When we think of Puerto Rico a few things come to mind: Bad Bunny, Bacardi rum and, of course, piña colada, which is believed to have originated from the Caribe Hilton in 1954. The islanders are to this day arguing about which particular bartender had that stroke of genius but you can leave that to them and simply embrace boricua, the islanders’ name for themselves that encapsulates their pride in their way of life.

We stayed at Aire de O:live, a beachfront hotel in the Isla Verde district of San Juan, a perfect location for exploring this small island. It has a popular rooftop Asian fusion restaurant and bar overlooking the beach serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, the best way to experience boricua is to dive into the local food and drink culture.

A whistle-stop tour of San J

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