Taste of San Juan
Both Ina and I love coffee and hence as soon as we land we look around for great cafes. Puerto Rico is famous for it’s great coffee, and San Juan didn’t disappoint. We were welcomed by the great aroma of ‘Cafe Buesto’ in our Airbnb kitchen which meant that we were already off to a great start in San Juan.
In addition to Coffee, being Vegetarians, we did explore some great options As well if you are looking for places to eat for Vegan or Vegetarian folks.Old San Juan has one of the most amazing Cafes and restaurants and if you are staying in Old San Juan area, you can cover lot of them in a 2-3 days stay. Below are some of the options, I would definitely recommend.
Tip- Most of our recommendations are from a vegetarian perspective but there are lots of other places which you should definitely explore to find the best of Puerto Rican cuisine.
Cafe Colao
Cafe Colao – A small cafe just at the Pier 2 Old San Juan Ferry terminal has some great coffee and Croissant. Rated 4.7 on google, this place is at Pier 2 Old from where you get the ferry for Casa Bacardi Tour as well.
Cuatro Sombras
Great Coffee but a must visit for it’s amazing open toasts and sandwiches!!
Chocobar Cortes
Chocobar Cortes is a must visit for any chocolate lover (or non lover!!) if you are in Old San Juan. Chocobar Cortes, run by Chef Rocardo de Obaldia, has one of the most imaginative and unique creations using chocolate. Check out the menu before you go and make sure to go with an empty stomach to really indulge in the amazing taste of chocolate!
St.Germain
Beautiful place in an old historical building. They have great waffles, omelettes and drinks!!!
La Cucina di Ivo
Italian restaurant on Calle Fortaleza Street in Old San Juan. Since we are vegetarian, the server graciously helped us with some custom made options for vegetarian pasta and ravioli. Both the dishes were one of the best Italian food I ever had!!!
Tip- They had huge portion size for both the plates. We shared the food and had enough carry it back to have another meal! Also, check the menu and prices before you go since it’s a bit on the higher side!
Barachina
Must Visit! Barachina is famous for it’s Pina Colada! They serve both alcoholic and non alcoholic Pina Colada so you chose based on your liking! They claim that Pina Colada was invented at this place in 1963 by Don Ramon. However, another hotel, ‘CaribeHilton’ in San Juan also claims that the drink was invented at their hotel in 1953. We didn’t try the other one but may be you can and judge for yourself!!!
La Buena Vida
If you happen to visit Arecibo in the North Puerto Rico region, this place might be a good option if you prefer Vegetarian food. This is not a very fancy place but have good food and local beer options!
~Vishal
