There are so many things to do in Puerto Vallarta. From exploring the Malecon, to Whale Watching, to all the fun excursions and outdoor activities, Puerto Vallarta has a little bit for everyone.
When visiting a new place, I always try to avoid the main tourist attractions and look for more authentic local experiences, preferably ones that are also adult-only. Cooking Classes, to me, always seem like a fun idea and something a bit different.
When I think about learning a new cuisine or culture, I want to learn it from the locals. After some digging though, I stumbled upon Gaby’s.
I found out that Gaby’s is a popular restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, near the Malecon, and it’s been family owned and operated since 1989.
Gaby’s Cooking Class in Puerto Vallarta is taught by Gaby’s son, Chef Julio. He teaches cooking classes twice a week that feature recipes passed down from their family. I knew I found the type of cooking class I was looking for.
Details
Classes are held Mondays and Fridays from 9am-2pmÂ
Cost – About $70/person (Does not include drinks or tips)
Includes a 3-in-1 Cooking Class & Food Experience
- Market Tour
- Cooking Class
- Lunch
Market Tour
We met that morning at the restaurant around 8:45am and had a quick introduction from Chef Julio. In addition to my boyfriend and I, there was about 8 other people in our cooking class group.
From there, we walked as a group to the local market to buy ingredients & produce. Chef Julio shared history of the Mexican culture and introduced us to his friends who worked at various businesses along our walk.
Depending on weather, you may want to bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen & water for the walk. We also had a unique experience that morning as the closest local market to Gaby’s was closed. Because of this, we had to walk to a further market.
We probably walked about a mile. I know this killed more time than usual but thankfully, they brought a van to pick us up and take us back to the restaurant. Pics or it didn’t happen…
Gaby’s Cooking Class
This was, of course, the most fun part of the entire experience. It was 💯. Chef Julio shared his traditional family recipes and personal stories with all of us. You could tell how passionate he was about cooking, the history of their recipes and teaching us about his culture through the food.
The cooking class itself was held in an outdoor courtyard attached to the restaurant with peekaboo views of the Pacific Ocean. A few grills were set up and food prep tables for all of us to work.
Chef Julio explained our menu, walked through each station and we divided & conquered the work together. We cooked over 7 different dishes – two salsas, guacamole, ceviche, fresh tortillas, chicken enchiladas, mole & sweet tamales just to name a few. Alcoholic drinks were not included, but you can order them and a server brings them out to you.
What I loved most was the fact that we purchased all of the fresh produce and ingredients that morning, so the food really tasted amazing. It makes all the difference when you use local ingredients.. Straight fire! After we finished cooking, there was covered tables set up for us to enjoy lunch.
Lunch
I literally ate my weight in fresh ceviche and tamales. We ate SO much food, I can tell you that. What I can’t tell you is how many margaritas we bought… the bill was a blur. Probably for the best.
In terms of portions, there was more than enough food for everyone to eat a full meal. Our group couldn’t finish all the food we made. Two ladies who were local took home some leftovers.
The food was simply incredible. The freshness of the ingredients & the authentic preparation just oozed real Mexican cuisine. I loved it and I would go back in a heartbeat. No doubt Gaby’s is the best cooking class in Puerto Vallarta.
Booking Your Gaby’s Cooking Class
Booking was easy! You can email the restaurant or click through their website to submit an inquiry. For more info on Gaby’s, check out their Facebook Page, where Chef Julio has been live streaming cooking classes weekly since COVID. But according to their Facebook Page, they have reopened already and ready for business!
Visiting Puerto Vallarta
If you are looking for places to stay in Puerto Vallarta, check out Hotels.com. They make it really easy to browse hotels. I’ve personally have stayed at Casa Kimberly (10000% recommend), Luna Liquida (smaller Bed & Breakfast type hotel) and Hotel Mousai (Adults Only with incredible rooftop pool and spa).
I also highly recommend visiting the Hidden Beach (which I will be reviewing soon) – it’s a truly unique experience only found in Puerto Vallarta. And if cooking food isn’t your thing, check out this 3.5 Hour Walking Food Tour in downtown Puerto Vallarta.
Alright well.. I think I deserve a margarita now! Hope you enjoyed this post… Cheers! Feel free to follow me on IG for more travel pictures and recommendations @BoutiqueorBusted
Well, had to review this because I live Puerto Vallarta so much. I loved this post. Did not do this while there but will next time. Loved Hidden Beach. Great job.
Oh Yes Linda, I am right there with you. Puerto Vallarta is seriously one of my favorite cities! The people are always so nice and the food is incredible (and not expensive!)
I’d really love to do more cooking classes in the future–I’ve done a pasta making class once where we made gnocchi, but none since, unfortunately. This one sounds like so much fun! :]
Oh wow, homemade gnocchi sounds amazing. Next time I am in Europe, I’ll have to look into that!
This cooking class experience sounds absolutely amazing hun. I would definitely have to give a try. I also love your pros and cons list of the cooking class
Thanks Illyana!
There is seriously nothing better than Spanish food! I visited Tulum and I still dream about the homemade tacos I had there. This made me so hungry!
Alexandra – OMG I LOVE Tulum too – I went last year and had the best time. I can’t wait to go back.