Puerto Rico is more than beaches and rum, coffee and conquistadors. It’s also pork!
For a glimpse into the real Puerto Rico, with a little tourist kitsch thrown in, we suggest you pay a visit to the Pork Highway, or La Ruta del Lechón.
Locals and visitors alike gather together friends and family for a day trip to the lechoneras of the mountain town of Guavate.
They drive along winding Route 184 up a mountain to feast on lechonera after lechonera serving slow-roasted whole pork (also chicken), heaping portions of rice and pigeon peas, yuca al mojo, mofongo, and other traditional Puerto Rican dishes, all in a party atmosphere. Get ready to dance!
Don’t worry, vegetarians – the yuca and rice are also outstanding.
Lechón means roasted whole pork, cooked for hours over hot coals or an open flame, so that the skin gets crispy while the meat remains tender and juicy. This is a dish you can typically only get in the countryside of Puerto Rico.
Finding good pizza is a top priority no matter where we stay. We lived for almost two decades in and around New York City, and consequently are VERY picky about our pie.
Fortunately, we have found that the New York-Puerto Rican connection means that the island has more than its share of excellent pizza.
You can choose from Brazilian or NY Style pizza. This was our favorite when we lived in Ocean Park in the 1990s, and we were thrilled to discover when we returned in 2021 that is still here and still excellent. Info: No website Map: 3038 Av. Isla Verde, Carolina, 00979
UPDATE: This pizza shop closed on early 2022, sadly.
Isabela: Junior’s Pizza at Jobos Beach
Outdoor dining. Good cocktails. A great variety of ingredients and personal pizzas are available, so you don’t have to agree on toppings or sauces. It’s not on the beach, but a block up, with its own parking lot, which is convenient. they even made us a pizza once when they were officially closed, but the pizza guy was still hanging out after a private event. That is customer service! Info: No website. Map: goo.gl/maps/wSZMjRhDZJYxxPKZ8
Cabo Rojo: Papa’s Pizza
Because of COVID, we only ever had carry-out, but it was only three blocks from our apartment. It was consistently excellent. Info: facebook.com/papaspizzacaborojo Map: #49 Calle Rios Rivera, Cabo Rojo, 00623
Island Pizza Chains
Marco’s Pizza is good. Williams Pizza sucks. You can find the US chains like Papa John’s if that’s your thing.
I hope you enjoyed our guide to Puerto Rican food! Please add your recommendations and thoughts in the comments!
“Where are the best places to eat in Puerto Rico?”
Many prospective travelers to this wonderful island seek gustatory advice in advance, as part of their trip planning. And this is understandable! So Messy Suitcase is here to help you eat authentically and well, in a new series, The Messy Suitcase Guide to Eating in Puerto Rico.
We are of several minds about PR meal planning. First of all, most Puerto Ricans would probably say the best place to eat is in Abuela’s (Grandma’s) kitchen.
Secondly, while you’re searching for that recommended restaurant, you may be passing ten others that are just as good or better.
Everybody’s taste is different, be it flavor, style, formality, familiarity, level of spice, authenticity, or whatever makes your tongue sing. So one person’s Michelin 5-Star restaurant may be another person’s disappointment.
Be Adventurous!
Half the fun of Puerto Rican food–or really, any country’s food–is making discoveries. You’re sunning on Playa Combate, the day is ending, you see lights of a restaurant twinkling at the north end of the beach. You wander over and stumble upon a restaurant overlooking the ocean at sunset, with excellent cocktails and unparalleled views. No recommendation necessary! Just explore.
Trying something new doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll like it, but it’s still important to be adventurous.
Example #1: Piñones
We have visited the Piñones food stands area just east of San Juan, driving along the ocean and picking out unassuming food stands from which to order traditional Puerto Rican food, prepared the way Abuela makes it.
Source: flickr.com/photos/beruff/2132545678
Visiting Piñones is a local tradition, especially on weekend afternoons. These ramshackle food stands have been operating for years. No matter which you pick, the atmosphere is rustic, to be kind. The service is slow, to be kind. The food is really greasy, to be kind. But the piña coladas are perfection. Carrying your oily lunch to the beach to picnic in the sand while watching the waves crash is an unforgettable experience, not to be missed.
You know what IS forgettable, though? The food. For example, alcapurrias (al-kuh-por-EE-yuhs) are grease-laden lumps of dough with a dash of some sort of meat or seafood. They soak into your tongue before you can swallow, then sit in your stomach and take up residence like guests who refuse to leave.
Am I sorry I had this experience? Absolutely not. It’s true Puerto Rico. (And now I know to avoid alcapurrias.)
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. (But maybe just once.)
Avoid Chinese Food
A word to the wise, though: Don’t eat Chinese food in Puerto Rico. We have had excellent Chinese food in many places, including Guadalajara, Mexico. But on the Island of Enchantment? Not once. Just don’t go there. It is universally terrible. The meat has a weird texture. The sauces are limited, and taste odd. The vegetables are sparse, and none of them are Chinese. Every dish, inexplicably, comes with a side of soggy French fries. (Gotta get that deep-fried in!) Please. Anything but this.
Food Truck Parks
The latest trend in Puerto Rico is our favorite–food truck parks.
These are brilliant for a number of reasons:
They are outdoors–no COVID fears.
They provide a wide variety of options. If you have different tastes or picky eaters in your group, you can split up and find something for everyone, then come back together to eat.
The food is cheap.
The food is freshly made to order.
They always set up pleasant covered areas to sit and enjoy your meal.
