Borikén Restaurant & Bar is more than just a Puerto Rican restaurant. It’s a place that celebrates Puerto Rican culture from its early roots to the present day. On Bay Street in Staten Island, Borikén gives Puerto Ricans a space to embrace their heritage while enjoying food that takes them right back to Puerto Rico. At the same time, people who are unfamiliar with the culture are welcomed into an authentic Puerto Rican environment.

Borikén was founded by Al Rosario, Richard Astudillo, and Sophie Serrano, who all proudly embrace their Puerto Rican heritage. Al Rosario is the owner of Kiosko 787, a Puerto Rican restaurant in Brooklyn, while Richard and Sophie are the owners of the Puerto Rican restaurant Counter & Bodega in Manhattan.¹ Their collaboration led to the creation of Borikén, bringing the flavors of Puerto Rico to Staten Island. Al Rosario ensures that “each dish carries the soul of the island.”²

The restaurant is hard to miss, with two Puerto Rican flags waving outside. Although the inside is small, the aesthetic instantly stands out. The owners wanted the restaurant to honor their Taíno roots (Borikén Restaurant & Bar), and they achieved that through the name, logo, and interior design. Borikén is the original Taíno name for Puerto Rico,³ while the logo and decorations reflect indigenous symbols, wood, stone, and tropical details.

The aesthetic is an experience on its own, but the food makes that experience even grander. The menu includes appetizers like alcapurrias (fried plantain fritters), empanadillas, and pinchos (meat skewers), along with many traditional main dishes like bistec encebollado (steak and onions), pernil (shredded pork shoulder), and mofongo (mashed plantains). When I visited, I had the bistec encebollado and arroz con habichuelas (rice and beans), which made me feel as if I were right back in Puerto Rico. To end the meal, the tres leches was one of the best I’ve ever had.

Overall, Borikén Restaurant & Bar is a place everyone should visit on Staten Island. The owners made their establishment truly special for Puerto Ricans like myself and others who want an authentic experience within the culture.

1. Borikén Restaurant & Bar. https://borikenny.com/. Accessed April 10, 2026. ↩︎
2. Borikén Restaurant & Bar. https://borikenny.com/. Accessed April 10, 2026. ↩︎
3. “History of Puerto Rico.” Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Puerto-Rico/History. Accessed April 10, 2026. ↩︎