Petro Bañuelos dreamed of opening a restaurant in a place that, back then, could only be reached on foot or on horseback. There was no road and no electricity: only nature, mountain and a privileged view of Vallarta.
In the early 1990s that dream began to come true in the simplest, most authentic way: a small counter and a clay wood-fired stove where Petronilo cooked and served drinks to his first visitors, mostly tourists who arrived on horseback with local guides.
With hard work and perseverance, Petronilo opened a path through the mountain so vehicles could reach the place. He built a palapa and, little by little, the restaurant grew. Without electricity, Las Carmelitas ran on generators for years while more and more people discovered that place in the heights.
What began with a counter, a clay stove and a dream became, over the years, one of the most emblematic places in the hills of Puerto Vallarta.
The origin of the name
Petro chose the name Las Carmelitas in honor of his mother, Carmelita, so a family story has stood behind the restaurant since its beginnings.
Today, the path that could once only be traveled on foot or on horseback is paved with stone. Much has changed since those first years, but the essence remains.
The legacy continues
After the passing of Petro Bañuelos, creator and founder of Las Carmelitas, a new chapter begins: Las Carmelitas by Petros.
“Petro” is a tribute to Petro, the man who had the dream, the vision and the perseverance to turn a piece of land high on the mountain into a place that generations of locals and visitors came to know.
Reopening Las Carmelitas means keeping his dream and his memory alive, honoring what he built and carrying his legacy on to new generations.