River Cafe in Sayulita

Situated alongside the river on Av. Revolucion in Sayulita, River Café is appropriately named. This restaurant and bar is a recent addition to our pueblo and brings locals and tourists an excellent dining option. River Café is a successful and well known restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, and Paulina and Steven Larios are excited about opening this second location in Sayulita. “We have always liked Sayulita. We were brainstorming about opening another location, we were told about this place, and we went for it,” they shared.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily. “The food is the same high quality as in Puerto Vallarta. It is International cuisine with an original, local touch. We’ve brought part of the menu over from the other location, but we have also adapted to the Sayulita clientele by adding vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options,” stated Paulina. A very popular signature dish, found on the dinner menu, is the duck breast with thyme potato au gratin, roasted asparagus, and an orange-cardamom sauce.  Another favorite is the roasted catch of the day, which comes with adobo sauce and is served over a bed of shrimp roasted poblano risotto and topped with parmesan cheese.

River Cafe serves up original cocktails, including a refreshing hibiscus margarita with caramelized hibiscus flowers and topped with a layer of coconut foam. The butterfly kiss, a pineapple, ginger chipotle infused margarita, topped with vanilla foam, is also highly sought after. With two for one margaritas, day and night, one can’t go wrong.

This open-air restaurant has a relaxing, yet elegant ambiance.  Indoors, colorful artwork created by Puerto Vallarta artists, and a few flat screen televisions, showcasing sporting events, are hung on the walls. Outdoor seating is under a palapa, surrounded by green, lush foliage and beautiful, blooming flowers. “For us, it’s about cuisine and nature. We take care of our gardens, and also try to keep the area around the restaurant and in front of it, maintained and clean. We are committed to sustainability and do our best to be a socially responsible company by recycling, using local products and materials, and assisting with keeping the river clean,” Steven said.

Adding to the ambiance of River Café is live music. Latin rhythms can be heard on Sunday evenings, and alternative guitar and saxophone is played on Wednesdays.

With seating for over 100 people, this restaurant is a wonderful location to host rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, anniversary and birthday parties, and other special events. Catering of events is also offered.

“We do quality food and service. So, if someone wants to come in and enjoy a nice meal, great service, and drinks, we offer a good spot,” shared Steven.

SaveSave