For Some of the Finest Cuisine in Puerto Rico, Visit the ‘Pork Highway’

This article is part of a series produced by United Voices, a new Dinogo immersion initiative that unites local content creators with Dinogo editors for workshops, storytelling, and shared experiences in a destination. We’re excited to launch in Puerto Rico.

The van navigates the winding roads, with lush greenery enveloping both sides. Although we’ve been driving for about an hour, my journey feels even longer; this trip to the mountain town of Cayey marks the fulfillment of a multi-year dream that began, rather unexpectedly, outside of Chicago.

Over ten years ago, I met my now-husband, who was raised in Puerto Rico. Having never visited the island, I was captivated by the tales he shared about its wonders: its lush forests, pristine beaches, and the charming cobblestone streets of San Juan. Then there was lechón asado, which he described with a reverence I seldom encountered when discussing food.

One of the most cherished dishes in Puerto Rico, lechón asado literally means “roasted pork.” Though variations of this dish can be found worldwide—Spain and the Philippines each have their own renditions—lechón asado is prevalent in Puerto Rico. Here, a pig is marinated with garlic, oregano, achiote oil (derived from annatto seeds), salt, and pepper, then slowly roasted on a spit for hours. The meat becomes incredibly tender while the skin turns golden and crispy—the hallmark of a quality lechón. Across Puerto Rico, dedicated restaurants called lechoneras serve this dish, pairing it with popular sides such as rice and beans, tostones (fried green plantains), sweet plantains, mofongo (mashed plantains), rice and pigeon peas, yuca (cassava), boiled sweet potatoes, cuajito (stewed pig stomach), morcilla (blood sausage), and longaniza (spicy sausage).

However, no lechoneras are as renowned as those on a road in Guavate known as la ruta de lechón, or “the Pork Highway.” My husband spoke of it with dreamy nostalgia, enthusiastically recommending it to anyone and everyone who visited the island. Head to Highway 184 for pork. Finally, in April 2023, it was my turn to experience it.

The history of Guavate’s lechoneras, which start appearing just off the highway and extend up the mountain, is somewhat unclear. One woman working at a lechonera tells us that they began to emerge in the area decades ago to cater to locals traveling from San Juan in the north to Ponce in the south. (The highway connecting these two cities passes through Cayey.) Another person mentions to our translator that there used to be a nearby prison, and visiting families required a place to eat; the prison also operated a farm that raised pigs.

Despite their shared features—pork dishes, meals starting at around $8, and a cafeteria-style environment—each lechonera in Guavate has its unique charm. Each boasts a dedicated following, with fans insisting that the pork is superior at their favorite spot; no, it’s better here, have you tasted the skin? Off the toll road and onto Highway 184, the first lechonera you’ll encounter is Lechonera Los Amigos, recognizable by its red awning and the silhouette of two cartoon piglets with cut-out faces for photo ops. It offers picnic tables for 150 diners, and behind the glass, a focused employee chops pork for customers. One man I meet during my visit shares that he always stops at Los Amigos when driving from Ponce to San Juan, even if it's just for some morcilla and a cafecito. He’s spot on—both are outstanding.

Further up the road is Lechonera Los Pinos, which has been serving customers seven days a week—except for a few days around Easter—since it first opened in the 1970s. With its green and yellow awning, Los Pinos has attracted curious visitors from around the globe, largely due to its pork, made famous by Anthony Bourdain during his No Reservations episode in 2006. (“They love their pork here, especially at Lechonera Los Pinos,” he remarked.) Nagai Rivera Gonzalez, 19, who has been working at Los Pinos for a year, notes that most visitors come from the USA, India, and Europe, but regardless of their origin, the reaction is usually the same: “I always see how amazed they are by the pork’s flavor,” she says. Rivera Gonzalez attributes this to the lechonera’s commitment to using local ingredients: most of their dishes are sourced from around the island, including the pigs, which are provided by a nearby cooperative.

Even farther along the road is El Rancho Original, whose fame lies in its name: the owners claim it’s the first lechonera established on Route 184, starting as little more than a shed made of sheet metal. “It initiated this whole trend,” says Carlos Santos, who currently manages the establishment and has been with El Rancho Original for 17 years. Today, El Rancho Original is a vast complex, featuring covered open-air pavilions on both sides of the street and alongside the Rio Guavate. On weekends, the restaurant hosts two bands playing live salsa music; on Sundays, their busiest days, Santos mentions they can sell up to 14 pigs, each weighing 150 pounds.

With one of my travel companions, we navigate the line at El Rancho Original, choosing sides to pair with the pork: chunks of yuca, pasteles (patties steamed in banana leaves), spicy sausage, blood sausage, vibrant yellow rice mixed with pigeon peas, and smooth squares of flan. Santos, preparing our pork cuts behind the counter, lifts a machete high and brings it down with a satisfying thunk, then calls me over to hand me a piece of skin, perfectly crisp and golden. I take a bite. At last.