Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The twelfth edition of Restaurant Week by Vallarta Lifestyles was officially announced during a press conference earlier this week. The conference was hosted by Paco Ojeda, one of the event organizers, with Jorge Martínez, Riviera Nayarit Conventions and Visitors Bureau Communications Director, and Luis Villaseñor, Puerto Vallarta's Tourism Bureau Director of Public Relations.

The prestigious Mark's Bar & Grill Restaurant in Bucerias, Nayarit, hosted the press conference, in which details were revealed about this important culinary event that takes place May 15-31, with 41 Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit restaurants offering special, three-course menus priced at $229 or $349 pesos per person, determined by each restaurants. Drinks and tips not included.

Restaurant Week by Vallarta Lifestyles is sponsored by Puerto Vallarta's Tourism Bureau, the Riviera Nayarit Visitors and Conventions Bureau, and Bay Vallarta Magazine.

Restaurant Week Grows and Improves

Restaurant Week organizers also announced improvements for this twelfth edition. Among them, a smaller, completely redesigned menu guide was presented, encouraging diners to keep it with them at all times. In addition, they announced the Restaurant Week Foodie Report, a new monthly, bilingual email newsletter.

"The actual Restaurant Week event will remain the same," explained Ojeda. "But we are announcing a commitment to help promote participating restaurants' special offers and events during the following 12 months. By publishing the newsletter, we'll be able to continue providing value to participating restaurants for an entire year. And with the added value, we trust that more restaurants will join Restaurant Week in 2017."

The Restaurant Week Foodie Report will be published in English and Spanish once a month beginning June 1, and it will be free of charge. Those interested in subscribing will be able to do so by visiting restaurantweekpv.com starting May 15, 2016.

Finally, the organizers announced restaurantweekpv.com, a new dedicated website for Restaurant Week, where foodies will be able to peruse news and promotions from participating restaurants.

Restaurant Week by the Numbers

• 7 Vallarta restaurants have participated in every Restaurant Week event: Archie's Wok, Café des Artistes, Daiquiri Dick's, El Arrayán, Kaiser Maximilian, The River Café and Trio.

• Seven restaurants are participating in Restaurant Week for the first time this year: Barrio Bistro, Benitto's Paninoteca, Cucco's Market Bistro Café, Fish Market Restaurant, Maia, Pizzeria La Dolce y Sonora a la Parrilla.

• 5 participating restaurants are located in Nayarit, while the rest are in Puerto Vallarta.

• 2012 was the year with most restaurants to date (forty-five), while 2010 registered only thirty-one participants.

For a list of Restaurant Week 2016 participating restaurants, click HERE.