Cuisine of Puerto Rico has colorful roots in Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Some dishes still show traces of the original inhabitants of the Island, the Taíno / Arawak Indians. Spain, France, Italy, Africa, Central America, South America, and -- since 1898, the United States -- all impact how food is now prepared in Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rican cuisine has almost nothing in common with Mexican cuisine, which surprises many first-time visitors from the United States or Europe. This cuisine also differs from other Latin countries and the food traditions of the United States.