Identidad

San Juan

Bringing Boricua culture and flavours to the big stage

When bartender Stephen Alonso first began slinging drinks behind the bar of a pizza restaurant as a fresh-faced 18-year-old, the idea of opening a craft cocktail spot of his own was a distant dream. Skip forward a decade or two later, that dream became reality after joining forces with compatriot Edrick Colon to co-found Identidad and create a bar that could authentically represent their Puerto Rican identity on the global cocktail stage.

Since opening its doors in July 2024, Identidad has had one core mission: to showcase its Puerto Rican home through the provision of a drinks programme grounded in Caribbean and Latin American flavours and warm hospitality. 

Within its compact but punchy drinks menu, cocktails are regularly rotated to work in tandem with the seasons, using ingredients sourced from local island producers wherever possible. Come spring, cocktails like the Fresas y Flores, a clarified milk punch of gin, strawberries, tomato, dry sherry, lime, rosebuds and tonka bean, showcase the bounty of the bar's tropical homeland.

A selection of fan-favourites are also available as evergreen sources of joy – the Pineapple Vesper (gin, rum, pineapple-infused aperitif, lemongrass, ginger oil) is a must-order. Those in the know frequent the bar for its daily happy hour from 5-7pm, where a selection of jazzed-up classic cocktails are available for around $10 each, and local beers at a wallet-friendly $2.50.

Food is an equally delicious showcase of the Boricuan palate. Headline dishes like the piña colada fish bao comprising mahi mahi in a crisp coconut batter with pineapple and cucumber chutney are firm favourites, while desserts rotate on a weekly basis.

In its short life thus far, Identidad has become one of the most celebrated cocktail bars in the island's history, taking home a James Beard Award in 2025. This year, after making its debut on the extended ranking of North America's 50 Best Bars 2026 at No.73, it takes home another accolade as winner of the Campari One To Watch Award. 

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