21 Best Restaurants in Rincón and the Porta del Sol, Puerto Rico

On weekends, patrons come from as far as San Juan to dine at this cozy restaurant. Operated by husband-and-wife team Juan and Nerylu, it's found a niche in Rincón offering dishes made using locally sourced ingredients—you may even see a fisherman pull up with a giant yellowfin tuna. The regularly changing menu by Chef Abel Mendoza might feature dishes such as queen-snapper sashimi with papaya and tiger's milk (the liquid used to cure ceviche), braised short ribs over root-vegetable mash, or duck à l'orange with roasted squash. You can't go wrong with any of the daily specials. The dining room can get loud, so ask to be seated outside on the terrace.

Open for breakfast only, this quaint bed-and-breakfast has a spectacular view of the valley spilling into the sea. If terrace seating is not available, indoor dining is equally charming, with walls colorfully adorned by the work of local artisans. House specialties like eggs Benedict are served with homemade breads and sausages. The "BBC" is quite popular—a toasted croissant topped with organic chicken, cranberry sausage, poached egg, and hollandaise sauce—but we can't stop thinking about the "Portobello Road," made with roasted portobello mushroom, smoked Gouda, thick-cut black forest ham, and cherry tomato confit on a fresh-baked croissant. Enhancing the freshness of the dishes are the herbs grown on-site. You can now sip on a mimosa or homemade Bloody Mary while overlooking the lush mountain and ocean below. During high season, you might wait up to an hour for a table, so reservations are recommended.

A dining room facing the ocean is a fitting place to try some of the southwest coast's best seafood. You can snack on empanadillas (fritters), then move on to red snapper with rice and beans or mofongo relleno. This place, in an unmistakable lime-color building on the main drag, has festive music and great views.

Although the menu at this family-friendly restaurant includes pizza and pasta dishes, it's a good place to dine on hearty Caribbean fare, including Puerto Rican specialties like mofongo, churrasco, and bistec encebollado. The wine list is short but well curated, and the cocktails are creative and affordable.

This truffle treasure hidden in a nondescript strip mall has a reputation for fantastic coffee. The aroma of chocolate entices passersby into the sweet shop with its pink candy-striped walls and chocolate-tone tables. Rotating glass towers display rich cakes and pastries, while endless rows of candy jars further tempt the palate. Chocolate-covered strawberries and gourmet truffles are all made in-house and are served by adorable grandmothers in their Little Miss Muffet–like uniforms topped with lace bonnets.

Watch seagulls dive for their food while you dine on a covered deck extending out into the bay. The long list of seafood is prepared in a variety of ways: shrimp comes breaded, stewed, or skewered; conch is served as a salad or cooked in a butter-and-garlic sauce; and the lobster can be prepared just about any way you can imagine. This restaurant, on stilts above the water, is about the most charming setting in Joyuda.

You'll find some of the freshest seafood in town at this casual roadside restaurant. Order an assortment of grilled fish skewers, choosing from tuna, mahimahi, grouper, wahoo, rainbow runner, and more. The lobster is excellent, and the empanadas are great, too. Happy hour lasts all day—no wonder it's always packed.

Join patrons from across the island for spectacular sunsets at this restaurant right on the beach. Whether you choose one of the small plates or an entrée, fresh seafood is always your best bet. Start with the roasted beet salad or the fried cauliflower, then move on to the steamed mussels in a sambucca cream sauce or the grilled fish of the day with coconut green curry sauce. The large wooden deck, illuminated by strings of lights, is a wonderful spot to sit back, relax, and enjoy the views with cocktail in hand. The doors open at 5 pm, but the days of operation vary by season, so verify hours prior to visiting.

One of only a few sushi restaurants on the west coast, the former Pool Bar Sushi attracts visitors from as far away as San Juan. The menu rivals that of any high-end Japanese restaurant, with mango tuna rolls, eel maki, shumai, and wakame seaweed salads. A house favorite is the Starving Surfer Roll: crunchy shrimp and avocado topped with spicy tuna. Their new location is in town is just a block from the main plaza.

The owners have maximized their residence, which boasts "the friendliest wave on the island," by converting the garage into overflow seating for this garden bistro. With fairy lights, beach chairs, and Latin music, the no-frills setting complements the simple menu of burgers, sandwiches, and signature dips. Creative creations include chipotle chicken nachos, beer-battered fish tacos, the peanut butter burger (just try it!), and cauliflower buffalo bites. Try the "Tropical Dreamsicle," the restaurant's version of a piña colada. For an interesting keepsake, buy one of the souvenir T-shirts from each of the island's top surf spots. Ola Lola's is cash only.

Located on the Rincón–Aguada border, this supper club run by a husband-and-wife team has a multicourse menu that changes weekly and highlights locally sourced and grown food (add a bag of produce from area farms to take home). Vegan and vegetarian options are available upon request, and it's BYOB. Dinners are by reservation only and they sell out quickly. Note, too, that payment is made at the time of booking.

Many things stand out at this picturesque resort restaurant: the emerald-green golf course in the foreground, the majestic cliffs on the coast, and the roaring ocean in the background. A fair amount of the fruits and vegetables used in the dishes here are grown at Royal Isabela's River Farm and Gatehouse Garden; all the fish is caught offshore.

Open daily 5 am–midnight, this popular bakery is a good spot to try one of the city's trademark delicacies: the brazo gitano (gypsy arm), a gigantic jelly roll filled with anything from guava to sweet cheese. There are also tasty pastries like flan, tres leches cake, mallorcas, and cheesecake, as well as freshly baked bread and a selection of sandwiches.

This charming restaurant specializes in vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian dishes. The summer rolls are made with veggies from local farms, and the fish in the poké bowl features the catch of the day. The signature juices, designed to boost your immunity, are the perfect post-surfing treat.

This pirate-themed restaurant has a laid-back vibe and a friendly staff who are always ready with a smile or a joke. Don't be surprised to see local fishermen making their way to the kitchen with their still-flapping catch. Entrées include juicy steaks, grilled mahimahi, homemade pastas, and stuffed mofongo. Although portions are large, lighter options are available, including fish tacos, a selection of wraps, and seared ahi tuna served on a pyramid of mixed greens. Don't miss happy hour (daily 3–7).

The best thing about this bar and grill is its beachfront location. The open-air venue serves a mean mojito, and the deck is a great place to watch novice surfers wipe out on the beach. The kitchen prepares a wide range of unique items, from fresh-fish sandwiches to baby back ribs brushed with guava sauce. On weekends, you can enjoy live music.

Beautiful beachfront dining, farm-to-table ingredients, and fantastic service are worth the drive from San Juan. The setting is rustic yet elegant, and the view is unbeatable. Sweet and savory brunch selections range from coconut brioche French toast with caramelized bananas and nuts to pizza frittatas. Lunch brings delicious, classic, Neapolitan pizzas baked in a handmade brick oven. The catch-of-the-day ceviche—caught in Isabela—is perfectly marinated, and lobster is usually on the dinner menu.