Exploring Puerto Vallarta: Food, Booze, and Shopping on Mexico’s West Coast

From the bus ride in, to the airport out, we bop around Puerto Vallarta, a dynamic city on the west coast of Mexico.

Highlights include enjoying lunch and beers at Los Muertos Brewery; wandering through Mundo de Cristal (House of Crystal), our favorite pottery/souvenir shop; shopping and more shopping, watching a cocinero make tacos de pastor, Bob eating ice cream made in a garafón (barrel), Lisa drinking a horchata (flavored rice drink), walking along the Malecon (Boardwalk), dropping into a jewelry store that feels like a mine, and ducking out of the rain into the Huichol art store, where of course we buy a beaded mask to add to our collection.

At the airport to head home, we decompress in the Priority Pass Lounge, which has an excellent bar.

It’s a whirlwind tour.  Enjoy!

Photos

Info

Puerto Vallarta
Map

Tasting Tacos and Tequilas in Puerto Vallarta

Vallarta Food Tours’ “Experience Mexology” Food and Drink tour was one of the absolute best tours we have ever taken in all of our travels.  Over the course of 4 hours, we wandered around Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone with an incredibly knowledgeable, English-fluent guide named Luis Alba, experiencing 6 handcrafted cocktails and enjoying 6 scrumptious food tastings.

We met Luis in Lazaro Cardenas Park, also known as “The Mosaic Park” because of its incredible tile work. Luis promised – and delivered – on a comprehensive and scrumptious eating, learning, drinking experience, as he took us to a variety of places, from holes in the wall to fine restaurants. It was a fantastic way to get to know Puerto Vallarta, feel connected to the culture, and get some restaurant recommendations.

Luis Alba, our tour guide, pours a sample

Luis Alba from Vallarta Food Tours

Drinks

Food

Tour Details

The tour is described on the website this way:

Enjoy 6 handcrafted cocktails and 6 food tastings!

Drink And Eat Your Way Through Downtown Vallarta. Tacos and Tequila are at the top of everyone’s list when they come to PV. This tour gives you both in one fun and food-filled evening. This 4 hours walking, drinking and eating tour has no less than 6 cocktails including tequila, pulque, mezcal and local agave spirit: racilla. Eat tacos, drink tequila, learn about the differences in the spirits, laugh and just have an amazing afternoon with a group of like-minded travelers on this insider experience around the Romanic zone!

Info:

Vallarta Mexology Tours/Food Tours
Our Tour
Starting Point, Lazaro Cardenas Par

The Messy Suitcase Guide to Eating in Puerto Rico, Part 3:

Our Favorite Restaurants Around the Island

Although we have encouraged a sense of adventure and experimentation with cuisine, we also understand that your time on the island of Puerto Rico is limited, and you might want to be pointed toward some proven winners. So here are Messy Suitcase’s recommendations for the best places we have eaten on the island. But remember, everyone has different taste!

Food Truck Parks

San Juan: Miramar Food Truck Park

This park in a chic urban neighborhood has an excellent beer place, Greek, Chinese/Latin fusion, vegan, frappes, Mexican, and more. On weekends, enjoy live music.
Info: facebook.com/MiramarFoodTruckPark
Map: 1006 Ave. Ponce de Leon 00907 San Juan, Puerto Rico

Miramar Food Truck Park

Luquillo: Playa La Pared

Food trucks set up shop on weekend nights across from the beach at La Pared in Luquillo. There are only two or three, including the taco truck Mi Parcela, but they are excellent.
Info: No website
Map: Calle Herminio Diaz Navarro, Luquillo, Puerto Rico

La Pared food trucks

Rio Grande: Pa’l Yunque Food Park

We found this on the way home from hiking El Yunque. I enjoyed a falafel while Bob had a burger. The food park was small, accessible, cheap, and delicious. Nice shelter from a rainstorm, too. Perfect end of a hiking day.
Info: facebook.com/palyunquefoodpark/
Map: 40 PR-955 00721 Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

Vieques: Rincon del Sabor

We only ate at the coffee place here, which serves up a good breakfast and the best shakes I have ever had. There are other food trucks with traditional Puerto Rican food, but they were closed due to COVID.
Info: facebook.com/rincondelsaborvqs
Map: Carretera 200 km 0.6, Florida, Vieques, Puerto Rico, 00765

Luquillo: The Kioskos

The Luquillo Kioskos (food kiosks) aren’t a food truck park, but a long row of around 60 family-owned kiosks selling food, drinks, and souvenirs, located on a service road just north of Route 3, near the Luquillo Public Beach. Right behind them is a slightly rundown beach that locals love to hang out in, blasting music and jet skiing. Tourists often get it confused with Balneario (Pubic Beach) Luquillo, which is just east but still walking distance to the kioskos for lunch.

A kiosko

The kioskos themselves are pretty rundown and some are closed, but don’t let their appearance discourage you from having a truly Puerto Rican dining experience. Most have outdoor dining in the rear with views of the Atlantic Ocean. Avoid overrated La Parrilla Restaurant on the west end, which attracts diners with its large parking lot and aggressive advertising, but provides nothing special in service, ambiance, or food quality. Our favorite restaurant here is Revolution Pizza.
Info: puertoricodaytrips.com/luquillo-kiosks
Map: goo.gl/maps/4rkEoCWX2h22zduJ9

Restaurants

Here are some favorites from around the island.

Aguadilla: Cinco

Creative Caribbean Cuisine, served up in a stylish atmosphere. Pricy and elegant, with excellent cocktails. The menu is unique and the food is delicious. You would find a place like this on New York’s Upper East Side.
Info: facebook.com/cincorestaurant/

Map: KM. 9.2 PR-110, Aguadilla Pueblo, Aguadilla 00603

Fajardo: Las Vistas Cafe at Las Croabas

This restaurant served up the best meal I had in eastern Puerto Rico. Get reservations, as it’s very popular and COVID careful, even though you are dining on a rooftop with 360° views of Las Croabas Bay, Seven Seas Beach, and the islands of Vieques and Culebra. The owner, Gladys, treats every customer like her best friend. The food is exquisite. Breakfast, lunch,nd brunch only.
Info: lasvistascafepr.com/
Map: goo.gl/maps/uVZ2jgMv7EFj7a138

Condado: Pinky’s
This is a lovely little breakfast discovery but forget about getting in on a weekend day. There’s also one on Calle Loiza.
Info: facebook.com/Pinkys-112452892183010
Map: 1351 1351 Ashford Ave., Condado, Puerto Rico

Manatí: Pollo Costero BBQ

Another roadside discovery. The friendly, English-fluent proprietor let us pick a la carte whatever looked interesting in the food case, and charged hardly anything. The rotisserie chicken was mouthwatering; we speculated it could be as fresh as the chicken roadkill we had seen on the way there. (Just kidding.)
Info: facebook.com/pollocosterobbq
Map: Carretera 685 00674 Manati, Puerto Rico

Cabo Rojo: Annie’s Place

Who cares if the food is any good? Which it is, but that’s not the point. The location right next to glorious Combate Beach is the bomb, and the sunsets are not to be believed. The menu is seafood, seafood, and more seafood, with the choice of the same sauces we saw at every other seafood restaurant. The drinks are great. Did I mention the spectacular sunsets?
Info: facebook.com/Annies-Place-Combate-Beach-Cabo-Rojo-1552167661708533/
Map: Playa El Combate Beach, PR-3301, Boquerón, 00622

View of Annie’s fromCombate Beach

Cabo Rojo: Coco Loco BBQ Smokehouse

Great BBQ in an unassuming outdoor setting. One-woman show.
Info: No website.
Map: Carr 102 km 15.9, Cabo Rojo, 00623

Cabo Rojo: El Bohio, Joyuda

Joyuda is a fisherman’s village with a bunch of excellent seafood restaurants to choose from. We chose El Bohio because of its large back deck. Which faces the ocean and provides the best sunset views. A gang of enormous gray fish hangs out in the shallow water right by the ready to jump on food craps the staff throws, which provides excellent entertainment. Families love this place. Probably any restaurant in this town would be excellent.
Info: facebook.com/elbohio.restaurant, puertoricodaytrips.com/joyuda-seafood/
Map: Carretera 102 km.14.1, Cabo Rojo, 00623

Sunset View from El Bohio

Luquillo: Boardriders Surf Bar and Grill

This was our favorite restaurant while living in Luquillo. It provides two levels of outdoor seating, all with views of the crashing surf at La Pared Beach. Expect excellent passion fruit mojitos, healthy vegetarian options, and really friendly staff. Live entertainment on the weekends features sounds of roots, reggae, jazz, rumba, and more.
Info: boardriderssurfbar.com/
Map: US, 25 Calle Miguel Veve Calzada, Luquillo, 00773

Beto at Boardriders

Culebra: Dinghy Dock Restaurant

This popular place right on the water offers up outstanding Bushwhackers and excellent American food. It’s popular; come early or be prepared to wait in line.
Info: facebook.com/Dinghy-Dock-Culebra-970553193101653
Map: 372 Calle Fulladoza 00775 Culebra, Puerto Rico

Dinghy Dock

Up next … Finding New York-Quality Pizza in Puerto Rico

The rest of the series:

Part 1: Eating in Puerto Rico

Part 2: What is Puerto Rican Food?

The Messy Suitcase Guide to Eating in Puerto Rico, Part 2:

What is Puerto Rican Food, Anyway?

A lot of people expect Puerto Rican food to be like Mexican, with nachos and guacamole and burritos. But it’s a completely unique cuisine that evolved over centuries from the blending of Spanish, Taino, West Indian, and American influences with the vegetables, fruits, and meats available for consumption on the island.

Traditional Puerto Rican food includes a large selection of fried dishes, called frituras, often sold from roadside kiosks, and stuffed breads. Many are deep-fried. Here are a few stalwarts:

  • Alcapurrias–Yucca or plantain-based fritters filled with ground beef, lobster, crab, or shrimp.
  • Bacalaitos–Deep-fried, crunchy codfish fritters.
  • Piononos–Deep-fried sweet plantain appetizers stuffed with seasoned meat or seafood.
  • Rellenos de Papa – Potatoes stuffed with ground beef and deep fried to create a crispy outer layer.
  • Arepas–fried bread stuffed with anything from cheese to chicken or seafood.
  • Plaintain–a green banana that is used in cooking many, many dishes in Puerto Rico.
  • Mofongo–fried, then mashed and spiced, plantain, stuffed with meat or seafood and then covered in sauce.
  • Empanadillas and Pastelillos–pastry pockets filled with seafood, meat or cheese. Empanadillas are bigger.
  • Fried Cheese–Lightly fried cheese squares served with guava sauce. Lisa’s favorite.
  • Cheese Balls–Breaded, deep-fried cheese fritters.
  • Pinchos–outstanding chicken or pork kebabs with BBQ sauce.
  • Quesito—Breakfast pastry filled with cream cheese and sometimes fruit.

There are many other dishes, but this is a start! These two articles share even more information about Puerto Rican cuisine.

Top 10 Puerto Rico
Speaking Latino

Coastal Food

Along the coast, traditional food means freshly caught fish–dorado, red snapper, salmon, cod, or octopus or lobster, served with rice and perhaps beans. Diners have a choice of traditional sauces that seem to be found at all seafood restaurants on PR’s west coast: criollo (tomato, onion and peppers), butter, and creamy garlic. Oysters and mussels are also big, and can be consumed fresh from the sea at roadside stands in beach towns.

City Food

Cities in Puerto Rico are as cosmopolitan as any, so dinner in San Juan or Ponce or Mayagüez could just as easily mean Spanish (remember, Christopher Columbus and the first white settlers came from Spain), Mexican, Argentinean, Brazilian, Japanese, Italian, Thai, or any other cuisine. “Traditional” Puerto Rican food in a more upscale restaurant will be less greasy and add new flavors. Be adventurous!

Up Next … Pt. 3: Our Restaurant Recommendations

Photo Sources:

Mofongo – commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mofongo.jpg
Quesitos – flickr.com/photos/waffleboy/50519333408/
Empanadillas – flickr.com/photos/stuart_spivack/4977425331
Fried plantain – flickr.com/photos/mr_t_in_dc/1348344748

All Creative Commons licensed.

The Messy Suitcase Guide to Eating in Puerto Rico, Part 1

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ricardo_mangual/10313662306/

“Where are the best places to eat in Puerto Rico?”

Many prospective travelers to this wonderful island seek gustatory advice in advance, as part of their trip planning. And this is understandable! So Messy Suitcase is here to help you eat authentically and well, in a new series, The Messy Suitcase Guide to Eating in Puerto Rico.

We are of several minds about PR meal planning. First of all, most Puerto Ricans would probably say the best place to eat is in Abuela’s (Grandma’s) kitchen.

Secondly, while you’re searching for that recommended restaurant, you may be passing ten others that are just as good or better.

Everybody’s taste is different, be it flavor, style, formality, familiarity, level of spice, authenticity, or whatever makes your tongue sing. So one person’s Michelin 5-Star restaurant may be another person’s disappointment.

Be Adventurous!

Half the fun of Puerto Rican food–or really, any country’s food–is making discoveries. You’re sunning on Playa Combate, the day is ending, you see lights of a restaurant twinkling at the north end of the beach. You wander over and stumble upon a restaurant overlooking the ocean at sunset, with excellent cocktails and unparalleled views. No recommendation necessary! Just explore.

Trying something new doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll like it, but it’s still important to be adventurous.

Example #1: Piñones

We have visited the Piñones food stands area just east of San Juan, driving along the ocean and picking out unassuming food stands from which to order traditional Puerto Rican food, prepared the way Abuela makes it.

Source: flickr.com/photos/beruff/2132545678

Visiting Piñones is a local tradition, especially on weekend afternoons. These ramshackle food stands have been operating for years. No matter which you pick, the atmosphere is rustic, to be kind. The service is slow, to be kind. The food is really greasy, to be kind. But the piña coladas are perfection. Carrying your oily lunch to the beach to picnic in the sand while watching the waves crash is an unforgettable experience, not to be missed.

You know what IS forgettable, though? The food. For example, alcapurrias (al-kuh-por-EE-yuhs) are grease-laden lumps of dough with a dash of some sort of meat or seafood. They soak into your tongue before you can swallow, then sit in your stomach and take up residence like guests who refuse to leave.

Source: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alcapurrias-many.jpg

Am I sorry I had this experience? Absolutely not. It’s true Puerto Rico. (And now I know to avoid alcapurrias.)

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. (But maybe just once.)

Avoid Chinese Food

A word to the wise, though: Don’t eat Chinese food in Puerto Rico. We have had excellent Chinese food in many places, including Guadalajara, Mexico. But on the Island of Enchantment? Not once. Just don’t go there. It is universally terrible. The meat has a weird texture. The sauces are limited, and taste odd. The vegetables are sparse, and none of them are Chinese. Every dish, inexplicably, comes with a side of soggy French fries. (Gotta get that deep-fried in!)  Please. Anything but this.

Food Truck Parks

The latest trend in Puerto Rico is our favorite–food truck parks.

These are brilliant for a number of reasons:

  • They are outdoors–no COVID fears.
  • They provide a wide variety of options. If you have different tastes or picky eaters in your group, you can split up and find something for everyone, then come back together to eat.
  • The food is cheap.
  • The food is freshly made to order.
  • They always set up pleasant covered areas to sit and enjoy your meal.

Up next … Part 2: A Guide to Puerto Rican Food

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