Puerto Vallarta is known as one of the culinary centres of Mexico, with over two hundred different establishments serving a range of food to visitors from around the world and even more during the Gourmet Festival season in November. As such the dishes on offer range from traditional Mexican hot dishes, to local sea foods and world dishes such as French, Japanese and Italian foods. One of the best things about the popularity of Puerto Vallarta is that there are establishments available to suit all budgets, or all meal times, giving you a choice of informal cafes and fast food bars, as well as more expensive gourmet restaurants.
The Cafe des Artistes on Guadalupe Sanchez might be a bit misleading in name, given its outstanding international reputation and you should expect to choose one of your smarter outfits to fit in with the clientèle. Chef Thierry Blouet offers, unsurprisingly, a relatively keenly priced range of French gourmet cuisine, although actual menus change seasonally. If you want to combine your meal with some spectacular views of the surrounding area, then Le Kliff restaurant is unlikely to disappoint. Set on rocks overlooking the sea, it is possible at certain times of the year to catch sight of grey whales, while offering gourmet food from a number of visiting chefs from around the world and the restaurant is a key participant in the annual gourmet festival.
The Cafe de Olla on Basilio Badillo is one of Puerto Vallarta's "hidden gems" that you might miss in its unassuming location, if it weren't for the teams of people queueing outside to taste the grilled specialities. With food being made constantly, its unlikely you'll have to wait very long to get the food you want, while still being able to avoid ordinary fried "fast food" type venues. Similar food is on offer at the newly opened Agave Grill, on Avenue Morelos, however, this establishment offers a huge range of Mexican foods and drinks to enjoy, not just grills. The tequilas and local wines on offer are some of the most extensive in Puerto Vallarta, while many people choose the restaurant for its home made desserts alone. The Back Alley Steakhouse on Francisco I. Madero / Col. Emiliano Zapata in the Old Town area is not one of the newest places around, but has recently been taken over by a new owner, giving a good personal service for breakfast, lunch and dinner - although one meal could easily fill you for the day.
If you've come to the area to enjoy some of the seafood on offer, then El Barracuda, one of Puerto Vallarta's newest restaurants may offer just what you need - and its location means it is not yet swamped by tourists. Service is designed to be personal - waiters bring a board with the latest food on, rather than a printed menu - and prices are affordable, even for some of the more traditionally "premium" dishes (entrées are the equivalent of around ten US dollars).You can also get a good deal on many "mid range" restaurants (with fixed price three course options) running special offers during the peak season, such as `restaurant week` at the end of May, with several places offering half price meals. Meal options are a hundred and seventy nine or two hundred and ninety nine pesos each.
Because Puerto Vallarta has become a hugely popular place for holidays for people from all over the world, the main tourist area is swamped with international chains such as McDonalds and Hard Rock Cafe. You'll find the local establishments in the central area (i.e. around the central area) offer serviceable food for family visitors, although you'll probably find something more enjoyable for less by exploring a little first.
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