Readers’ Choice is Back: The Best of the West, According to You

Every year, Readers’ Choice gives us a chance to pause and look around at the people, businesses, places, and experiences that make Western Puerto Rico what it is.

But it’s about more than picking winners.

Behind every café, restaurant, shop, bar, service provider, artist, and local experience are people putting in the work every day. Long hours, new ideas, plenty of challenges, and a whole lot of dedication go into keeping our communities moving. Readers’ Choice is one small way to recognize that effort and show some local love.

It’s also a chance to look again. Maybe there’s a place you haven’t visited in a while. Maybe a business has changed, added something new, or completely reinvented itself. And every year, there are new businesses and new faces worth discovering.

And businesses, don’t be shy about nominating yourselves. No one will ever know, we promise. Think you’re the best at what you do? Let people know. Maybe you have a menu item, service, experience, or something else that people don’t know about yet. Maybe there’s something you’ve been working on that deserves a little more attention. This is your chance to put it out there.

A nomination can put someone on the radar, bring them their first visit, or simply remind people why they loved a place in the first place.

That’s really what Readers’ Choice is about: community support, connection, and recognizing what’s happening right here in the West.

How Readers’ Choice Works

Now in its third year, Readers’ Choice 2026 is divided into two sections:

Rincón, Aguada & Añasco

Nominate your favorites located in these three municipalities.

The Rest of the West

Nominate your favorites from the other municipalities in Western Puerto Rico.

There are categories covering food and drinks, services, shopping, nightlife, outdoor activities, arts and culture, community favorites, and more.

Nominations open September 16 and run through October 15.

You can nominate as many different businesses, people, places, experiences, or service providers as you’d like, and participate in as many categories as you want. You do not have to fill out every category. If you have a favorite for one category but not another, just nominate the one you know and leave the others blank. 

One more important thing: one nomination per nominee is enough. Sending the same nominee multiple times does not give them extra credit. It simply creates duplicate entries for us to review and can slow down the nomination process.

Once nominations close, the nominees who move forward will be part of the public voting round, which runs October 25 through November 24. You won’t have to vote in every category then, either. Vote in the categories where you have an opinion and skip the ones where you don’t.

The 2026 Readers’ Choice winners will be announced December 5.

And remember, supporting local doesn’t always mean spending money. Sometimes it’s a recommendation to a friend, a review, a shared post, or simply telling someone about a place you love. Those small gestures matter, especially to the local businesses that make up our communities.

So, who comes to mind? 

The West has a lot worth celebrating. Let’s see who you think deserves the recognition.

Ready to nominate?

Head over to our nominations page.