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It's quite soothing to sit in this restaurant at Cabo Surf Hotel, at the ocean's edge under the shade of a palapa while watching the surfers. For breakfast munch on their machaca con huevos (eggs scrambled with shredded beef) washed down with a fresh-fruit smoothie. Later in the day, grab some fish tacos or a Mediterranean tuna wrap with a blueberry mojito. Burgers are piled high with jalapeños and caramelized onions. For something light, try the crab cakes on a bed of tomato chutney with arugula. Drop in to watch the sunset and dine on fresh fish with a flavorful mango sauce. With a focus on healthy cuisine, the kitchen uses all local organic ingredients, cooks with olive oil (instead of butter), uses soybean oil for deep-frying, and will not serve marlin, mahimahi, or parrotfish due to commercial overfishing. Your entertainment is simple: a wonderful view that never stops changing.
Carretera Transpeninsular, Km 28, The Corridor, Baja California Sur, 23401, Mexico
Known For
- Gluten-free and vegetarian options
- Inventive seafood cuisine with eclectic style
- Regional organic vegetables
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | Playa El Médano |
Set in Cabo San Lucas's boutique Bahia Hotel, Bar Esquina is making a name for itself as one of Médano Beach's best restaurants. Whether you're craving eggs Benedict in the morning to help you absorb last night's party, a wood-fired pizza, or a burger on a pretzel bun, Bar Esquina is the neighborhood's top option for expertly prepared American-style comfort food. For dinner try the highly recommended tuna tartare, short rib, or beef fillet. With tall cocktail tables in the bar, an open-air dining room, chalkboard menus written on columns that front an open kitchen, and frequent live music, this place offers a cool atmosphere and great dining just off the beach. For a quick refuel, there's Esquina Coffee Shop right next door. Open at 7 am, it sells juices, coffee, and smoothies for takeaway.
Av. El Pescador, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, 23453, Mexico
Known For
- Delicious tuna tartare
- Live music
- Good food after a night out
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Omelets, bagels, granola, and whole-grain breads delight the breakfast crowd at this casual small eatery; deli sandwiches, fresh salads, and an array of burritos, tamales, and flautas (fried tortillas rolled around savory fillings) are lunch and dinner highlights. Check for fresh seafood on the daily specials board. Gourmet pizzas, pasta, and steak are also available.
Calle Centenario 33, Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, 23305, Mexico
Known For
- Delicious deli sandwiches
- Gourmet pizzas and pastas
- Daily seafood specials
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards, No dinner Mon. Closed last two weeks of Sept.
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$$ | La Poza |
For those fortunate enough to stay at the sumptuous Posada La Poza just outside town, lunch at its equally lovely restaurant will be one of the highlights of your Los Cabos vacation. Owners Juerg and Libusche Wiesendanger call their offerings "Swiss-Mex"—Mexican food with European touches and careful attention to detail. Start with the vegetarian-based tortilla soup with three different types of dried chilies to give it just enough kick. Then sample the smoked-tuna flautas, quesadillas with chicken or shrimp, or marinated arrachera (flank steak) strips. You'll find dishes such as lamb shoulder in winter. Believe it or not, there is enough of an evening chill in the air that time of year that dining next to the fireplace feels cozy. Top your meal off with a sorbet, flan, or mousse, and possibly the best selection of wines in the region (all Mexican from northern Baja's Guadalupe Valley).The restaurant is open to hotel guests for breakfast (included in the room rate) and lunch; with dinner available by request from Sunday to Thursday. The restaurant is no longer open to the public, save for groups of six or more who reserve at least 48 hours in advance.
Camino a La Poza 282, Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, 23305, Mexico
Known For
- Swiss-Mex cuisine
- For hotel guests only, except to parties of six or more with 48 hours notice
- Dinner on request five nights per week
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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With sprawling views of vineyards, this restaurant and open-air kitchen is shaded by a thatched palapa and surrounded by acres of farmland where chef Roberto Alcocer gathers ingredients. Beer, wine, vegetables, fruit, cheese, bread, meat, eggs, honey—nearly everything served is from the on-site farm, making this a true farm-to-table experience. Each plate is a work of art, including the fish tostada with salsa macha and the grilled oyster mushrooms. Fresh fish is adorned with edible flowers, like the catch of the day with black jícama dyed in squid ink. Ten-course tastings are available for $75, which is reasonable considering the quality of the food. The date tart with grappa ice cream is not overly sweet, allowing you to taste the flavors rather than just the sugar.
Carretera Ensenada–Tecate, Km 96, San Antonio de las Minas, Baja California Norte, Mexico
Known For
- Locally sourced food
- Tasting menu featuring Mexican flavors
- Baja seafood and ranch-grown foods
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | Centro |
Two of the most exciting chef-owners in Baja Norte, Benito Molina and Solange Muris, have taken a truly modern approach to Mexican cuisine at Manzanilla, integrating the freshest catches from the local waters—oysters, mussels, abalone, and clams, for instance—and using ingredients like ginger, saffron, smoked tomato marmalade, and huitlacoche (corn truffle). The ahi with ginger strawberry vinaigrette melts in your mouth, and the white clam with Gorgonzola is delicious. A local ranch sources their beef, grilled and served on a cutting board with warm tortillas. Next to the port, this hip joint is popular for its pleasant atmosphere and eclectic style of concrete floors, pink chandeliers, and an intricately carved wooden bar from the 1930s brought over from Los Angeles.
Teniente Azueta 139, Ensenada, Baja California Norte, 22800, Mexico
Known For
- Fresh Baja seafood
- Homemade tagliatelli
- Grilled quail with wild mushrooms
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Closed Mon. and Tues
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$$$ | Centro |
At this outdoor restaurant at Casa Natalia boutique hotel, fire bowls glow on the dining terrace, which is surrounded by palm trees and gentle waterfalls, blending the four elements: earth, wind, fire, and water. Tables are spaced far enough apart so that you don't have to share your whispered sweet nothings with neighbors. The kitchen serves catch-of-the-day with ginger lemongrass salsa, and sizzling fajitas on jalapeño tortillas. For something exceptional, try the free-range "chicken chocolate" with caramelized apples and a dark chocolate pepper salsa. The seafood-infused risotto is always a hit. A generous wine list pairs well with the menu, while the hotel's adjoining martini bar offers more colorful drink selections. Breakfast and lunch are available only to guests of the hotel, while dinner is open to everyone.
Blvd. Mijares 4, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23400, Mexico
Known For
- Mexican dishes with a European twist
- Adjoining oyster and martini bar
- Exceptional chicken with chocolate salsa
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Closed Tues
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For a garden escape along Highway 1, check out Ophelia, opened by Rosendo Ramos. It's a favorite among the Ensenada foodie crowd. Shiitake mushrooms, pork, and ginger glazes make somewhat unexpected but welcome appearances for this seaside town. At the root of all that's good about Ophelia is a blending of European, American, and Asian cuisines and a handful of dependable flavors and ingredients: fresh fish, tomatoes, chilies, and cilantro. Top sellers include the seared bluefin tuna, the fried wontons, and the grilled pork chops with a balsamic glaze. Daily specials usually come with regional vegetables and rosemary potatoes. A good stop on the way home after a long day touring Valle de Guadalupe's wineries, this spot highlights many of the region's wines.
Carretera Tijuana–Ensenada, Km 103, Ensenada, Baja California Norte, 22800, Mexico
Known For
- Octopus tacos and shrimp ceviche
- Zen vibe in garden patio
- Fresh yellowfin tuna
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Closed Mon
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$$ | Playas de Rosarito |
In addition to the fresh Southern California cuisine, many come to this restaurant to connect with the charming owner Susanna who moved to Rosarito years ago to open a furniture shop. Her love for fine food prevailed, thus turning her store into a restaurant that makes people feel right at home. From the moment you try the fresh-baked bread with homemade butter and tapenade, you know you’re in for a memorable meal (don’t bother asking her for the secret recipe!). Everything here is made from scratch including salsas and vinaigrettes. Entrées are beautifully prepared, like the grilled salmon with strawberries and spinach or the pork chop covered in a mound of apple chipotle salsa. Susanna’s rich flan is made with Grand Marnier and three types of milk, a dessert perfect to share. Larger groups can request the private table in the wine cellar, ideal for private parties.
Blvd. Benito Juárez 4356, Rosarito, Baja California Norte, Mexico
Known For
- Fresh California cuisine
- Homemade breads
- Sweet dressings and glazes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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$$ | Centro |
A beautifully redone adobe home sets the stage for this classy dining experience on an open courtyard under the stars. A lengthy tequila list tempts diners to savor the finer brands of Mexico's national drink, and an extensive wine cellar will give you plenty of choices for what to sip as you sup. The menu is a blend of Mediterranean and Mexican influences; select from excellent regional salads made from produce grown on the restaurant's organic farm, then move on to seafood choices like baked lobster, tequila shrimp, or catch of the day in pineapple curry. Another wonderful dish is rack of lamb in Cabernet sauce. The garden setting attracts mosquitoes, and the waitstaff requests tips in cash, so come prepared.
Manuel Doblado 1011, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23401, Mexico
Known For
- Succulent rack of lamb
- Mexican cuisine with Asian influences
- Beautiful garden setting
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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