The Mall of San Juan, Puerto Rico’s ultra-upscale shopping destination, is about so much more than the shopping.

It is a fabulously flavorful excursion to some of the finest restaurants not just in Puerto Rico, but throughout the United States and the Americas. Beyond its perfect palm-lined beaches with aqua blue water, lush rain forest, and sun-splashed Spanish colonial boulevards, Puerto Rico has for years been known as the Caribbean’s shopping Mecca, attracting visitors from around the world with chic boutiques, fine street side artisan wares, and gleaming shopping malls from coast to coast. This cool, world of diversion shuts out the gloom of a rainy day or offers a delicious escape from the heat.

The recent opening of The Mall of San Juan, located a short distance from Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, has propelled Puerto Rico from a Caribbean retail dream to one of the top shopping destinations in the world. The Mall of San Juan has improved on the urbane interior design and contemporary tropicalism that has characterized Puerto Rico’s best malls and it stands out as a celebration of the island’s natural beauty and sophisticated taste. It features the only Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom on the island and numerous specialty stores you won’t find anywhere else.

However, The Mall of San Juan is about much more than shopping, with exquisite dining and entertainment options that provide a multitude of reasons to pay a visit. It is an emporium of fine taste regardless of what you desire, and the luxurious mall’s dining options will rate among the best you have experienced.

More than a one-stop destination for shopping, The Mall of San Juan is the place to satisfy any urge.

American Cut & Grill

The American Cut & Grill is LDV Hospitality and Chef Marc Forgione’s homage to that “original and aspirational New York dining experience, the steakhouse.” Unique, modern takes on casual American classic dishes are served in a cool ambiance of elegant, flat wood and metal veneer. The muted contemporary surroundings look and feel great, whether at the bar or the dining room. While it’s very much of today, the room is also cut by classic American style, infused by Art deco, jazz and rock & roll.

American Cut’s bold and satisfying flavors come from the same vein. Try the 40 ounce porterhouse, swordfish kebobs or a number of other fish and steak plates, which incorporate local flavors into Forgione’s unique take on casual American classics. The appetizers will really get you flying high though. They include chili prawns, grilled bacon, coconut ceviche, and a great meatballs selection.

Brio Tuscan Grille

At Brio Tuscan Grille, you gorge on authentic Italian cuisine in a villa-like ambiance of arched colonnades and Venetian plaster, hand-crafted Italian mosaics, and marble countertops. Prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients, BRIO’s menu features prime steaks and chops, homemade pasta specialties and flatbreads prepared in an authentic Italian wood-burning oven that is the spiritual centerpiece of this amazing culinary emporium.

Wondrous delights like the wild cod with toasted almond lemon sauce on roasted vegetable pasta, the espresso rubbed ribeye, the prosciutto wrapped pork tenderloin, and the chicken limone rule the menu here, along with the reinventions of traditional Italian sides, an amazing backup to any meal. Save room for some tiramisu, cheesecake or chocolate torte. Great appetizers (think spinach artichoke dip, iconic spicy potatoes and beef carpaccio) combine perfectly with the popular nightly happy hours; order a bunch to share with drinks.

The Burger and Beer Joint

The Burger and Beer Joint, has a rock and roll vibe to go along with its gourmet burgers and other fabulously flavorful food. The spot is a favorite for both locals and tourists and is known for its popular happy hour, which draws a great crowd, as well as late night fun. However, any time is prime time to just enjoy a burger in a sports-themed environment any time.

It’s an amazing place for gourmet burgers for lunch or dinner. The Burgers are named for rock classics, such as the Thunder Road (bacon, American cheese, BBQ sauce) and the Mustang Sally (red onion marmalade, brie, and sliced prosciutto). They also include non-beef offerings like Freebird (turkey burger with Swiss, sautéed onions, and mushrooms), Surfin USA (Maine lobster salad, manchego, and garlic mayo) and Dr. Feelgood (veggie burger with roasted pepper and corn salsa, basil mint pesto and manchego). The burger fixings and the sides (like duck fat fries) are amazing, the perfect complement to the killer burgers.

Il Nuovo Mercato

Meanwhile, Il Nuovo Mercato is Puerto Rico’s version of Eataly, an Italian food court with all the flavor, good taste, and gusto of the motherland. Tasty “casual street food” is served from a main market area with several culinary bodegas, and there are separate bar and cafe areas. The lagoon and other factors make for a relaxing atmosphere, but it is also a place where culinary explorers can enjoy, interact, and immerse in new flavor combinations. This is where the freshest of ingredients mix with creativity to produce culinary art.

There’s everything: pasta, pizza, bread, fish, meat, coffee, and gelato. This is the spot for good taste, great quality, and bold new herbs in their entire essence and freshness. You can also enjoy a natural infusion of fruits, a beer or a sparkling wine and cheese platter at the Prosecco Bar, with the most stunning view over the San Jose Lagoon. There is also an ample selection of gourmet products to go. Try to the excellent coffees, gelatos or other desserts before leaving.

The Kona Grill

The Kona Grill, which has come to define the polished casual experience, celebrates American cooking with the incorporation of flavors from around the world, including from its renowned sushi bar. The cuisine is truly New American, but many guests will also notice a pronounced Asian influence. Bright, colorful, and casual, Kona has a touch of Las Vegas, with lots of lighting, image screens, TV screens, and polished metal. The restaurant is laid out to hold different dining areas, including a patio, each with special touches. Among the most eye catching features in the restaurant are its impressive 150 gallon fish tank, a striking bubble tank, and 14 television screens. An unusually long bar seems to fit in with Kona’s policy of two happy hours, instead of one as is traditional. The happy hours are from 3 pm to 6 pm and from 9 pm to 11 pm and are coupled with several dish specials.

Kona’s inventive creations include macadamia nut chicken with pineapple-papaya sauce, an authentic jambalaya and a fat Kahuna burger. Other menu selections include steaks, sandwiches, pizzas, and salads, and you can start with pot stickers, spicy calamari or Thai chicken satay. The sushi menu incorporates traditional favorites and specialty items, and there are many Asian entrees like the miso-sake sea bass with shrimp & pork fried rice and pan-Asian ratatouille.

Bazille

Nordstrom Bazille serves bistro food, with contemporary American and Caribbean influences, in a stylish and comfortable restaurant, with a dining room, full service bar, and seating area. Dramatic, delicate flavors mix with the casually sophisticated atmosphere, and there is an incredible range of good options from the menu. So it’s easy to please everyone here.

Choose from Philly cheesesteak sliders, BBQ meatloaf with garlic mash, a variety of steaks, spicy shrimp linguini or the roasted wild salmon and mushroom herb risotto. There are a whole selection of amazing fresh salads and incredible French onion and crab bisque soup.

Nordstrom also features Habitant, an informal bar-lounge experience, offering light snacks, a glass of wine or craft cocktail. There is a great view over San Jose Lagoon from here as well. The eBar at Nordstrom offers steaming artisan coffee, fresh pastries, smoothies and packaged sandwiches and salads.

You will definitely find something to eat, so bring your appetite to The Mall of San Juan.