I recently took a trip with my boyfriend (now fiancé…still over the moon) to Puerto Vallarta and I had some of the most delicious meals I’ve had in a very long time. I’ll share a little on our time in PV BUT there’s nothing more important that food, am I right? Yes? Yes. There are some amazing restaurants you need to visit in Puerto Vallarta and I’ve curated a list of them just for you! Skip to the amazing restaurants in Puerto Vallarta.
We initially wanted to go to Tulum but we decided on Puerto Vallarta and I have zero regrets. We’ll definitely find our way to Tulum at some point but PV was amazing. We’re going back for sure! We stayed at an all-inclusive resort and will definitely recommend staying at one if you decide to visit. I was at the swim-up bar almost every evening and they had lots of activities going on every day.
I highly recommend going through Canopy River Tours for their ATV-Zipline combo. The ziplines are long, extremely high and fast and driving the ATV over the Jorullo Bridge is one that we will never forget. We spent our last evening at Las Caletas, a beach only accessible by boat, watching one of the best shows I’ve seen in my life. The acrobatics were incredible the candle-lit dinner that followed was a lovely and intimate experience. You came here for food so let’s get into it!
Coco’s Kitchen
I stumbled across this restaurant on YouTube and all the couple could do was rave about how much they loved it. I knew i had to add it to my list. This is a great spot for breakfast in a wonderful airy area. It’s easy to miss because it’s tucked away but it’s definitely worth a visit. It’s also known as “Vallarta’s favorite restaurant” and I can see why. I can guarantee that you’ll be back the next day for breakfast. The service here is amazing!
What Mo Recommends: Any of the French toasts, churro pancakes, Vallarta omelette and the salmon Benedict.
La Madalena
Our visit to La Madalena was spontaneous. We didn’t have dinner plans for our first night there. We had noticed it on the way to the hotel from the airport so we decided to make reservations! I am so glad we did because besides how amazing the food was, the service was unmatched. We felt like royalty from the moment we walked in till the moment we left. In addition, we had a waiter assigned to our table! The food was delicious, the space was gorgeous and the DJ played some throwback music. They have a bartender with a mixology cart so it’s pretty fun to watch your drinks being made.
What Mo Recommends: Passion fruit cocktail, rib eye skewers, popcorn cauliflower, short rib tacos chicken with teriyaki, slow cooked short rib and truffle fries.
La Leche
I’d seen this restaurant all over Instagram but I had no idea what it was called so when I found it while searching for spots in PV, I jumped on it. I had mixed feelings because I wasn’t sure if it would be one of those restaurants that are aesthetically pleasing but don’t have good food. I’m happy to report that they indeed have great food and not overhyped at all! The service here was also top tier. They also had the mobile bartender concept which I honestly now expect from every restaurant I visit going forward.
What Mo Recommends: Margarita coqueta, La Leche duck, costilla de cochi (baby back ribs) and costilla al horno (short rib). The potatoes that came with the ribs were amazing! I don’t have a least favorite dish here, I loved all the meals we had.
IK Mixology Bar & Cuisine
This spot is stunning. It’s on a rooftop with amazing views of the beach and the perfect spot to watch the sun set. The tables are placed within nests and there’s a hanging swing you can sit in for the best photos! The food was here was a 7/10 but the drinks, THE BREAD and the ambience of the restaurant more than made up for it. The bread we got before our meal was so good. And the butter that accompanied it…so so good. Our waiter was so kind and went above and beyond for us.
What Mo Recommends: Grilled salmon steak, chicken cazadora, trompo al pastor, confit short rib, Tropico and Tropical Paradise cocktails.
Let me know if you visit any of these spots and if there are some more I need to visit on my next trip!