Puerto Rico Restaurants, Dining and Food

They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. But the right meal, in the right place, can usually be a pretty decent bet to stoke any lover's passion. In Puerto Rico, there are no shortage of great restaurants, but when you want something special for that special someone, book a table at one of these establishments. You and your loved one will be glad you did.

This list runs the gamut from an affordable, rustic neighborhood eatery that's only open for lunch to a posh culinary superstar by my favorite chef in Puerto Rico.

One of the best reasons to visit San Juan is its world-class dining, which features everything from traditional Puerto Rican cuisine to creative fusion recipes from around the world. Dining in Puerto Rico's capital can be an expensive proposition if you're willing to splurge, or it can be deliciously affordable, if you know where to go. Here are my favorite bargain restaurants in San Juan.

San Juan has earned a reputation as the culinary capital of the Caribbean, and I for one love the dining scene here. But just because you're in San Juan doesn't mean you're going to eat Puerto Rican food. In fact, many of its best eateries don't classify as pure comida criolla. Fusion cuisine is very popular, as is modern or "nouveau" Puerto Rican fare. So where in San Juan can you find true island cooking? Where can you get your mofongo, asopao, and lechón? The restaurants on this list have got you covered.

Vieques is an interesting mix of unspoiled, almost savage nature and manicured manmade beauty. The same dichotomy exists in the island's hotels and restaurants. As far as eateries go, you can enjoy an international gourmet meal or go rustic and chow down on some good comfort food. Here, we focus on this latter pursuit.

One of the reasons I love the cuisine of Puerto Rican is that it is a unique amalgamation of ingredients, cultures, and recipes. The native Taíno Indians, the Spanish conquistadores, and the African slaves have all influenced what has come to be known around the island as Comida Criolla. As such, even though Puerto Rican food has its roots in Caribbean and Spanish cuisine, it is its own creature. These five dishes, which are the island's most distinctive and representative foods, will attest to that.

The principal cooking style in Puerto Rican cuisine is called “cocina criolla”, which literally means Creole cooking. Most Americans will associate Creole cooking with Louisiana’s Cajun cuisine, but that’s not the case here. In the Spanish speaking islands, “criollo” refers to Spanish Americans of European descent. Hence, “cocina criolla” is the cuisine created by the European (mostly Spanish) colonists using their traditional recipes coalesced with native Caribbean foods and cooking styles.

What is Saborea? The word derives from sabor, which means "taste" in Spanish, and this event is all about island tastes. The festival offers tourists to Puerto Rico a unique opportunity to sample cutting-edge island cuisine (along with no end of other foodie freebies in the main pavilion) and meet and mingle with culinary superstars. In other words, it's a food-lover's dream come true.