Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
Organic
Latin American, Puerto Rican
Non-veg
Serves meat, vegan options available. Offers many vegetarian items in addition to some fish. Vegan upon request. Reopened January 2024. Open Tue-Thu 11:30am-4:00pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-3:00pm, 5:30pm-10:00pm.
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107 Calle Tetuan, Old San Juan (at Calle Cruz), San Juan, Puerto Rico
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- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 13 Mar 2024 by kghoyt
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Added by Ethan on 31 Mar 2012
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22 Reviews
First Review by Ethan
Conchimf
Points +16
Comida deliciosa precio caro - Edit
La comida estaba muy buena, te quedas con ganas de comer más de lo buena que está. Tienen productos frescos y ofrecen diversas opciones veganas muy sabrosas. Pedimos un ceviche de tomate y el tamaño del plato fue muy escaso. El local es caro si vas tienes que saberlo. La experiencia fue bastante positiva, el trato genial.
Read morePros: Deliciosa, con productos frescos, Recetas locales, Productos de km0
Cons: El precio, El tamaño del cebiche
Guest
TanamaRo
Points +30
El menú cambió... no hay casi opciones veganas - Edit
El nombre del restaurante y el que esté en Happy Cow hace pensar que hay más opciones veganas, lo cual NO es cierto.
Read morePros: Los jugos., La ensalada es fresca (farm to table), El trato
Cons: No hay opciones veganas, solo 1 o 2., Solo pretenden que comamos ensalada, Las fotos aquí son de hacen 10 años atrás.
Guest
KatherineWinter
Points +1410
Expensive but good - Edit
There is only one item that can be vegan on the menu-their namesake rice dish. It was very tasty, but perhaps not tasty enough for the price. The staff was friendly and the decoration is interesting.
Read moreGuest
JillBelsanPoston
Points +539
House special rice very good - Edit
They understand vegan. The rice without the cheese was excellent.
Read morePros: Great flavor , Cute atmosphere
Cons: Pricey for lunch, Charge for water
Guest
moofasaurus
Points +44
Great vibes - Edit
This place is so accommodating!! They ask what allergies/diets everyone has before taking orders which is very appreciated. No issue whatsoever to change up menu items & make them vegan. The red elixir is refreshing and delicious. Along with the tomato starter. I loved how cute this place was, def Instagram worthy. Not to mention the food is also beautifully presented. Don't miss out if you're visiting old San Juan!
Read morePros: Options!, Presentation, Environment
Guest
MeganWelms
Points +41
Don’t miss out on this gem!!!!🙌🏽 - Edit
First things first, this place is absolutely adorable.
Read moreThe food was not only absolutely stunning but it was hands down the best food I had in Puerto Rico
Pros: The menu is short and sweet (we came for lunch) , Best salad I’ve had in a minute. , Super friendly and knowledgeable staff
Cons: Limited seating but totally worth the wait!!
Guest
RaySmullen
Points +57
Awesome place in a crazy city - Edit
Wonderful experience, great food, ambiance and chic decor...awesome experience
Read morePros: This place is freaking awesome
Cons: Amazing staff
Guest
gizelle617
Points +1618
Hidden gem - Edit
Great food, service, and vibe. We’d definitely come back.
Read morePros: Vegan options , Beautiful vintage decor , Amazing staff
Cons: Pricey, Smaller portions
Guest
gracepetr
Points +28
The NICEST staff - Edit
Only 1 or 2 salads on the menu come vegan, the rest you have to modify to make vegan. The staff here are SO kind and so happy to modify the dishes to make them vegan. A bit on the pricey side but the whole place is decorated so cute. I had the Arroz Verde Mesa and it was pretty good. Overall it isn’t the MOST vegan friendly menu but the staff and the ambiance make up for it. If you’re looking for something in the area it’s a nice stop!
Read morePros: Happily modify things to make vegan
Cons: Expensive, Not super veg friendly menu
Guest
mjrnk
Points +109
Delicious local food, pricy - Edit
They have good local vegan food. Not the cheapest place and portions are small but the experience is lovely. I likes the ambiance and nice staff. Definitely a must if you go to Old San Juan
Read morePros: Lots of artisanal vegan options, Menu changes often
Cons: Expensive, Small portions
Guest
mjrnyc
Points +16
Never again - Edit
And I can’t blame the chef. The food was interesting. We enter a half empty restaurant and the Maitre d’ a portly women who was very impressed with herself says it will he a half hour wait. The restaurant was half empty. As to why we couldn’t have one of the empty table she replied they are for chef. As the better dinner options are limited in San Juan we waited. And waited. She waddled over to get us and we were seated. They she tells us in an attitude where she thinks we are there to see her and not to eat dinner. Time to order drinks. Or so I thought. They had no olives. I asked for a flat bottom glass. I never received the drink. Maybe it would have made dinner go down easier. Throughout the dinner, while I was engaged in intense conversation with my dinner companion, we were constantly interrupted by additional wait staff, here I am, listen to me. I guess they didn’t learn it’s not about the waitstaff it’s about the food. It got so bad, one of the four servers introducing themselves, interrupting our conversation that when they appeared Next i frowned at them and put my finger to my lips telling them to shut up. I feel sorry for the chef as the food is interesting. The waitstaff is not.
Read morePros: Food
Cons: Maitre ‘d, Waitstaff
Guest
celiasky
Points +15
Good veg/an options - Edit
I don't know that I would give this restaurant 4 stars were it not in a place that isn't vegetarian friendly. It is a great option if you are dining with a non-vegetarian as they have a lot of fish on the menu. I got the famous fried rice, which was good but not mind-blowing. I was a bit disappointed by the small portion of chickpeas on the side. The desserts were amazing, but not vegan. Very cute inside. We went at the end of lunch so it wasn't crowded at all. Interesting drinks menu (full bar).
Read morePros: great staff, very open to substitutions and menu q
Guest
ChristinaKaras
Points +116
Pretty good, but expected more - Edit
We heard great things about Verde Mesa and decided to check it out for our last night in San Juan.
Read moreIt was really hot inside, noticeably hotter than outside, even though it was late at night. It would be nice if they had more temperature control than a couple ceiling fans, considering it is an upscale restaurant.
They offer interesting and creative drinks, including one made with purple basil. I got the jackfruit gazpacho as an appetizer which was tasty and cool. This is clearly a pescetarian restaurant; none of the menu entrees were vegan without asking for omissions. I got their signature rice dish and my partner ordered a mushroom dish from the specials. Both were really delicious and well-executed, though the portions were a bit small. Pricing was reasonable - ~$80 for drinks, apps, and entrees for 2. An enjoyable meal, but fell a bit short of my expectations.
Pros: Excellent food
Cons: Small portions, Temperature, No vegan desserts
Guest
lamber611
Points +59
Great Food! - Edit
The staff was very knowledgeable about what on the menu was vegan or if it could be made vegan. The food was excellent. Great location in Old San Juan.
Read morePros: Excellent food, Service
Cons: Compact dining area so it can get very busy, Not everything could be made vegan
Guest
MaoGranada
Points +86
ohhhh.. a must visit - Edit
so happy to found a place like this in old San juan... good hearty food!
Read moreGuest
lpass809
Points +100
cool place - Edit
Love the eclectic atmosphere. So fun. My husband and I each ordered a delicious vegan dish.
Read morePros: several vegan options, great atmosphere , friendly staff
Guest
LUV_MDNA
Points +84
Great Vegan Options - Edit
My husband and I had lunch at this place. Amazing food and many vegan options to choose from. The atmosphere is very cool and eclectic. I had the Ratatouille - soooo good. And my husband had the Verde Mesa dish which he really enjoyed. And the prices were very reasonable. Definitely will go back.
Read moreGuest
Irynatango
Points +78
Loved everything about it! - Edit
The most charming restaurant I've ever been to & the best couscous dish I've ever had. The chef of Verde Mesa is a magician, the flavors fit & melt perfectly with each other in the combinations you wouldn't think possible. The service is very friendly. There is nothing I didn't like about this place.
Read moreGuest
mmeghani
Points +552
Good vegetarian options, interesting restaurant - Edit
A very interesting restaurant - eclectic as reviewed by others. Food is good, with limited vegetarian items. We had the Michetta, Arozz Verde Mesa, Calderito Rattatoullie, Bebidas Botanicas.
Read morePros: Eclectic decorations, Good vegetarian options, Nice non alcoholic drinks
Cons: Difficult to get seated
Guest
VeganOnTheMove
Points +70
Tasty and Tasteful - Edit
We were looking for a good quality restaurant for lunch in Old San Juan and found it with Verde Mesa. We arrived in shorts and tees and even though this restaurant's decor is a bit fancy, we were warmly welcomed and had a great experience. We found a couple vegan selections on the standard menu and a daily special to choose from. I had the special - a tempeh pumpkin stew with basmati rice and chick pea salad - and we also tried the lentil soup with salad. A few other menu items can be made vegan. The food was very good and we will definitely stop in if we are in San Juan again.
Read moreGuest
brohamand
Points +38
Nice Pescatarian Restaurant in Old San Juan - Edit
This place is very charming, with a very "in" style--salvaged dining room chairs, mason jar chandeliers, rusty old doors dividing the room, a vintage hutch in the corner, and tin ceiling tiles. It is a very cute place for a date. I heard both English and Spanish in the restaurant, but it's probably more tourists overall than locals.
Read moreThe menu is all pescatarian with a good number of vegan options. The waitstaff speaks English well and knows exactly what's vegan and what's not.
I went here twice, and the food was of very high quality. Once I got the signature rice dish and another time I got a portabella special over red quinoa. Both times the food was tasty and beautifully presented.
I only have two complaints: 1. For the price (~$20 for an entree), the portions are very small. Obviously this is normal for higher-price restaurants, just be aware going in that you'll likely want a cup of soup or an appetizer (or both) on top of your entree. 2. There were no vegan desserts. For a place called "green table," you'd think they'd have a bowl of fresh fruit at least.
Overall: nice place for a date in Old San Juan, but be prepared for the higher price and small portions.
Pros: Location, Ambiance, Tasty
Cons: High-priced, Small portions, No vegan desserts
Guest
Ethan
Points +221
Best New Vegan-Friendly Spot in San Juan! - Edit
We were recommended to Verde Mesa by our hotel's concierge and BOY! Are we ever glad we were!
Read moreWhen we googled "Verde Mesa San Juan" the first listing comes up saying that it's closed. THIS IS NOT TRUE! It turns out that it had been closed for a short while as they expanded the restaurant. Anyway, we were there at the end of March 2012 and it was open and thriving.
The ambiance is a bit of old-world San Juan meets quaint/kitsch. Very fun. The owner and the staff are friendly and solicitous. We explained that we were vegan and they immediately offered to take anything on the menu and "veganize" it for us.
We started with the cocktail "infusions"-- the sangria was delicious as was the Strawberry Mojito. They also had a Cucumber mojito-like beverage, which was refreshing. We started with some of the specials that night, all of which were delicious. However, for the main course, our concierge recommended we try the house specialty; The Arroz Verde Mesa. So we did and BOY! Were we glad we did!
We ordered them with the optional side of apple-cider infused tofu, and it was a divine combination.
The only "downer" about the entire experience is that there was not a single dessert option that was vegan. However, we were so full from the meal and drinks that we would have been hard pressed to consume a vegan dessert if there were one.
This place is a GEM in the heart of old San Juan. I cannot wait until the next time I'm in Puerto Rico and, in large part, it's because I want to go back, and have the Arroz Verde Mesa!
Pros: Delicious Food, Organic, Friendly Staff
Cons: A lot of cheese and fish, no vegan desserts, slightly pricey
Guest
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