The Little Shop of Plenty
For those of your wanting to inject some wholesome, delicious but oh-so-good-for-you food, The Little Shop of Plenty provides. Every mouthful here is nourishing, made with pure, raw whole food ingredients, free from artificial additives. They use no ingredients containing gluten, no dairy products, no cane sugar and are sparing in their use of low GI, minimally processed sweeteners such as coconut palm sugar & nectar, dates, raw honey & agave syrup. This is a place that heals your balance, your body and yet your tastebuds don't feel like they're missing out!

Brick Pizzeria
These house-made meatballs are first cooked in the brick oven before they are slathered with a homemade marinara sauce. Then they are returned to the wood-burning oven and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano before it arrives at your table. The result? Moist, tender, utterly delicious meatballs coated with a tangy tomato sauce that is to-die-for.

MRK Public
At this gastropub in San Clemente, chicken wings are coated with a sweet and spicy sauce. What more could you want? These are highly addictive and mouth tingling. You will be fighting with your tablemates for them.

Moulin Bistro
Available every Thursday evening, the steak frites dinner starts with a green salad, then a tasty slab of delicious entrecote steak is served with Bearnaise and black peppercorn sauce, PLUS unlimited fries for only $25 a person. The only thing you have to do is reserve a spot.

Leos y Palos
Not far from the Gold Museum in downtown Bogota, Leños y Palos takes this a step further and gives an added ambience. In addition to the flames licking at the meat, they also have a small stage set up with typical instruments from Los Llanos: harp, maracas and a cuatro, a small four-stringed guitar. At lunchtime the band sings and plays musica llanera while diners enjoy their meal: large quantities of meat with rice, avocado salad, papas saladas (potatoes) and yucca, all served on rustic wood plates.

Cafe Du Monde
Café Du Monde started out as a coffee stand way back in 1862 as part of the New Orleans French Market. The second location, a traditional coffee shop, was opened in 1985. Six more spots have appeared since, all turning out delicious coffee and chicory. The stars of the show, however, are the beignets – square French-style doughnuts, generously steeped in powdered sugar. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and served in orders of three. They've perfected this doughy treat over the course of 150 years, and it's evident in each bite.

Cafe Puerto Rico
A simple Google search of Puerto Rican food will more than likely yield mofongo as a result. Traditionally made from fried green plantains, this dish can be found throughout the Island. The green plantain is fried, then mashed in a pilón with garlic and, traditionally, pork cracklings. Olive oil or butter is added and the whole can be eaten as a side or as a meal when stuffed with a protein.

At Café Puerto Rico, a 20-year-old establishment in Old San Juan, the mofongo is made with fried yucca root stuffed with chicken in a Caribbean Creole sauce. Yucca is a lot creamier than plantain. The chicken is stewed in the tomato-based creole sauce with lots of onions, peppers and more garlic.

Caf Tresb
Walking down Calle Loíza, it’s hard to miss the neon-yellow shipping container with a state-of-the-art kitchen. Owned by Chef Mario Ormaza, who worked with Jean-Georges in New York City and helped open such places as Spice Market, Tresbé is a casual, kickback kind of place. Tresbé stands for “bueno, bonito, barato,” a local saying that stands for good, pretty and affordable.

The beef sliders are a hit. They’re served on sweet Hawaiian buns, topped with a tamarind, coffee and BBQ sauce and local micro greens. Tostones, made traditionally from green plantain, can also be made from pana (breadfruit): be sure to try them if pana is in season. Crispy on the outside and soft within, they make the perfect side.

La Alcapurra Quem
Although many chefs on the Island work with fresh ingredients from local farmers, fried foods still reign supreme. Alcapurrias are perhaps one of the favorites. To try one of these fried goodies, head to La Placita and visit La Alcapurría Quemá. This small neighborhood bar has recently gotten somewhat of a revamp. You can now order a killer Old-fashioned and pair it with your alcapurría.

Banana leaves or sea grapes are used to shape the dough. Then it is stuffed with beef that’s been seasoned with, you guessed it, sofrito, and deep-fried. To give the dough that reddish color, achiote oil is added to the batter. Top it with mayo/ketchup and a dash of homemade pique (hot sauce) and voila!

La Casita Blanca
Casita Blanca, which opened in the ’80s, is in the heart of Santurce, a working-class neighborhood. It is a classic fonda (casual, neighborhood restaurant) serving Puerto Rican comfort food. Portions are large and dishes are very affordable. Tell your taxi driver you are going to La Casita Blanca and he’ll know exactly where it is. As soon as you step into La Casita Blanca, you are transported in time to grandma’s house. The staff treats you like you are part of the family; you are brought chicken soup and bacalaitos (cod fish fritters) on the house as soon as you sit down. Then it’s on to the main dish, patitas de cerdo. First boiled in salt for three hours, then stewed with garbanzo beans and sofrito, this is the essence of Puerto Rican cuisine. Every family has their own recipe of sofrito, but the base ingredients include cilantro, garlic, onions, ají dulce (small, sweet peppers) and a bit of tomato paste or sauce. Throw in some white rice, mix it up and devour. To get all the flavor from the patitas, don't be shy; eat them with your hands. If you refuse, you’ll be missing out.