La Casita Blanca, Traditional restaurant in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
La Casita Blanca is a restaurant in the Santurce neighborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico, serving a rotating selection of dishes written by hand on a Spanish menu. The tables are covered with patterned plastic tablecloths, giving the space a plain and unpretentious feel.
La Casita Blanca was the first restaurant in Puerto Rico to receive the James Beard Foundation Award, which brought it international attention. This recognition placed it firmly on the map of Caribbean food history.
The menu at La Casita Blanca reflects Puerto Rican home cooking, with dishes like salt cod stew, fried beef, and onion steak served alongside rice and beans. These meals are rooted in everyday family cooking and have been passed down through generations.
The restaurant sits on Calle Tapia in Santurce and is open mainly at lunchtime, with longer service on weekends. Since the menu changes daily, arriving early gives you the best chance of finding the dishes you want.
Every meal starts with complimentary fried plantain bites and plantain soup offered to all guests at the table. At the end of the meal, a small shot of white rum mixed with anise liqueur is served, closing the experience with a long-standing Caribbean tradition.
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