The Location Of The Best US Restaurant Might Surprise You

The best restaurant in the United States is located somewhere you might not have thought.

By Whitney White | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

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If you’re looking for some of the country’s best places to eat, you’ll definitely want to give Bacoa a try. Bacoa takes rustic whimsy and turns it into culinary perfection with once-in-a-lifetime dinners that are hard to forget. But the location of this eatery isn’t exactly where everyone expects. 

Leslie Cofresi, a bar owner, recently spent the wee hours of a night at La Factora. This world-renowned bar located is in the Puerto Rican capital. The next day, he and a friend drove for an hour across the countryside’s lush tropical hills. Once they made it through the slopes, they stopped at a red-roofed farmhouse in a clearing beside a pond. 

Bacoa, a restaurant, opened in August 2019. This past January, Lucas Sin, took a $100 taxi from San Juan directly to Bacoa. After being there for nearly four hours, he then took another $100 taxi back. Upon getting back, it was clear that he characterized the restaurant as one of America’s best.

Sin said the meal was likely one of the best out of the last two years and certainly one he was going to remember for the rest of his life. He even went on to say that the meal was on par some of the more well-known fine-dining eateries like New York’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns. Blue Hill is frequently cited as one of the best restaurants in the country.

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Bacoa is the type of restaurant that many people grow up dreaming about owning. Since they’re cooking primarily for locals, the restaurant ends up being a favorite among locals and tourists alike thanks to their specialization in certain flavors and seasonings. In rural Puerto Rico, life revolves around casual cookouts known as cocinaos, which are frequently accompanied by hogueras (bonfires). 

Chinchorros are roadside shacks that provide savory appetizers like empanadas. A chinchorreo, more commonly referred to as a pub crawl, is a weekend tradition that usually occurs on the weekends. According to the most respected chef on the island, Mara Dolores de Jess, who owns a burén restaurant. Bacoa’s continuation and re-popularization of burén cooking is a success for Puerto Rico and its tourists. There is a lot of joy in watching younger generations connect with older traditions, older realities, and older truths, and Mara Dolores de Jess enjoys it all too well. 

On a recent visit to Kochi, a Michelin-starred Korean restaurant in New York, Marichal was wowed with lamb skewers. In Barcelona, Pacheco is served with basic bread and tomato. Bacoa used to offer fried rennet, a traditional Brazilian food. Bacoa’s strength resides in its attitude to the intrepid traveler’s yearning for connection amid erratic schedules. 

Even if the best restaurant in the United States is located in the Puerto Rican rainforest, Bacoa is both a concept and a reality. For those who feel a little perplexed or uneasy, there’s always the excitement in knowing you can travel back when you feel more at ease. Just keep in mind that many of the best places to eat in Puerto Rico will likely have very unique dining rooms, such as antiques from the area’s past, the owners’ history, and local attire.

Diners who eat at a local restaurant may discover a hidden ‘Gem’ of an experience that they won’t get at a franchise or chain restaurant. The ‘Excitement’ of not knowing what to expect as a first-time client makes for an interesting or rewarding evening, whether it’s a simple service, a unique meal on the menu, the ambiance of the surroundings, or just the theme of the local establishment. What are you waiting for? Bacoa is calling your name.