South Side Hot Spot

We dare you, double dare you, to say the name Basilio Badillo to the person next to you without hesitating — or peeking at its syllabic pronunciation below. Because this happening north-south street, also coined “Restaurant Row” and “Calle de los Cafés,” is one you will definitely want to discover again and again. Especially the 200 – 300 block, the third one up from the ocean between Ignacio L. Vallarta and Constitucion in this fun and very funky neighborhood.

Roberto’s Puerto Nuevo really started the ball rolling here in 1988, quickly followed by the former Pizza Joe and Memo’s Pancake House. And in the ensuing years, Roberto added a second restaurant right across the street, Joe and Claire’s pizza place transformed into Vallarta’s largest art gallery, and some of the town’s best shops and eateries have joined them. A perfect example is the large, dramatic Viva store, which represents more than 900 accessory designers.