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The Cortés family has been making bean-to-bar chocolate for more than 90 years, and, in 2013, they opened Puerto Rico's first "chocobar" to share their passion. The walls in this vivid, modern space are decorated with ads from the 1950s, original chocolate-bar molds, a timeline of chocolate, and two flat screens showing the chocolate-making process. From pastries and breakfast sandwiches to panini and tapas, the chef integrates chocolate into every bite without overpowering. Bonbons, chocolate bars, and even chocolate soaps are available for sale. People from all over the metro area flock here for weekend brunch; arrive early to avoid a long wait. An upstairs gallery offers a glimpse of the family's personal collection of contemporary Caribbean art.
210 Calle San Francisco, 00901, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Chocolate incorporated into many dishes
- Breakfast specialties and pastries
- Locally made chocolates
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner weekdays
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This family-run restaurant in the heart of residential Miramar is known for its traditional comida criolla. It feels more like a home than a restaurant, so it's a great place to just sit back, relax, and enjoy your meal. The menu, written on a chalkboard, changes often and features local fruits, vegetables, and seasonal fish. Favorite dishes include aguacate relleno con salmorejo de jueyes (crab-stuffed avocado) and chillo fresco with mojo isleño (red snapper with a sauce of tomatoes, olives, and green peppers). The old photos of Miramar, vintage furniture, and colonial architecture will surely transport you back in time.
605 Av. Miramar, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Excellent, friendly service
- Old-fashioned dishes like crab-stuffed avocado
- Great drinks and sangria
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues., Reservations recommended
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Standing discreetly just off Avenida Ashford, Ali Baba turns out delicious, meticulously prepared Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food, thanks to its Turkish chef-owner. Given how unpretentious this small place is, the presentation is surprisingly elegant. Start with hummus, served with steaming, homemade lavash (flatbread), or the grilled cheese with fresh herbs and tomatoes. Entrées include an iskender kebab drizzled with browned goat butter, and moussaka, served beneath a warming flame. Sandwiches and vegetarian options are also available.
1214 Av. Ashford, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Tangy, smooth hummus
- Iskender kebab
- No reservations
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations not accepted
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Huge platters of delicious comida criolla are constantly streaming out of the kitchen here. Low prices and a family atmosphere ensure that this longtime local favorite—located near the DoubleTree on the border of Condado and Santurce—is always packed. The extensive menu includes everything from grilled skirt steak to seafood-stuffed mofongo to barbecued ribs. Save room for one of the local desserts, such as flan or tres leches cake. Breakfast is also popular. Note that service, while friendly, can sometimes feel a bit rushed or distracted.
1600 Calle Loíza, 00911, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Large portions
- Family-friendly atmosphere
- Breakfast
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This café is wildly popular and doesn't take reservations, but the offerings are worth the wait. Order the pancakes with Nutella, and the mocha coffee with whipped cream and a rim of Oreos.
29 Calle Júpiter, 00913, Puerto Rico
Known For
- All-day breakfast
- Large portions
- Creative coffee drinks
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Located at the end of Calle Loíza, this family-run restaurant specializes in Roman dishes. The open kitchen turns out dishes like spaghetti carbonara, penne puttanesca, and bucatini all'amatriciana.
1059 Calle Loíza, 00911, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Roman-style dishes
- Italian comfort food
- Carbonara
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Chef and owner Brahim runs this French bistro in Old San Juan that's loved by locals. Crab cakes, duck à l'orange, steamed mussels, and veal shank can be found on the small but tasty menu. A popular brunch is served on Sundays.
313 Fortaleza St., 00901, Puerto Rico
Known For
- French cuisine
- Sunday brunch
- Relaxed, neighborhood feel
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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A handful of tables spill onto a sidewalk deck adorned with tiny lights at this romantic, bohemian restaurant overlooking Plaza Colón. There's something on the international menu for everyone, including a good selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes. It's also popular for breakfast, which is served until 3 pm.
407 Calle San Francisco, 00901, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Breakfast
- Variety of vegan and vegetarian choices
- Street-side dining
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Caficultura prides itself on its full coffee bar, its mimosas made with fresh juice, and its all-day breakfast and brunch menu (try the coconut-milk French toast with pineapple jam and coconut shavings). Numerous vegetarian options are available, especially at lunch, when you'll also find many delicious gourmet sandwiches and heartier dishes. The building is beautifully restored: distressed concrete walls meet an old, Spanish-style, wood-beamed ceiling—hanging from it is a magnificent antique chandelier. Customers skew young and intellectual, with students, professors, and museum-going tourists in the mix. The wait might be long, but the youthful staff is always friendly.
401 Calle San Francisco, 00901, Puerto Rico
Known For
- All-day breakfast
- Beautifully presented lattes
- Outside seating
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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The airy courtyard and the comida criolla are among the draws at this local, come-as-you-are restaurant—the perfect spot to end a workweek or a long day of sightseeing. The menu consists mostly of American and Puerto Rican fare. Save room for the homemade flan, which melts in your mouth.
102 Calle San Sebastián, 00901, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Typical Puerto Rican specialties
- Homemade flan
- Casual atmosphere
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Parmesan-crusted tacos are the draw here, with favorites including the fish, pulled pork, or vegetarian-friendly falafel versions. Pair yours with a margarita or mojito, and sit outside on the small terrace. Breakfast service starts at 8 am, and brunch is offered on weekends.
1104 Av. Magdalena, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Fish tacos and margaritas
- Prime people-watching from the terrace
- Breakfast and weekend brunch
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This local bakery is always buzzing with locals and tourists. Display cases are full of luscious pastries, including the quesito (cream cheese–filled puff pastry), and sandwiches include the medianoche, made famous when President Obama ordered one while campaigning. For dinner, dive into a fish dish or paella, or do like the locals and make a meal out of savory Spanish tapas.
1966 Calle McLeary, 00911, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Great baked goods, including cream cheese–filled quesitos
- Medianoche sandwiches
- Sometimes curt service
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Families with kids, beachgoers in flip-flops, and businesspeople all flock to this casual, marine-themed restaurant, renowned for its seafood dishes. Grouper tacos, lightly fried and topped with a spicy slaw, are a best seller—don't leave without trying at least one. When in season, opt for the conch salad with tostones or the conch empanadilla, a local version of a turnover. For more substantial fare, order Caribbean spiny lobster, whole fried snapper, or arroz con mariscos, La Cueva's version of a paella. Ask for the homemade hot sauces; they pair wonderfully with the flavorful seafood dishes. Feel free to walk here for lunch, but opt for a cab at night: Calle Loíza is still in its development phase and can be unwelcoming after dark. You'll find other locations throughout San Juan.
1857 Calle Loíza, 00911, Puerto Rico
Known For
- House-made hot sauce
- Fish tacos
- Conch in season
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La Madre is a hip Mexican restaurant, with a stylish, young clientele to match. Yes, it covers the standards, including some very tasty tacos, enchiladas, and chilaquiles, but you'll also find innovative, modern, international interpretations of Mexican cuisine. With well-priced margaritas, you can afford to sample more unusual flavors like cucumber, soursop, Caribbean cherry, and tamarind. The sleek dining room feels artsy and dreamlike, with classic cartoons and old movies projected silently onto a wall. Brunch is served on weekends, and seating is available outdoors. A neighboring speakeasy specializes in tequila and mezcal cocktails.
351 Calle San Francisco, 00901, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Popular weekend brunch
- Outdoor seating
- Large variety of margaritas
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$$ | Santurce |
It's an exciting time for pizza in San Juan and one of the newest and most delicious additions to the scene is La Santurcina. Brought to you by the owners of the upscale restaurant Vianda, this full-service pizza joint is a pizza-churning, bustling machine that's always packed. Start with the fried olives and wings followed by any of the creative pies. Don't miss the zucchini with ricotta. They don't take reservations so get there early.
1250 Ponce de Leon Ave, San Juan, n/a Puerto Rico, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Creative pizzas
- Vegetable-forward menu
- Family-friendly vibe
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Chef Kelly Piro perfectly executes such Thai dishes as som tam (papaya salad), drunken noodles with barbecue pork, and green curry with shrimp. The bar serves excellent cocktails, although it's best known for its large gin selection.
303 Calle Canals, San Juan, n/a Puerto Rico, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Reservations are recommended
- Gin cocktails
- Drunken noodles and green curry
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No lunch Mon., Wed., and Thurs.
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Across the street from a string of major hotels, this casual restaurant doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it's decorated in warm, tropical colors. The kitchen turns out delicious versions of Cuban and Puerto Rican favorites at reasonable prices. Tasty options include Cornish game hen stuffed with congrí, a mixture of black beans and rice; perfectly seasoned and tender beef churrasco; and fried chickpeas with ham and chorizo. The crowd is a pleasant mix of tourists and locals, families and groups of friends enjoying a relaxed evening out. Throughout the restaurant, local art hangs on the walls, and you can shop from your table if you find a painting you like. The restaurant has several branches around the island, most in the metro area.
Av. Isla Verde, 00913, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Local vibe
- Large portions of typical dishes like churrasco and ropa vieja
- Family-friendly atmosphere
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Proprietor Yareli Manning runs this food-truck park in the heart of Miramar, where seating is at communal picnic tables. Though the roster of vehicles changes, regulars include Meatball Company, Yummy Dumplings, and Pa'l Pita. One truck sells beer and mixed drinks.
1006 Av. Ponce de Leon, 00907, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Variety of quick-bite options
- Outdoor dining
- Family-friendly atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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This cozy spot does a wonderful job with traditional Italian dishes of the kind that your nonna (grandmother) might have made. The ravioli di anatra, filled with braised duck and pear in a port-wine reduction and topped with truffle butter, is great. There is also a nice selection of specialty pizzas made with Caputo flour from Naples.
103 Calle San Jorge, 00911, Puerto Rico
Known For
- All house-made pastas and mozzarella di buffala
- Cozy ambience
- Creative cocktails
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Pastry chef Paulina Escanes brings a fresh and refreshing concept to the heart of Condado. Her restaurant turns out dishes inspired by her travels, and many have a Mexican touch, paying homage to her roots. Try the torta de elote, a soufflé-like corn cake stuffed with cheese and charred chile poblano. For dessert, don't pass on the exquisite key lime pie. You can dine outside on the busy, pet-friendly patio or in the dining room, where Scandinavian design meets tropical chic.
1451 Av. Ashford, 00911, Puerto Rico
Known For
- Patio dining
- Healthy dishes with a Mexican touch
- Fantastic desserts