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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 […]

Aureola (106 Calle San Sebastián, Old San Juan) — Facing Plaza San José, this colorful restaurant serves solid Mexican food at a reasonable price. Brightly colored sombreros hang from the walls, cantina music plays overhead, and a bowl of dried chiles decorates your table. It may sound a little cartoonish, but in fact the comfortable […]

Ali Baba (1214 Avenida Ashford, Condado) — Tucked discreetly off Ashford Avenue, this newcomer 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 the hummus, served with steaming homemade lavash, or the grilled cheese with […]

Aguaviva (364 Calle Fortaleza, Old San Juan) — The name means “jellyfish,” which explains why this ultracool, ultramodern place has dim blue lighting like a tranquil ocean, and lamps shaped like jellyfish floating overhead. Elegantly groomed oysters and clams float on cracked ice along the raw bar. Eating here is like submerging oneself into the […]