If you have been wanting to visit, but are unsure of eating gluten free safely in Puerto Vallarta, I can tell you that it is possible. I had the pleasure of visiting a few wonderful restaurants in the area and thoroughly enjoyed all my meals, without any problems afterward. They took special precautions and prepared meals especially for me, I made sure that they understood what I was saying – all the restaurants I ate at were familiar with gluten free dining.
Just what I needed
Arriving at the Villa Premiere Hotel after a long day of travelling, I wanted something nutritious but good to eat, so I quickly showered and changed and headed down to the hotel restaurant by the pool. It was a gorgeous day and perfect for eating outside. The waiter was very helpful, I told him I just wanted a quick bite -I ended up ordering a wonderful appetizer of guacamole and sweet potatoes. Later that evening we came back to the hotel for an amazing welcome dinner. All edible for me as my entire meal was gluten free – the chef even made gluten free buns especially for me. Some photos of our delicious meal poolside in the evening which included a wonderful popcorn soup, salmon tartar perfectly prepared beef, scallops and escargot along with a trio of gluten free ice cream prepared for me.
Perfect for a bridal lunch
The following day we went to the Costa Sur Resort and spa for a site visit and were treated to a beautifully set table and delicious brunch, complete with a gorgeous fruit plate and delicious omelettes and fried plantains for dessert. Again, no problems experienced with any of the food and I was certainly satiated. We ate out on a terrace overlooking the water that was the perfect setting for a bridal party! Wonderful food and beautiful surroundings.
Tequila and Lunch
Later in the afternoon, we visited the beautiful Casa Magna Puerto Vallarta Resort and Spa for a tequila tasting and lovely late lunch. The private and beautifully decorated room where we were situated, was located just off their La Estancia restaurant. We started off with a great Tequila education, learning about the process and that the Hotel makes and bottles it own brand of Tequila. We were able to taste the three main types, learning and noting the subtle difference between them. I had never had Tequila, and I can say that this was a great experience- I have quickly grown to become a Tequila lover! We were just finishing off the tasting when they started to serve our late lunch. Starting with an appetizer plate of grilled seafood – the first time I had ever tried octopus.. and I loved it – not chewy at all! I was quite delighted! It was followed with a salad trio plate and then a delicious grilled Mahi Mahi in a tomato fennel sauce. following the lunch we toured the hotel and had delicious desserts and yummy drinks out on the grounds. All was incredibly delicious and gluten free!
In the evening we enjoyed the Rhythm of the nights tour and a lovely meal afterward. They had a buffet style meal but the chef accommodated my dietary needs by making a meal especially for me. All was delicious and I had no after effects. I was pleasantly surprised how well everyone had been about accommodating and being knowledgeable about gluten free needs, always a wonderful thing when you are traveling!
Cooking Class to remember!
You cannot leave Puerto Vallarta without experiencing a cooking class at Barcelona Tapas. We had fun learning how they make Paella – the best part of it was eating later – so good! They made sure that it with made with all gluten free ingredients ( using a veg based broth vs the reg one). Everything we tried looked and tasted so good! The owner’s brother happens to be Celiac, so he is very aware of cross contamination and the need to be vigilant regarding ingredients. After the cooking lesson and some fabulous sangria, we made our way upstairs to one of the dining areas with a spectacular view of the surrounding area. We enjoyed the paella that we had learned to make earlier as well as an Eggplant three cheese dish and one of the most tender beef dishes I have ever had …. angus beef brochete. All the food was absolutely fabulous! This is definitely a place I will be back to when I visit Puerto Vallarta again. Along with an incredible menu with a variety of dishes for everyone’s taste, on Wednesdays and Thursday evenings they have Flamingo dancers entertain downstairs at Angelo’s ( where we had the cooking lesson – this is part of Barcelona Tapas) and on Fridays they have wine tastings. This is definitely a place that you need to visit more than once!
Make sure to keep up with them by following their Facebook page.
Last but definitely not least
Another great restaurant that we had the pleasure of dining in was The River Cafe, located on the Rio Cuale Island, just minutes away from the Malecon. They even have a specific gluten free menu that is quite extensive, but can modify entrees on the regular menu as well. I found that I wasn’t that hungry so I just ordered the tricolor quinoa salad with caramel sauce. It was delicious! For dessert they made us special flambeed bananas that were both delicious and very entertaining to watch being prepared.
As you can see, I had no problem eating gluten free safely in Puerto Vallarta, it is a city full of gourmet delights! So many more I will have to explore, but I had one of the best Gluten free dining experiences in a very long time! I would love to hear of some of the wonderful places you have eaten and enjoyed in Puerto Vallarta.
*Disclosure- All my meals and activities were paid for as part of a press trip though Puerto Vallarta tourism, however all opinions are my own.
Looks like an awesome trip!!
It was – they had an amazing itinerary that kept us going, but had us experience such a variety of things including the great food available! 🙂
We were in Punta Cana this winter and I was impressed with the variety at our resort’s buffet, including a large gluten-free section.
Always like hearing how resorts are including more variety – hopefully they are making sure that there is no possibility of cross contamination as well – one of the hardest to maintain – esp with a buffet. 🙂
Oh all that food looks sooo good! Tequilla and lunch sounded ever better though… (was that bad to say??) Cheers!
Wow – I had no idea! The options sound really great. What a nice way to enjoy your getaway as well, not having to worry about the menu.
Looks really good, so nice you didn’t had to worry about the menu !
Love to hear that you had such a positive experience everywhere you went! (and the food looks fab)
Great experiences, can’t wait to get back there. The food was amazing! 🙂
Wow the food is amazing! It is great to see there are so many gluten-free options!
The food is amazing and they go out of the way to make sure that you get what you need! 🙂