Quintessentially Puerto Rican food and where to get it?

[AACJ]

What foods or restaurants are quintessentially Puerto Rican, and do you have any suggestions for where to go to get it while in Old San Juan?

[conshycruiser]

Breakfast-Cafe Mallora - obviously, get the Mallorca. It is like a grilled cheese with powdered sugar and meats if you want them. Amazing

Lunch- Cafe Puerto Rico. Get the Yuca Mofongo And the garlic shrimp

Dinner - Hotel Milano. Can't remember exactly what we got but it was delicious. Enjoy!

[Podie]

My sister lives in San Juan so I spend a lot of time there.

 

There are food carts that have very good street food. The tripleta sandwich has three kinds of meats on a big roll and is usually for sale to the left of the port (looking from the ship). There is a very good place called Punto de Vista (Point of View) which I'm told recently moved from the cruise port area to a few blocks away. Find out where it is and go there for cheap, good Puerto Rican food.

 

I have tried numerous times to like mofongo and have never gotten through the first few bites, so be sure to read what it is before you order it.

 

Another touristy but good restaurant just 2 blocks from the port is Las Raices.

[conshycruiser]

the yuca is fried and tastes similar to a big French fry. Mofongo is steak or chicken. They often make Mofongo with different vegetables and I don't think they're very good but the yuca hits the spot!!!! Cafe Puerto Rico has the best [emoji3]

[Ron_L]

We had a fantastic meal at the Ropa Vieja Grill on Ashford Ave in the Condado. I had shrimp and garlic mofongo and my wife had ropa vieja mofongo. Both were great!

[conshycruiser]

Writing that down. Thanks Ron!

[Ron_L]

Writing that down. Thanks Ron!

 

You're welcome! Several friends have gone there since we were there and loved it.

[alfaeric]

Another touristy but good restaurant just 2 blocks from the port is Las Raices.

 

My wife is from Ponce (on the southern part of the Island), and would recommend Raices to anyone. It's very good.

 

Where ever you are- get an order of tostones- which are fried green plantain. That is very, very much Boriquen. Pork is the primary meat of the island- so some kind of roast pork is a good choice. If not pork, the suggested ropa vieja is good, too (and is pretty rich). Mofongo is a "brick" of fried plantain. Worth trying once, for sure- if you don't like it, nothing wrong with that.

 

The breakfast at Cafe Maijorca is good- but if you are not wanting to try the sandwich- try some pastries- pastillio de guava is awesome in my book.

 

There are a lot of fresh fish- and different ways its served- I prefer the con ajo (garlic sauce), but there's also criollo- which slightly differs from place to place.

 

And RUM. Not the Bicardi stuff. Either Don Q or Barrilito.

[Kerry&LuAnn]

If we are in San Juan in early December, might we be able to find pasteles?

[mbrodrig01]

the yuca is fried and tastes similar to a big French fry. Mofongo is steak or chicken. They often make Mofongo with different vegetables and I don't think they're very good but the yuca hits the spot!!!! Cafe Puerto Rico has the best [emoji3]

 

Yucca is yucca root it is like a potatoe but with less taste. We usually make it with a garlic sauce and olive oil and it goes with other meats and appetizers. Mofongo is not steak or chicken. Mofongo is fried plantains mashed with olive oil and garlic and you can get it mashed with shrimp or another meat. It is delicious but some Puerto Rican foods are an acquired taste but they do taste good.

[mbrodrig01]

If we are in San Juan in early December, might we be able to find pasteles?

 

Yes, and it is not necessarily only in December that you will find it. Gurantee you will see more of it then.

[ljandiernp]

My sister lives in San Juan so I spend a lot of time there.

 

There are food carts that have very good street food. The tripleta sandwich has three kinds of meats on a big roll and is usually for sale to the left of the port (looking from the ship). There is a very good place called Punto de Vista (Point of View) which I'm told recently moved from the cruise port area to a few blocks away. Find out where it is and go there for cheap, good Puerto Rican food.

 

I have tried numerous times to like mofongo and have never gotten through the first few bites, so be sure to read what it is before you order it.

 

Another touristy but good restaurant just 2 blocks from the port is Las Raices.

 

Despite it's "touristy" atmosphere the mofongo is quite good here, as are the cocktails with local rum. Laurie

[DZalumni]

When we visited the island in April with a San Juan native, she took us to Raices

http://restauranteraices.com. Best Mofongo ever.