In San Juan, Puerto Rico’s trendy capital, the finest bartenders are staging a cocktail revolution. It’s the city where Ramon “Monchito” Marrero invented the piña colada in 1954 and where rum has reigned supreme since the 19th century. Ingrained in the culture, chinchorros (no-frills bars/eateries synonymous with cheap drinks) still remain a local favorite, but the evolution of Puerto Rico’s cocktail culture is something remarkable. San Juan’s bartenders are adventurous, creative and competitive; pit them against any of their colleagues in London, New York or Paris and they will instantly impress while simultaneously making life long friends. They are concocting their own bitters, sourcing local ingredients to make shrubs, experimenting with unique fat washes and using their beloved ron de Puerto Rico to make variations of classics. It’s an exciting time to drink in San Juan. Here, our picks for the best watering holes for a thirsty night in the Caribbean:

La Coctelera

Over the last few years, La Calle Loíza has become quite the drinking and dining destination. Still up and coming, it’s become a Brooklyn outpost of sorts, making the price tag appealing to business owners. La Coctelera, brain child of Jorge Busch, focuses on seasonal, local products. For his Que Mamey, Jorge sources cacao from Ponce to make the extract and procures mamey zapote, an exotic fruit, from Isabela on the island’s west coast. What started as a cocktail bar, soon evolved to an excellent gastropub. The chicken and waffles are on point and the beef tartar with béarnaise sauce and quail egg is an excellent starter. Facebook Page.

La Factoría

This Old San Juan bar rightfully sits at #31 on the World’s Best Bar List. Once called Hijos de Borinquen (the stencil proudly adorns the back wall), the bar was a oasis for the city’s free-spirited artists and independent thinkers. Today, this nostalgic spot remains a favorite in Old San Juan. Whether you sit at the bar, indulge in a wine cocktail at VINO (see below) or dance the night away in Shing-A-Ling (known to host famous salsa players), La Factoría is always a good time. Popular drinks include the lavender mule with lavender infused ginger tea and the spiced old fashioned with Facto bitters and Don Q Gran Añejo. Facebook Page.

Bar La Unidad

With its low ceilings, sexy ambiance and classic 1920s music, you’ll wish this was your neighborhood bar. Located in Miramar, a residential section of San Juan, it’s easy to miss – the only marker is a red-link logo representing the three owners.  This unpretentious bar, straight out of Peaky Blinder’s, is an ideal place to sip an after-work cocktail. Facebook Page.

Touro

Touro transports you to the Golden Age of Cocktails, a time when an apothecary was a bartender’s playground. Shrubs and bitters were used for medicinal proposes and Fernet Branca, a bitter herbal liqueur, was known to cure stomach aches. Perfumes, aromas, rose and elixirs all play a part at Touro, where Joey Fernandez is your botanical bartender. Try the Pink Branca with Gin (a favored pre-prohibition spirit), Fernet and Punt e Mes. tourorestaurant.com.

Oveja Negra

These guys take the whole speakeasy thing very seriously – you’ll have to check your Instagram to get the night’s password. Guarded by a well-clad gentleman, the wrought-iron door behind La Bartola opens to a vibrant atmosphere, and is quite a party scene on weekends. Try the brown butter fat wash rum neat or in an Old Fashioned with chocolate bitters. Instagram Page.

Santaella

The bar at Santaella is one of the prettiest and best-stocked on the island.  The swank bar and restaurant, owned by chef Jose Santaella, is modern tropical with exposed walls, an interior garden and papaya wallpaper. Sit at the bar and get to know house mixologists Jonathan Meléndez and Michael Norat, both winners of the World Class Competition. These days, the boys are looking to fresh produce and herbs to infuse their cocktails. The herbs come from the restaurant’s tower garden and the passionfruit in Michael’s ‘La Parchita’ is sourced from the farmer’s market down the street. Don’t skip the food here. Order the goat cheese quesadilla with white truffle oil and the tuna skewers. josesantaella.com.