The 26 Must-Try Restaurants in San Juan

This delightful venue in Old San Juan operates as a café during the day and transforms into a bar at night. Led by chef Martin Louzao, the menu is ever-evolving, influenced by seasonal availability. While the dishes are unforgettable, every aspect has been carefully considered, from the stunning amber glassware to the distinctive tiles crafted from coffee beans. Nestled on a picturesque, tree-lined street next to the Catedral de San Juan Bautista and Hotel el Convento, Caleta Cafe offers a dreamy setting to enjoy a glass of wine as dusk settles.

A beloved establishment in Old San Juan since 2013, La Factoría has grown into a celebrated institution, frequently listed among the World’s 50 Best Bars. It's renowned for its lavender-infused Moscow mule, the La Champeta made with Don Q Añejo rum, pineapple, and fermented ginger, and the Garibaldi Criollo, which features Campari infused with acerola, a Caribbean cherry. For wine lovers, Vino, located just behind the main bar, offers a curated selection.

Lúpulo is a vibrant beer bar that always plays an amazing playlist while offering a vast selection of draft beers along with bottles and cans. Be sure to try local brews, especially those from Boxlab in Aguadilla or Zurc Brauhaus in Coamo. Everything on the menu pairs perfectly with their tasty bar snacks, including excellent french fries, wings, and a fantastic Cubano sandwich.

During the day, Old San Juan’s Plaza de Armas buzzes with locals, tourists, and office workers flocking to the coffee kiosks. The wine bar Pío Pío is perfect for a laid-back lunch but truly shines at night when the area calms down. Tucked away from the bustling dives of Cristo and San Sebastián streets, the bar offers an extensive selection of sparkling wines accompanied by seasonal small dishes like oysters Rockefeller, beef tartare, and a salad featuring chrysanthemum greens, silken tofu dressing, hazelnuts, and chayote. They even serve a Negroni piragua, a grown-up twist on the traditional local treat of shaved ice with flavored syrup.

After a significant break, chef Gabriel (Gaby) Hernández has triumphantly reopened Verde Mesa in 2023. The restaurant returns to its focus on seasonal, vegetable-centric cuisine, now invigorated with fresh creativity from the kitchen team. Hernández visits farmers markets weekly, selecting ingredients like pomarossa, jobo, star fruit, and breadfruit. The menu, inspired by Mediterranean flavors, features small plates best enjoyed communally. Don’t miss the purple cloud: a delightful, fruity, meringue-based dessert.

Located in Old San Juan, Deaverdura is a cornerstone of comida criolla, showcasing Puerto Rican cuisine that merges local Taíno ingredients with Spanish and African flavors. The enticing aromas of pasteles, carne frita, tostones, and more fill the air, drawing in both locals and tourists. While the menu emphasizes meat dishes, seafood is also available, and they can accommodate vegan and vegetarian preferences.

Located in Old San Juan, this French bistro is celebrated for its weekend brunch featuring mushroom and blue cheese quiche, but dinner is equally impressive. The menu offers classic dishes such as duck confit, coq au vin, and trout amandine, all served in a friendly atmosphere that transports you just a block away from the typical tourist spots.

El Vino Crudo is a natural wine bar situated in a spacious area of Old San Juan, blending the historic charm of the city with a sleek, modern aesthetic. Serving as both a shop and bar, it’s the perfect place to grab some bottles for the beach, featuring a selection of light reds, rosés, and skin-contact wines suited for warm weather. This laid-back venue offers a welcome escape from the more raucous drinking spots, where you can savor a glass alongside olives, local cheeses, and seasonal Italian dishes like herby citrus salad or bucatini carbonara. Be sure to check their Instagram for guest chef pop-ups.

At Celeste in Puerta de Tierra, where the seafood bar meets the wine bar, Chef Sebastián Martínez Tully crafts refined dishes that highlight Puerto Rico's local ingredients. The menu evolves every quarter, beginning with a variety of crudos like squid ink ceviche or aged tuna with Meyer lemon, followed by creations such as tamarind brown butter anchovy toast or grilled sepia. The wine selection features offerings from small wineries.

This upscale cocktail bar on Calle Cerra attracts a diverse crowd of artists, industry insiders, and cocktail enthusiasts. Unlike nearby spots with budget-friendly drinks, Machete specializes in classic cocktails and inventive house mixes featuring beets and carrots. The bar food is exceptional, offering dishes like expertly prepared octopus, fried cauliflower, and tacos filled with cochinita pibil and mushrooms. Arrive early to secure a seat, or be prepared to stand all night. Don’t miss the charming outdoor patio in the back.

Chef and owner Carlos Portela crafts a menu that changes almost every day, inspired by the freshest local produce, seafood, and meats. The prix fixe experience can offer anywhere from 15 to 24 courses, stretching over five delicious hours. The wine pairings, selected and served by Chef Portela himself, are just as remarkable. Dining at Orujo feels like attending both a jazz concert and a symphony, with spontaneous bursts of creativity and precise moments of artistry.

This cozy ramen spot in Miramar doesn’t take reservations, so it’s best to arrive early. If you find yourself waiting, it’s certainly worth it for their house-made noodles, fiery vegan broth, various mazemen options, and crispy katsu. The appetizers like fried trumpet mushrooms, potato croquettes, and edamame are quite hearty, so plan your orders wisely. This place is a fantastic choice for vegans, offering three distinct ramen options.

At the Miramar Food Truck Park, Chef Ruben Guzman elevates outdoor dining with his exceptional open-fire cooking. Must-try dishes include the choripán sandwich topped with chimichurri, succulent roasted chicken thigh, and the fresh catch of the day, often sourced by Chef Guzman himself. For a fantastic vegetarian option, don’t miss the grilled eggplant.

Following the closure of her Miramar restaurant during the pandemic, Chef Natalia Vallejo has re-emerged with a larger venue at Cocina al Fondo, quickly earning a James Beard Award. This beautifully renovated house with a spacious backyard sets the stage for her innovative, vegetable- and seafood-centric interpretations of Puerto Rican cuisine, moving beyond classic dishes like mofongo to explore deeper flavors. Highlights include a terrine of beet and goat cheese with toasted bread, pumpkin-filled pastelillos, tempura-fried ají dulce, buñuelos made from root vegetables, expertly prepared catch of the day, a vegetarian pastelón, and much more on her expanded menu. Dessert, a cocktail list curated by Karla Z. Torres, and a carefully selected wine list perfectly complement Vallejo’s culinary creations.

For a special dining experience, look no further than 1919, where Chef Juan José Cuevas crafts exceptional tasting menus using local fruits, meats, and seafood, with options for vegetarian or vegan upon request. Situated within the luxurious Condado Vanderbilt Hotel, the cuisine offers far more depth than the typical hotel dining experience suggests, as Cuevas previously honed his skills at New York's renowned Blue Hill before returning to Puerto Rico to elevate local ingredients.

Even before opening hours, eager diners form a line outside San Juan's hottest new pizza destination. Led by Chef Francis Guzmán of Vianda and his culinary school friend Chef Stephen Reyna, La Santurcina fills the void for a great pizza place in the city. Their Neapolitan-inspired sourdough pizzas feature top-notch ingredients, with many focusing on vegetables, such as the Beetaroni and Zucchini Ricotta. Don’t miss the fried olives and lemon caper wings as delicious starters.

Diego San Miguel established this bakery in Cupey, a suburb of San Juan, and quickly turned it into a must-visit spot where items frequently sell out. The menu features sourdough breads, a curated selection of wines, cheeses, gourmet pantry staples, and pastries, including local favorites like Mallorcas. On Thursday nights, their pizza becomes a major attraction, with lines stretching into the parking lot for New York-style pies crafted often by local guest chefs.

This cherished food truck has finally opened its first brick-and-mortar spot on Calle Hipódromo in Santurce. Just a short walk from the vibrant bars and clubs of La Placita, this contemporary pizza joint could easily fit in Brooklyn's scene. It's always filled with guests enjoying Aperol spritzes alongside their wood-fired sourdough pizzas. Begin your meal with the light boquerones in pepperoncini aioli before diving into the crowd favorite: the honey pepperoni pie. Each pizza comes with the perfect char, and you can't go wrong with any selection on the menu, including the fantastic red sauce option. The doors open at 4 p.m., so arrive early to beat the rush.

This favorite spot for industry insiders has emerged from the pandemic with a refreshing selection of natural wines and an updated cocktail menu that remains top-notch. The new offerings include a sesame-infused martini, a daiquiri featuring the local Agricola rum Ron Pepón, and a zesty hibiscus margarita. The food menu is equally impressive, showcasing classic bar fare like wings and burgers, alongside creative options such as veggie lo mein, smoked gouda croquettes, and a barbecue portobello sandwich.

Chef Kelly Pirro has crafted a menu inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine, offering a refreshing change from the many Chinese and Japanese options available. Dishes include flavorful Thai curries, banh mi, a restorative tom yum soup, and hearty laab. This restaurant stands out for being particularly accommodating to vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diners, making it an excellent choice for diverse groups.

Nestled behind Cocina Abierta, which deserves a visit on its own, Oriundo is the latest innovative venture by chef Martín Louzao. This long-time restaurateur celebrates Puerto Rico's overlooked ingredients through a monthly dinner series. Reservations are announced on Instagram and typically sell out in a flash. Each event features prix fixe menus catering to omnivores, pescatarians, and vegetarians, alongside carefully curated wine pairings by sommelier Michelle Negrón. Recent dinners have highlighted ingredients like pana (breadfruit) and Caribbean land crab. Renowned chefs from the Caribbean and Latin America often collaborate, bringing their unique ingredients to the table. If you manage to secure a reservation, expect an unforgettable culinary experience.

After the most stringent local lockdowns were lifted during the COVID-19 pandemic, chef Francis Guzmán launched a pop-up series featuring local chefs, many of whom were either unemployed or managing their own restaurants, allowing them to craft prix fixe menus. Since then, he has found remarkable success, blending local and global culinary influences. The Raíces Locales appetizer, made with beets and other root vegetables (the restaurant's namesake), horseradish cream, and a sprinkle of fresh dill, is a must-try for its combination of earthy and vibrant flavors. The wine selection includes intriguing options not commonly found locally, such as a dry rosé Zweigelt that pairs exquisitely with the restaurant’s vegetable and seafood-centric offerings.

After training under renowned chefs Gastón Ocurio and Rafael Osterling in Peru, chef Rafa Ubior returned to Puerto Rico to establish Sur, a Nikkei restaurant located in the vibrant Santurce neighborhood. Here, Ubior skillfully combines traditional Japanese and Peruvian flavors, utilizing locally sourced ingredients and emphasizing sustainably caught fish. The raw bar also serves as a cocktail area where guests can enjoy a fantastic Negroni or a refreshing grape pisco sour, perfectly matched with dishes like red snapper tiradito, ají amarillo ceviche, or octopus tempura rolls.

Regina has transformed from a stall in an outdoor food market to a cozy spot on Calle Taft, and now into a full-fledged café and restaurant. Standing out among the city’s classic panaderías offering Cubanos and media noches, Café Regina provides a refreshing alternative with its inventive breakfast and lunch options in a bright, airy environment. Look for the avocado toast on the ever-changing menu, which might feature toppings like black garlic and pickled radishes, or enjoy sandwiches made with quality breads filled with unique ingredients like artichoke mayo and onion jam. Don't forget to complement your meal with a cold brew or a creamy cappuccino.

Inspired by a month-long journey through Israel, chef Rául Correa launched Tía Dora with his longtime friend and sous chef, Juan Lebrón. Together, they serve Mediterranean-inspired dishes that enrich San Juan’s culinary landscape. Designed for sharing, the menu features delightful mezze like labneh with confit tomatoes, followed by lamb kebabs, pasta with local mushrooms and coconut ragu, and salmon with chermoula. Conveniently located in Ocean Park, Tía Dora is an excellent choice after a day at the beach.

Just minutes from San Juan airport, the rustic neighborhood of Piñones is steeped in African heritage. It’s renowned for its beachside stands offering a variety of frituras, or fried snacks, with Kiosko el Boricua being a local favorite. Visitors flock to enjoy handmade alcapurrias, fritters made from green bananas and yautía stuffed with meat or crab, pastelillos with the same fillings, and fried rice with jueyes, or crab. Pair these treats with a refreshing Medalla, the local light lager that perfectly balances the rich flavors of the frituras and helps beat the heat.