Tres leches is a devishly delicious dessert that’s popular throughout the Americas. It translates to “three milks”, and it’s simply a sponge cake soaked in condensed milk, evaporated milk, and whole milk. It’s light, moist, and sweet, and one of those desserts you can easily have 3 pieces of without batting an eye.
There’s a hot debate over whether Mexico or Nicaragua is to credit for the invention of this beloved dessert. (Get my deep dive into each origin story HERE.) And while Mexico just might be it’s birthplace, it’s surprisingly not the easiest dessert to find.
I’m currently working on a cruise ship sailing around Mexico, and have been keeping my eyes peeled for some epic tres leches.
And I’m excited to report that I may have found the best tres leches in Puerto Vallarta at Pavlova Pasteleria….
The Venue
Pavlova Pasteleria is “off the beaten path.” AKA utterly inconvenient. It’s not close to the cruise port, city center or old town. While I consider the distance between the cruise terminal and the best tres leches in Puerto Vallarta to be walkable. Not everyone might like to walk an hour in the sun along a busy road and through residential neighborhoods. Luckily, Ubers in Puerto Vallarta are quick and cheap.
While there isn’t much to see in the neighborhood around Pavlova Pasteleria, the venue itself is charming. The building looks like a two story home, and there’s a thoughtfully designed cafe area as well as a covered patio with ample seating. There’s a huge, buzzing kitchen in the back, which leads me to believe they source cakes to all the local restaurants and coffee shops.
There are loads of sweet treats on offer including, but not limited to, cinnamon rolls, cheesecake, carrot cake, and crepe cake. My one qualm is that everything is in single use plastic. Environment aside, stacks of plastic containers aren’t the most appealing way to display a treat. Plus, some guy on some podcast told me I should be worried about microplastics. Don’t worry, the privilege of having this opinion isn’t lost on me.
The Tres Leches
I sprung for the Boston tres leches which had chocolate icing on top and a thick cream in the middle. The cake itself was spongey and light with a rich moistness that surprisingly wasn’t too sweet. The cream in the middle added a thick textural component, and I’m never going to complain about a pop of chocolate. It was utterly incredible, and I’m still thinking about how to get my hands on another slice.
Plus, This slice of tres leches and an Americano rang in at $6.22USD. Which I don’t think is too shabby given the quality.
If you’ve craving a piece of tres leches in Puerto Vallarta, Pavlova Pasteleria is well worth the trip.
