5 Best Restaurants in Vieques and Culebra, Puerto Rico

Overlooking the Caribbean in Esperanza and geared to tourists, this longtime, open-air favorite has playful rain-forest murals climbing its walls. Claim a spot at one of the curvy, teal-colored, concrete tables or under an umbrella out front, and order the red snapper sandwich (popular at lunchtime) or the jerk chicken. Salads are excellent, including the Caribbean (field greens with mango, avocado, and plantain), but be sure to save room for the namesake dish: deep-fried bananas with finger-lickin' hot honey sauce. When the sun goes down, Bananas is one of the hot spots on this side of the island.

This restaurant takes its name from the nearby site of Culebra's heaviest traffic—the arrival and departure of the water taxi. The menu leans toward grilled meats, from hamburgers and wraps to sirloin steaks. If you're stopping by for lunch, make sure it's before 3, when the kitchen closes to prepare for dinner. Daily specials often highlight the restaurant's forte: creole-style seafood, including swordfish and yellowtail, as well as lobster. The adjacent open-air bar is usually packed with expats and a whole cast of local characters. It can get noisy, and the service is anything but doting, so don't expect a quiet dinner for two.

At some point during your time in Vieques, you should end up at Duffy's, the island's most popular hangout, where customers tend to sit elbow-to-elbow around the bar (the owner is a real character, and locals love to to chew the fat with him). Don't dismiss the food, though: in addition to burgers, fries, and other standards, there are chalkboard specials like conch fritters, scallop ceviche, grilled rib eye, or pan-seared pork loin—all a cut above the usual beach fare. Wraps, sandwiches, and fried finger foods round out the menu.

Pull your dinghy up to the dock, and watch the resident iguanas plod past this simple, open-air, tin-roof restaurant on a rough-plank deck beside the Dewey canal. Tarpon cruise past, and the to-and-fro of boaters completes the show at Culebra's favorite watering hole and gringo hangout. Mamacita's menu changes nightly; though heavy on burgers and sandwiches, it includes some excellent seafood. Hours vary by season.

This unassuming lunch spot is a favorite for locals. They serve classic Puerto Rican dishes from a takeout counter with generous servings at an affordable price. You can dine in or take your food to-go.