Puerto Vallarta lays claim to the most exciting gourmet scene in Mexico, with restaurants ranging from family-run taco stands to award-winning fine dining (with prices to match). Here, our favorite restaurants serving world-class cuisine that won’t break the budget.
See also: Puerto Vallarta's Best High-End Restaurants
River Café:
Set beside the scenic Rio Cuale that runs through the historic center of Puerto Vallarta, this café/restaurant is a tranquil open-air haven hidden among lush tropical foliage. Breakfasts include American favorites like waffles and hot cakes along with traditional Mexican specialties like chilaquiles and molletes. Dinner features dishes with an Asian spin like Thai-style mussels along with European classics like Filet Mignon. For a special night book the romantic gazebo table reached via a little bridge and set right over the river.
- Address: Isla Río Cuale 4, Colonia Centro
- Phone: (322) 2230788
- Hours: Daily 8:00 am to 11:30 pm
- Reservations: Call or book online
- Read a review of River Café
Estancia:
The main restaurant of the CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta is a light-filled, lively space with an open kitchen and doors leading onto a leafy terrace. At lunch and dinner the restaurant serves traditional Mexican cuisine – guacamole prepared tableside, ceviche, cochinita pibil – as well as New York-cut steaks and seafood. Guests can sample wines from the extensive cellar, a handsome glassed-in room just off the restaurant containing wines from the New and Old Worlds (including several interesting style from Mexico) along with the resort’s house-made tequila.
- Address: Paseo La Marina 435, Marina Vallarta
- Phone: (322) 226-0000, or toll-free 1-888-236-2427
- Hours: Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
- Reservations: Call or book online
- Read more about Dining at the CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta
La Palapa:
Set on beautiful Playa de los Muertos, La Palapa Restaurant & Lounge is an award-winning gourmet lair that marries a casual beachside atmosphere with a sophisticated, globally-influenced menu. Have a tropical cocktail at the bar then settle in to sample dishes like ahi tuna tartare or slow braised duck rolled in corn tortillas and served with a habanero sauce. Diners can also opt to have a romantic candlelit private dinner set up on the sand.
- Address: Pulpito 103, Col Emiliano Zapata
- Phone: (322) 222 5225
- Hours: Open Daily 8 am to 11:30 pm
- Reservations: Call or book online
Thierry’s Prime Steak House:
The brainchild of chef Thierry Blouet, the talent behind the acclaimed Café des Artiste and the annual Puerto Vallarta Gourmet Festival, Thierry’s Prime Steak House is a carnivore’s dream. Prime rib, short rib, porterhouse, New York strip, Filet Mignon…you name it, they grill it. Every trimming under the sun can be ordered from the sides menu, along with a selection of salads to offset the protein-fest. Those with outsize appetites can even order a whole suckling pig, slowly roasted and carved tableside.
- Address: Blvd. Fco. Medina Ascencio 2485 (inside Plaza Peninsula)
- Phone: (322) 221-1212
- Hours: Monday to Sunday, 12:00 noon to 12:00am
- Reservations: Call or book online
El Arrayan:
Located in the heart of the old town, El Arrayan is a much-loved hangout for locals and visitors alike looking to sample authentic Mexican cuisine with an inventive spin. The décor is homey and intimate, scattered with folk art and antiques; the focus a romantic patio shaded by an Arrayan tree. Chef/Owner Carmen Porras reinvents family recipes to create memorable dishes like Jamaica flower quesadillas, duck carnitas and cohinita pibil.
- Address: Allende 344, Centro
- Phone: (322) 222 71 95
- Hours: Wednesdays through Mondays 5:30pm to 11:00pm
- Reservations: Call or book online >
Read about fine dining restaurants in Puerto Vallarta.