La Cucina di Ivo (202 Calle Cristo, Old San Juan) — A pretty courtyard just steps from the cathedral has been transformed into this traditional trattoria. The staff enters and leaves through leaded-glass doors on either side of the central courtyard that lead to the bar, the wine cellar, and intimate dining rooms. You’ll want […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...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.
Read More...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 […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...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 […]
Read More...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 […]
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