Whether you want the best fish tacos, breakfast, gourmet dining, local bars with great happy hours, or a beachfront seafood restaurant with margaritas, there’s something for everyone. We live in the area and we are constantly updating it, so we can guarantee you’ll be having some amazing food at the best restaurants in Nuevo Vallarta during your visit to this little piece of paradise in Banderas Bay.
Lamara
- My Favorite Dish: Cachetona, Bahia, or the Maracuya (Passion Fruit) tostada with a large glass of coco-lime water.
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/Lamara-Bucerias-106323617810164/
- Menu: https://www.facebook.com/Lamara-Bucerias-106323617810164/menu/
A tostada like no other! Do not miss Lamara if you love seafood, ceviche, or aguachile. It is always fresh and there are 30 varieties to choose from on the La Mara menu! From mango and coconut to hibiscus or asian-style tostadas, it will take you a while to decide on the one you want to try. My favorite may be the Bahia ceviche tostada (chunks of tuna, avocado, cucumber, peanuts, onion, and their special sauce). They also offer a vegan-friendly version of any of their tostadas. For a refreshing drink, make sure to try their Hibiscus tea with basil or coconut water with lime. They also have cocktails and a wide variety of local craft beers.
Barracuda
Surrounded by lush vegetation and just a few steps from Marina Nuevo Vallarta, they are known for their fresh & local produce, quality, and unpretentious service. This Nuevo Vallarta restaurant offers an array of seafood specialties like ceviches, seafood tacos, and surf & turf combinations, but they also have several choices for non-seafood lovers. Some of our favorites include the chicharron de queso, the Dynamite Seafood plate, the molcajete, or the whole snapper. Oh, did I mention they have some of the BEST cocktails I’ve ever had? CASH ONLY!
3×3 Authentic Food
This little restaurant is run by a local family and they are only open for breakfast and lunch. Small, charming little garden courtyard dining with wonderful food, reasonable prices, and great music.
El Coleguita Seafood
Seafood is their specialty, and basically anything on the menu will be delicious. The portions are very large and each order comes with free shrimp broth, chips, and a bottle of tequila with limes and shot glasses. I wouldn’t recommend drinking the free tequila, as you can imagine the quality of it (well, it is free)… but everything else is amazing! The lime frozen margaritas are also great. The dessert is fried bananas and a creme liqueur which is also included. It is very popular among locals and tourists alike.
Website: https://mariscoselcoleguita.mx/
Hours: 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Mr. Cream
My Favorite Order: Enfrijoladas or the pecan + bacon waffle
There is usually a wait at this popular breakfast joint, but it has never taken us more than 10-15 minutes to get a table. There is so much on the menu that there is something for everyone. There are Mexican dishes such as chilaquiles, machaca, enfrijoladas, and huevos rancheros as well as sweet dishes like french toast, pancakes, and Belgian waffles. Their drink menu is also very extensive, including freshly squeezed juices, smoothies, and coffee.
Website: http://mrcream.net/
Hours: 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
La Dolce Vita Nuevo Vallarta
This popular Italian restaurant in Nuevo Vallarta offers fresh pasta and wood-fired pizzas. Great food, nice atmosphere (indoor & outdoor seating), extensive wine menu, friendly service, and good prices. It doesn’t disappoint! We would recommend making a reservation as it can fill up, especially in the evenings.
Organik
Organik is known for their healthy, eco-friendly, and organic menu with things like superfood smoothies, Açaí bowls, Coldpressed juices, toasts, Kombucha, Organic coffee, and fresh poke bowls. The internet is fast and there are indoor/outdoor seating areas.
Panino’s
Panino’s stands as a beacon for coffee aficionados and breakfast enthusiasts alike. Renowned for its great coffee and breakfast offerings, including mouthwatering Montecristo sandwiches and eggs Benedict, Panino’s exudes a welcoming ambiance that invites guests to linger. The café’s comfortable and friendly atmosphere, complete with both air-conditioned indoor seating and a charming outdoor area, provides the perfect setting to savor their famous freshly baked bread and cinnamon rolls. With fast Wi-Fi connectivity, Panino’s is an ideal spot to start your day or catch up on work while enjoying delectable treats.
Tacos on the street
Tacos on the Street is one of the most famous spots in La Cruz, and now they opened up their Nuevo Nayarit location! It offers delicious, unpretentious street food in a great setting. They use chopped grilled ribeye and provide a selection of fresh and delicious salsas and other toppings. They also offer killer margaritas! One thing that really stands out are their thick and fluffy homemade corn tortillas. Oh, and don’t miss the flan for dessert!
Nicksan
This Japanese restaurant is located within the Marival complex, and it offers an amazing fusion of Mexican and Japanese food with a unique and delicious menu. Masayuki Niikura and Ángel Carbajal, originally from Japan and Mexico respectively, opened their first restaurant in Los Cabos in 1994. Some of their most popular dishes include the spicy tuna small cake, the Shiromi Coriander and Maguro Lemon sushi rolls, the cucumber salad with wakame seaweed and crab, the baked scallops in mango sauce, and the gorgonzola shrimp. They also have an extensive cocktail and sake menu.
Riviera Grill
My family loves going here for breakfast, but they have lunch and dinner menus as well. It is a family-friendly restaurant in Nuevo Vallarta offering seating in a beautiful garden setting with Mexican decor. Their dishes are a mixture of traditional Mexican and local seafood cuisine using only fresh local ingredients.
Eddie’s Place
Fresh, tasty, and reasonably priced, this Nuevo Vallarta restaurant is located next to the marina and the NUEVO VALLARTA maxi-letters (great photo op). They have a great breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu… plus their drinks are big and strong! Some of our favorites include the avocado stuffed with shrimp, fish tacos, enchiladas, or the grilled Mahi Mahi. CASH ONLY, and take cash, and avoid using the ATM that is onsite as it charges very high fees!
Eddie, the original owner, was from Lebanon so you will see some Lebanese dishes mixed in with the excellent Mexican options. Unfortunately, Eddy passed away a few years ago, but his family has carried on the tradition. Like Eddy, his son is known to go from table to table to check-in and make sure everyone is enjoying their meal.
Ernesto’s Good Grub
This restaurant in Nuevo Vallarta is a bit hard to find and off-the-beaten-path, but well worth the effort. They are known for their excellent tortilla soup, the octopus, and the all-you-can-eat ribs (only Thursdays and Saturdays). Ernesto himself is always there to greet and take care of his customers! No cabs are patrolling the area, but they’ll be happy to call a cab, which arrives quickly.
Cerveceria Chapultepec
We call this the Dollar Store of food & drinks. Basically EVERYTHING on the menu goes for $20 MXN. We usually order 3-4 food items per person along with a beer or two. Almost everything on the menu is delicious, so don’t be afraid to try something new.
Website: facebook.com/cerveceriachapultepecvallarta/
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