I wish this list was longer but I was only in town for two days. I guess that just means I’ll have to come back!

1. Pina colada – the name literally means strained pineapple, which is how the drink is made – with pineapple juice. Barrachina Restaurant claims that they created this popular drink. Caribe Hilton says that they were the originators. It’s all he said, she said but I say no matter which place you choose, you should definitely try one its birthplace. Maybe go for both! Also, I’m not sure if drinking alcohol publicly is legal or if the drinking laws are just really lax there, but everyone seemed to be toting around a cocktail on the streets.

   

2. Mofongo – this consists of mashed plantains served with a broth/sauce, usually with some kind of meat or seafood.

   

3. Rum – Bacardi probably comes to mind since the distillery is on the island. While I’m not a rum drinker myself, I’m almost 100% certain that there are tons of better rums you can get locally. Besides, Bacardi is not even Puerto Rican, so why not try one that actually originates from the island?

   

4. Avocado – sure, you can get avocados back at home at your local supermarket. But Puerto Rican avocados are on a different level . They are literally the size of your head. They are also the perfect shade of green and have the perfect texture. After you try one of these babies, you’ll go back to your sad overly-ripe and brown peasant avocados and wish you had more Puerto Rican ones when you had the chance.

   

For a more extensive list, check out this one from Starwood.