Other restaurants in Central Pacific Coast
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Fredy’s Tucan
This gringo breakfast paradise serves waffles, omelets and almost anything else you could want in an ample courtyard three blocks from the beach.
reviewed
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El Fogón
Red-checked tablecloths, an airy dining room facing La Costera and neon lights blazing out the names of Mexican specialties all create a welcoming atmosphere at this eatery popular with local families. If you’re hungry, try the house special, molcajete acapulqueño : enough steak, pork, ranchero cheese, grilled nopales (cactus), avocado slices and freshly made tortillas to feed two people! There is another branch as the corner of La Costera and Alaminos ( [tel] 484-50-79; open 8am to midnight Sunday to Wednesday, 8am to 3am Thursday to Saturday).
reviewed
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Mama Rosa
Grab a table on Mama Rosa’s pleasant outdoor patio and load up on sopes (tortillas with a layer of beans, cheese and salsa), tamales, chilaquiles, nopales, chorizo, eggs and delicious salsas from the scrumptious breakfast buffet. Supplement it all with bottomless cups of café de olla (Mexican coffee spiced with cinnamon) or chilled glasses of the homemade basil-lemon drink, and don’t forget to save room for the tantalizing desserts, including rice pudding, honeyed bananas and cheesecake.
reviewed
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C
Los Braseros
With over 20 years in business and 140 dishes on the menu, this is a wonderful place to sample specialties from all over Mexico. Founder Leonel still works the grill on occasion to give his staff a day off. Whatever you do, don’t leave without trying one of the sensational tacos al pastor (M$6). Equally tempting are the trademark alambres, tasty mixes of grilled fish, meat, veggies and cheese.
reviewed
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La Casa Café
What do you get when you take two transplants from Portland, Oregon, and plunk them down on a back street in Zihua? A sweet little café that draws locals, expatriates and tourists alike with M$20 breakfast specials, great cappuccinos and refreshing fruit drinks like the Zihua Zinger, a blend of cucumber, pineapple, pear, apple, orange and cilantro (wipe that skeptical grimace off your face and try it!).
reviewed
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Mariscos Tino’s
Calling itself the catedral de los mariscos (seafood cathedral), this family-run Vallarta favorite opened a new branch on the malecón in summer 2009. Feast in the upstairs dining room on dishes like pescado zarandeado and sopa siete mares (a savory stew of fish, shrimp, octopus, mussels and more). And parents, rejoice – there’s even a kids’ play area!
reviewed
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La Isla
With its over-the-top seashell-encrusted interior, this place serves some of the best seafood in San Blas. Indulge yourself with one of the platillos especiales, a mix of shrimp, octopus and fresh fish cooked however you like it, and accompanied by rice, salad and fried banana. La Isla’s sister eatery on Playa El Borrego – Caballito del Mar – serves a similar menu.
reviewed
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Restaurant Alberca
Accessible by a rickety wooden walkway, Alberca has a great lagoon view and a menu completely devoted to shrimp. Don’t leave town without trying the local specialty of albóndigas de camarón (battered and fried shrimp balls served with a savory broth) or perhaps a rich jugo de camarón (shrimp juice) or paté de camarón.
reviewed
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Emiliano Comida y Vino
Tepic’s cuisine scene gets a lift from this chic restaurant and its intimate bar. Staff have a nice way of pulling a cork, and the restaurant stocks a selection of the finest wines produced in Mexico. Still, the best reason to show up is the menu, which features artfully crafted dishes from around the country.
reviewed
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Carlos & Lucía’s
What do you get when you combine the talents of a Mexican named Carlos and a Cuban-born chef named Lucía? A vibrant, colorful little restaurant serving specialities from both countries. Try the plato Carlos y Lucía: shrimp or fish cooked in brandy, accompanied by rice, veggies and plantains.
reviewed
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Villa de la Selva
This elegant contemporary Mediterranean restaurant was once the home of Mexican president Luis Echeverría. The cliffside villa has superb sunset and ocean views. Offerings include duck tacos, salmon with couscous, shrimp in tamarind sauce, lobster and an extensive wine list. Reservations are a must.
reviewed
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Topolo
For a romantic dinner, step into the softly lit courtyard at this Mexican fusion restaurant and wine bar in a historic building near Plazuela Machado. Waiters prepare salsa fresh at your table while the chefs cook up seafood specialties such as tequila shrimp or fish in lime and cilantro sauce.
reviewed
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Cafetería y Restaurant Diligencias
There’s no better place than this to sit around for hours on end nursing a cup of coffee, nibbling on a buttery biscuit and poring over a travel guide. Groups of men congregate all day in this vintage dining hall, chatting and ordering snacks and eventually the comida corrida (M$70).
reviewed
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Panamá
With a zillion different breakfast combos, ranging from American standards to Mexican treats like shredded smoked marlin and sweet corn tamales, this old-fashioned diner is a great place to start the day (though you may want to pop in for a mid-afternoon slice of cake too!)
reviewed
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À Bicyclette
An instant success, Bicyclette strikes the right balance with its intimate enclosed courtyard and improvisational, ever-changing menu. Think homemade bread and paté, or shrimp flambéed in Mexican absinthe. Reggae and other live tunes enhance the mood on Friday and Saturday nights.
reviewed
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K
Mexico Lindo
With simple plastic tables under a corrugated tin roof, Mexico Lindo somehow manages to feel romantic and intimate at night. The menu features regional favorites like savory and sour tortilla soup, quesadillas and garlic fish tacos. A good selection of cocktails seals the deal.
reviewed
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Concha del Mar
As you stroll ‘Palapa Row, ’ look for the blue archway entrance of this popular beachside eatery, which offers two-for-one drinks all afternoon. From large breakfasts to Mexican combo plates to shrimp and fish fajitas, the price is right, and the location couldn’t be better.
reviewed
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Marisma Fish Taco
Shrimp and smoked marlin rule the roost at this streetside taquería. Pull up a stool and watch as the women behind the counter press fresh tortillas and grill up tasty treats from a simple menu weighted heavily toward seafood tacos and quesadillas.
reviewed
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La Hacienda
Locals escape the noise and bustle of the Zona Romántica at this gracious courtyard eatery. Good breakfasts and bottomless cups of Mexican coffee with cinnamon and sugar are served on a sunny brick patio surrounded by flowering plants and trees.
reviewed
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Los Chilaquiles
This tourist-oriented hideaway above the Plaza Principal merits a visit just for the ocean view from its 4th-floor terrace. The trademark chilaquiles, served in countless variations, are delicious, as are the oakwood grilled steaks.
reviewed
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Super Cocina d’Paulina
This family-run hole-in-the-wall doesn’t dazzle you with atmosphere, but the home cooking, overseen by a local chef with many years’ experience in Mazatlán hotels, is of uniformly high quality. Breakfasts (M$30 to M$35) are the best deal.
reviewed
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El Mole de Jovita
Its tables glowing with colorful Mexican oilcloths in classic fruit and flower designs, this little family-run restaurant specializes in chicken with mole, but also serves good breakfasts and reasonably priced Mexican standards.
reviewed
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La Mona
This brick-walled, high-ceilinged pizzeria draws an overflowing crowd of local youths nightly with its trademark salads and pizzas, including the house special pizza La Mona (with shrimp, prosciutto, pineapple and coconut).
reviewed
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La Familia
This family-run restaurant charges moderate prices for delicious Mexican and seafood dishes, including a fish-and-shrimp concoction called merequetengue. Seating is on the sidewalk in front a lovely 19th-century building.
reviewed
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Cabaña de Vicky
For fine home cooking, head two blocks inland from La Ticla’s central plaza to this place, where daily specials cost M$50 and the tortillas are so fresh you can still taste the corn kernels (grown in Vicky’s own backyard).
reviewed
