On November 19, 1493, Christopher Columbus and his sailing crew were the first Europeans to discover the island today known as Puerto Rico, claiming it for the Spanish Crown.
520 years later, on Sunday, November 24, 2013, we sailed into San Juan, Puerto Rico on the Seabourn Pride, with our friends Tom and Steve.
In addition to considerably nicer sailing accommodations, we had another advantage over Christopher Columbus: we knew a friendly local to show us around during our brief stay.
We had booked a private tour with Paulina, the owner of Spoon Food Tours, who we had toured with on another visit to Puerto Rico earlier this year.
After picking us up at the port, Paulina provided commentary on San Juan and it’s neighborhoods while our driver navigated the van to our first stop in Santurce, a neighborhood southeast of old San Juan.
One of the many things we love about touring with Paulina is that she always takes food tour guests to places popular with the locals, but not generally frequented by tourists.
A prime example: our first stop at Delavida Restobar, a new restaurant and bar combination in the Santurce neighborhood.
Inside, the Delavida is a contemporary restaurant. Our visit, around 3 pm on a Sunday afternoon, was a quiet time so the owner and staff could give us lots of attention.
Outside, there is a more informal bar and dining space.
Back inside, we started with a drink that combined some of Puerto Rico’s famous rum with grapefruit juice. Light, cooling and delicious!
The Delavida menu features compartir, tapas-like appetizers to share, as well as soups, salads, pizzas and entrees. Sandwiches are served 11:30 am – 4 pm.
This dish wasn’t on the menu, but it was a delicious, contemporary take on popular Puerto Rico foods ingredients like black beans and plantains.
Very full from such our first of three food stops, we headed to the nearby area around the Plaza del Mercado, or La Placita, an open-air plaza that surrounds a fresh food market. This area transforms on weekends with bars, late-night eateries, and friendly crowds of Sanjuaneros.
The art around the Plaza del Mercado showcases one of the fresh foods prominent in Puerto Rican cuisine, the avocado.
Does this sound like a fun adventure? This was just the first hour or so of our 3.5- 4 hour tour.
Look for our next “Part 2” post on a taste of Peru in another San Juan neighborhood. Part 3 covers our explorations with Paulina in Old San Juan.
Whether you are visiting San Juan for a week, or only 5-6 hours on a cruise, we highly recommend Spoon Food Tours. While you will sample excellent food and drinks, the experience is much more. It’s like being shown around the San Juan with a local friend who happens to be a historian, a foodie, and a fantastically fun host all in one.
What’s your favorite food destination in San Juan? Please share in comments below.
Other posts on San Juan and food tours in other cities that you may want to check out”;..