Casa Vieja
One of the best places to get a true ajiaco is at Casa Vieja. The decoration of the restaurant - terra cotta floors, wood furniture and window frames adorned with flowers – pushes you to crave a meal at home… If your home is an old farmhouse in Colombia. The soup is made with the best quality traditional ingredients and the portions are large. In fact, the restaurant promises if you are still hungry after eating the first bowl, you can have a second one on the house.

Santaella
La Placita de Santurce is the ultimate locals’ hangout. You can drink on the street and hop from bar to bar sipping whiskey with coconut water and Don Q rum with a fresh-squeezed juice. Near the main entrance on Canals Street is Santaella; it’s an oasis at La Placita. With exposed walls, super cool ceiling fixtures and tropical wallpaper, this is one of the “it” places in San Juan. Everything is always on point and locals flock here nightly.
The Puerto Rican menu includes classic and contemporary dishes. One that stands out are Jose’s morcilla rolls. Blood sausage is a Puerto Rican tradition, especially during the holidays, and the island has mastered the art of making it. These fried, bite-size beauties are delicious and paired with a spicy mayo made from house-made hot sauce. Don't leave without trying a creative cocktail. If pulpo (octopus) happens to be on the menu, make sure to order it as well.

Seor Paleta
You’ve toured the forts and taken selfies against the colorful homes of Old San Juan and now you are exhausted and hot! Well then, it’s time for a refreshing paleta. Kudos to owner Ramon Ortiz who brought this great concept to Puerto Rico. He started selling his homemade popsicles at farmer’s markets out the back of a tricycle. People loved it so much, he opened his first shop in Old San Juan. The paletas have become quite the rage, so be prepared for a short wait. Choose from such flavors as mango, watermelon, coconut, strawberry and mojito. All are homemade with lots of love and natural ingredients.

Don Ruiz - Roastery, Museum & Cafe
Puerto Rico is known to produce some of the best specialty coffee in the world. So when in PR, a café latte is a must! If you don't like coffee, chances are you’ve been drinking a burnt, low-quality, watery beverage that tastes nothing like the killer latté from Café Don Ruiz.
The latté served at the shop is made from 100 percent Arabica beans that are grown 3,000 feet above sea level in Yauco, a mountain town in the southwest of the island. Their specialty, a medium-dark blend, has chocolate as well as citrus notes from the variety of orange trees on the plantation. The sugars in the vaporized milk give the coffee an ultra-smooth finish. The latté art is amazing: You might find a bear or a butterfly in your cup.

Le Swine
From a striking renovated white ambulance from the ’60s on the streets of London, Le swine have taken the modest bacon butty to a new level. James Packman, student of Bruno Loubet, got the idea after devouring his boss’ sandwich one morning at work. Following a few profanities in Packman’s direction, they scoured the UK in search of “happy pigs,” pure-breeds that have the roam of the land and the chance to, well, be pigs! Their philosophy: The happier the swine, the tastier the pork. They’re evidently on to something, as the thick-cut middle bacon (streaky and back in a single cut) is other-worldly. Layer that with a milk and onion bap, bacon butter, fried duck egg and a choice of tomato or mushroom ketchup – all homemade – and you have what has been touted as the ultimate bacon butty.

Gallo Negro
The menu at this eclectic, Brooklyn-esque restaurant is always changing and includes a mélange of cuisines from around the world. But one dish remains on the menu: Chef Maria Mercedes’ Korean Fried Chicken. It is, hands-down, among the best fried chicken you will ever have. The process takes two days and begins with air-drying the chicken overnight to achieve that perfect crispiness. Instead of flour, which dries the meat, Chef María uses her secret tempura batter to seal in the moisture. (Her special ingredient is vodka). The chicken is twice fried and covered in a delicious gochujang sauce, a paste made from chile peppers, sticky rice, fermented soybeans and salt. Each bite is a burst of umami. It’s sweet, salty, spicy, tangy and oh so crispy.

Restaurante Jose Enrique
The line at Jose Enrique is well worth the wait for the fried snapper with root vegetable mash and papaya salad. Fresh fish is always perfectly fried, crispy on the outside, warm, tender and moist within. The fish is frequently deboned and served whole, allowing you to pick at the cheek (best part!) and if you love the eyeball, go for it! The fish is laid on a sweet and creamy mash made from batata amarilla. Root vegetables are a common side dish in Puerto Rican households. But the best and rarest is the yellow batata. It is slightly sweet, making it the perfect accompaniment for the savory fish. The papaya and avocado side is light and fresh, tossed with lime, cilantro, red onion and tomato. People have waited over two hours in line to get a taste of this incredible dish. Put your name and cell phone number on the list and then walk around La Placita, the local square surrounded by bars and restaurants. Pssttt … you can drink on the street.

Acapulco Taqueria Mexicana
You won’t find yellow cheese or iceberg lettuce at this authentic taquería, tucked away off Calle Loíza. This quaint, family-run restaurant offers a choice selection of tacos. The favorite is al pastor, carved from the spinning rotisserie in the restaurant’s open kitchen. Cochinita pibil (spicy Yucatecan pork), barbacoa and even tongue are irresistible. There’s a veggie option and fish tacos are served on Wednesday. The tacos are made to order and each filling is topped with a selection of cilantro, radish, pineapple and pickled onions. Pair your dish with an agua fresca, made fresh daily. The watermelon, lime and basil is superb, up second is Jamaica. Get there early: the place is small and gets packed. Once the fresh tacos run out, they close.

Don Ignacio
You won't spot any tourists or foreigners at this traditional neighborhood bodegón. Instead, you'll find locals stuffing face with the coveted Milanesa Napolitana. A juicy piece of chicken breast is pounded then, drenched in bread crumbs, deep fried and topped with ham, tomato sauce and melted cheese.

Pony Line
While Polo Line, with its stylish décor reminiscence of Argentinean polo, is primarily a bar, the menu boasts an array of small bites and succulent desserts. Among the house specialties is the 45-day dry aged hamburger. Beef, made into a mega fatty patty, is grilled medium-rare, then topped with homemade pickle relish, crunchy lettuce, tomato slice and homemade aioli. One bite will send you to burger heaven.