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  The Parrot Club (363 Calle Fortaleza, Old San Juan) — Loud and lively, this place is intent on making sure everyone is having a good time. You’re likely to strike up a conversation with the bartender as you enjoy the signature passion-fruit cocktail or with a couple at the next table in the covered […]

Marmalade (317 Calle Fortaleza, Old San Juan) — “Wow!” may well be your first reaction after entering Old San Juan’s hippest—and finest—restaurant. Its U.S.-born owner-chef, Peter Schintler, apprenticed with Raymond Blanc and Gordon Ramsay; here he’s created a class act that’s famous for its ultra-chic lounge bar. The restaurant’s sensual and minimalist orange-and-white decor features […]

La Playita (Hotel La Playa, 6 Calle Amapola, Isla Verde) — Unlike some other notable oceanfront restaurants in the metropolitan area, this casual spot doesn’t have a price tag as big as the view. Set in a small hotel in Isla Verde, the atmosphere here is laid-back and beachy, and so is the food: you’ll […]

La Fonda del Jibarito (280 Calle Sol, Old San Juan) — The menus are handwritten and the tables wobble, but sanjuaneros have favored this casual, no-frills, family-run restaurant—tucked away on a quiet cobbled street—for years. The conch ceviche, goat fricassee, and shredded beef stew are among the specialties on the menu of typical Puerto Rican […]

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 […]

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 […]