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A Taste of the Caribbean

Puerto Rico: The New Culinary Capital of the Caribbean

In recent years, Puerto Rico has been elevating its culinary scene to reach new heights that go beyond its global recognition as the home of the piña colada. Whether you’re looking for mouthwatering slow-roasted pork lechón, fried fritters by the beach chased with a cold beer, or exquisite farm-to-table experiences that match local ingredients with pioneering creativity, there is something for every foodie traveller in this soulful Caribbean Island.

Take a culinary road trip to street food and lechón heaven

Hiring a car in Puerto Rico couldn’t be easier, and it’s undoubtedly the best way of exploring this wonderfully diverse Island to discover some of its most stunning untouched beaches and, of course, sample its traditional street food gems. Just past El Yunque rainforest, travellers will find Luquillo, a beachside town famous for its array of over sixty chinchorros (kiosks). A trip to Luquillo is a sensory explosion: surrounded by stunning ocean vistas, the air is filled with lively live Latin music and the seductive smells of Caribbean street food. Here, visitors can sample platters of Puerto Rican staples such as fresh seafood, fried plantains, alcapurrias - a popular Puerto Rican fritter made from a masa of green bananas, stuffed with various fillings and deep-fried - and bacalaítos, salted codfish fritters.

About 40 minutes from San Juan heading south, you can take exit 32 and follow the road that snakes its way up the mountains of Cayey. Live salsa music and the mouthwatering smell of garlic and pork will announce your arrival at Guavate, Puerto Rico’s “pork highway.” Here, numerous lechoneras (open-air restaurants specialising in slow-roasted, juicy whole pork with crispy skin, a Puerto Rican gastronomic legacy) await. A spot loved by locals, it is essential to order some variety of pork that is roughly chopped with a machete right in front of you. Your pick of pork is accompanied by yuca al mojo, tostones, arroz con gandules, or even cuajito (stewed pig stomach) and morcilla (blood sausage).

Explore the farm to table movement

The farm-to-table movement is much more than a trend in Puerto Rico, it is a way of establishing a sustainable culinary future. Tucked away on a dirt road roughly a half-hour drive from San Juan, Frutos del Guacabo is a farm-to-fork experience that celebrates Puerto Rico’s biodiversity. Having opened in 2010, the farm allows guests to visit the different growing areas of the Island farm, from greenhouse to animal pastures, and experience native fruits, herbs and vegetables in a bucolic setting with various options for tastings. The owners formed a co-operative of growers and farmers, to increase supply of locally-grown products to meet the increasing demand for locally-sourced food. The co-op then sells their produce to local chefs and restaurants all across the Island.

Elsewhere, in the central mountain region of Puerto Rico, travellers can enjoy an intimate atmosphere set amidst a breezy mountainscape of Cidra, as they dine at an exciting new concept restaurant, Aldeana. Here, guests can enjoy exquisite five-course menus, each crafted to perfection, embodying the essence of each season. The ever-changing menus pay tribute to the roots of the trio of chefs and owners, Raul Correa, Rene Marical and Xavier Pacheco, local Puerto Rican legends in the culinary space, who own several of the Island’s most exciting spots such as Bacoa. From the combination of “barbacoa” and “coa” – an agricultural tool – BACOA Finca + Fogón is a restaurant set in a rustic house surrounded by nature in the countryside of Juncos.

Enjoy the finer things in San Juan

For world-class food in the capital, Cocina Abierta, meaning “open kitchen”, is an interactive culinary environment, restaurant and cooking school that is a must-visit for any traveller. Cocina Abierta’s owners and chefs create and interpret culinary ideas inspired from different cultures, products, and techniques around the Island, applying an anthropological lens to traditional Puerto Rican dishes, always championing local and ancient ingredients to tell Puerto Rico’s gastronomic story through novel and delicious dishes. Even mofongo, Puerto Rico’s national dish of mashed green plantains, garlic paste and a choice of protein, is reimagined in innovative ways: peking duck mofongo is a menu highlight.

Named for the year hotel Condado Vanderbilt first opened its doors, 1919 is Puerto Rico’s most-loved fine dining experience, producing "flavour-forward" dishes crafted exclusively from local artisans and farmers. Michelin Star-rated Executive Chef Juan José Cuevas believes in pairing social consciousness with exquisite taste. Combined with impeccable service and meticulous attention to detail, it's a recipe for feasts you'll not soon forget.