Puerto Rican restaurants in Southern & Western Puerto Rico
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A
Smilin’ Joe’s
Wonderfully creative food is par for the course at this happening restaurant situated in the Lazy Parrot Inn. Try the sesame-ginger churrasco steak or the mango-glazed chicken breast and choose something full-bodied from the comprehensive wine list. Then there’s the guesthouse itself, which provides a strangely romantic setting (considering all the parrot paraphernalia) with its cleverly lit swimming pool and strategically positioned Rum Shack bar, which lives by its rather Hemingway-esque motto ‘Conserve water – drink rum.’
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B
Cesar’s Comida Criolla
The ultimate hole-in-the-wall for comida criolla (traditional Puerto Rican cuisine), this humble joint might be rough around the edges, but the savory piles of pork, chicken and seafood (most served with rice and beans) are the city’s best home cookin’. If you can’t choose from the daily offerings scrawled on the chalkboard, ask Cesar and his wife Freda; they might even walk you back to the kitchen to glimpse in the steaming vats of bliss.
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C
Mark’s at the Meliá
Long regarded as Ponce’s final word in fine dining, the cozily lit (though somewhat stuffy) restaurant within the Meliá Hotel has been lauded in every foodie magazine on the island for comida criolla treated to ‘French’ technique. Though more inventive newcomers threaten Chef Mark French’s place at the top of Ponce’s food chain, this is the place for upscale mofongo (mashed plantains), or try the salmon plates ($25).
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D
Las Tias
This bilevel restaurant and lounge has an ideal corner spot and big balconies, making for exciting people-watching. The elegant French colonial atmosphere – wicker chairs and lazily turning fans – is backed up by a haute spin on regional dishes. The food alone makes it the best fine dining in the city center, even if the unhurried service and the atmosphere still need a little polish. The key lime cheesecake is killer.
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Ladi’s Place
Like its west-facing neighbors up and down the road, the sunset views are a nightly show from the breezy patio. Ladi’s claims to have created ‘Mojo Isleño, ’ a zesty garlicky sauce that dresses most local fish dishes. A crooner plays the keyboard in the corner and the song list calibrated to please gringo sailors, who sway along to ‘Margaritaville’ at least once an evening.
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E
El Manglar
International with a Middle-Eastern flair, the menu has hummus and babaganoosh, salads, burgers, pizza and Puerto Rican food, all served in a relaxed atmosphere. It transforms from one of the city’s best restaurants to one of its most festive nightspots, featuring a live combo of some sort, playing Latin rock or jazz, folk or occasionally traditional music on a breezy outdoor patio.
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F
Antojos
In Spanish antojos means ‘cravings’ and you can satisfy a few at this local bar and restaurant situated on Hwy 115 south of the town. The specialty is fish served up with comida criolla side dishes, such as rice, beans and fried plantains. It’s nothing fancy, but after a day of catching the waves it will replenish a hearty surfer’s appetite.
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G
Rincón Argentino
With tinkling piano, soft lights and heavy palm fronds, this is one of the more romantic options in town, as long as mosquitoes aren’t feasting on diners who choose to sit on the patio. The mains veer toward slabs of garlicky red meat in a grilled Argentine preparation, but chicken, seafood and pasta creations round out the menu. It also boasts a lengthy wine list.
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H
El Flamboyán
With its faded Che Guevara posters and vaguely bucolic setting overlooking the surf break at Pools, the Flamboyán is definitely old-school Rincón. This is where you come for comida criolla and inexpensive fish and chicken dishes and to converse with weather-beaten expats about the days before the dudes with money crashed in.
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I
Café de Tomás
A lunch line hovers at this down-home eatery to see what’s coming out of the kitchen, usually a reliable assortment of comida criolla, many of which cost less than $7. Within the heavy French doors of the adjoining Tompy’s there’s similarly tasty food with sit-down service, tablecloths and slightly higher prices.
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Tino’s
If you want a really nice meal – with real silverware and paper plates that don’t bend under their load – then Tino’s is your best bet in Joyuda. It’s not got the pretty views, but it does have the tourist office’s stamp of approval as a Méson Gastronómico.
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Aqua al Cuello Restaurant
On a beautiful deck over the water this place cooks up equally beautiful food that has bagged it Puerto Rico’s best Mesón Gastronómico award in recent years. The mahimahi in creole sauce is backed up by some surprising specials. Ever tried kangaroo?
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El Bohio
Delectable, inventive comida criolla dishes that taste like nothing you’ve tried before. El Bohio is a little hard to find, but worth asking around for.
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