Puerto Rico’s Pork Highway, La Ruta del Lechon (Local Guide)

🐖 Jump to: About Pork Highway | Tips to Visit | Where to Stay | Restaurants | Attractions | FAQ

Puerto Rico’s Pork Highway is where food, culture, nature, and party lovers meet in Puerto Rico. 

This gastronomic route between the mountain town of Cayey and Patillas is where you’ll find Puerto Rico’s best-roasted pork. Renowned figures like Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern rated this area as one of the best places to visit in Puerto Rico to enjoy Puerto Rican food.

As a Puerto Rico local, I’m here to help you find the best places to eat and the best attractions on the Pork Highway.

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About Puerto Rico’s Pork Highway

Puerto Rico’s Pork Highway, known in Spanish as La Ruta del Lechón, refers to a gastronomic route located between Cidra and Patillas in PR-184. The route’s name comes from the multiple lechoneras in it, restaurants that sell Puerto Rican-style roasted pig. 

As a result, you will see complete pigs roasting in each restaurant window. But, you will also find a long line of side dishes that include root vegetables, blood sausage, fried green plantains, and rice with pigeon peas. 

On the weekends, the lechoneras have a lively atmosphere with live music, entertainment, and salsa dancing. On these days, not only will you enjoy the best Puerto Rican cuisine, but you’ll also get to experience the best of local culture. 

You can choose to eat at one lechonera, or you can hop between the multiple roadside eateries. Although there are two other “pork highways” in Puerto Rico, the most popular one is the one in PR-184 also known as Guavate, one of the neighborhoods where it’s located. 

You can visit either by taking this tour that goes to the Pork Highway, or by renting a car with Discover Cars in San Juan and driving yourself.

Tips for Visiting the Pork Highway in Puerto Rico

Tip #1 – Rent a Car

The best way to visit the pork highway is to rent a car in Puerto Rico. There aren’t many Puerto Rico tours that take you to the mountainous region. And even if you find a tour that takes you to Guavate, it’ll hardly make as many stops as you’d like.

 If you have multiple stops in your itinerary and you want as much flexibility as possible, you’re better off renting a car. 

You can use Discover Cars to compare Puerto Rico car rental agencies and to find the best rate per day.

Tip #2 – Or Take a Tour

If, however, you’re afraid of driving on curvy roads in the mountains, then driving through Puerto Rico’s Pork Highway isn’t for you. That doesn’t mean you can’t visit at all! 

This Lechonera Hiking Tour to Infinity Pool takes you to one of Puerto Rico’s waterfalls and the Lechoneras in Guavate. You can also browse more .

Tip #3 – Know Your Spanish

Although most Puerto Ricans speak and understand English, you might have a harder time communicating in the mountainous region than in the tourist side of San Juan. Knowing a few phrases or words can help you out with ordering food and asking for directions.  

Tip #4 – Choose the Best Time to Visit

If you’re looking for that party atmosphere Puerto Rico is famous for, you should visit the Pork Highway during the weekends. From Friday to Sunday, most restaurants and bars in the area sport live bands and lots of dancing. 

For a quieter atmosphere and to have attractions to yourself, visit during the weekdays. But, keep in mind some attractions and restaurants might be closed.

📅 Related Reading: The Best Times and Months to Visit Puerto Rico

Tip #5 – Go Beyond The Restaurants

While its restaurants are the main draw, there is so much more to the Puerto Rico Pork Highway. 

The Pork Highway extends through Cidra, Cayey, and Patillas. In the region, you will find beautiful Puerto Rico attractions, including Puerto Rico waterfalls, farms, and nature reserves. You’ll also be a short ride from the Carite Forest, ideal for hiking and relaxing in the outdoors of Puerto Rico.

Tip #6 – Download Maps Offline

If you’re planning on driving beyond Lechonera El Rancho Original in the direction of Patillas, then download your maps offline. 

The reception is spotty and often non-existent in the areas surrounding the Carite Forest. As you continue to drive south, you’ll be around 20 minutes without phone reception.

Tip #7 – Carry Motion-Sickness Medicine

The more you drive in La Ruta del Lechón, the curvier and narrower the roads get. 

If you or the passengers in your car are prone to motion sickness, then it’s recommended to carry motion sickness medicine. Intentionally stopping frequently, whether it’s at attractions or restaurants, helps to get a breather from all the curves.

Tip #8 – Try “Cuerito” and Other Local Dishes

If you’re trying the roasted pork, make sure to ask for “cuerito” which is the pork’s crispy skin. When you ask for pork, it’s usually sold in pounds, so you can ask for “1 libra de lechón”. 

You shouldn’t miss on other local delicacies like pasteles, which is a type of dough made of green banana, pumpkin, and yautía, packed in banana leaves and boiled similarly to tamales.

Tip #9 – Hop from Restaurant to Restaurant

If you’re a real foodie, instead of staying in a single lechonera, hop from restaurant to restaurant to try different variations of the local Puerto Rican cuisine. Arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), sweet plantains, roots like cassava plant, tostones, and mofongo, are some of the best Puerto Rico foods you’ll find in Guavate.

Tip #10 – Find Safe Parking

Although most lechoneras, bars, and restaurants in the area have ample parking, during the weekends, the area gets so crowded it might be hard to find a spot in the smaller locations. In some areas, you might be able to park on the roadside, but be careful not to obstruct the traffic. 

Tip #11 – Beware if You’re Sensitive

While you’re sure to find a great meal in Guavate, it’s also true that the most flavorful Puerto Rican food is heavily seasoned with garlic, pepper, salt, and other spices. 

Plus, most meals are high in carbs and fat. A good alternative to rice or pork is root plants like the cassava plant, which is marinated in olive oil, pepper, and onions.

Where to Stay Near the Pork Highway in Puerto Rico

Best Pork Highway Hotels & Rentals

If instead of going on a road trip you want to stay in the Puerto Rico mountainsand immerse yourself in the local cuisine, there are plenty of hotels and rentals to choose from nearby La Ruta del Lechón. 

Here are some of the best places to stay along the Pork Highway:

• 💵 Budget – Campo Alto
• 🏩 Mid-Range – Four Points by Sheraton Caguas Real
• 💑 For Couples – Romantic Cabin

For more, see my full guide to where to stay around Puerto Rico.

Best Pork Highway Restaurants

From the classic lechoneras with whole pigs exhibited in the kitchen to small food kiosks, you’ll find a bit of everything in Guavate’s Pork Highway. 

Here are some Pork Highway restaurants you shouldn’t miss:

• 🐖 Lechonera El Rancho Original – Puerto Rican culture at its finest. Enjoy roast pork, marinated and later roasted for hours over coal. 
• 🐖 El Nuevo Rancho – Live music during the weekends, and moist flavorful pork meat with a variety of traditional side dishes to enjoy.
• 🐖 Lechonera Los Pinos – Visited by Anthony Bourdain, this restaurant is known for its authentic Puerto Rican food.

• 🐖 Lechonera El Mojito – Plenty of space and outdoor seating to enjoy roast pork and it’s one of the easiest lechoneras to reach in the gastronomic route.
• 🐖 El Zinchorro – Great atmosphere for visiting with your family and enjoying the traditional lechón. But, mofongo is also one of the top dishes of the house. 
• 🐖 Lechonera Los Primos – Not only does it sell great food and lechón, but it also has live music on the weekends and nearby souvenir shops.
• 🐖 La Placita de Guavate – This place is the best to sip on a Piña Colada with a view of the mountains. The pork chops are particularly popular.

• 🐖 Casita Guavate – A mix and match of Puerto Rican traditional dishes like roast pork with other international favorites like mac and cheese.
• 🐖 Doctor Lechón – One of the easiest lechoneras to visit in Guavate, with a varied menu and drinks served in an IV drip.
• 🐖 Lechonera Los Amigos – Just off the highway, famous for its roasted pig, sausage, and roasted chicken.

Best Pork Highway Attractions

Besides eating and tasting the lechón that has earned cult status among locals and foodies, you can also visit the spots in and near the gastronomic route. Below are some of them:

• Los Tres Reyes – These large sculptures are visible from PR-184, but you can also see them up close. Behind the sculptures, there is a small workshop. 
• Charco Azul – Charco Azul is a beautiful waterhole a short drive from Guavate.
• Carite Forest – Great for hiking and soaking in nature.

• Shops – Next to Lechonera El Rancho Original and Lechonera Los Primos you will find multiple shops where you can buy souvenirs.
• Hacienda Muñoz – In under 40 minutes, you can reach Hacienda Muñoz, one of the main Puerto Rico coffee farms.
• Las Tetas de Cayey – Located in the small town of Salinas, this is one of the best Puerto Rico hiking and climbing destinations.