Puerto Vallarta Restaurants Guide: Where To Eat in the Puerto Vallarta Area

Spotlight

Puerto Vallarta

Restaurants

Puerto Vallarta is renowned for its diverse fare, from traditional Mexican to Chinese. Celebrated chefs have settled in, creating innovative and flavorful dishes that have visitors abuzz. During the peak-winter season, most hot spots require a reservation but tables are easily up for grabs in the off months. If you're coming to town to sample its renowned gourmet fare, keep in mind that some restaurants may be closed in September or October.

Our favorite upscale eateries include the bistro-style Café Kaiser Maximilian, just south of the river (Olas Atlas 380-B; 322/223-0760; open Mon-Sat 6-11pm), which offers delectable International favorites at cozy tables inside and along the sidewalk – it's great for people-watching. For a romantic and delicious night, feast at Café des Artistes (740 Guadalupe Sanchez; 322/222-3228; open 6-11.30pm daily), a pricey but worthwhile seafood and French-fare dining experience complete with candle-lit tables, a garden patio, tuxedoed servers, and live piano music. For a Mexican/Mediterranean medley, check out Trío (264 Guerrero; 322/222-2196; open for dinner daily & lunch Mon-Fri in high season) where a quiet meal can be enjoyed at a candle-lit table; the daily changing menu emphasizes fresh fare like pan-roasted sea bass with glazed grapes and you can also opt to have your coffee and dessert at the rooftop bar. For a Thai twist, head to Archie's Wok (Francisco Rodríguez 130; 322/222-0411; 2-11pm Mon-Sat), a popular restaurant founded by John Huston's personal chef (and friend); Archie's wife carries on the cuisine today, with a menu of coconut fish, spicy fried Thai noodles, sautéed veggies and succulent meats. Be sure to reserve in advance.

For more moderately priced meals, we'd recommend the following mid-range restaurants. Beachside daiquiris are a must at Puerto Vallarta's longstanding Daiquiri Dick's (Olas Atlas 314; 322/222-0566; open 9am-5pm and 6pm-10.30 daily; closed September), which boasts a great location on Playa de los Muertos and serves as a prime après-sun cocktails-and-seafood spot; try the sesame-crusted tuna. If it's à la mode you crave, the trendy downtown restaurant and lounge, de Santos (Calle Morelos 771; 322/223-3052; open 5pm-1am daily; bar open to 4am on weekends), is one of PV's hottest nighttime scenes, with a cool and contemporary setting and Mediterranean cuisine, like crispy calamari and delightful thin-crust pizza. Another fine choice on the malecón, Las Palomas (Paseo Díaz Ordaz 610; 322/222-3675; open 8am-11pm daily) cooks up genuine Mexican-style eats in a colonial-style setting; breakfast is your best bet here with an assortment of south-of-the-border morning favorites like traditional huevos rancheros, but lunch and dinner are equally good, with alfresco dining on an upstairs terrace and a sizeable bar that often hosts live marimba music. Then there's newbie El Arrayán (Allende 344; 322/222-7195; open 1-11pm) which has become one of Puerto Vallarta's preferred spots for scrumptious local delicacies in a quaint open-air setting around a cozy courtyard; try the scallop ceviche to start and satisfy your sweet tooth with chocolate flan for desert. For homemade guacamole and other yummy taco-joint eats, like sizzling fajitas and chimichangas, Pipis (Guadalupe Sanchez 807; 322/223-2767; open 1-11pm daily) is the place to go; expect live music, colossal fresh-fruit margaritas, and an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet of traditional Mexican food and unlimited champagne on Sundays.

The best cheap eats around include the tiny hole-in-the-wall El Repollo Rojo (Red Cabbage Café), south of the river (Calle Riviera del Rio 204A; 322/223-0411; open 5–10.30pm); it may be hard to find, but it's well worth the search for its Mexican specialties like roasted chicken in a sweet/spicy mole sauce or covered in cream sauce and stuffed with ground beef and raisins. For an inexpensive breakfast haunt, be sure to head to Rollie's (Av. Revolución; 329/291-3053; open 8am-noon daily; closed May through October), offering yummy omelets, pancakes, and blended fruit drinks, all accompanied by Rollie's famous fried potatoes. Open late (till midnight) and consistently good, is the perpetual favorite, Fajita Republic (Pino Suárez 321; 322/222-3131; open 9am-midnight daily); as its namesake suggests, fajitas are the most-ordered menu item, with a delightful selection of grilled steak, chicken, shrimp, vegetarian, and combo options.