One of our favourite experiences during our 2 days in Old San Juan before our Virgin Voyages cruise wasn’t sightseeing—it was joining a local walking food tour. We booked this because we wanted to take a deep dive into Puerto Rican culture and learn from a local – and what better way than through food?
Food Tours are a great way to experience a destination, they make you feel comfortable in the surroundings and give you information you wouldn’t learn on your own. This review will help you decide if this food tour is for you, we loved it so much and think that everyone would enjoy it. We absolutely recommend booking this Old San Juan walking food tour.
Table of Contents
Is A Food Tour In Old San Juan Worth It?
| Food & Drinks | ★★★★★ |
| Value | ★★★★★ |
| Walking Distance | ★★★★☆ |
| Culture | ★★★★★ |
| Would We Do It Again? | Yes! |
This food tour is best for:
- First-time visitors
- Cruise passengers
- Couples
- Food lovers
I would skip if:
- You are on a tight budget
- Travellers with limited mobility
- Already know Puerto Rican food & culture
Tour Overview
We went on the San Juan Ultimate Food Tour and were looking to learn about and experience the Puerto Rican culture with a local. The tour lasted around 3.5 hours, which gave us plenty of time to relax and enjoy each stop. The price is $110 USD per person and the walking distance felt really manageable, in fact we thought we could have kept going!
We met at the Plaza de San José next to Monument Juan Ponce de León and headed off to taste lots of delicious food and drinks, everything was included and they were able to accommodate for my coeliac and seafood allergies.
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What We Ate On Our Old San Juan Food Tour
We went to 5 food and drink stops on our food tour of San Juan and tasted everything from snacks to meals. This is the breakdown of what we experienced at each stop.
Stop 1: Traditional Puerto Rican Breakfast
Our first stop was at a cafe where they serve locally grown and roasted coffee with a local breakfast treat of powdered sugar pastry. The coffee was perfect, strong and smooth while the pastry was slightly sweet and a perfect start to the tour.
Rating 8/10
Stop 2: Traditional Puerto Rican Cocktail
After walking through the streets and learning about the history of Old San Juan and Puerto Rico as a whole, stopping at main attractions and learning how they are integrated into local life we came to Barrachina. This is the bar that claims to have invented the piña colada, Puerto Ricos famous cocktail. We were all treated to one that was icy and delicious, one of the best we have tasted. Sitting in the bar with so much history was really fun, we also got to skip the very long line when we entered as our guide had pre-arranged our entry.
Rating 10/10
Stop 3: Traditional Puerto Rican Snacks & Meal
Our third stop was close by, we entered a restaurant to sit at tables and be served 3 of the tour tastings. The first was a local snack, empanada, Mike loved the tasty filling and savoury pastry. The staff were even able to serve me the meat without the pastry for a gluten free option.
At the same location we were also given a traditional dish called mofongo. We tried a chicken version served with plantains. The flavour was really tasty with a light stew like texture. We were given another piña colada to enjoy with our meal, it was creamy and sweet. The Puerto Ricans know how to make a good piña colada!
Rating 9/10
Stop 4: Locally Grown Puerto Rican Chocolate
The following stop was right next door and was a locally grown and made chocolate shop. We were served hot chocolate and our choice of flavoured chocolate. It was decadent and delicious and such a perfect treat after our main meal. We learned about the production process and how important it is to keep local business here going.
Rating 10/10
Stop 5: Traditional Puerto Rican Dessert
Our final stop was just up the street and another sweet treat. We went to Señor Paleta for a fruit ice cream or gelato. Creamy, flavourful and so perfectly delicious, a perfect boost to end the tour. We walked over to a park with a great viewpoint and ate our icy poles while we listened to our guide detailing the area.
Rating 10/10
What We Learned About Puerto Rican Food
We learned so much about the traditional local Puerto Rican flavours and using locally grown and sourced ingredients and cooking styles. The most surprising dish was the mofongo, it sounded so different to anything we had tried before but when we tried it there was a subtle heartiness about it that was so delicious. The most underrated dish we tasted was the breakfast pastry, so simple yet so good!
Walking Through Old San Juan Between Stops
We really loved learning about the history of the town while walking between the stops through Old San Juan. We not only took in the beautiful colourful buildings and architecture but learnt about the history and meaning behind statues, buildings and plazas. This was not ‘just’ a food tour! It was a window into the Puerto Rican culture by an insightful and knowledgeable guide. There was a warm and friendly atmosphere making it easy to relax and take everything in. We really loved learning about this history of the town.
Is This The Best Food Tour In Old San Juan?
We feel that this is the best food tour in Old San Juan, it covers so many of the local foods and also gives you the invaluable history and local perspective that you could not get by doing it yourself. The ease of restaurant hopping and knowing the best places to try different meals was great. We loved how inclusive this tour was and our guide was a perfect mix of friendly and informative.
Cost Breakdown: Is It Worth The Price?
The tour costs $110 USD, when you consider the guide’s time, organisation, and that all food and drinks were included, it was worth the price for us.
What We Wish We Knew Before Booking
We wish we had known to make sure to book early to get our preferred day and time. I wish I had known not to eat beforehand because there was plenty of food. Definitely bring water and wear comfortable walking shoes.
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Food Tour Or Rum Tour: Which Should You Choose?
There are so many tours you can do in Old San Juan, we also did a rum tour which was great but didn’t include all the local foods and information or perspective that we gained from our food tour. We recommend doing both as you get such different experiences from each. Check out our full Ron Barrilito review to see why you should do both of these tours!
Our Ideal 2 Day Old San Juan Plan
We did our food tour on our first morning in Old San Juan, this way we would understand the area better when we were on our own.
Day 1: Historic Old San Juan + Puerto Rico San Juan Walking Food Tour
Day 2: Forts + Rum Tour
Check out our full Old San Juan itinerary to see what we did with our two days in Old San Juan before our Virgin Voyages Caribbean Cruise.
FAQ For The Ultimate Old San Juan Food Tour
What is the best food tour in Old San Juan?
The San Juan Ultimate Food Tour is the best food tour in Old San Juan and we really recommend booking it!
Are food tours worth it?
This food tour was worth it, the experience and information was fantastic.
How long are San Juan food tours?
Our tour lasted for 3.5 hours and the time flew by!
Can cruise passengers do this?
Yes! It fits perfectly into a cruise port day schedule. It is located in town and short enough to fit a port day.
What food should you try?
You should try everything possible on the tour, it is all delicious and so worth tasting!
Can you walk around Old San Juan?
It is easy to walk around Old San Juan, the streets are quite well maintained although there are some hills.
Should you book in advance?
I would book as early as you know your dates and times. The tour does fill up quickly.
Final Verdict
We definitely recommend this tour, it was such a great experience and first introduction to the city. The stand out was the combination of history, food and local perspective, so when walking around later that afternoon we understood what we saw so much better and felt a little more like locals. We highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting San Juan!
Plan your trip:
👉 Read next: Our Virgin Voyages Cruise Experience
👉 Plan your trip: Caribbean Travel Guide & Caribbean Cruise Guide
👉 Don’t miss: Dominican Republic Travel Itinerary
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