Weekends are for brunching — chatting with friends, digging into a delicious stack of syrup-drizzled pancakes, lingering over a café con leche, zesty Bloody Mary or a fruity mimosa. Fortunately, Puerto Rico knows how to brunch, and there are a plethora of chic and cozy restaurants where the food is both delicious and highly Instagrammable.

Soda Estudio de Cocina is a charismatic and unique restaurant tucked away in Cuevillas St. in Miramar, just a few blocks from the Fine Arts Cinema Café. Its eclectic decor, laid-back atmosphere, unique charm, and great food touted as urban creole make it a perfect place to enjoy brunch and connect with friends.

Some of the best menu items include steak and eggs with a side of truffle fries; pastrami, Serrano ham, and mozzarella cheese; the egg breakfast pizza; asparagus-wrapped bacon with eggs and hollandaise sauce; the mac & bacon cheese omelet; or whatever your little heart hungry heart desires.

Combine these delicacies with Soda’s delicious mimosa mojito or watermelon Moscow mule to spice up your dining experience. Brunch hours are every weekend from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Looking for a seriously good brunch spot? Look no further and visit Choices Restaurant at the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino in the Convention Center district. It’s sophisticated yet casual with live music and traditional brunch choices with a creative twist.

Try the crab cake Benedict, or the Brunch Burger prepared with sweet Mallorca bread rolls, bacon, cheese, topped with crispy onions and eggs, or the fantastic Guava pancakes, or the Boricua Omelet with pork, local white cheese, and tomato avocado salad topping. All are absolutely yummy! And all dishes come with a complimentary Mimosa. The brunch menu is available every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Over in the Condado, widely known as a chic tourist area with fabulous beaches, shops, and hotels in the heart of San Juan, there is a slice of brunch heaven called Blonda for those with pure food indulgence in mind.

This cozy and modern restaurant serves lobster frittata; doughnut sliders; chicken and waffles; pancakes with bananas, strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream or Nutella; ranchero eggs; salmon Eggs Benedict; and an incredible French toast prepared with thick-sliced bread topped with caramel sauce, strawberries, and vanilla or Nutella. Brunch hour is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

With the Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop, Ola Oceanfront Bistro at the sophisticated Condado Vanderbilt Hotel provides the exquisite and unique flavors of Puerto Rican fare.

Its Sunday buffet brunch with live entertainment is out of this world with dishes prepared with the freshest products.
Enjoy fluffy pancakes, frittatas, chicken escabeche or Paella del Campo made with chorizo, pork, ham, chickpeas and plantains accompanied by artisanal bread, fresh fruit, assorted fresh pastries, or bacon.

Combine these classic brunch favorites with bottomless mimosas or signature cocktails like the spicy Bloody Mary, Mai Tai, Old Fashioned, Perfect Martini or Dark and Stormy – made with dark rum, ginger beer, and lime. Sunday brunch is from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

And you can never go wrong with the Boozy Brunch Party at Serafina San Juan every Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy breakfast and lunch dishes like delicious orange-cinnamon brioche French toast, lemon ricotta pancakes, smoked salmon benedict and steak and fabulous eggs accompanied by a lively stream of Bloody Mary’s, mimosa’s and more.

Bring your friends and make an afternoon at Serafina as your new weekend kick-off tradition.

Looking for something different for brunch that is available all day, than Pannes in Condado may be a perfect option. When visiting ask for the “French Mess,” made with three fried eggs, bacon, melted cheese served between two French toasts with cream cheese. Mmmm what a delicious mess! Or try the Brunch Burger where a beef patty is topped off with bacon, onions and an egg or the famous Ashford Special Royal, which consists of French toast with Nutella and 
fresh fruit.

Fresh squeezed fruit nectar and Prosecco make for one refreshing brunch Bellini. But why not pair your morning feast with a glass of Sicily. It’s made with lime juice, simple syrup, Luxardo Maraschino Liquor, angostura bitters, and vodka. Or try the Julius Caesar cocktail with Cynar, Fernet Branca, red grapefruit, and vodka – all perfect concoctions to sip on while eating at Nonna Cucina Rustica.

This inviting restaurant located on San Jorge St. in Santurce has a similar vibe to Italian bistros found in NYC mostly due to its exquisite five-star cuisine.

Whether you’re looking for delicious steak and fried eggs; frittata with mushrooms; Eggs Benedict with red potatoes as a side; or flavorsome French toast made with homemade brioche bread overflowing with almonds and fruit than Cucina Rustica is the place to go. Sunday brunch hour is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Isla Verde boasts the best beaches and water sports in the metro area, but Bistro Café rules the brunch scene. Its menu is exceptional, and its options satisfy those with a sweet tooth or a salty side.

The Mendoza consists of scrambled eggs with longaniza and mixed veggies and the irresistible Romeo and Juliet, a French toast dish full of cream cheese, bacon, fruit, and Nutella. And you can’t forget to point out the 2 for 1 mimosas. Brunch hours are from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There’s no doubt that San Juan’s plate is full of fresh brunch options and its restless chefs are turning the city into the nation’s breakfast capital.

There are way too many excellent places to have brunch especially in the artsy and hipster town of Santurce like Gallo Negro. The restaurant is famous for its mac and cheese prawns and French toast made with Mallorca bread and Barrilito rum.

Abracadabra Counter Café with the perennial brunch favorite of scrambled eggs with veggies and goat cheese, French toast made with brioche bread topped with fruits and whipped cream.

And there’s Tostado with its breakfast bowel cooked in a mini cauldron with spinach, mixed veggies, and goat cheese topped with two fried eggs.

Best in the West

Over on the west coast, famous for its beautiful beaches, stunning sunsets, tranquil turquoise waters and colorful reefs with active marine life, is the famous bakery Levain Artisan Breads in Aguadilla. This shop serves a no-frills brunch menu on Sundays full of traditional comfort foods at its next door Debut Cocina Rustica venue.

Here you will find the best lattes, breakfast sandwiches as well as the classic Eggs Benedict served with a side of home fries and greens, pan fried brioche with eggs and bacon and of course the all-time favorite Croque Madame sandwich made with three kinds of bread with ham, gruyere cheese, and béchamel sauce topped with a fried egg.

Uva Playa Restaurant in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico’s third largest city, is a casual and stylish eatery perfectly positioned at the water’s edge where you can enjoy an expansive view of the Atlantic Ocean through its large windows or outdoor terrace.

You can’t go wrong with ordering its simple brunch options perfect for the hungry or hung-over and make sure you order the passion fruit sangria or coconut mojitos which are dangerously delightful.

For those who love to eat, the English Rose in Rincon is one of the best places to get your brunch on. This lovely quaint restaurant located inside a country inn has a Caribbean feel with old English charm. Even though the venue is small, it makes up for its size with breathtaking panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea and its artistic menu.

A must-try is the Full Monty; a classic British breakfast combo made with bacon, homemade pork sausage, two eggs any style, oven-crisped potatoes with butter, caramelized onions, and cabbage with a slice of toast. Or opt for the Encore Eggs Benedict (poached eggs on an English muffin, Canadian bacon, and hollandaise) or the Benny Hill that substitutes the bacon for smoked salmon.

English Rose has an impressive menu and only opens for breakfast and brunch from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and is often packed with people. If anything, take that as a marker of great food.

Southern Comfort

Ponce es Ponce (Ponce is Ponce), a simple yet telling Puerto Rican saying about the second oldest city of Puerto Rico. And Lola Eclectic Cuisine is simple and all about brunch.

If you’re hungry for more than just bites, La Plaza three-egg fluffy omelet is the way to go. It’s served with ham, bacon, Italian sausage, tomato, green peppers and American cheese. The French toast is made with Puerto Rican criollo bread. What can be more savory? After stuffing your tummy, a walk around the city of Ponce, known as the Pearl of the South, will make you feel the magic of this city with its elegant neoclassical and European style architecture.

At Melao Coffee Shop at the Ponce Plaza Hotel and Casino, their all-day breakfast and brunch menu (from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.) appeals to both the novice and foodie through classic comfort fare, all-encompassing a key ingredient, eggs.

Signature dishes include Mallorca bread filled with eggs, ham, and American cheese; the Melao Omelet with ham, bacon, Italian sausage, tomato, green peppers and American cheese with a side of sautéed potatoes; the classic scrambled eggs wrap; and the Spanish Florentine Omelet made with spinach, tomato, mushrooms, peppers, and muenster cheese.

Or try the sweet treats like a home-style French toast with loads of powdery white sugar, maple syrup, and fresh strawberries. The fluffy flapjacks or light waffles are perfect with Nutella, whipped cream and fresh fruit with a side of crispy bacon. But the headliner of this star-studded cast of multi-faceted delectables is 
the coffee.

The menu features a variety of hot beverage options like espresso, café Bombon (espresso with sweetened condensed milk), macchiato with a dash of milk, latte, American, American cappuccino, Italian cappuccino, chai latte, mocha latte, Mexican spiced cocoa, and hot chocolate. Also, house-crafted natural juices, smoothies, Acai bowls and more.

Over in Guanica, you can enjoy the shimmering coastline and swimming pool area of Copamarina Beach Resort and Spa while you tuck into a delicious pork sandwich on sweet Mallorca bread basted with garlic and pepper sauce, and Swiss cheese accompanied by corn fritters at Alexandra restaurant.

The delicious brunch menu (every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) offers bottomless mimosas and live music. Looking for an egg dish with a twist than try the steak and eggs with a side of fries or the smoked salmon and boiled eggs with purple onions, olives, and toast with a side of tomato and asparagus salad with lemon dressing. Buen Provecho.