Bayamon Restaurants and Dining

(Bayamon, Puerto Rico)

The dining scene in Bayamon and the Greater San Juan area is easily the best in Puerto Rico, and perhaps even the entire Caribbean. Puerto Rican fare is of course a hot favourite and widely available at restaurants across the capital.

You can also find plenty of excellent French, Italian, Spanish, Mexican and Asian cuisine around Bayamon. Italian restaurants are particularly good in San Juan, and the steakhouses are widely regarded as among the best anywhere in the world.

What to Eat, and Where

Naturally, seafood dining plays a big role in the restaurant dishes served in Bayamon and San Juan, as it is plentiful and fresh. Much of it finds its way into native Puerto Rican cuisine, which is currently undergoing something of a renaissance among the city's top chefs. Trendy new restaurants featuring traditional fare, as well as creative fusion dining concepts, are becoming the norm rather than the exception in San Juan. Make sure you try a bowl of gumbo (asopao) before you leave.

The local food, known as 'comida criolla' (traditional Puerto Rican cuisine), is unpretentious and delicious, and widely available around Bayamon. Your diet may not be helped much from the local grub, but your stomach will thank you.

The rich, starchy dishes include snacks like codfish fritters (bacalaitos), plantain fritters stuffed with meat (alcapurrias), fried red snapper, chicken fillets in garlic, and conch salad. Naturally, a huge portion of chopped plantains with butter (mofongo) should be ordered as a side to everything. For dessert, don't miss out on the coconut flan.

There are hundreds of excellent restaurants in Bayamon and the Greater San Juan metropolis. Authentic 'comida criolla' can be found at El Jibarito on Calle del Sol or at La Bombonera in the Old City. The plantation-style Ajili Mojili Restaurant on the Avenue Ashford is a further hot pick for the locals and fronts the Condado Bay.

Another great spot for Puerto Rican dining is at the Plaza de Mercado de Santurce. This traditional food market backs up to the neighbourhood of La Tasca del Pescador and Don Trello, where you can find dozens of great eateries and bars.

More information about San Juan restaurants and dining.