Sure, you may be familiar with your local taco joint’s take on birria tacos, but that doesn’t mean you’ve had birria tacos. Here, a meat stew — usually beef, but oftentimes goat or lamb instead — is marinated in a sumptuous medley of local herbs, spices and chilis. Once the meat is so soft and tender it’s ready to deconstruct with a single poke of a fork, it’s placed within a freshly cooked tortilla and showered with chopped onions, coriander, lime and salsa. Make sure you ask for some of the birria broth on the side to dip your tacos into. Locals love this a breakfast or brunch choice, so fuel up for your day with these from a stand first thing in the morning.
While it may not have originated here, any coastal town worth their catch is going to master ceviche pretty quick; Puerto Vallarta mastered it. Ceviche is some combination of raw fish, octopus and shrimp cured in citrus juices, herbs, chilis, chopped onions and other seasonings. You can expect to find it served on top of a crispy tostada and accompanied by an array of salsas. Consider it the perfect midday pick-me-up as a pause from perusing shopping stalls.
The perfect thirst-quencher whether you’re shopping, strolling or lounging, tuba is too unique to pass up. It starts with a “tubero” climbing a coconut palm and harvesting the coconuts. A special container is placed where the coconuts were cut to collect the sap. That sap is then mixed with water, apple cider vinegar, walnuts and chunks of apple. The final product is a sweet and sour delight, ideal for beating the heat.
Colloquially known as “drowned sandwiches,” these scrumptious sandwiches will have you questioning why this has been missing from your life until now. The bread (bolillo) is a kind called birote, and it’s saltier than its traditionally sweet counterparts. Nestled inside the birote is fried pork “drowned” in a spicy tomato and chili broth and accompanied with pickled red onions and lime. As a staple of Puerto Vallarta cuisine, this is a must-try — consider a second lunch.
Again, you might think you know what a michelada is, but trying one locally in Puerto Vallarta will have you reassessing what you know. A michelada is the perfect beachside beverage: beer is mixed with tomato juice, lime juice, spices and chili peppers. The result is then served in a chilled glass, rimmed with lime and chili flakes. Additionally, the local twist is to top it off with a serving or fresh seafood and veggies on top, typically shrimp, cucumber and carrot. Sipping your michelada in time to the gentle lapping of waves on the beach is quite possibly the perfect end to a day spent savoring local cuisine.
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