Where Do You Find the Best Piña Colada in Puerto Rico? 

This week was National Piña Colada day. And while I don’t usually wade into these arbitrary calendrical celebrations, it did remind me of a longtime dispute in Puerto Rico: namely, the birthplace of the Piña Colada. 

You see, there are two competing stories about its origins, though the recipe is not up for dispute. 

First, the story that Ramon Marrero, the bartender at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, invented the mix in 1954. 

But then there’s the other one, a tale that anyone who’s well-traveled in Old San Juan will also know: inscribed in stone on Calle Fortaleza is a sign bearing a history that the drink was born in 1963, created at what is now the Barrachina Restaurant, by bartender Don Ramon Portas Mingot. 

It’s a claim that’s never been settled (and some apocryphal stories suggest a similar cocktail mix actually predates both histories). 

The beauty, of course, is that you can visit and try both cocktails on a trip to Puerto Rico’s capital. 

At the iconic Caribe Hilton, the best bet is to slide up to the lobby bar and order one. The result is always solid, if unspectacular. To be sure, having one in a place with real piña colada history is something of a thrill. 

But then you head to Barrachina, and, well, things change. 

Set in a courtyard off Fortaleza, Barrachina oozes charm, a centuries-old building where you feel the soul of Puerto Rico.

And then you ask for a piña colada, and you get something rather remarkable indeed. The first distinction? These PCs are made in frozen drink machines, mixing coconut cream and pineapple juice in a constant cycle. 

When the order comes in, this ice-cold blend gets the party piece: my favorite rum (and the favorite of all rum-versed locals) — the island’s legendary Ron del Barrilito. It’s the latter that’s the major difference maker — compared to Bacardi or Don Q, the rum (which comes in two or three-star expressions, always ask for the 3) has endless personality, with lovely notes of caramel, toffee and butterscotch and, perhaps most significantly, the strength that comes from being 86-proof. 

When you compare the two Piña Coladas, it’s not really a contest. (I should add that Barrachina’s mofongo is also outstanding — and is worthy partner to the Piña Colada.

The verdict? Barrachina wins hands down. 

And after one or two of these, you’ll forget all about that ongoing cocktail dispute. 

And if you’ve tried both in one day, well, you’ve made your own kind of history.