Where to Stop
Cafetín Los Amigos and Los Naranjos are the first restaurants you encounter if coming from San Juan. Los Amigos is more casual, cafeteria-style, with an impressive view of the valley below and some of the best longaniza on the route. Los Naranjos, which is up a side street from PR-155, is more of a sit-down restaurant, with many dishes beyond longaniza, as well as a selection of wines.
As you continue along the route, there are dozens of restaurants worth exploring like El Rincón de Paco y Lola, El Ciclón Sports Bar, Roka Dura, La Cobacha Criolla, Pikadera Smokehouse, Vagoneando, Ruly's Pizza, and La Sombra.
This last one marks the end of the line of the longaniza route but it's actually where Puerto Rican longaniza originated back in 1934. Doña María, the wife of Pedro Ortiz -who owned Colmado La Sombra, would hand-make the pork and chicken sausages and her recipe was so popular it sustained the family for generations. La Sombra was eventually turned into a restaurant by one of Doña María's children and today is one of the most famous stops on the longaniza trail.
Beyond longaniza
Along the way, you'll also find many bakeries and coffee shops if you'd like to cleanse your palate or recharge batteries. Café Licor, in front of Toro Verde Nature Adventure Park, is a charming coffee shop offering both hot and cold coffee beverages that can be spiked with spirits or flavored syrups and whipped cream. They also serve decadent brunch dishes, and there is a small souvenir shop inside. Another sweet spot worth the detour is Gustitos del Campo, where they serve Café Don Pello (a premium local coffee) along with ice cream and homemade cakes.
Another place that's not officially on the longaniza route but definitely worth the stop is Casa Bavaria, a German beer garden with both a Puerto Rican and German food menu (including longaniza as well as bratwurst and currywurst), variety of beers, homemade desserts, and a fantastic view.