If you are traveling to Puerto Rico on a budget you may be tempted to hit the familiar fast food chains in order to save some money, but take my advice;
SKIP THE FAST FOOD AND TRY THE STREET FOOD.
Yes you will find, Burger King, McDonalds, Pizza Hut etc. here in Puerto Rico, but you will also find: food stalls in Old San Juan, food kiosks at Luquillo, Lechoneras in Guavate and roadside food vendors all over the island, serving great inexpensive foods that you probably won’t find back home. I know which ones I would prefer to try…
Here in Puerto Rico there is an abundance of roadside stalls, carts and vans serving traditional Puerto Rican snack foods that are not only very tasty but also perfect for those on a budget. Whether you are sightseeing around Old San Juan, trekking through El Yunque Rainforest or discovering the island by car, you will find roadside vendors serving up mouth watering snack foods such as: empanadillas, alcapurrias, bacalaitos relleno de papa con carne, as well as more hearty dishes such as; lechon, arroz y habichuelas, mofongo, tostones, the list goes on.
You don’t have to just take my word for it, as Budget Travel just named Puerto Rico as the 5th best destination for street food in the world, citing Pinones as one of the best places on the island for frituras (fried snacks)
The roadside is not only place to find great reasonably priced foods, just head to one of the many Panadaria’s (bakery) for tasty sandwiches, snacks, pastries and Puerto Rican coffee. There are also plenty of locally run restaurants that are also reasonably priced serving traditional Puerto Rican dishes. Just ask at your hotel, check out our restaurant page, check salpr (a local restaurant listing website with reviews) or visit TripAdvisor for user recommendations
So remember, if you are on a budget here in Puerto Rico (and even if you are not), you know what to do; skip the fast foods and try the local foods, you won’t be disappointed.
Here are just a few places we’ve found great cheap snacks around the island:
Old San Juan, vans and stalls selling traditional snack foods and local drinks such as; mavi, pina coladas and piraguas (flavored shaved ice)
Pinones, numerous roadside stalls and restaurants
Rd. 681 close to Arecibo Lighthouse Park, selling snack foods
Guavate, for Lechonera’s (local restaurants serving roast pig and traditional side dishes)
El Yunque, Isama Bakery
Luquillo kiosks, numerous small kiosks where you can grab a snack or a sit down meal
Rd. 901 near Yabucoa, road side stalls selling snack foods, fruits and drinks
Rd. 10 heading to Lago Dos Bocas and Utuado, road side stalls selling snack foods, fruits and drinks
You get the picture. Wherever you decide to explore you will find someone serving up great local foods.
Do you have favorite Puerto Rican street food (and location)? Share them in the comments below.
