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.
 | Alfredo di Roma — Italian Carr. 200 Sur Km 8.5, Presidente Intercontinental — Tel: (322) 228-0191 — $$$$ Lovers of authentic Italian cuisine will enjoy an unforgettable meal with fine ingredients at this South Shore location. The menu includes classic recipes of Italian gastronomy, featuring the world-famous Fettucine Alfredo, created by the grandfather of the charismatic proprietor of the brand. — Platinum    |
 | Andrea — Italian Velas Vallarta — Tel: (322) 221-0091 — $$$ 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 |
 | Angelo´s — Italian Paradise Plaza Local J - 2, 3 y 4 — Tel: (322) 297-6130 — $$ Providing good food at fair prices at this happening restaurant, Italian-American co-owner and chef Paul Velser skimps on nothing – neither quality nor serving sizes. Enticing platters are presented along with menus for your perusal and eight wines are available by the glass. — Platinum |
 | Barcelona — Spanish — Reserve Now Matamoros & 31 de Octubre — Tel: (322) 222-0510 — $$$ 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 — $$$ In the quaint village of Sayulita, chef Nicholas Parrillo expertly prepares a wide range of Mediterranean specialties using only the finest ingredients. Chef Parrillo´s culinary style reflects a genuine understanding of classical methods and influences from Mexico and California. — Platinum |
 | Hacienda Alemana — German Basilio Badillo 378 — Tel: (322) 222-2071 — $$ There´s an authentic Bavarian kitchen in the heart of Vallarta´s South Side where really good German food is served in a beautiful garden sequestered from the street. Its typical Bavarian atmosphere, with all the elements of Munich´s Hofbräuhaus, makes it an exceedingly comfortable place. — Platinum |
 | Hacienda San Ángel Gourmet — International Miramar 336 — Tel: (322) 22 22692 — $$$$ Hacienda San Angel is a masterpiece restoration of three classic Vallarta-style houses set on the hillside overlooking Banderas Bay , almost in touching distance of the spire of the historic center´s landmark Guadalupe church. — Platinum |
 | Kaiser Maximilian — International — Reserve Now Olas Altas 380-B — Tel: (322) 223-0760 — $$$$ Since 1995, it has been a tradition for European and Austrian dining. The decor and portrait of Kaiser Maximilian transport you to the atmosphere of a Viennese café at the end of the 19th century. Dine in the dining room or at sidewalk tables. — Platinum |
 | La Palapa — Avant-Garde — Reserve Now Púlpito 103 — Tel: (322) 222-5225 — $$$$ Haute cuisine and friendly service combine in this tropical setting at Los Muertos Beach for the perfect balance of fine dining and the charm of Puerto Vallarta. This is one of Vallarta´s favorite places to enjoy excellent food in a casually elegant atmosphere. — Platinum — Readers Choice • Romantic • Outdoor • Sunset Dining |
 | La Petite — French Fco. M. Ascencio Km 2.5 — Tel: (322) 293-0900 — $$$$ The menu is constantly changing for the better, and the service is always impeccable. The food is superb, from the terrine de paté to the coq-au-vin to the sensual soufflés. The choice of desserts is enough to put any gourmet in a quandary. — Platinum |
 | Le Kliff — International — Reserve Now Carr. 200 Sur Km 17.5 — Tel: (322) 224-0975 — $$$$ Paradise does exist. And this giant palapa is in the midst of it. Providing stupendous views, it´s surprising that the food is so exquisite, too. Featuring fabulously fresh seafood as well as Black Angus steaks – you´re invited to mix and match, as you like. — Platinum |
 | Mark´s Bar and Grill — Mediterranean Lázaro Cárdenas 56 — Tel: (329) 298-0303 — $$$ 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 — $$ Sidney and Enrique´s former Mezzaluna has re-opened as Mezzogiorno, transforming their beachfront Bucerias house into a happening indoor-outdoor Italian restaurant. Enjoy fabulous Italian dishes that will keep you coming back: savory calamari-fritti, fresh fish, soups and prime cuts of meat and more. — Platinum — Readers Choice • North Shore • New Restaurant |
 | Nikki Beach — International Westin Regina — Tel: (322) 226-1150 — $$$$ Everything about this restaurant is hip, with a chic European atmosphere and million-dollar views. Pareo-clad waiters keep the food and libations flowing, the exotic Oriental-Mediterranean menu a pleasure to ponder at tables indoors or out. — Platinum — Readers Choice • Sunday Brunch |
 | Porto Bello — Italian Marina Sol L-7 — Tel: (322) 221-0003 — $$$ 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 — $$$ When it comes to a fine cut, seafood or pasta, your best bet is Rincón de Buenos Aires. The wood-fire grill gives a unique flavor to the fine cuts and fish. The filled pastas, such as the ravioli and lasagna, are a delight. — Platinum |
 | The River Café — International Isla Río Cuale L-4 — Tel: (322) 223-0788 — $$$$ On the Isla Río Cuale, The River Café has it all: great location, ambience, food and service. From its opening it has grown steadily in popularity to become a thriving new spot in Puerto Vallarta´s restaurant scene. Visit for casual but elegant dining. — Platinum |
 | Trio — Mediterranean — Reserve Now Guerrero 264 — Tel: (322) 222-2196 — $$$$ European chefs Bernhard Güth and Ulf Henriksson have become the favorites of locals and food critics with their hearty honest food. This cosmopolitan, multi-level eatery with an open courtyard, Tiffany-style windows and hand painted doors is top notch, the atmosphere always welcoming. — Platinum |
 | Vista Grill — Avant-Garde — Reserve Now Púlpito 377 — Tel: (322) 222-3570 — $$$$ What vistas this sophisticated venue is privy to, jutting terraces making you feel the views are yours alone. Despite the setting, the exquisitely prepared and presented food is really what this refined place is all about. Beef carpaccio and coconut shrimp two appetizing possibilities. — Platinum — Readers Choice • Dining with a View |
 | Vitea — Mediterranean Libertad & Malecón — Tel: (322) 222-8703 — $$ 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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