The city of Puerto Vallarta celebrates 100 years this year! I have been fortunate to visit Puerto Vallarta several times over the past few years; each time, I discover more and more about this magical place. From beautiful beaches with deep blue-green waters and incredible mountain vistas to the people, the culture, the food, and the history, Puerto Vallarta is an incredible place to visit. As Puerto Vallarta celebrates 100 years this year, there have been many celebrations happening and there will be more happening throughout the year. It is the perfect opportunity for someone to visit!
The only beach town to rank in Conde Nast Readers’ Choice Awards top 40 cities last year, Puerto Vallarta is once again nominated this year in it’s the best cities category. You can cast YOUR VOTE now for Puerto Vallarta as the best city in the link and make sure it remains listed as one of the best cities. Puerto Vallarta is the place where I feel the most grounded. Surrounded by the Sierra Madre mountains and the Bay of Banderas, I love the calm feeling I get when I am on the water.
With over 40 miles of beaches that are open to the public, Puerto Vallarta has quite a few to choose from, a few favorites are listed in this post on Puerto Vallarta’s beaches. Be sure to make it out to Los Arcos National Park and try some snorkeling too!
Food is such an integral part of travel, and if you enjoy gastronomic delights on your travels; Puerto Vallarta will certainly deliver. With over 400 restaurants and more variety than you can imagine, it has something that will please any palate. Even those picky ones!
Although Puerto Vallarta is much more than its seafood, don’t miss out on trying some of the incredible dishes they are known for – the ceviche, aguachile, or the Pescado embarazado. As someone who was always a so-so seafood person, this is the place where I came to love it, and why I crave it often when I am away. ( Ceviche is very popular and very refreshing dish; It is made from fresh raw fish or shrimp cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime and seasoned with chili peppers, salt, chopped onions, cilantro, and/or avocado as well. )
Puerto Vallarta has drawn many famous chefs to the city, some came here to visit… and then stayed because of all it offered.
Fresh flavors and love
A part of Puerto Vallarta’s history, Chef Nacho Cadena from La Leche is one of those chefs that came and stayed… he sees cooking and eating as an act of love. He arrived in Vallarta as a young man; the opportunity to be close to the sea taught him the importance of preparing fresh fish and seafood, and the wonder the flavors that the ocean can bring. He knew then that he never wanted to leave – the beauty, the colors and all that Puerto Vallarta had to offer. Chef Cadena believes that everything in Puerto Vallarta is tied to food…and the love of food.
As Chef Cadena explains, “everything should be simple and easy, but flavourful”. Dishes are inspired by the fresh local products available all the time and the menu is reinvented every day, making his restaurant, La Leche a fun, delicious and exquisite space to enjoy a meal.
This wonderful squid ink ceviche by Chef Cadena is locally inspired and is so delicious, the mixture of the squid ink with the fish enhanced by the garlic and ginger. The turkey Tacos were also heavenly, just the right combination of spice and flavors wrapped in a lettuce shell… I had to have more than one!
More gastronomic delights to be found at the Café des Artistes
The owner and chef of Café des Artistes, Thierry Blouet is known for creating great culinary experiences over the last 27 years in Puerto Vallarta… his creative style ( French cuisine, Mexico inspired) earning him several culinary awards for Best Chef of Mexico and Best Restaurant in Mexico.
The experience begins as you step into the Café des Artistes restaurant, you are welcomed with cascades of blown glass teardrops throughout the restaurant, a grand piano and breathtaking artwork on the walls as you are led to your table. During dinner, there are violinists that move throughout the restaurant playing beautiful soothing music. All of this helps creates a sensorial experience for sight, sound, and taste throughout the meal.
Blouet is also the founder of the Festival Gourmet International, a true gastronomic delight in terms of variety and creativity that happens every November. Now in its 25th year, it brings chefs from all over to create culinary experiences that draw inspiration from all the incredible flavors in the area.
Chef Blouet calls it “ The greatest gastronomy celebration in Puerto Vallarta and the Banderas Bay area.” This is a must visit event even if you are not a foodie!
A pleasant addition to the culinary scene
At Tintoque, located at the entrance of the Marina Vallarta, young Chef Joel Ornelas combines traditional and local recipes of the area with new cooking techniques and a wonderful artistic style. He derives most of his ingredients from local farms and markets using the freshest ingredients to create unique culinary experiences. The specials change daily based on the availability of unique, local and fresh products.
The laid-back comfort of the restaurant combined with the open kitchen is very inviting, plus it gives you the opportunity to see the creative energy that goes into the making of your meal.
More reasons to visit as Puerto Vallarta celebrates 100!
These are but a couple of restaurants that should be on your list of dining in Puerto Vallarta, but there are so many more. The annual Restaurant week is on now until June 10th, it is the perfect opportunity to experience many of the culinary delights this magical place has to offer with many restaurants participating. Even if you are not able to join in this week, the menus and variety are available all year long. Don’t forget… The Festival Gourmet happens again in November, bringing chefs from all over to participate and create extraordinary culinary delights.
Either way, this is the year that many celebrations are underway as Puerto Vallarta celebrates 100 years, so start making those plans! And don’t forget to VOTE!
*Disclosure: I have been a guest of Puerto Vallarta Tourism many times, and work with their AOR, however, all opinions are my own.
