Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(Calle Méndez Vigo; cones $1-3)
Rex is a small Puerto Rican ice-cream chain that was
founded in Mayagüez in the 1960s by Chinese immigrants who came to the island via Costa
Rica. This signature store near the central plaza is still something of a local tradition and
gets full, particularly on public holidays. Among the numerous weird and wonderful fla-
vors you can sample are corn sherbet and tamarind.
Ricomini Bakery
BAKERY, CAFE $
(101 Calle Méndez Vigo; dishes $2-8; 5am-1am)
The Ricomini bakery and deli has
been on this corner for well over a century and is still packing them in. A place with a
lunch counter, some tables and basic groceries, this is a de facto social hub of downtown
Mayagüez: deals are made here, relationships forged (and broken), and gossip boisterously
exchanged. The deals are good too; you can roll up for steaming coffee, scrambled eggs,
a slice of the famous
brazo gitano
or a delicious toasted Cubano sandwich, stacked with
ham, roasted pork, cheese and pickles.
Vegetariano La Familia
VEGETARIAN $
( 787-833-7571; 151 José de Diego; mains $5-12; )
Bankers, teachers, students,
office workers and itinerant travelers - they all line up here at another Mayagüez classic
where the portions are huge, the tastes are rustic and the price is…well…peanuts. The
lunch buffet on its own is a sight to behold - tofu dishes and salads stretching across a
big table. Then there are the rice dishes, the pasta, the beans and the strangely tasty vegan
lasagna. Even incurable carnivores have been known to lick their lips.
Sangria de Fido
BAR, CAFE
(75CalleDulievre,offHwy106; 6pm-lateWed-Sat)
Wilfrido 'Fido' Aponte became
something of a local legend for his potent sangria - a blend of Bacardi 151 and extraordin-
arily sweet tropical fruit juice. The drink grew such a cultish following that, according to
boozy locals, Bacardi offered a king's ransom for the recipe, which Fido refused. His heirs
still produce a few varieties of the 'wine cocktail' and sell them out of a garage in a res-
idential neighborhood of Mayagüez. It's delicious stuff, but the high sugar content ensures
a memorable hangover. A small on-site cafe also serves food. To find this place, head east
out of town on Hwy 106 and turn left into a residential neighborhood on Arturo Gigante.
Make a left on Dulievre.
