Restaurants

Puerto Vallarta has the most exceptional dining scene of any resort town in Mexico. Over 250 restaurants serve cuisines from around the world, in addition to fresh seafood and regional dishes. Chefs from France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and Argentina have come for visits and stayed to open restaurants. In celebration of this diversity, Vallarta's culinary community hosts a 2-week-long gourmet dining festival each November.

Dining is not limited to high-end options -- there are plenty of small, family-owned restaurants, local Mexican kitchens, and vegetarian cafes. Vallarta also has branches of the world food-and-fun chains: Hard Rock Cafe, Outback Steakhouse, and even Hooters. I won't bother to review these restaurants, where the quality and decor are so familiar.

Of the inexpensive local spots, one favorite is El Planeta Vegetariano, Iturbide 270, just down from the main church (tel. 322/222-3073), serving an inexpensive, bountiful, and delicious vegetarian buffet, which changes for breakfast and lunch/dinner. It's open daily. Breakfast ($4.50/£2.50) is served from 8am till noon; the lunch and dinner buffets ($6.50/£3.60) are served from noon to 10pm; no credit cards are accepted.

Tapas, Anyone? -- Certainly, much of modern Mexico's culture draws on the important influence of Spain, so it only makes sense that Spanish culinary traditions would be evident as well. Within the last several years, dining on tapas has soared in popularity here. Of the many options, these are my favorites: the long-standing Barcelona Tapas, Matamoros and 31 de Octubre streets (tel. 322/222-0510), a large and lovely restaurant on a terrace built high on a hillside, with sweeping views of the bay. They serve tapas and a selection of Spanish entrees, including paella, from 5pm to midnight. La Esquina de los Caprichos, Miramar 402, corner of Iturbide (tel. 322/222-0911) is a tiny place, known as having the most reasonably priced ($2.50-$6/£1.40-£3.30) tapas in town, and perhaps the tastiest. Hours are Monday to Saturday from 1 to 10pm. It closes from mid-July to the end of August.

Marina Vallarta

Contrary to conventional travel wisdom, most of the best restaurants in the Marina are in hotels. Especially notable are Andrea (fine Italian cuisine), at Velas Vallarta, and Nikki Beach (fusion), on the beachfront of the Westin Resort & Spa. Other choices are along the boardwalk bordering the marina yacht harbor.

South of the Rio Cuale to Olas Altas

South of the river is the densest restaurant area, where you'll find Basilio Badillo, the street nicknamed "Restaurant Row." A second main dining drag has emerged along Calle Olas Altas, with a variety of cuisines and price categories. Cafes and espresso bars, generally open from 7am to midnight, line its wide sidewalks.

Jungle Restaurants

One of the unique attractions of Puerto Vallarta is its "jungle restaurants," south of town toward Mismaloya. They offer open-air dining in a tropical setting by the sea or beside a mountain river. The many varieties of "jungle" and "tropical" tours include a stop for swimming and lunch. If you travel on your own, a taxi is the best transportation -- the restaurants are quite a distance from the main highway. Taxis are usually waiting for return patrons.

The most recommendable of the jungle restaurants is the ecologically sensitive El Nogalito (tel./fax 322/221-5225). Located beside a clear jungle stream, the exceptionally clean, beautifully landscaped ranch serves lunch, beverages, and snacks on a shady, relaxing terrace. Several hiking routes depart from the grounds, and the restaurant provides a guide (whom you tip) to point out the native plants, birds, and wildlife. It's much closer to town than the other jungle restaurants: To find it, travel to Punta Negra, about 8km (5 miles) south of downtown Puerto Vallarta. A well-marked sign points up Calzada del Cedro, a dirt road, to the ranch. It's open daily from noon to 5:30pm. No credit cards are accepted.

Just past Boca de Tomatlán, at Highway 200 Km 20, is Chico's Paradise (tel. 322/223-6005). It offers spectacular views of massive rocks -- some marked with petroglyphs -- and the surrounding jungle and mountains. There are natural pools and waterfalls for swimming, plus a small market selling pricey trinkets. The menu features excellent seafood as well as Mexican dishes. The quality is quite good, and the portions are generous, although prices are higher than in town -- remember, you're paying for the setting. It's open daily from 10am to 6pm. No credit cards are accepted.