistachio-crusted salmon with a Manchego-cheese sauce and […]
El Patio de Sam (102 Calle San Sebastián, Old San Juan) — The clientele swears that this Old San Juan institution serves the island’s best burgers. Potted plants and strategically placed canopies make the outdoor patio overlooking Plaza San José a fine place to eat in any weather.
Cafetería Mallorca (300 Calle San Francisco, Old San Juan) — The specialty at this old-fashioned, 1950s-style diner is the mallorca, a sweet pastry that’s buttered, grilled, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. Wash one down with a terrific cup of café con leche. For something more substantial, try the breakfast mallorca, which has ham and […]
Dragonfly (364 Calle Fortaleza, Old San Juan) — Dark and sexy, this popular Latin-Asian restaurant, all done up in Chinese red, feels more like a fashionable after-hours lounge than a restaurant. The romantic ambience, created partly through tightly packed tables and low lighting, is a big draw. The small plates, meant to be shared, come […]
Casa Dante (3022 Avenida Isla Verde, Isla Verde) — If you’re curious about mofongo—green plantains mashed with garlic and pork fat and filled with just about anything imaginable—head here for a stomach- and soul-satisfying version. Casa Dante offers four different types of the Puerto Rican specialty, including a noteworthy pinto version, blending both green and […]
Caficultura (401 Calle San Francisco, Old San Juan) — One of the best cafes to open in San Juan in recent years, Caficultura prides itself both on its full coffee-bar menu and its delicious cocina de mercado. Many ingredients are sourced locally, and the menu changes by the season. For breakfast, try coconut-milk French toast […]
Cafetería Mallorca (300 Calle San Francisco, Old San Juan) — The specialty at this old-fashioned, 1950s-style diner is the mallorca, a sweet pastry that’s buttered, grilled, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. Wash one down with a terrific cup of café con leche. For something more substantial, try the breakfast mallorca, which has ham and […]
Bar Gitano (1302 Avenida Ashford, C-1, Condado) — Themed as a traditional Andalusian-style tasca, this extremely popular tapas bar is decorated with artwork created from Madrid bullfighting photographs. The marble bar and dark wood tables give an impression of casual elegance. The trendy crowd is always lively or borderline noisy, especially if there’s a soccer […]