Chinchorreo in San Juan | Gastronomy in San Juan
By: Elena Pagan Dreams Hotel Puerto Rico
The celebration of different festivals and exhibitions have made Puerto Rico the ideal place to discover new flavors. In addition to traditional food, the island has diversified its offer by working culinary fusions and expanding the accessibility of “Street food” with the famous ‘Chinchorreo’, and “food trucks”.
What do chinchorreo mean?
"Chinchorreo" it’s defined as, the exploration of several bars and restaurants in some areas; that is hard to find because they are far from populated areas or in the edges of the road. These businesses are located around the island and invite us to enjoy nature, the typical food, beverages and a lot more.
Some of the best-known sectors in the San Juan area, are Miramar in Santurce, Hato Rey, Old San Juan, Calle Loíza, Río Piedras, and some neighboring sectors like Condado, Piñones, among many others.
In Miramar, you will find:
• Lot spaces with Food Trucks, in which you will spend an unforgettable experience: Lote 23 and “Miramar Food Truck”
These are the ideal space for the contemporary gastronomic explorer. These spaces have several food trucks specialized in creating merges that are capable of conquering even the most demanding of palates. Inside the park, we find Mediterranean, Criolla, Mexican, vegetarian, cocktails, desserts, and more. In its surroundings, you can find countless local bars that lead to an evening of joy. In addition to all this variety, they offer food until dawn and special presentations are made with local artists.
Social Networks: https://www.facebook.com/lote23pr/
• If you’re looking for high-level restaurants, Casita Miramar located on Miramar Avenue may be the right destiny. Here they offer snacks and soup of the house for free and everything you select has a spectacular flavor.
Social Networks: https://www.facebook.com/casitamiramarpr/.
• Artisan pizza shops such as Melanzana, located on Avenida Ponce de León corner Avenida Miramar are sure to enlighten your sense as soon as you walk in.
Social Networks: http://melanzanabistro.com/.
• Innato offers a delicious gastronomic variety. It’s focused on providing an all-star array of dishes that will take our senses to the next level. The owner, Luis Nieves, and his team will provide the ultimately culinary experience.
Social Networks: https://innatopr.business.site/
• Sushi restaurants and Chinese buffets, and well-known fast-food restaurants, which many adore, are also great options to visit.
In Santurce you will find:
• The famous Placita de Santurce, where during the daytime, you can visit the Farmers Market Square with all its vegetables, fruits, and fresh meats. In the late afternoons and evenings, you can visit restaurants, bars with indoor and outdoor music and recreational spaces to spend a spectacular evening.
• In the Placita, you will find the Santaella Restaurant of Chef José Santaella. The flavor of every single dish is unique, and you are going to enjoy any dish that is selected.
Social Networks: http://josesantaella.com/.
• You can visit Ruben’s Café open 24 hours, where one of its specialties is churrasco. This place has karaoke on Sundays from 8pm to 11pm and the staff is wonderful.
Social networks: https://www.facebook.com/rubenscafepr/
In Old San Juan, in addition to having beautiful historical spaces with architecture from the Spanish era, it has a great gastronomic culture. Examples of this are restaurants with an emphasis on thematic dining, desserts made in the house fused with renowned liquors, and award-winning cocktails internationally.
Among those found:
· Vaca Brava: It is a restaurant that serves various dishes, but its specialty is meat, prepared differently. For example, the Totem is a dish that has different layers of mofongo, and beef wrapped with bacon. Everything is delicious.
Social Networks: https://www.vacabravapr.com/
· Raíces Restaurant: It offers typical Puerto Rican food, but its specialty is stuffed mofongos, with shrimps, meat, lobster, and more.
Social networks: http://www.restauranteraices.com/
· La Garita; This restaurant is located in the La Perla area, where Despacito's song was written. Here you have a special ocean view and the mofongos are divine. When it is full moon time, the view is awesome.
Social Networks: https://www.facebook.com/LaGaritaYAZ/
· ‘La Vergüenza’ is located between Norzagaray and Tanca Street in Old San Juan and is known as the in chinchorreo ’point in the area. This distinguished bar has varieties in natural products for your cocktails, live folk music, and a cozy atmosphere. Like its environment, its gastronomic offer is based on local street food. This place serves to rediscover the charms of the city in the famous streets and fall in love with the hospitality of its people.
Social Networks: https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Verguenza-Viejo-San-Juan/204708976768905
Calle Loíza o Loíza Street has become the new place of interest for both tourists and locals. Within it, we find bars and lounges with entertainment spaces, pastries, ice cream parlors, bistros, and specialized restaurants. Many of these establishments emphasize offering mergers that use “Criolla” food as a base.
• Cocobana: For people with food preferences such as vegetarians, vegans and/or certain allergies, we have Cocobana.
The establishment, located on Calle Loíza is open Monday through Saturday and features organic breakfast, lunch and brunch options. Among its dishes are pizzas, sandwiches, wraps, pasta, salads, typical dishes with varieties of food and vegetables; and during brunch, they offer their famous vegan and gluten-free pancakes. Among the specials they offer, there is a banquet with varied dishes, drinks such as oatmeal smoothies, mixed fruits and vegetables and desserts like brownies.
Social Networks: https://www.facebook.com/cocobanapr/
Río Piedras is considered the university sector par excellence because it contains places with live music, low prices, and a good atmosphere. It stands out for its student population and its effervescent environment.
• El Boricua: In this sector, there is one of the most visited bars in the area, called El Boricua or El Bori. It offers a different atmosphere during the week with jazz, salsa, folk, urban and other live music. They offer specials on cold beers and cocktails, pool tables, and varieties of empanadas; everything necessary for a good night of enjoyment in harmony.
Social Networks: https://www.instagram.com/elboricuariopiedras/?hl=es-la
• El Hipopótamo Restaurant: This gourmet restaurant is famous for its delicious seafood or vegetarian paellas. Everything here is delicious, with attentive staff and a variety of Puerto Rican or Spanish food. Do not leave without trying their Galician broth or onion soup.
This restaurant has been serving the most demanding palates for 50 years. Private parking available.
Social Networks: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rest-El-Hipopótamo-En-Rio-Piedras/305793536167471
• El Azteca: This Mexican restaurant is located on University Avenue, steps from the UPR. Their burritos are gigantic with a spectacular flavor, at cheap prices.
Its owners are Mexican, and visiting them is like eating Mexican food with its true flavor.
• La Cueva de Chicken Inn: a Family business that belonged to Raúl Juliá's father. Raúl Juliá was a Puerto Rican actor who developed most of his career in the United States and obtained a Golden Globe. He did work in, film, television, theater in dramatic, comic and musical roles. Juliá achieved international fame by playing Gomez in the film The Addams Family.
Social Networks: https://www.facebook.com/TaqueriaAzteca/
In Hato Rey, an area where the most important business district of Puerto Rico is located, just 3 miles from Old San Juan, we find:
• Chinchorreando en Hato Rey; As the name of the establishment mentions, it is located in theHato Rey area, an important commercial development sector in the country, serving as a space for enjoyment and relaxation after a day's work. It offers ample space with tents, roofs and the area under the stars, stage and musical presentations, karaoke nights and among other activities. Its culinary offer is focused on traditional food and/or seafood. Among their dishes are broths and soups with seafood, cuts of pork, beef, and chicken accompanied by types of rice, beans, salads, local fritters, and more. It is mostly visited since its bar is just minutes from the headquarters of many companies and they offer different specials every day of the week.
Social Networks: https://www.facebook.com/llama7879465444/
Was established in 1948 and its pizzas are delicious. This business has another type of gastronomic offers, such as Spanish tapas and Mediterranean dishes. When you enter the business you think you are in Argentina in one of the tavernas where tango is danced.
Social Networks:https://www.elchickeninn.com/
• Sabor Urbano, located on Domenech Avenue. Its gastronomic offer is composed of the Mediterranean and traditional elements. It offers a variety of appetizers such as hummus, lentil soups, sausage cuts, falafel and cuts of beef, chicken, pork, seafood, accompanied by different rice dishes, grains, pasta, salads, and others. Likewise, they began offering pizza with homemade dough and drinks and lunch specials every day. Even, an expansion in the currently provided menu and weekends with brunch is expected.
Social Networks: https://www.facebook.com/saborurbanopr/
- Piñones: is just minutes from the airport and is known for being the destination for chinchorreo. The sector is located in the vicinity of San Juan with the municipality of Loíza. The area has beautiful beaches for bathers, areas for cyclists and many restaurants and kiosks to taste. These focus on offering typical food, specializing in fresh seafood, with reasonable prices. They offer a variety of fresh fried fish, octopus salad, king crab, conch, stuffed mofongos, fried typical food; bacalaítos,piononos, and alcapurrias. You cannot miss the cold local beer, the delicious mojitos or piña colada.
• El Restaurante Carmín, at this restaurant the fried fish is, in my opinion, the best option. It is really fresh with a wonderful flavor. The staff is great, with very reasonable prices. Here they make alcapurrias and fresh fritters. In the area you can make excursions in the mangroves and gastronomic, there are areas for bathers, dance floors under the stars and beautiful views.
Social Networks: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Carmin-Restaurant-Piñones/250534968310168
Without a doubt, PR has a diversity of places for you to enjoy your dream vacation. Here you can enjoy our history, gastronomy, beaches, and dream places that you will never forget.
We are proud to be part of your vacation. Dreams Hotel Miramar is the ideal place for your stay, with a strategic location, a safe environment, and a staff willing to exceed your expectations.
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