The coffee-producing regions of Veracruz and Chiapas account for 70% of the Mexican coffee crop, with another 10% coming from Puebla and the remainder from other states, among them fertile Oaxaca. Nearly all of the coffee growers in Mexico work on farms of 25 acres or less, a far cry from the real and imagined coffee plantations of long ago.

The finest grade of Mexican coffee is "altura," which means "high-grown." Where coffee is concerned, higher always means better, and the high-grown coffees of Mexico are considered very high-quality indeed and among the finest grown in the Americas.

So with all this great coffee grown right here in Mexico, it's often surprising to order a coffee in a Puerto Vallarta restaurant and find a cup of hot water delivered to your table along with a jar of NesCafe instant coffee. This is still the case in many smaller restaurants, and granted it allows you to make your coffee as strong or weak as you prefer, or to order a 'cafe con leche' and receive a cup of hot milk with which to mix your NesCafe for a sort of "poor-man's latte".

For all you Starbuck fanatics who can't go a day without your latte, espresso, or capucino, you'll be happy to learn that the espresso machine has found it's way to Puerto Vallarta and now a good cup of coffee is considerably easier to find. The majority of hotel coffee shops will have an espresso machine and a qualified operator, and quite a few shops dedicated to custom-made coffee drinks and delicious local pastries. Considering the number of ex-pats from Canada and the States who call Puerto Vallarta home, it's not surprising, and visitors will easily find their coffee fix.

There's also a type of coffee unique to Latin America you may find in a few resturants: "cafe de olla", which translates to "coffee from the pot". This much-loved Mexican beverage really does simmer in the pot all day long, which enhances the flavors of this syrupy-sweet coffee drink prepared with cinnamon and cloves.

You may also be offered a 'Mexican Coffee' at some of the finer restaurants after dinner, the preparation of which is demonstrated complete with a showman's flair. Coffee, tequila, and and egg-white merengue are combined in an impressive table-side display of flaming alcohol poured from one glass to another. The restaurant La Palapa on Los Muertos Beach is notable for this treat.

Outside of your resort, you'll find a majority of the 'coffee houses' in Viejo Vallarta, south of downtown and the Cuale River. Check the map below to find your caffeine in Viejo. There's also a Gloria Jean coffee shop directly across from the Buena Ventura hotel at the north end of the downtown area, and a Cafe Due towards the southern end of the 'hotel zone' in Plaza Genovese.