Traditional puerto rican food: 35 Popular Puerto Rican Foods You Have To Try At Least Once

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18 марта, 2023
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22 Best Dishes & Drinks 🍚🍹

Puerto Rican cuisine has a variety of delicious dishes with influences from the Taínos, Spanish, and African cuisines making it a must-try for everyone who visits. Puerto Rico is a small island located in the Caribbean and for many years, it was under Spanish rule until it became a United States territory in 1898.

The native population in Puerto Rico was the Taínos who named the island, Borinquen. It is why up to this day, many Puerto Ricans refer to themselves as Boricuas following our native roots. One of the main sources of food for Taínos was corn, fruit, coconuts, viandas (ñame, yautía, and yuca), and seafood.

Traditional Puerto Rican foods and drinks

For the savory lovers: main dishes in Puerto Rican cuisine

Carne or Pollo Guisada

Puerto Rican soups and stews

Side dishes or finger food

For your sweet tooth: Puerto Rican desserts

Popular drinks in Puerto Rico

Final thoughts about Puerto Rico cuisine

About the author

During the Spanish rule, the Spanish brought slaves from Africa in the 16th century who introduced their own traditions and ingredients, such as plantains. Up to this day, plantains are one of the most important foods you will find to eat in Puerto Rico.

These influences from the Taínos, Spanish, and Africans have turned Puerto Rican food into something that is deeply rooted in our culture and lifestyle. The next time you’re in Puerto Rico, make sure you try some of its amazing dishes listed below.

Traditional Puerto Rican foods and drinks

For the savory lovers: main dishes in Puerto Rican cuisine

Mofongo

As mentioned above, plantains are one of the most important ingredients on the island and mofongo is a must-try stapled. Mofongo is a mashed plantain dish that depending on its serving size, people can eat as an appetizer or main dish. It is often served inside a wooden pestle filled with meat or fish stews. Other times, it is served by itself with a side of caldo (broth), it depends on what’s on the menu.

Arroz con Habichuelas

Puerto Ricans live off Arroz blanco con habichuelas (white rice and beans). It is made almost every single day in a Puerto Rican household and even though it is quite common, almost every family will have their own way of cooking the beans. It makes them taste different from day to day. Oftentimes, the rice and beans are accompanied by a type of meat, such as pork or chicken.

Churrasco

Churrasco is a grilled beef/steak dish marinated with garlic, oil, lemon, and fresh herbs. It is often served with a chimichurri sauce which is finely chopped herbs, including oregano, cilantro, and parsley. Puerto Ricans love to eat it with Arroz mamposteao. Mamposteao roughly translates to mixed. You will find it is made with white rice cooked with beans, green or red peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro. It has a very rich flavor, and it is filling.

Carne or Pollo Guisada – delicious traditional Puerto Rican food. Photo via depositphotos.com

Carne or Pollo Guisada

This is stewed meat or chicken (respectively) served with white rice and beans. The meat stew is cooked with a local seasoning called sofrito (often homemade) and Adobo seasoning. It is made with meat or chicken broth, salt, and vegetables to thicken it, such as potatoes and carrots.

Bistec Encebollado

Bistec encebollado roughly translates to steak or beefsteak (beef steak = bis tec). The beef is marinated for at least a day or overnight and then cooked with white onions. It is often served with white rice and beans.

Pernil Asado

The pernil asado is a roasted pork that is commonly eaten during the holidays with Arroz con gandules (rice with green pigeon peas). The pernil is marinated for some time and slowly cooked with the fat so it is tender on the inside but crispy on the outside. It is so delicious, visitors will ask for more.

Puerto Rican soups and stews

Asopao

Asopao is the Puerto Rican version of chicken soup (or seafood soup). We make a few varieties, including Asopao con Pollo or the Asopao con Camarones which is chicken soup or shrimp soup, respectively. It is often cooked during the colder months on the island and it is a hearty meal as it includes chicken, rice (instead of noodles), vegetables, and sofrito seasoning.

Sancocho Soup is among the tastiest traditional Puerto Rican food

Sancocho

Sancocho is another Puerto Rican soup recipe made with a variety of root vegetables and chicken. It includes chicken, ham, and root vegetables like yuca, ñame, yautía, carrots, corn, potatoes, and plantains. You can eat it by itself or with a side of white rice and slices of avocado.

Side dishes or finger food

Yuca

Yuca is the root of the cassava plant. It has a similar texture to potatoes, except that it has a type of string within it. Often, it is cooked in boiled water until soft and once the water is drained, we tend to add a little bit of melted garlic butter. You can eat it as a side dish with white rice and beans, or by itself as an appetizer.

Papas Rellenas

Papas rellenas translates to stuffed potatoes. The potatoes are cooked until soft and then mashed. After small potato balls are made and then beef is added in its center then covered once again with the mashed potato until you end up with a fist-size ball. These are fried in vegetable oil and then they are ready to eat.

Sorrullitos

Sorrullitos are a type of corn fritters. Think of it as a corn dog, but without the dog and pinky-finger size. These are deep-fried until golden but stay soft on the inside once you take a bite. It’s great to dip in mayo-ketchup (mayonnaise and ketchup mixed with a little bit of garlic butter). You can eat them at any time of the day too if you want! Locals will mostly eat them as finger food when out and about at a bar or as appetizers.

Amarillos

Amarillos is a sweet fried plantain, but it has a soft consistency due to how ripe the plantain is at the time of cooking. Locals eat it as a side with white rice and beans. I’ve seen people eat them with sour cream outside of Puerto Rico, but that’s not common on the island.

Best Puerto Rican food to try: Tostones. Photo via depositphotos.com

Tostones

Tostones are fried plantains, except they are crispy all around. We also eat them as a side with white rice and beans, as appetizers, or just because. Just add a bit of salt on top or dip them into mayo-ketchup. So delicious! For the Sweet Tooth: Desserts and Drinks

For your sweet tooth: Puerto Rican desserts

Best Puerto Rico food: Arroz con Dulce, a traditional dessert. Photo via depositphotos.com

Arroz con Dulce

Arroz con Dulce translates to rice with sweet and it is a type of rice pudding Puerto Ricans eat around the Christmas holidays. The rice is cooked with coconut milk using cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg, and raisins.

Tembleque

Tembleque is another desert common during the Christmas holidays. It means to tremble, and it is a type of coconut pudding except for the texture as it gently wiggles just like gelatin. Think of it as coconut milk gelatin more than pudding, so it is actually rich. We add cinnamon on top before eating.

Flan de Queso

Many have probably heard of flan de queso which is a cream cheese flan with caramel on top. It is quite common at all of the bakeries in Puerto Rico and will probably be present on every dessert menu.

Popular drinks in Puerto Rico

Maví

Maví is a fermented tree bark drink that tastes a little bit like beer with a tangy flavor.

Coffee

There are over 200 years of coffee history in Puerto Rico. Nowadays, coffee beans are primarily Arabica and due to their special properties, it is easily enjoyable black with no sugar. It is an acquired taste though, so visitors can try it black with no sugar, black with sugar, or black with a little bit of milk and sugar. No matter what you decide, you will find the coffee to be strong and delicious.

Coquito is a traditional Puerto Rican drink to enjoy during the holidays

Coquito

Coquito translates to little coconut and it is a drink mostly done during the Christmas holidays. It uses coconut cream, coconut milk, and condensed milk for its base, and to make it an adult beverage, white Puerto Rican rum is added with some finishing touches of cinnamon powder. It is simple, sweet, strong, and a must-try during the holidays.

Piña Colada

Piña Colada doesn’t need much introduction as it is a popular drink around the world, but did you know it was invented in Puerto Rico? It’s a must-try when prepared at its source.

Medalla Beer

The Medalla Light Beer is brewed on the Island and it is the go-to beer of Puerto Ricans. It is light, crisp, and of good quality. It is hardly sold outside of Puerto Rico, so it’s definitely a must-try on this list.

Piraguas

Piraguas are perfect for drinking on a hot day in Puerto Rico, so basically every single day of the year. It is shaved ice that is shaped like an inverted cone with a flavored fruity syrup in different flavors. Be on the lookout for street vendors with colorful pushcarts with umbrellas for shade with a massive block of ice. Note that a piragua is quite filling thanks to the syrupy and heavy drink.

Final thoughts about Puerto Rico cuisine

Puerto Rican cuisine is a mixture of influences from the Taíno natives, Spanish, and Africans. The food is not spicy like those from Latin America and it is usually served family style. We take a lot of pride in the cooking of the food and ingredients. Are there more than 22 traditional Puerto Rican foods? Certainly! But the above list will get you started in the right way.

About the author

Diana Lotti is a freelance writer, ghostwriter, and photographer from Puerto Rico with over two years of writing experience. She currently lives in a small village in Germany with her family and pets. As a freelance writer/ghostwriter, Diana uses her MBA and prior corporate experience to work closely with B2C and B2B clients and marketing agencies on several topics from travel to wellness.

You too can become a guest blogger on The Travel Bunny. Submit a free guest post.

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What Is a Typical Dinner in Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico is known for it’s delicious and flavorful food. Typically a Puerto Rican dinner consists of rice, beans, meats, and stews. Mainly cooked in a heavy kettle or caldero. One of the most popular dinners includes beefsteaks, or in other words “bistec”. The beef is marinated in adobo, a mix of salt, garlic, black pepper, and oregano. Then it’s stir fried with onions, and peppers. It is mainly served with white rice, and bean stew, with a side of lettuce, tomatoes, and a slice of avocado. Puerto Rican dinners are super yummy, and the good news is, most dinners are Gluten-Free Puerto Rican Recipes.

Let’s have a look at the detailed cuisine of Puerto Rico and healthy Puerto Rican dinner recipes!

Appetizers and soups in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rican meals usually begin with hot and sizzling appetizers. A few of them are sweet cornmeal aka sorullitos, empanadillas, alcapurrias, and fresh cod fritters. Among the favorites are the empanadillas which are demilune shaped turnovers filled with beef, chicken, cheese, and/or delicious seafood.

For soups, asopao and sopa de platano are some of the most popular soups of Puerto Rican origin. A perfect way to start a savory dinner is to begin with healthy Puerto Rican soups. They are a powerhouse of nutrition with fiber, minerals, proteins, vitamins, and antioxidants. The asopao is made like a chicken soup with rice instead of noodles, and a sopa de platanos is made with plantains. Both are very hearty soups and work great when following a Gluten-Free diet.

Asopao can also be called Sopón. You may find it called; Sopón de Pollo con Arroz. It is a rice-chicken recipe that tastes different in every restaurant you visit.

Sopón de garbanzos con patas de cerdo is among the most authentic variations. It’s a soup made with pork feet and chickpeas. It is definitely a unique recipe found in only some restaurants.

What is the best food to eat in Puerto Rico?

The best Puerto Rican Foods are Tostones, Arroz Con Gandules and Mofongo.

a. Tostones:

Puerto Rico is famous for its tostones. This dish is a plantain appetizer or side dish, that is known for being fried twice. The fried plantains aka tostones are paired with mayo-ketchup, a sauce made with mayonnaise, ketchup, garlic, and hot sauce.

b. Arroz con gandules:

Considered a national dish of the island, Arroz con gandules is an authentic Puerto Rican recipe. The recipe starts with white rice with added pigeon peas, olives, tomato sauce, sazón, and sofrito. Sofrito is a kitchen foundation consisting of onions, peppers, cilantro, and garlic. Some add plantain leaves on top of the caldero as it cooks to add extra flavor, and make the rice taste like a “pastel”, a Puerto Rican tamale made during the holidays made with green bananas and yautia.

c. Mofongo:

While cooking Puerto Rican paleo recipes, you can make mofongo which is mashed plantains. A paleo mofongo recipe includes green plantains, garlic, and salt. The seasoning and filling have beef, chicken, vegetables, or shrimp. Mofongo relleno is one of the most popular dishes in restaurants around the island.

A few of the other best foods are Alcapurrias, Empanadillas, and Rellenos de Papa as appetizers, and Pernil, Pastelon, Pasteles… So many good choices in Puerto Rican cuisine. You’ll want to try it all!

What are the typical Puerto Rican ingredients?

The aroma of cuisines in Puerto Rico comes from a mixture of Adobo and Sofrito herbs and spices. It brings a distinctive flavor and color to most indigenous foods. A DIY Puerto Rican adobo marinade can be made with a blend of oregano, black pepper, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Sofrito is a blend of onions, peppers, garlic, culantro or cilantro, blended with a bit of oil. Add Sazón or achiote (annatto seeds), to give rice, soup, and stews it’s shiny yellow color.

A Puerto Rican Sazón Recipe is a mixture of ingredients. They are a delicious mix of Spanish, African, Taino, and American influences. You can add achiote (annatto seeds), coriander, cumin, and garlic. Everyone makes it a bit different, but there are many store bought sazóns that are healthy and delicious. Just make sure to get the ones made with pure ingredients, without artificial colors and ingredients (check out our own healthy blends at the shop Healthy Rican, made by Nutrition Dork).

Make a Homemade Sazón Seasoning Mix by combining annatto, garlic, and salt to start. You can also include cumin, black pepper, coriander, and oregano for a flavorful sazón mix.

Main Dishes in Puerto Rico

There are a variety of main dishes in Puerto Rico. From rice and beans, to root vegetables and fish, and plantains in various recipes. The food in Puerto Rico is always enticing, distinct, and bold. The people enjoy tasty yet easy Puerto Rican recipes. As they grow a diverse range of vegetables, the island is famous for chayote, a pear-shaped vegetable also known as a christophine plant. Along with berenjena (eggplant), and various squashes like calabaza.

What are the two typical dishes in Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico has a history of savory dishes. Two of the traditional dishes are pasteles and Arroz con dulce. Especially during the holidays. Pasteles are made with green plantains and are generally filled with pork. Can also be made with added yuca or yautia, and chicken. In flavor and texture, many people believe that they are like tamales. Arroz Con Dulce is a coconut rice pudding made of coconut milk, cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, and cloves. Garnished with cinnamon sticks & raisins and served as a dessert.

Is Puerto Rican food spicy

Puerto Rican food is spicy, but not hot. It is a combination of spices and herbs which makes the food very flavorful and savory. Most of the food dishes include sofrito, adobo, and sazón as seasonings staples.

Desserts and Drinks in Puerto Rico?

The most popular dessert in Puerto Rico is flan, a caramel custard, made with various milks, condensed milk, and eggs. Flan can be made in various flavors like vanilla, cheese, coconut, and even nutella.

There are various sweets like guava cake, orange layer cake, and banana cupcakes.

The most popular dessert ingredient is coconut. You can taste a wide variety of tasty desserts with it. Many serve it as coconut flan, coconut cream, and candied coconut rice. You can also find coconut in popular drinks like piña colada, and coquito (a coconut eggnog for the holidays).

Rum is the national drink. Puerto Rico is its leading producer. A few others that go on the list are coquito, black coffee, and beer (Cerveza).

While the food is spicy (in a delicious not hot way), the people are famous for having a sweet tooth. Right from Puerto Rican Breakfasts to Desserts, the food is worth admiring.

What is Puerto Rican ice cream called?

The Puerto Rican ice cream is called helado del país. It comes in various fruit flavors that are indigenous to the island. Some of the flavors are coconut, pineapple, guava, and passion fruit.

A piragua is another type of “ice cream”. It is not really ice cream, but more like a snow cone as it is a shaved ice cone in the shape of a pyramid, with a fruity syrup on top. The syrup comes in different flavors. They include raspberry, pineapple, coconut, guava, or tamarind.

Piragua is a blend of Spanish words pirámide (“pyramid”) and agua (“water”).

What drink is Puerto Rico known for?

Puerto Rico is famous for Pina colada, a famous rum-based cocktail.

It is an easy Puerto Rican recipe as it is a proportionate combination of coconut cream, pineapple juice, ice, and rum.

Dinner Etiquette in Puerto Rico

You say “Buen provecho” (enjoy your meal) when you visit a restaurant. At lunch, you say “Buenos dias.” And, it is “Buenas tardes” during dinner.

Puerto Ricans are friendly. You are expected to greet and smile even when you do not know the people sitting at the next table.

What time is dinner in Puerto Rico?

People prefer to consume dinner late in Puerto Rico. Many of the restaurants do not open before 6 in the evening. Until 7, it is usually a person or two. Yet it gets crowded after 8:00 p.m.

Do you tip waiters in Puerto Rico?

In Puerto Rico, tipping is the usual etiquette. It is like most other parts of the U.S. Also, it is an essential source of income.

Fifteen percent of the bill is the average after you have enjoyed a great meal. It is not mandatory to tip in bars. But, you can still tip with $1 per drink.

Takeaway

Puerto Rican Dinner draws influences from American, Taino, Spanish and African cooking. The typical dishes comprise a variety of exotic blends. It reflects the colorful culture. The tropical ingredients make the perfect culinary diversity. Visit Nutrition Dork for healthy Puerto Rican dinner recipes.

American cuisine | it’s… What is American cuisine?

American cuisine is a variety of cooking styles in the United States. Starting from the traditions of English cuisine of the 17th-18th centuries, mixed with some culinary traditions of the American Indians (corn and sweet potato dishes, maple syrup, etc. ), it has changed significantly over the past three centuries, becoming a synthesis of culinary traditions from all over the world, combining cuisines of various immigrant cultures. German “hamburger steaks” and sausages, Italian pizza and pasta, Chinese cuisine have become American dishes.

Modern American food is characterized by an extremely wide distribution of convenience foods, fast food restaurants (the so-called fast food) and restaurants of various national cuisines, which also makes it difficult to characterize American cuisine.

1 Traditional American cuisine
2 History
3 Typical meals and products
4 Famous chefs
5 See also
6 Links
7 Bibliography

Traditional American Cuisine

Creole Cuisine

Clam Chowder (Clam chowder soup). Traditional dish in New England

American cuisine recipes were influenced by the national cuisine of the first settlers, primarily English, but also Indian (local), Spanish, German, French, Italian, Chinese, African, etc. Great value for creating recipes cooking in American families have a climate, the conditions of different regions of America.

Salads are ubiquitous, ranging from the simplest (such as fresh cucumbers or tomatoes) to multi-ingredient vegetable-based branded mixes.

Southern fried chicken

Grilled steak

Typical southern states are deep fried chicken ( fried chicken ), beef schnitzels ( country-fried steak ), smoked pork (barbecue), pancakes cornmeal, crabs, crab soups ( she-crab soup ) and crab cakes ( Maryland crab cakes ).

In the states of New England, boiled corned beef with vegetables (boiled dinner), fish dishes, lobsters, clam chowder are traditional.

Midwestern table decorations are grilled beef steak, baked potatoes, chocolate cake. Italian cuisine (deep Chicago pizza, St. Louis fried ravioli, etc.) has had a strong influence on Midwestern urban cuisine.

characteristic dishes of which are fajitas, tacos, burritos, chili con carne, stuffed sweet peppers and other Tex-Mex dishes.

Americans eat a lot of ice. A pitcher of ice is a common attribute of service in a restaurant. Iced tea is popular ( iced tea ). Beer is usually served cold in a chilled mug.

In American cuisine, rice is often used as a side dish — long, brown and wild. Many spices are used in cooking: garlic powder, several types of pepper, cloves, nutmeg, oregano, cinnamon, ginger, bay leaf, cumin, dill, vanilla, onion powder, etc., peanut butter.

The seafood menu in America is exceptionally varied.

Supermarkets and grocery stores sell a variety of convenience foods. On weekdays, many Americans eat prepared foods for lunch or cook, for example, beef with a side dish (baked potatoes and spinach or beans from a bag). Fresh vegetables go to the salad: lettuce, escarole, tomatoes, avocados, green shallots, cucumbers, radishes. For dessert, a cake made from a purchased biscuit mix is served. Sandwiches, both hot (hamburgers, cheesesteaks (thinly sliced roast beef with cheese and fried onions)) and cold (ham, turkey breast, vegetables) are typical American lunches. On weekends, holidays, family and other celebrations, food is usually prepared according to more time-consuming recipes. At Christmas, they often roast a turkey with apples and bake an apple pie.

History

Initially, the first colonists ate fruits of strawberries, blueberries, blueberries, cherries, currants, gooseberries, plums, raspberries, sumac berries, junipers, carcasses, elderberries, hawthorns, walnut trees. The meat of rabbit, raccoon, opossum, rat, chipmunk, pig, peccary, wolverine, badger and porcupine was eaten. Of the birds — turkey, partridge, quail, dove, plover, lark. Waterfowl were represented by ducks, geese, swans. The meat of snails and turtles and frog legs were also served on the table.

Typical dishes and products

Tabasco sauce
Thousand Island Sauce

Sweet

Pecan pie
Pumpkin pie
Brownie — chocolate cake
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Donuts
Muffin — small cake
Banana Split
Cheesecake
Marshmallow
Maple Syrup
Popcorn

Famous Chefs

Waters, Alice

Bibliography

America. Encyclopedia of everyday life. M., 1998

Top 10 food tours in the world according to TripAdvisor

1st place. Xi’an Evening Food Tour, China

Photo: DeliDeli

The first line in the ranking of gastronomic tours in 2018-2019 is occupied by Xi’an Evening Food Tour, which is held in the Chinese city of Xian, Shaanxi province.

Video of the day

During the tour, participants ride a cycle rickshaw through the picturesque streets of the old city, learning about its history and culinary traditions. The tour includes stops at 5 different locations where participants can taste unlimited food, see how the famous Xi’an noodles are made, and learn the secrets of cooking other local dishes first hand. The last destination on this tour is a local brewery, where the hospitable hosts are happy to treat each of the participants with a fresh serving of beer.

Street food in the Muslim quarter of the Chinese city of Xi’an

2nd place. Beijing Hutong Food and Beer Tour, China

Second on the list is China again. This time, the participants of the Beijing Hutong Food and Beer Tour are invited to ride a cycle rickshaw around Beijing, the capital of the country, known throughout the world for its rich and diverse culinary culture.

During the tour, participants will visit 5 gastronomic locations where they will be able to communicate with the locals and learn how they have preserved old family recipes. From handmade noodles to traditional Beijing salted grilled meats, guests can try a variety of dishes. During the whole trip, the participants of the tour will have a pleasant bonus — an unlimited amount of local beer.

Exotic street food in one of the streets of Beijing

3rd place. Small-Group Hanoi Street Food Tour with a Real Foodie, Vietnam

Vietnam’s Small-Group Hanoi Street Food Tour with a Real Foodie ranks third on the list. Tour participants meet their guide in the center of Hanoi and walk around the city’s old quarter filled with a variety of restaurants and street food stalls.

Between walks and stories about Vietnamese culinary traditions, guests are invited to try up to 10 authentic dishes, such as rice noodle soup with beef, steamed pancakes, or snails cooked in a variety of ways. During the meal, the guide tells about the history of each dish and the secrets of its preparation.

Street food in the old quarter of Hanoi

4th place. Chinatown and Little Italy Food Fest, USA

In fourth place is Chinatown and Little Italy Food Fest, which is held in New York. The tour route passes through 2 areas known for their special gastroculture: Little Italy and Chinatown. Gastro tour participants will be able to learn about the history of each of the districts through tasting dishes in eateries and restaurants that are especially popular among local residents.

The guide meets guests in the center of Little Italy and first of all invites them to taste cannoli, a traditional Sicilian dessert. During a walk through this area, the guide tells various stories and interesting facts about the life and culture of ethnic Italians, invites tourists to taste traditional Italian dishes in family eateries and shops.

Street food on the streets of New York’s Little Italy

The Chinatown part of the tour begins with a dim sum tasting at one of the area’s oldest restaurants. Then the guide shows the guests the historical sights of Chinatown, at the same time telling about the history of the area, and the tour ends with a tea party with traditional Chinese pastries. This gastro tour is notable for the fact that its participants still have useful recommendations on visiting interesting places in Little Italy and Chinatown, which will allow them to return to their favorite places in the future.

Chinatown Food Market, New York

5th place. Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour, Mexico

The fifth position in the ranking is occupied by the Mexican Downtown Puerto Vallarta Food Tour. Tour participants will have a fascinating walk through the Mexican city of Puerto Vallarta lasting 3.5 hours.

Gastro tourists will have to admire the beauty of the ancient city, its original architecture, sights, and, of course, appreciate the variety of local cuisine. During the tour, guests will learn a lot about Mexican food from the locals.

During 9 tastings, tourists will be offered dishes such as enchiladas and tacos — tortillas with various fillings, seasoned with chili, salsa or guacamole; traditional ceviches made with raw fish and seafood, as well as local drinks, sweets and more. Tourists who visited the gastro tour especially note the La Azteca confectionery, where local chocolate products are served with fragrant Mexican coffee.

A Mexican cooks street food on the beach of Puerto Vallarta

6th place. Amsterdam Jordaan District Food Walking Tour, Holland

Sixth place — Amsterdam Jordaan District Food Walking Tour. This gastro tour is dedicated to the culinary highlights of Amsterdam’s Jordaan district.

Those who join the tour will be able to experience traditional Dutch cuisine in 8 different eateries. In each of them, tourists will be offered to try dishes such as bitterballen — Dutch meatballs, the famous Gouda cheese, traditional pickled herring, and much more. At most of the eateries included in the tour, guests can talk to the owners and ask questions about Dutch cuisine. Judging by the reviews, the tour participants especially like the traditional Dutch apple pie with raisins — Appeltaart.

Summer cafeteria in the Jordaan area, Amsterdam

7th place. Old San Juan Food Tour, Puerto Rico

Seventh in the ranking is the Puerto Rican Old San Juan Food Tour, which takes place in San Juan, Puerto Rico’s largest city. The tour lasts 3 hours, during which guests can immerse themselves in the unique atmosphere of the city, filled with old architecture.

Tourists will have 5 tasting stops where they can enjoy the variety of Puerto Rican food. They will learn how the traditional cuisine of Puerto Rico was formed, which for many years was influenced by English, African and Spanish culinary traditions. Guests will definitely taste the sofrito vegetable sauce and learn how to cook mofongo, a local traditional dish of deep-fried bananas with garlic. For dessert, guests will be offered tembleke, a delicate coconut pudding with cinnamon, which is supposed to be washed down with rum.

A chef prepares food in an open kitchen in one of the cafes in the city of San Juan — the largest in Puerto Rico

8th place. Madrid Tapas Night Walking Tour, Spain

In eighth place in the list of the best gastro tours in the world is the Madrid Tapas Night Walking Tour. In the evening, when the usual heat for Spain subsides, the tour participants meet with the guide and go for an evening walk through the narrow streets of Madrid, where they will visit 4 bars especially loved by the locals and try various tapas — traditional Spanish snacks for beer or wine.

The variety of tapas will surprise even the most sophisticated gastrotourist, because in Spain this name can hide both ordinary snacks like chips and olives, and small culinary miracles like honey eggplant, croquettes with various fillings, tempura seafood and even meatballs and barbecue. In the course of moving between gastrolocations, the guide will tell guests about the culinary culture of Spain, and be sure to show the sights that are especially beautiful in the evening lights of Madrid.

Street food at San Miguel market in Madrid, Spain

9th place. A Taste of South Beach Food Tour, USA

Ninth in the ranking was the American A Taste of South Beach Food Tour, which takes place in Miami. This tour is dedicated not only to food: its participants are completely immersed in the culture, architecture and life of the largest city in Florida.

A professional guide will tell you the many stories of how Miami has evolved over the years to become such a tourist destination and will guide guests through 5 restaurants and cafes in the South Shore, Miami Beach’s most popular area.

Guests will be introduced to a variety of so-called New American cuisine from yuca fries (the closest relative of the familiar french fries) and sweet corn salsa to more exotic Peruvian, Hawaiian and Cuban dishes. Tamales (meat rolls in corn leaves), empanadas — fluffy fried meat pies, fried plantains (a vegetable variety of bananas that are eaten only after cooking) and ceviche — a dish of freshly caught raw ocean fish. Lush and delicate Italian bombolone donuts are waiting for travelers for dessert, and the final chord of the tour will be a visit to The Frieze kosher ice cream factory — of course, with a tasting.

South Shore Beach Food Truck Owner, Miami

10th place. Taste of Testaccio Food Tour, Italy

The Italian Taste of Testaccio Food Tour, which is held in Rome, in the Testaccio district, closes the top ten best gastronomic tours in the world according to TripAdvisor.

In addition to 9 tastings of the best traditional Italian dishes, the tour participants will also learn the secrets of making many types of bruschetta — Italian appetizers served on a slice of toasted bread, as well as get acquainted with the technology of making classic buffalo mozzarella. The guide accompanying tourists will be happy to tell you about the history of the Testaccio region and its culinary traditions.