Not that we really need a special day to celebrate it, but July 10 is Piña Colada Day. What better way to honor the luscious drink that says “I’m on vacation on a tropical island” better than any other, than to go on a tour of some of the iconic places to get one in Puerto Rico, the birthplace of the cocktail? Read on to get an easy recipe too.

Save this recipe and these iconic places to enjoy a Pina Colada to Pinterest. Images courtesy Discover Puerto Rico. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com. 

Three different bartenders claim they invented Piña Coladas in the 1950’s and 60’s. But others say it dates back to the 1800’s, originating with a pirate hoping to boost morale. Po-ta-to, po-tah-to, we say. No matter where and when it came to be, the Piña Colada is our ticket to a vacation in a glass. Here, the fine folks at Discover Puerto Rico give us the details and guide us on a tour of places to get the authentic Pina Colada experience.

Hungry for more? Here’s a recipe for another Puerto Rican cocktail, featuring Butterfly Tea.

5 Places to Experience a True Piña Colada in Puerto Rico

Barrachina – Located in Old San Juan, just one block from La Fortaleza, Barrachina has been catering to tourists and locals for more than 40 years in the old city. Enjoy the surrounding beauty of a colonial building that’s more than two centuries old and that has an interior courtyard and tropical foliage. This is where don Ramon Portas Mingot was said to first made the drink in 1963.

Pina Coladas at Barrachina. Photo courtesy Discover Puerto Rico.

Caribar at the Caribe Hilton – Relax and sip your beverage with the weight of history behind it. Taste the evolution of the Piña Colada, from the original recipe that was said to be created at the hotel in 1954, to other variations, including the contemporary version: The Clear Colada.

Jungle Bird – Giving a Mexican twist to a Puerto Rican classic, the mixologists at the all-star cocktail bar, Jungle Bird in San Juan, created the Tepache Colada, mixing the taste of the piña colada with other Latin American techniques. Tepache is made with fermented pineapple rinds that are baked with spices and piloncillo (sugar cane). The Tepache is mixed with the house’s coconut cream and Don Q Gold Rum.

La Ana de Cofresí Restaurant at Villa Cofresí – Villa Cofresí Hotel in Rincón has been serving its iconic Coco Pirata (Coconut Pirate) for more than half a century. Their unique take on the original drink combines four rums, coconut water, evaporated milk, and a dash of cinnamon. At Villa Cofresí, every part of the coconut is used. The cocktail is served inside a coconut, making the fabric of the seed part of the formula.

The bar at Villa Cofresi, in Puerto Rico, is ready to serve you an authentic Pina Colada. Photo courtesy Discover Puerto Rico.

Señor Paleta – Inspired by the cocktail, the “paleteros” created a fun and light ice cream pop that blends fresh pineapple with coconut cream. The white and yellow tones evoke that Caribbean brightness and the alteration between the flavors stimulates the palate for a sweet cooling treat. If you’re in Old San Juan, look for the sidewalk with the line that keeps growing as the day becomes hotter.

 Piña Colada with Coconut Cream Recipe

Courtesy of Discover Puerto Rico

Ingredients:

½ a cup of coconut cream (Which is different from coconut milk. Here’s an Amazon Affiliate link for cans of coconut cream.)
½ pineapple juice
1 cup of ice
¼ cup white rum
Cherries, pineapple wedges, and whipped cream for toppings

Method:
In a blender, mix the coconut cream, pineapple juice, ice, and rum until all the ingredients are blended smoothly and frosty.

Pour the drink into a glass and top with whipped cream. Use the cherries and pineapples as garnishes.

Hungry for more? Enjoy these cocktail recipes that take Cointreau.

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