I have spent plenty of time shopping for condo stays in Puerto Vallarta, and Amapas makes the routine surprisingly easy for two people. You can pick up breakfast ingredients, snacks, drinks, and dinner supplies without planning your whole day around a supermarket.
For two people or a digital nomad sharing a condo, the trick is not buying everything in one trip. I find it works better to combine a nearby mini-market, a specialty grocery store, and the traditional market in Old Town.
Amapas is also, in my opinion, the best place to rent when you want a hillside setting, nearby restaurants, and a kitchen where you can prepare simple meals between beach time and work calls.
Start with a small first-day shop
When we arrive, we usually avoid making a large grocery run immediately. A smaller first shop gives us time to check the kitchen, refrigerator, coffee maker, cookware, and storage space.
The nearby Mini Super & Deli Amapas at Amapas 215 is useful for quick essentials. Think bottled drinks, breakfast items, snacks, basic produce, and anything you suddenly realize you forgot.
This is the right stop when you need coffee for the next morning, fruit for a work break, or something simple after traveling. It is much easier than carrying several heavy bags up a steep street.
For a first evening, I would keep the list simple:
- Coffee or tea
- Eggs
- Tortillas or bread
- Yogurt
- Bananas or mangoes
- Avocados
- Tomatoes
- Limes
- Drinking water
- A few snacks
That is enough for breakfast and a light meal while you learn the neighborhood.
Make Mercado Ollin your main specialty stop
For a more complete shopping trip, Mercado Ollin at The Park, Lázaro Cárdenas 205 in Colonia Emiliano Zapata, is one of my favorite nearby options.
It has fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, deli items, pantry staples, personal-care products, and ingredients from Mexican, Asian, and Italian cuisines. That variety helps when one person wants to cook locally while the other wants something familiar.
Mercado Ollin lists its Puerto Vallarta hours as Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Schedules can change, so I still check before making a special trip.
The store accepts credit and debit cards except American Express. It also offers home delivery, which is helpful when you are working, carrying a laptop, or staying higher up the Amapas hillside.
I like shopping there for ingredients that can become several meals:
- Fresh tomatoes and herbs for salsa
- Avocados and limes
- Eggs for breakfast
- Cheese and deli items for quick lunches
- Pasta, rice, or tortillas
- Fruit for smoothies
- Coffee and tea
- Snacks for work sessions
- Soap and personal-care basics
For two people, I usually buy only three or four days of fresh food at a time. The weather is warm, refrigerator space can vary, and smaller shopping trips keep the kitchen from becoming crowded.
Visit the Emiliano Zapata market for a local routine
The Mercado Municipal Emiliano Zapata is another useful stop near Amapas and Old Town. It sits around Lázaro Cárdenas and Camichín and has the traditional market atmosphere many visitors hope to experience in Puerto Vallarta.
You can find fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, and everyday groceries. I prefer going earlier in the day, when the market feels active and the selection is fresh.
This market is a good place to slow down and look at ingredients you may not see at home. Ask what is in season, watch how locals choose produce, and keep your shopping list flexible.
A few simple Spanish phrases make the experience easier:
- “¿Cuánto pesa?” , How much does it weigh?
- “¿Tiene aguacates maduros?” , Do you have ripe avocados?
- “Dos, por favor.” , Two, please.
- “Para llevar, por favor.” , To take away, please.
Carry a reusable bag and a little cash for small stalls. I also recommend bringing a short list on your phone, but leave room for one or two things that catch your attention.
Plan around the seasonal farmers’ markets
If your stay falls between November and May, look for the Olas Altas Farmers’ Market in the Romantic Zone. It is commonly held on Saturdays near Lázaro Cárdenas Park, with local foods, baked goods, cheese, fresh pasta, honey, prepared items, and handmade products.
The usual schedule is around 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., but I always confirm the current season and hours before going. Markets change with holidays and local events.
For a two-person condo stay, this is a great place to choose a few special items instead of filling your bags. We might pick up fresh bread, a small jar of honey, local cheese, and something ready to eat.
The market can also turn grocery shopping into a relaxed outing. You see more of the neighborhood, meet local makers, and return to the condo with ingredients that make a simple meal feel memorable.
Use a two-person meal plan
A little planning keeps shopping practical, especially when one or both of you are working remotely.
For breakfast, eggs, fruit, yogurt, coffee, and tortillas cover several easy mornings. For lunch, we like avocado toast, sandwiches, salads, or leftovers from the night before.
Dinner can stay simple too. Fresh tomatoes, onions, herbs, limes, tortillas, and a protein can become tacos or bowls. Pasta, vegetables, and cheese make another quick meal without requiring a long cooking session.
I recommend choosing ingredients that can work in more than one dish. Cilantro can go into eggs, salsa, tacos, and salad. Limes work with drinks, seafood, vegetables, and guacamole.
Before shopping, check whether the condo has a blender, toaster, cutting board, sharp knife, storage containers, and enough plates for two. If you are staying for a week or longer, ask the host what is already supplied.
That one message can prevent unnecessary shopping and makes it easier to plan your first market visit.
Shop around your work schedule
Digital nomads usually do not want grocery shopping to interrupt a full workday. I find that a short morning trip works well for fresh food, while a late-afternoon stop is useful for snacks and dinner ingredients.
Keep heavier items for one planned trip. Water, drinks, and cleaning supplies are much easier to manage when you use delivery or a short taxi ride instead of carrying everything uphill.
Mercado Ollin’s delivery service is especially practical when you have a meeting, a deadline, or several bags to bring back. We still enjoy visiting markets in person, but delivery gives us flexibility when work takes priority.
If you work from the condo, store snacks in one easy-to-reach place. Nuts, fruit, crackers, coffee, and yogurt make better desk options than trying to cook during every short break.
Keep food fresh and the kitchen comfortable
Puerto Vallarta’s warm climate means produce can ripen quickly. Buy smaller amounts, refrigerate what needs chilling, and rinse fruits and vegetables before eating them.
I also avoid leaving cut fruit, dairy, or prepared food on the counter for long periods. A few reusable containers make leftovers much easier to manage.
For drinking water, use sealed bottles or the system provided by your condo. If you are unsure about the kitchen setup, ask your host before filling a large container.
It also helps to keep a small cleaning kit nearby. A sponge, dish soap, paper towels, and a few trash bags can make the kitchen more comfortable throughout your stay.
Why Amapas works so well for this kind of trip
Amapas gives us a useful balance. We can walk toward Old Town for markets, restaurants, cafés, and everyday errands, then return to a quieter hillside condo with space to cook and work.
The hills are real, so comfortable shoes and smaller bags make a difference. I prefer several manageable shopping trips over one large haul.
For two people, the neighborhood feels especially convenient because shopping becomes part of the experience rather than a chore. One person can choose produce while the other checks the pantry aisle, and then you can prepare a relaxed meal together.
But best of all, the condo kitchen gives you options. You can enjoy local food at a market, prepare breakfast before a work call, or make a quick dinner when you want a quiet night in.
Amapas is highly recommended for couples and digital nomads who want a practical Puerto Vallarta stay with markets, restaurants, and a comfortable kitchen close by.
Related resources
- condo and apartment rentals puerto vallarta
- puerto vallarta mexico condo rentals
- our full guide to staying productive in Amapas
- why Amapas works so well for remote stays
- Follow along on Facebook for more Puerto Vallarta ideas.
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