Whether you have a sophisticated palate or one attuned to more basic fare, you'll undoubtedly find what you are looking for here (check under Restaurants).

San Juan has a thriving international dining scene. Throughout the metropolitan area, there are restaurants specializing in Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Cuban cooking. Thai food, nouveau cuisine, health food and fine steak houses can also be found. Several top flight restaurants are located at larger hotels, but don't overlook the free-standing establishments throughout the business and tourist districts of the capital. And nowhere on the island are you far from quality food.

Puerto Rico may also be the fast food center of the Americas, with more favorite chain restaurants here than in many regions of the United States. Whoppers, Big Macs and other classics are as popular here as anywhere in the nation; fast food executives have placed Puerto Rico among their five most important markets. Several regional favorites, like Pollo Tropical, Sbarro, Orange Julius and Denny's are also represented. Hard Rock Cafe, the international chain restaurant specializing in burgers and rock-and-roll, recently opened in Old San Juan.

Despite the culinary diversity, the island's strong suit may be its own cuisine, a flavorful melange of Spanish, Taíno, African and American influences. Locals call the native food comida criolla, which combines products from the island's mountain and coastal regions and draws on a core blend of ingredients that create a savory, yet mild flavor.

Local cuisine is available everywhere, from outdoor cafeterias to fancy, gourmet restaurants. The Puerto Rico Tourism Company has established a network of government-approved restaurants throughout the island called mesones gastronómicos. These specialize in Puerto Rican cuisine at reasonable prices.

Many restaurants in metropolitan San Juan offer local food, and most also serve more standard fare. Many of these restaurants also offer international cuisine, and even if a visitor has never tried it, Puerto Rican cuisine will undoubtedly offer familiar flavors along with new ones. Sofrito, a mixture of peppers, onions, garlic, coriander and other ingredients, is a staple of Puerto Rican cuisine. It serves as a base in stews, soups, casseroles and beans and rice. Achiote, crushed annatto seeds, is used in lieu of saffron to color much of the food. Adobo, a blend of spices, is rubbed on meats prior to cooking.

Rice and beans is an ever-present side dish at each meal.

Tostones, fried plantain slices, and pan de agua, a light bread, also often accompany meals. Ripe plantains, called amarillos, are also served boiled or fried. Another popular side dish is arroz con gandures, a seasoned rice with pigeon peas. Mofongo, mashed plantain or yuca with garlic and other seasonings, also complements main courses.

Mofongo relleno, a seafood or chicken mixture inside a mofongo crust, is a complete meal in its own right. Asopao is a rich stew of rice and either chicken, fish or shell fish. Sancocho, another stew, is a hearty combination of beef, pork and various root vegetables. Lechón, slow-roasted pork, is often sold along with barbecued chicken at roadside stands throughout the island. Pasteles are a wonderful dish, popular at Christmas. A meat filling is placed inside a paste of mashed plantain or yucca, which is then wrapped in green banana leaves and boiled.

Red snapper and mahi mahi are commonly served fish. Lobster, shrimp, crab and conch are also plentiful. North Atlantic codfish, bacalao, has been popular with islanders since the U.S. began importing it at the turn of the century. It's often served in serenata, a delicious salad with avocado, tomato, onion and olive oil.

There is also an array of delicious fried foods, often eaten as a snack at the beach or during a festival, or taken as an appetizer. Empanadillas are turnovers stuffed with meat or fish. Rellenos de papa are meat-stuffed fried potato balls, while alcapurrias are made from plantain and have a meat or seafood filling. Two popular fritters are bacalaítos and sorullos, made from cod fish and corn, respectively.

Flan, a custard-like dessert, is among the island's most popular. There are also several delicious candied fruits, such as dulce de papaya. Guava paste and coconut candy are also common. Tembleque is a coconut pudding.

There are many different fresh fruit juices and frappes available in Puerto Rico. Drinks made from passion fruit and tamarind, called parcha and tamarindo, are among the more unusual. Maví is a fermented drink made from tree bark. Another popular drink is agua de coco, the juice of an unripe coconut served chilled in the coconut shell.

The piña colada, made with rum, coconut cream, pineapple juice and ice, was invented here. Some trace the creation to a bartender at the Caribe Hilton in the 1950s, but there are other versions of the drink's origins. Rum is quite popular, with over 25 brands produced on the island. These include the world-famous Bacardí, Don Q, Palo Viejo, Ron Llave and Ron Barrilito. Local coffee is rich and flavorful, closer to the strong European brews than the American type.