Chef Marisoll (San Juan; tel. 787/725-7454): One of Puerto Rico's best chefs, Marisoll Hernández, prepares Old Town's finest cuisine in this Spanish colonial building in the heart of the historic district. With a strong background in classic cooking, she has expanded her repertoire to include innovative and memorable dishes, including curried chicken with fried sweet bananas, homemade mango chutney, and saffron risotto. Or try her grilled swordfish with calamata olives.

Parrot Club (San Juan; tel. 787/725-7370): This recent addition to the San Juan scene has already been claimed as one of the finest and most innovative restaurants on the island. Its chef serves a Nuevo Latino cuisine that is a happy medley of Puerto Rican delights, drawing upon the Spanish, African, and even Taíno influences of the island. Menu items are based on updated interpretations of old-fashioned regional dishes--everything from criola-styled flank steak to a pan-seared tuna served with a sauce of dark rum and essence of oranges.

Ramiro's (San Juan; tel. 787/721-9049): Chef Jesús Ramiro has some of the most innovative cookery along the Condado beachfront strip, along with the city's best wine list. Ramiro has made his culinary reputation with such dishes as quail stuffed with lamb in a port sauce and lamb loin in a tamarind coriander sauce, both equally delectable. His dessert menu is two pages long, including the town's best soufflés. His death-by-chocolate mousse on a green grape leaf is equaled only by his caramelized fresh mango napoleon.

Ajili Mójili (San Juan; tel. 787/725-9195): Also on the Condado beachfront, Ajili Mójili provides the most refined interpretation of classic Puerto Rican cookery on the island. Locals find it evocative of the food they enjoyed at their mother's table. Examples include mofongos, green plantains stuffed with veal, chicken, shrimp, or pork. The chefs take that cliche dish, arroz con pollo (stewed chicken with saffron rice), and raise it to celestial levels. The restaurant takes its name from the lemon-garlic sweet chili salsa that's traditionally served here with fish or meat.

Augusto's Cuisine (San Juan; tel. 787/725-7700): Originally from Austria, much-awarded chef August Schreiner is a five-time winner of El Nuevo Día's Five Fork Award, honoring the island's great chefs. Try any of his lobster or game dishes, such as venison. His chocolate soufflé Grand Marnier is the island's finest. His mother may not have taught him how to make one of the city's best seafood paellas, but somebody did--or else he invented it himself.

The Landing (Barrios Puntas/Playa Antonio; tel. 787/823-3112): One of the best dining spots along the western coast of Puerto Rico, this restaurant has a setting like a stylish private home. Its international cuisine draws hundreds of patrons nightly who enjoy jerk chicken and lobster kebabs, among other dishes, while taking in a view of Ricón legendary surf.

El Ancla (Ponce; tel. 787/840-2450): One of the best restaurants along the southern coast, this is the best place to go for regional specialties and fresh seafood. The cuisine is prepared with zest and flavor, as exemplified by its red snapper stuffed with shrimp and lobster. The chef specializes in paella for two persons and makes a wicked sautéed conch, which one frequent habitué calls "sexy conch."