Platinum Dining Guide
It's amazing how many restaurants there are in Puerto Vallarta - about a thousand at last count. And while itís great to have choices, so many of them can be overwhelming - especially if your time here is limited and you want to make sure that, from a culinary point of view, you make the most of it. The Platinum Dining Guide lets you quickly review the very best of the local dining scene. To be included in this select group, venues must not only meet, but also continually maintain, stringent criteria in food, service and ambiance. Adherence to the highest standards is absolutely mandatory for membership. Restaurant reviews reveal the flavor of these prestigious places, as well as that of the food, while current menus are outlined and interiors photographed. This helpful, easy-to-understand guide takes the guesswork out of fine dining so you can get optimal gastronomic mileage out of your vacation. The menus displayed here show only a partial selection from the restaurants' actual menus.
 | Adriatico Cucina Italiana — Italian Lazaro Cardenas & Galeana — Tel: (329) 298-6038 — $$$ The discriminating manner in which chef Eduardo de Berardinis dines is also the experience he insists upon for his guests. Therefore, this avant-garde culinary artist can´t do anything less than go out in everything he undertakes! — Platinum   |
 | Agave Grill — Mexican Morelos 589 — Tel: (322) 222-2000 — $$$ This beautiful, romantic, hacienda-style patio restaurant is a celebration of Mexico – its cuisine, wines, spirits, ambiance, music and flavor. Created by award-winning chef Oscar Galvan, a graduate of Mexico City´s prestigious Ambrosia culinary school, you won´t find ordinary tacos on this reasonably priced, gourmet menu. — Platinum  |
 | Andrea — Italian Velas Vallarta — Tel: (322) 221-0091 — $$$ With seating available both inside and outside, you can dine in stylish comfort, enjoying world-class service and food. With chef Govanni Denigris of Chicago, chefs Jorge Castellanos and Demberto Aguayo and their team bring you classic Italian cuisine with a New World touch. — Platinum |
 | Barcelona — Spanish — Reserve Now Matamoros & 31 de Octubre — Tel: (322) 222-0510 — $$$ Ideal for sharing as a couple or with friends, appetizer-sized servings of Spanish flavors prepared with the highest quality ingredients and a bird´s eye view of the town and bay. Sea breezes refresh the charmingly casual terrace, while the dining room is air conditioned. — Platinum |
 | Café des Artistes — Avant-Garde — Reserve Now Guadalupe Sánchez 740 — Tel: (322) 222-3228 — $$$$ Thierry Blouet, Maitre Cuisinier de France and a member of the Culinary Academy of France, has what is considered by many to be the best restaurant in town, Café des Artistes. Now, with recent, dramatic changes, it´s one of the best in the world. — Platinum — Readers Choice • Gourmet • Wine List  |
 | Daiquiri Dick´s — International — Reserve Now Olas Altas 314 — Tel: (322) 222-0566 — $$$ For two decades, Peter and Tari Bowman have nourished Vallarta at their serene, if somewhat incongruously named, restaurant. What started as a beach-side eatery has been transformed into a sophisticated, world-class establishment, where service is attentive, yet non-intrusive, in a contemporary atmosphere. — Platinum — Readers Choice • Best Overall • Service • Most Fun • Tortilla Soup • Seafood • Salad • Margarita |
 | Don Pedro´s — Mediterranean Marlin 2 Sayulita — Tel: (329) 291-3090 — $$$ In the quaint village of Sayulita, chef Nicholas Parrillo expertly prepares a wide range of Mediterranean specialties using only the finest ingredients. Chef Parrillo´s culinary style reflects a genuine understanding of classical methods and influences from Mexico and California. — Platinum |
 | Hacienda San Ángel Gourmet — International Miramar 336 — Tel: (322) 222-2692 — $$$$ Hacienda San Angel is a masterpiece restoration of three classic Vallarta-style houses set on the hillside overlooking Banderas Bay , almost in touching distance of the spire of the historic center´s landmark Guadalupe church. — Platinum |
 | Kaiser Maximilian — International — Reserve Now Olas Altas 380-B — Tel: (322) 223-0760 — $$$$ Since 1995, it has been a tradition for European and Austrian dining. The decor and portrait of Kaiser Maximilian transport you to the atmosphere of a Viennese café at the end of the 19th century. Dine in the dining room or at sidewalk tables. — Platinum |
 | La Leche — Avant-Garde Fco. M. Ascencio Km 2.5 — Tel: (322) 293-0900 — $$$$ The keywords "tradition" and "evolution" describe new restaurant La Leche, Almacén Gourmet de Alfonso Cadena, which will seek to achieve a balance of sensations through the quality of its cuisine. — Platinum |
 | La Palapa — Avant-Garde — Reserve Now Púlpito 103 — Tel: (322) 222-5225 — $$$$ Haute cuisine and friendly service combine in this tropical setting at Los Muertos Beach for the perfect balance of fine dining and the charm of Puerto Vallarta. This is one of Vallarta´s favorite places to enjoy excellent food in a casually elegant atmosphere. — Platinum — Readers Choice • Romantic • Outdoor • Sunset Dining |
 | Mark´s Bar and Grill — Mediterranean Lázaro Cárdenas 56 — Tel: (329) 298-0303 — $$$ Established in 1991, it is renowned for providing a consistently excellent dining experience. Inspired by flavors from the Mediterranean and Asia, Jan and her team create food that is innovative yet refined, simply cooked and exquisitely presented in a lush, tropical indoor/outdoor setting. — Platinum |
 | Mezzogiorno — Italian Av. del Pacífico 33 — Tel: (329) 298-0350 — $$ Sidney and Enrique´s former Mezzaluna has re-opened as Mezzogiorno, transforming their beachfront Bucerias house into a happening indoor-outdoor Italian restaurant. Enjoy fabulous Italian dishes that will keep you coming back: savory calamari-fritti, fresh fish, soups and prime cuts of meat and more. — Platinum — Readers Choice • North Shore • New Restaurant |
 | Porto Bello — Italian Marina Sol L-7 — Tel: (322) 221-0003 — $$$ Torontonians Mario Nunes and Maurizio Pellegrini have been the owners of this elegant Italian restaurant privileged with a spectacular view of Marina Vallarta since 1989. Enjoy fine dining in a romantic air-conditioned salon decorated in Art Nouveau with soft pastels. — Platinum |
 | Rincón de Buenos Aires — Argentinean Royal Pacific L-126, 127 — Tel: (322) 221-2260 — $$$ When it comes to a fine cut, seafood or pasta, your best bet is Rincón de Buenos Aires. The wood-fire grill gives a unique flavor to the fine cuts and fish. The filled pastas, such as the ravioli and lasagna, are a delight. — Platinum |
 | The River Café — International Isla Río Cuale L-4 — Tel: (322) 223-0788 — $$$$ On the Isla Río Cuale, The River Café has it all: great location, ambience, food and service. From its opening it has grown steadily in popularity to become a thriving new spot in Puerto Vallarta´s restaurant scene. Visit for casual but elegant dining. — Platinum |
 | Tikul — Avant-Garde — Reserve Now Royal Pacific L-113 — Tel: (322) 209-2010 — $$ Tikul offers elegance and class with soft tropical tones that reflects its unique version of Pacific cuisine. Enjoy creative culinary combinations prepared with a high level of expertise and imagination, a well-stocked wine cellar and live acoustic music - in the tranquil ambiance of Marina Vallarta. — Platinum |
 | Trattoria Michel — Italian Olas Altas 507 — Tel: (322) 223-2088 — $$$ To experience authentic Italian cuisine created with premium quality fresh ingredients, consider Trattoria. Food is prepared ´a la minute´ with care and expertise, so enjoy the view and sip a glass of fine wine, in anticipation of a fabulous meal and memorable dining experience. — Platinum |
 | Trio — Mediterranean — Reserve Now Guerrero 264 — Tel: (322) 222-2196 — $$$$ European chefs Bernhard Güth and Ulf Henriksson have become the favorites of locals and food critics with their hearty honest food. This cosmopolitan, multi-level eatery with an open courtyard, Tiffany-style windows and hand painted doors is top notch, the atmosphere always welcoming. — Platinum |
 | Vista Grill — Avant-Garde — Reserve Now Púlpito 377 — Tel: (322) 222-3570 — $$$$ What vistas this sophisticated venue is privy to, jutting terraces making you feel the views are yours alone. Despite the setting, the exquisitely prepared and presented food is really what this refined place is all about. Beef carpaccio and coconut shrimp two appetizing possibilities. — Platinum — Readers Choice • Dining with a View |
 | Vitea — Mediterranean Libertad & Malecón — Tel: (322) 222-8703 — $$ Everyone is raving about this oceanfront bistro offering something completely different in Vallarta, classic and contemporary bistro fare in a casual European Riviera ambiance. This swanky but definitely unstuffy art deco space is sister restaurant to the popular Trio. — Platinum |
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