3 Best Restaurants in Old San Juan, San Juan

The Cortés family has been making bean-to-bar chocolate for more than 90 years, and, in 2013, they opened Puerto Rico's first "chocobar" to share their passion. The walls in this vivid, modern space are decorated with ads from the 1950s, original chocolate-bar molds, a timeline of chocolate, and two flat screens showing the chocolate-making process. From pastries and breakfast sandwiches to panini and tapas, the chef integrates chocolate into every bite without overpowering. Bonbons, chocolate bars, and even chocolate soaps are available for sale. People from all over the metro area flock here for weekend brunch; arrive early to avoid a long wait. An upstairs gallery offers a glimpse of the family's personal collection of contemporary Caribbean art.

There's nothing more refreshing on a hot day than an ice pop from Señor Paleta. All the ingredients used to make these artisanal paletas are fresh, and many use local fruits. Choose from strawberry mojito, watermelon, coconut, dulce de leche, and more. The flavor of the month might be an exotic fruit like guanábana (soursop). The lines on weekends may be long, but they're well worth it.

It's hard to resist the heaping mountains of gelato available in this aesthetically pleasing shop, open late. Don't worry, the line moves quickly. All the gelato is made fresh in store, served with assorted toppings, and garnished with a branded wafer cookie. Flavors range from pavlova and mixed berries to coquito, and there are options with no sugar added.