La Traviata Puerto Vallarta Review: Best Italian Food?
I don’t know if you’ve been to Puerto Vallarta, but if you have you may know that the folks here know how to THROW DOWN IN THE KITCHEN. Not just Mexican food, either. They are really good cooks at most every cuisine. From Vietnamese to Cantonese to Italian, the Mexicans know what they are doing.
I recently dined at La Traviata for a friend’s birthday and we had a time! From the time we walked in to the time we left, we were treated like kings and queens. It was impeccable service!
Let’s start with our appetizer, shall we? Actually let’s talk about the view first. You’ll forgive me for teasing you later… trust me.
Incredible view of the sunset and beach in Puerto Vallarta at La Traviata
Ok, now that we got that view out of the way, let’s get into what we had for an appetizer at La Traviata…
Prosciutto Bruschetta at La Traviata in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Ok, this was good. But it was missing some good cheese. We thought it would have been top notce with basil and some good burrata or some kind of cheese. But alas, we’re in Mexico, they have their own spin on things. LOL! And it wasn’t terrible.
Wine at La Traviata in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
I do want to talk briefly about the wine. This wine was GREAT. We had 4 bottles. But who’s counting, lol. It wasn’t really sweet, it was a bit dry, and totally perfect on a hot, humid PV day. I highly recommend leaning into what your servers suggest, because he suggested this. And, we all loved it, obviously.
Calamari at La Traviata in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
We all thought this was lacking something, perhaps, MORE food. It felt barren a bit lackluster. But fine.
Caesar Salad at La Traviata in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Yes, we’re eating Caesar Salad in Mexico… did you know that it was actually started in Mexico? It originated in Tijuana, created by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant and restaurateur who ran “Caesar’s Restaurant” there.
The most accepted story says that in 1924, during a busy Fourth of July weekend, Cardini threw together a salad from what he had left in the kitchen — romaine lettuce, garlic, croutons, Parmesan cheese, boiled eggs, olive oil, and Worcestershire sauce — and tossed it table side.
The dish became a hit with visiting Americans (especially from Southern California), and soon it spread internationally. Even though it’s seen as an “American” classic today, its birthplace is proudly Tijuana, Mexico.
We enjoyed this and it lived up to the Tijuana standards mentioned above. But the MAIN star was the dish I enjoyed next… LORD. I still think about this lasagna.
Beef Lasagna at La Traviata in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Now this lasgana was cooked PERFECTLY and I love how saucy and cheesy it was. I would happily have enjoyed another plate, tbh. But it was the perfect amount without being a pig. LOL! But baby, the way they leveled up even more was the desserts.
Chocolate Moose Cake at La Traviata in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
This was a nice surprise for our friend, Fernie! :) We had a time!
Tiramisu at La Traviata in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Seth insisted that we order more dessert, so we did. This was the best Tiramasu I’ve had in a while. Very delectable and smooth. And, when in Mexico, you must wash everything down with a night cap. As insisted by Seth, as he says.
Jiribilla Mezcal, an artisanal delightful treat at La Traviata in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Enjoying Jiribilla Mezcal at La Traviata in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
So overall, the food was solid and pretty good for Italian food in Mexico. So, I’ll give it a 8.5/10. The only thing I have to gripe about really was the lackluster apps. But that’s what they are so am I really right there? But anyway… highly recommend adding this spot to the rotation and/or celebrating a special moment, like a birthday here. They really made it special for us and our friend. =) Great views also, and if you stick around long enough, I’m sure you’d see a good firework show from the various explosions that are often heard in Vallarta. Enjoy and tell ‘em I sent ya!
Hey, if you’re looking for a perfect hotel to stay at while you’re in Vallarta, check out my hotel guide, you won’t be steered wrong ova here ;)
Friends at La Traviata in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico