On the lookout for the most effective locations to eat in Puerto Vallarta? No one can promise an ideal eating record since it is a large seaside resort trip vacation spot with tons of of spots to select from. We have now eaten our approach throughout the realm a number of instances over time although and have a superb sense of which Puerto Vallarta eating places reside as much as the hype, constantly.
First although, a fast geography lesson. There’s a river simply north of the PV airport that separates the state of Jalisco from the state of Nayarit. Jalisco accommodates Puerto Vallarta, in addition to the Costalegre area to the south. Riviera Nayarit north of the river accommodates Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias, Punta de Mita, and Sayulita. We’re staying on the southern facet of the river and airport for this text on the place to eat, Puerto Vallarta correct between the Romantic Zone and the marina space.
Observe that should you’re staying at a high-end all-inclusive lodge on this space, you’ll in all probability eat extraordinarily properly. We’ve all the time been particularly impressed with Casa Velas Resort, which served up this positive dish you see beneath on my most up-to-date journey.
Mexico may be very kid-friendly, so even with the nicest locations on this record you may convey the entire household if you’d like until it’s an adults-only lodge like Casa Velas is.
In most months, reservations are advisable, particularly for the smaller locations: many of those listed beneath are on Open Desk.
Vallarta Marina Eating places
Sonora Grill Prime
We liked every part about this place, from the roaming mixologist’s cart to the slabs of beef introduced out to peruse to the truth that the place appeared to have a staff-to-guest ratio of one-to-one. This homage to beef has loads of different issues on the menu, plus it’s loads much less stuffy than your regular steakhouse. Judging by the teams of Mexicans and foreigners alike who had a everlasting smile on their face, it is a restaurant to get pleasure from with good pals who aren’t in any hurry to go away.
Sonora Grill is a part of a small chain with different retailers in Guadalajara and Monterrey. Extra data right here.
Bonus choose: if you’d like a sundown view of the water whereas ingesting or eating, head to the Puerto Vallarta Westin or the sister Marina Marriott property.
Puerto Vallarta Eating within the Resort Hall
Madalena
This large, brash, and noisy restaurant will get some {couples} coming, however Madalena is usually favored by teams of revelers on trip and incentive group vacationers pulling out an expense account bank card. A military of waiters and tableside mixologists makes the rounds and retains tabs on each desk usually, retaining the drinks and wine flowing and serving up platters of seafood, steaks, and some Mexico-inspired appetizers.
Madalena is billed as a gastropub and it lives u to the identify with a formidable bar choice, craft beer, and pleasant dishes meant to be handed round.
Lamara
I’m unsure we might have recognized about or discovered this ceviche and aguachile place if we weren’t having our mid-day meal with a neighborhood within the know, but it surely was a spotlight of our week. Lamara serves super-fresh seafood in quite a lot of ways in which look and style unbelievable, all in large parts which are finest handed round.
Additionally they have a full bar, a formidable craft beer record, and good desserts. This can be a skilled operation that is aware of the place it excels and does it extraordinarily properly, at particularly reasonable costs. Lamara is a well-liked spot that often has a wait, plus they run out of issues late within the day after they get busy, so the most effective guess on when to reach is early afternoon, pre-comida. The perfect place to get extra data is on their Fb web page.
La Leche
This simply would be the coolest-looking restaurant round, plus it’s the most effective most fascinating locations to eat in Puerto Vallarta. La Leche is “The Milk” and the inside is awash in white, however in a playful, creative approach with milk jugs operating up the partitions. The menu adjustments usually relying on seasonality and the whims of the chef, so anticipate just a few objects achieved properly from a chalkboard relatively than an exhaustive printed menu the place you’re unsure what’s good. That is the place we had the prettiest salad within the area, every part super-fresh.
Some locals say La Leche has gone down just a few notches for the reason that outdated days when it was run by the unique proprietor, but it surely’s nonetheless a enjoyable place for dinner on the principle highway between Centro and the Marina space. It’s a favourite with younger revelers filling up their Instagram feed, with a lounge above that stays open late on weekends. See extra right here.
Icú Restaurant
This intimate restaurant in a nondescript, windowless constructing you could possibly simply miss is considered one of Puerto Vallarta’s hottest eating spots. We noticed a number of teams turned away on a weeknight as a result of they didn’t have reservations. There’s an open kitchen the place you may see the cooks at work and a bar the place the mixologist’s abilities are on show as properly.
Every little thing we tried right here was glorious, from the “three textures of beets,” grilled cauliflower, and huitlacoche soup that will all make a vegetarian blissful, to the gorgeously offered catch of the day tacos on blue corn tortillas and tamal of the day that had succulent pork. The web site has nothing however images, however you can also make a reservation there and begin salivating.
High Eating places in Downtown Puerto Vallarta
Tintoque
Tintoque was once positioned within the Marina space and had a really up to date look, however they moved to the Romantic Zone of downtown Puerto Vallarta, accompanied by a extra inside look, some outside seating, and an increase in menu costs.
In lately of Yelp trolls {and professional} bashers, it’s laborious to discover a restaurant that will get practically unanimous raves, however Tintoque obtained fairly shut for years till just a few missteps after their location transfer. Now subsequent to the river downtown, this standout connoisseur spot serves up stunning plates in a vibrant ambiance with out feeling overly stuffy.
Don’t come right here for large parts, however come should you’re a foodie who needs to be stunned and delighted with a few of the finest meals in Puerto Vallarta. See extra on-line right here.
Cafe des Artistes
Thierry Blouet is considered one of Mexico’s best-known movie star cooks, with a restaurant that basically broke new floor when it opened three many years in the past. It has since gained a slew of awards as the most effective eating places in Puerto Vallarta. He now has a number of locations you may attempt on this space and a second by the identical identify on the JW Marriott in Los Cabos, but it surely’s price making a reservation on the authentic should you’re a fan of positive eating.
Cafe des Artistes has lengthy been described as “Mexican dishes ready with French methods,” so that you get the most effective of each worlds, particularly should you go for the tasting menu. You’ll discover rigorously ready tuna, octopus, lobster, and fish, however you can even attempt “seared rougié foie gras au mezcal and guava” or”confit suckling pig in black mole.” Go to the official website right here.
Sendo
Opened just a few blocks away from the spot above, near the Malecon traversing central Puerto Vallarta, Sendo is the most recent entry on this record, making its debut in 2021. Whereas it could appear just a little odd to go to a sushi spot whereas in Mexico, it’s not that odd when you think about that you simply’re subsequent to the ocean and Mexico has its personal uncooked fish dishes as properly, like ceviche cured in lime juice.
Sendo is the true deal although, getting raves from Californians used to being served by Japanese masters. You must go away it within the sushi chef’s arms although: the restaurant makes a speciality of Omasake meals the place you dine on no matter lands in entrance of you, not what you’ll see on a menu. Make a reservation right here.
Hacienda San Angel Connoisseur
(c) Hacienda San Angel
We’re large followers of this well-designed boutique lodge in downtown Puerto Vallarta that sits proper above the dome of town’s well-known Parish of Our Girl of Guadalupe. The restaurant at Hacienda San Angel is open to the general public and has a romantic view of the ocean and town lights tumbling down the hillside. There’s a variety of seafood, just a few meat objects, and a smattering for vegetarians, reminiscent of ravioli filled with artichokes.
You may need to convey a bank card and a back-up to this spot although: the vast majority of the principle dishes are $30-$50. See extra data right here.
The Iguana Restaurant and Tequila Bar
Casa Kimberly is a sister lodge to Hacienda San Angel, the latter was Richard Burton’s house right here and the previous was the house he purchased for Elizabeth Taylor. The 2 had been related by a bridge over the slim road beneath. You possibly can keep in her authentic bed room with its palatial tub at Casa Kimberly, or simply come to this Vallarta restaurant for dinner and really feel her presence with a big interval portrait on the wall.
Observe that hyperlink above for a full rundown on the lodge, however right here’s what my affiliate editor Lydia needed to say concerning the well-liked restaurant. “The meals has hints of Mexican affect however is a variety of worldwide selections together with lambchops, grilled salmon, ceviche, lobster tacos and sea bass. Their desserts are heavenly, all with a Mexican aptitude, and the wine record is strong.” Because the identify would counsel, in addition they have a superb vary of tequila selections on the bar. Get extra data and make a reservation right here.
Sapphire Ocean Membership Bistrot
(c) Sapphire Seaside Membership
We’ve written earlier than about Mantamar Seaside Membership in Puerto Vallarta, however the gay-friendly Sapphire Seaside Membership close by will get the nod as the most effective spot within the space for lunch or a sundown dinner. Run by the identical house owners as Azafran, this Mediterranean waterfront restaurant makes a speciality of grilled seafood and meat, a superb wine record, and an open kitchen. The shaded, open-air house full of bleached wooden furnishings lets the ocean and colourful dishes provide the colour pops.
You’ll must pay a one-day membership charge to hitch the membership right here on the finish of the Outdated City Romantic Zone, so come early and benefit from the pool, the seaside palapas, and the enjoyable ambiance close to the massive pier south of Centro. See extra at the Sapphire web site.
Gaby’s Restaurant and Bar
If you happen to get uninterested in stacked-up fairly plates and sophisticated seafood concoctions, come to Gaby’s if you’re within the heart of downtown close to the principle church and gazebo. In enterprise since 1989 in the identical location on three ranges, this Puerto Vallarta Mexican restaurant with patios serves a few of the finest Mexican meals in Puerto Vallarta for all three meals, the true take care of no watering down for vacationers.
Go to for good cocktails and genuine delicacies in a enjoyable ambiance with cheap costs within the coronary heart of the motion. Extra data right here.
Which Puerto Vallarta Eating places to Keep away from
We hope you discover this rundown on the most effective Puerto Vallarta eating places to be helpful on your subsequent journey to the resort metropolis. In spite of everything, there are numerous mediocre locations to eat, as in most seaside resort areas, so we hope that can assist you keep out of these. In lots of instances, yow will discover higher meals at a less complicated native place just a few blocks again and even from a road cart.
We aren’t going to name anybody out by identify and say you shouldn’t go there, however if you wish to keep away from boring, overpriced, uninspiring Puerto Vallarta meals on trip, right here’s our tackle which locations to skip:
1) Eating places that make use of a full-time tout outdoors who’s begging you to come back in. “Hey guys, able to eat one thing?”
2) Eating places which have their very own merchandise store and menu objects with trademark indicators beside them.
3) Eating places that blast the music so loud you may’t hear one another as a result of, “We’d like to ensure individuals know we’re open.”
For more information on the realm, see the official web site for native tourism.
How about you? What Puerto Vallarta eating places stood out for you in your luxurious trip?
Article by Luxurious Latin America editor Timothy Scott, all images by the author besides the place indicated plus Iguana Restaurant photograph by affiliate editor Lydia Carey.