This is a random list of places I love and things you might find useful to know.
It is very very incomplete. As I recommend things to people, I’ll add it here.
Also, I’m lazy, so I haven’t found links or made this easy. But almost everything on here is easy to find with google. let me know if you’re struggling to find something I mentioned.
Last updated: Dec 2023 - but as of 01.28.2026 - it’s still mostly up to date. At the bottom, there’s a big list of businesses and restaurants from a friend who is more organized and still lives there.
We buy 95% of our food at the local tiendas and super-minis. It’s all mostly the same, but some have bigger selections, so just look around and see who has what you want.
There are two locations of Troncos. One on the Punta Mita hwy, and one right next to the bridge coming into town. I call them gringo paradise because they have the most gringo shit (half and half, breakfast cereal, mac and cheese, but it’s expensive. and I don’t get my chicken here.)
Don’t drink tap water unless the host of the place you’re staying at tells you specifically they have a water filtration system. Those are more common now, but do not assume. It’ll be explicit if it’s true.
However, I brush my teeth with tap water; I know some people who make their coffee with it. I don’t go that far. But I don’t worry about it much.
Ice:
At any restaurant or even food cart, you can trust ice. And you can drink glassed water anywhere that serves it. Nobody here drinks tap water and nobody will accidentally serve it to you.
Getting a Glass of water:
If you just simply ask a waiter for a water, they’ll likely bring you a bottle of water and add it to your tab.
If you ask for a ‘glass of water’ - or vaso de agua in spanish, they’ll usually bring you a glass from a garafon - which are the Office Water Station jugs and those are all drinkable. When I’m at a restaurant, I typically will ask for “vaso de agua de garafon.” just to be clear.