Sazón de Diciembre: the Barranquitas restaurant where it's Christmas all year long
- Ideal for:
- Taking a walk with the family, revisiting holiday flavors any time of year.
- Accessibility:
- Located on the first floor with easy access, it has limited parking.
- Prices:
- Entrées from $6.95; grilled churrasco $27.95; cocktails $9-12.
- Atmosphere:
- Decorated with Christmas trees and string lights, it has a festive, family-friendly atmosphere.
- Hours:
- Thursday 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday 3:30 p.m. to midnight; Saturday 1 p.m. to midnight; Sunday 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. For lunch: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Web:
In the mountains of Barranquitas there is a place where Christmas never ends. Decorated with string lights, Christmas trees, garlands, straw hats and even a domino table, the restaurant Sazón de Diciembre bets on nostalgia, family and traditional Christmas food year-round, with contemporary touches and a creative cocktail menu that will make you wish for a good parranda.
Located on highway PR-152 kilometer 1.7, this concept opened on Nov. 21, 2025, inspired by something simple but powerful: the constant craving for those flavors we normally only enjoy between November and January, in what we like to call "the longest Christmas in the world."
From blood sausage, arroz con gandules and pernil with a twist, to guanimes with salt cod, pastel al caldero and "pastelasaña," a mix of pastelón and lasagna that is the house specialty, this restaurant blends yesterday's recipes with the creativity of the countryside.
"We have many little things we've taken from the menu our grandmothers and mothers always made for us, and we've brought them to the table in a more creative way and also in an old-fashioned way," Rosita López, co-owner of Sazón de Diciembre along with her husband, Oscar Figueroa, both originally from Barranquitas, told Platea.
The Christmas flavor at your table
López and Figueroa, she a stylist and he a baseball player, had run businesses before, but never in food. "It's our first restaurant and we hope that in the long run there will be more," said Figueroa.
The concept grew out of an observation by López, as well as the appreciation both have for the holiday season. "I would pass through (the barrio) Quebradillas and I would say: This place needs something, this place needs Christmas."
"Sometimes you want to eat a Christmas dish and we have nowhere to go, unless we travel far. Here in Barranquitas there was nothing. And I would say: We have to create something that is Christmas all year long," said López.
The name's origin. "My mom is the best criolla cook and her birthday is in December. And Sazón de Diciembre was born from my mom and for Mamá Carmen (her grandmother) and the birth date," the entrepreneur said.
The atmosphere. The restaurant is inspired by family, from mom's and grandma's recipes to the hats belonging to the owners' grandparents, Ramón and Tite, who appear in photos throughout the space. So it feels like visiting your aunt's house after a long absence, where she will serve you food you won't be able to leave the table until you've finished every last bite.
In addition to the owners being a married couple, many of the staff are also their direct relatives. "Everywhere you look you'll find family," said López.
What you should try
As a starter: The meat in the alcapurria descompuesta, little alcapurria balls with criolla Bolognese sauce, will have you licking your fingers, while the tentación navideña, a small bread with cilantro cream cheese and blood sausage, is ideal for opening the appetite. If you want to start light, go with the pastel al caldero.
To remember Christmas: El Jíbaro, a plate with mamposteao de gandules, braised pernil, pastel al caldero, blood sausage and potato or macaroni salad, the classic dish we would eat at Christmas.
To take you back to the countryside of the past: The guanimes with salt cod, egg and avocado salad, a dish called Mamá Carmen, are the perfect combination of the sweetness of cornmeal and the saltiness of the fish.
Worth breaking your diet for: If you like pastelón and lasagna, both dishes come together in Gratinada, the house "pastelaña," served with rice and beans.
Cocktails
The creative cocktail menu also nods to Christmas, with drinks inspired by lights, coquito and parranda.
Diner favorites:
Luces Navideñas: Light and refreshing. This cocktail has gin, strawberry cordial, rosemary and tonic water.
Por ti el coco. Sweet and tropical. A reimagined coquito, with coconut milk, evaporated milk, cream of coconut, golden rum and spices.
Platea's pick:
Bendita Parranda: Bold and spicy. Made with tequila, spiced honey and lime, ideal for parranderos.
Cover photo: Via Facebook Sazón de Diciembre
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
