The 5 BEST Seafood Dishes in Puerto Vallarta

One of the highlights of any Puerto Vallarta vacation is the food. Not only does the city cook up classic Mexican favorites, but here on the coast, fresh catches from the sea add unique flavors for healthy and hearty meals. While some choices on a menu may be familiar, there are a few seafood dish ideas that capture the essence of Mexican cuisine that you may not have heard of. On your next trip to Puerto Vallarta, sink your teeth into the best seafood dishes for a rich taste of Mexican culture.

Ceviche

One of the best seafood dishes in Puerto Vallarta is ceviche, and you can find it served as street food or at the top restaurants in town. This popular dish is made from raw fish or shrimp that’s been marinated in lime juice to “cook” it. The juicy meat in these shrimp or fish meals is then mixed with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, cilantro, and other vegetables and spices before being served on crispy tostadas. Each chef has his or her own perfect ceviche seafood recipes, and travelers can add salsas and more lime juice to have ceviche just the way they like it. Ceviche is one of the relatively easy seafood dishes to make in your own home, letting you savor the flavors of Mexican fish meals long after your vacation ends.

Aguachile

While ceviche is a coastal staple throughout Latin America and in some parts of the Carribean, aguachile is one of the best uniquely Mexican seafood dishes. As its name suggests, it’s one of the spiciest seafood recipes. While most of the ingredients are similar to ceviche, the seafood meat is marinated in a blend of spicy chiles and water. For those looking for shrimp meals with a kick, aguachile is the way to go. Just be sure to have a cold beer or icy agua fresca to cool off!

Pescado Zarandeado

One of the most popular fish meals in Puerto Vallarta is pescado zarandeado. Like many other Mexican seafood recipes, the key to mouthwatering pescado zarandeado is the marinade, in which you can taste an Asian influence on Mexican cuisine. Chiles, tomatoes, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce are what make this one of the best Mexican seafood dishes in Puerto Vallarta. However, it’s not one of the easy seafood dishes to prepare at home. The fish must be filleted in half and grilled, and it always seems tastiest when eaten on the beaches during your Puerto Vallarta vacation.

Camarones a la Diabla

Shrimp meals are a quick choice for a tasty dinner, and by blending up traditional Mexican chiles and tomatoes, you can serve camarones a la diabla like a pro. When you take a trip to Puerto Vallarta, this is one of the best seafood dishes to try, giving you a taste for the authentic sauce. While you can find other shrimp meals cooked in butter and garlic sauces at most restaurants, camarones a la diabla is one of the authentic Mexican seafood dishesnot to be missed. Here, you’ll be treated to thick and juicy shrimp, and while the sauce has a kick to it, most foreigners can handle the heat like a local.

Fish Tacos

One of the most popular seafood dish ideas in any restaurant is fish tacos. Grilled or fried, fresh fish fillets are the perfect filling for tortillas. Top it all off with coleslaw, salsa, and a squeeze of lime, and you’ve got one of the easy seafood dishes everyone will love. If you’re unsure what to order when dining out on your Puerto Vallarta vacation, fish tacos are a classic choice that’s both delicious and satisfying.

After sampling the wide variety of authentic seafood dishes on your trip to Puerto Vallarta, you’ll understand why travelers return over and over to the city. The fresh catches are thick and juicy, and with the unique flavors of Mexican chiles and limes, each dish makes your mouth water. You can even let these seafood dish ideas inspire you to recreate the succulent and aromatic flavors of Puerto Vallarta right in your own kitchen.