These days it seem like the world has gone just plain crazy for Baja cuisine. The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Public Radio – these are but a few from the 4th estate that have lined up to gush over chefs and restaurants that are giving Baja – heretofore best known to outsiders as a totally rad surf scene dude – a bona fide “food scene”. So while it was the surfers who first made the terms “firing” and “shredding” famous in Baja (all surfspeak for surfing really well) it’s the chefs who are breathing new life into the terms in the culinary revolution that is sweeping the peninsula.
But what exactly is it that the chefs are firing and shredding? Of course there’s the bounty from the two seas, and all that great produce from the organic farms that populate the region. But most of Baja is desert and when you look out at it, it can seem kind of desolate, maybe a little forbidding, definitely thorny. What’s there to eat? Turns out, quite a bit (if you don’t mind getting your fingers pricked)!
Sergio preparing pitaya at home
Take the pitaya. The Baja peninsula is covered in this cactus andChef Danyof Santo Vino/Hotel California likens the fruit of this plant to a red kiwi. He loves to cook it up with ginger and butter to make sauce for his Cabrilla (sea bass), and he’s also found that it makes a zingy vinaigrette for his salads. Our local ice cream stores in Todos Santos and La Paz report that pitaya ice cream is a perennial best-seller, notwithstanding the fact that the pitaya fruit is disgustingly healthy, packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants and Vitamin C. In fact, Juice Generation, a chain of smoothie bars in New York City, is promoting the pitaya as “the next big superfruit”, following in the footsteps of pomegranates, mangosteens and acai.
Prickly Pear
The tuna, or prickly pear, is the fruit of the nopal cactus, another ubiquitous Baja dweller. While Chef Dany likes to use the prickly pear for his dynamite fish salsas, and others like to pair it with tequila for a zingy barbeque sauce, Chef Rick Baylesslikes to make Fresh Prickly Pear Ice as a refreshing dessert, and many folks in Baja share this enthusiasm for sweets made from tunas and regularly cook up prickly pear jelly, prickly pear syrup and prickly pear candy. Like the pitaya though, the tuna is ridiculously healthy, being high in magnesium, taurine, Vitamin C, calcium, potassium and antioxidants.
Biznaga
The leaves or paddles of the nopal are another great staple of Baja cuisine. Sergio Jáuregui (yes, our very own Sergio ofTodos Santos Eco Adventures) likes to make what he calls nopal “quesadillas”. He cleans the paddle, grills it on both sides, then melts his favorite cooking cheese onto it – usually Oaxaca or Manchego – and fries it up. Delicious! (In that deep-fat fryer / comfort food kind of way.) Chef Dany’s favorite way to eat nopal paddles is equally tasty (and far more healthy): he puts it raw in salads with cubes of onion, tomatoes, local fresh cheese (queso fresco), parsley and cilantro – magnifique!
There are many more cactus plants from the Baja desert that make great eating, including the biznaga – which many chefs include in their chiles en nogada – and yucca, whose lovely white flowers make a great stir fry in Chef Dany’s wok.
But the real test of any Baja food is: can you make a margarita with it? And for all of our featured cacti here – the prickly pear, the pitaya, the biznaga and yucca – the answer is a resounding YES! Just swing by Santo Vino or the Hotel California some evening and prepare yourself for a most delicious treat (and don’t be afraid to try it at home either!)
Brown-Garitas for Everyone!
Chef Iker Algorriof Café Brown likes to use a plant local to Todos Santos – damiana – to make his world-famous Brown-Garitas, a sure crowd pleaser:
1 shot of of tequila
1 shot of controy or triple sec
3/5th shot of damiana
Splash of lime juice
Splash of fresh orange juice
Blend it up, serve with love and enjoy! Oh, and damiana is widely considered a potent aphrodisiac so best to enjoy your Brown-Garitas with friends!
If you’d like to learn more about cooking with Baja foods please contact us about our Cooking Adventures Week here in Todos Santos. It features fun, informative classes with both Chef Dany and Chef Iker, as well as lots of time in the glorious nature of Baja, checking out the bounty of the ocean and desert.
Thanks to Janine Wall for her help with this article.
“I felt excitement and outright fear: I’d come to a week-long surf camp for women. I’m 64 years old. I grew up along the California coastline, and spent my life around surfers. But I never understood what makes surfers surf. My friends Bryan and Sergio Jáuregui own an adventure travel business in my current home town of Todos Santos, Mexico, and thought I might like to join a group of women coming to town to learn to surf. I’m game for just about anything, considering that I also celebrated my 50th birthday by getting a tattoo and jumping out of an airplane. But surfing? Now that’s a whole other thing. Even though I am a certified scuba diver, I am totally intimidated by the power of the ocean and waves. My Surfari mates were Aimee, 40, and Paige and Cathy Ann, both 49. I tried not to dwell on how much older I was. In wet suits and rash guards, we practiced and practiced on boards on the sand, hands gripping the boards just right, springing to our feet. I’ve known surf maestro Mario Bercerril for years and I have often heard him claim that he could get anyone to ride a wave in the first hour of instruction.Bunk, I thought. But Mario guided me out, picked just the right moment to push my board in the right direction… and I did it! I stood up and rode that wave all the way into shore! After standing up on my first try, I was anxious to do it again… and again… and again. I was starting to understand the phenomenon of surfing addiction. This was just what I needed to feel: more passion, more excitement, more fun. The other girls felt it, too. At our farewell dinner, our instructors handed out graduation certificates. I was the only one on social security to receive one! But I thought that was totally bitchin’.”
—Surfari! Baja Surf Camp for Women, Todos Santos Eco Adventures,tosea.net
Welcome to the third installment of our Insider’s Guide to the Restaurants of Todos Santos! Here we present:
Category Four: Charming Cafés with Great Breakfasts – and More!
Category Four and a Half:Fonda El Zaguan!
Category Five:Healthy Fare
Category Six:Fun Places with Cute Atmosphere and Live Music / Live Theater / Live TV!
For information on more of the fabulous restaurants available to food lovers in Todos Santos, please see our other categories including Great Food, Great Chefs, Great Atmosphere; Wonderful Food in a Beautiful Garden Setting snd Killer Local Joints and Taco Stands. All restaurants are presented in alphabetical order within each category. The sample menus shown with each restaurant are literally just a snapshot from our last visit; menu options and prices may naturally evolve over time.
Category Four: Charming Cafés with Great Breakfasts – and More!
Cafélix
Overview: Since 2007 Felix Ramon Vaquez Guluarte has been dishing up all the things that you need to get through the day – and feel good doing it: great coffees (frappucinos, cappucinos, iced lattes and more) tasty baked goods, natural smoothies, hearty breakfasts (all manner of eggs, French toast, waffles – you can choose how badly you want to sin) and delicious lunches. His sidewalk café on the main street of Todos Santos has become something of a gathering point for visitors and locals alike and he works hard to keep the experience fresh for his clientele. He now serves dinner – including wood-fired brick oven pizza on the weekends – at Cafélix, and since 2010 has been serving up great tacos, burritos and hamburgers next door at Boyitacos. He frequently features the work of local artists, sponsors photography contests, and of course shows Mexican soccer matches on the flat screen TV. Very nice, relaxed atmosphere with both inside and outside/sidewalk seating. Free WIFI. Air conditioning in the summer – a rarity!
Service: Very friendly and efficient.
Rating: Tasty, tasty, tasty! If we need to find one of our guests this is often the first place we look.
Hours: Cafélix is open 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM daily, 365 days a year. Boyitacos is open 12:00 Noon – 9:00 PM daily except Tuesdays.
Overview: Fresh, large and delicious applies to everything on offer at Caffe Todos Santos. From the wonderful fresh juices, to the dazzling cinnamon buns, from the original inspired salads, to the fabulous fruits of the sea, every dish is a joy for the taste buds and a treat for at least two of you at the table! There are 3 seating area options, each with its own unique ambiance and all thoroughly delightful. There is the sidewalk table option where you can lounge under a canopy of bougainvillea and watch Todos Santos street life roll by; there is the indoor option where you can enjoy the fun collection of posters and objets d’arte (and keep a close eye on the pastries); and there is the garden dining option where you can spread out around large tables framed by a lovely brick wall that gives one the feeling of having stumbled into the private garden of a wealthy entrepreneur – which it once was. Owned by Angelo and Magda Dalbon, who know also operate Tre Galline in the same location.
Service: Very relaxed.
Rating: Charming, fresh, large and delicious! We often bring our groups here for lunch and enjoy hanging out with friends and family here.
Hours: 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM Tuesday-Saturday. Sunday 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Monday 7:00 AM – 2:00 PM.
Overview: This tiny spot on the main street of Todos Santos straddles so many of our categories that we finally decided to just put it in a class of its own! Owned by Erik Castellanos, one of the original developers of Los Adobes, El Zaguán serves some of the freshest, tastiest seafood in town – accompanied by delicious organic salads and a nice selection of wines. El Zaguán is in a very charming, very convenient and vibrant location. There are a couple of tables under a palapa roof on the sidewalk where you can enjoy the ebb and flow of Todos Santos street life while delighting in an El Zaguán creation. Or if you prefer to leave the street behind there are several tables and a small (but full) bar in the streamlined open-air space “inside”. The restaurant’s motto is “Always good, Always fresh” and we’re happy to report truth in advertising here at El Zaguán!
Service: Attentive and nice.
Rating: Triple D: Delicious, delectable, delightful! We often bring our groups here for lunch and many of our guests then find their own way back for another meal on their own.
Overview: A fantastic new addition to the Todos Santos food scene that has everyone raving! Owner/chef Rima Lyn thought about calling her place “Waffle ‘n Falafel”, only trouble being that her signature breakfast dish is pancakes, not waffles. But oh what pancakes! Using a recipe that her mother developed “by mistake”, Rima gets her pancakes to fluff up like hot cakes on steroids, then stuffs them with berries and smothers them with cinnamon butter sauce. It’s positively indecent. For lunch she always has her awe-inspiring falafel pita on hand, as well as a wonderful array of daily specials such as lentil salad, turkey burgers, fish chowder, celery soup, fruit smoothies and so on – all fabulously fresh and delicious. She invites guests chefs in on a regular basis to prepare special treats for her customers such as crepes or Indian food, and this is always an extremely tasty event. Food is served in the small, homey/funky dining area next to the kitchen that always features the work of local artists, as well as on the sidewalk just outside.
Service: Rima and her team love what they’re doing and it shows. They are always delighted to see you, chat about the food – or anything else – and make sure you get the perfect meal you’re looking for.
Rating: Yes! Yes! Yes! We’re addicted and you definitely don’t want to miss it while you’re in town.
Hours: 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM Tuesday-Saturday. Closed August – October 2014.
Contact: 612-169-9200
Frieda at the Indigo Cafe juice bar
Indigo Café
Overview: Owner/chef Frieda Telemans had three growing boys in the house, which inspired her to focus on the science of nutrition. That was the easy part. The hard part was the art getting teenage boys to not only tolerate healthy food, but love it. She succeeded wildly, and now that the boys are grown and gone, the rest of us get to discover how fantastically delicious Frieda can make disgustingly healthy fare. Right inside the art gallery she’s been running for 8 years on the main street of Todos Santos – Galeria Indigo – Frieda offers a simple menu with complex and wonderful flavors that spread joy to your taste buds and arteries alike. The menu features fresh-squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, sandwiches, wraps, salads and espresso. And from the portabello mushroom panini, to the fresh vegetable and hummus “burritos”, to the beet and goat cheese salad, everything is absolutely yummy. Need proof? We took three groups of teenagers there this summer – to a kid they loved it all and asked for more. ‘Nuff said.
Service: It’s just Frieda right now and she’s always happy to see you!
Rating: Winner of the Todos Santos 4-H award – a Heavenly Hip n’ Healthy Humdinger! We love it and now take many of our groups there for lunch. If you want to go with more than 2-3 friends best to call ahead so that she can be prepared for you.
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9-6, Sundays 11-4.
Contact: 612-137-3473
La Esquina
Overview: With its proximity to the more gringo-laden communities of Todos Santos, and its terrific selection of fresh, healthy and tasty fare, La Esquina quickly became a favorite with many residents in town after its opening in 2007. A delightful array of breakfast entrees, fresh-baked goods, and great sandwiches, all of which can be washed down with a good selection of juices, teas, coffees and beers, is served in a charming, open-air space under a large palapa roof. Free WIFI and an area with overstuffed chairs and sofa invite visitors to lounge for a while. Happy Hour from 5-6 PM draws the after-surf / pre-dinner crowds, who can enjoy 2-for-1 beer, wine and margaritas. There is a farmer’s market each Wednesday during the winter.
Service: Quite relaxed and nice.
Rating: Fresh-n-tasty! It’s a favorite spot for many folks to meet friends and associates – not only because of the good libations, but because many of the tables are set far enough apart that you can have a private conversation. That being said, there is often a convivial group atmosphere about the place.
Hours: 7 AM – 7 PM Monday – Saturday. 9 AM – 3 PM Sundays. Open until 9:00 PM on Thursdays for live music, bar service and super burros. Closed September 1-30, 2014
Overview: When you’re craving delicious / fresh / organic / vegetarian food for breakfast or lunch Pura Vida is the place to go! Since 2009 the dynamic husband-and-wife team of fashion designer Joella Corado (Todos Santos born and raised) & Kurtis Parsons (massage therapist and professional percussionist) have featured a refreshingly brief menu of a few items that they do extremely well and that reflect their goal of living an alternative, healthier lifestyle. For lunch you can indulge in pesto quesadillas, vegetable spring rolls, veggie Panini, organic salad, veggie/organic burritos and nachos, and for breakfast there is oatmeal, fruit, granola, chilaquiles, and Spanish eggs. Perfect! Vegan, gluten-free and wheat-free options abound. While it is a health food place there are a couple of (relatively) sinful options, including the delicious chocolate avocado pie and cheeseless cheesecake. Joella and Kurtis also run regular specials like Vegan Lasagna with Zucchini Noodles, Mushrooms, Spinach, Broccoli, and Creamy Cashew cheese. Pura Vida has just a few tables under a palapa roof that also houses a small store with organic / healthy / exotic food items, as well as some of Joella’s Belazul Beach and Active Wear line of clothing and jewelry.
Service: Deeply relaxed.
Rating: A great gift for your taste buds! We come around for a fix as often as we can.
Hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily. Summer hours are 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM, closed on Sundays.
Category Six: Fun Places with Cute Atmosphere and Live Music / Live Theater / Live TV!
El Teatro Luna Azul / Blue Moon Productions
El Teatro Luna Azul Production
Overview: Started by long-time Todos Santos residents Isabel Smyth and Raul Cavazos, El Teatro Luna Azul brings the idea of dinner and a movie to a whole new wonderful level. Once in a blue moon, i.e., whenever they feel like it, Isabel and Raul invite the public to their huge, open air theater space where they show fascinating, hard-to find movies ranging from classic to controversial, musical to mystery, altered lives to the altered planet. Prior to some shows – but not all – they serve creative meals featuring seasonal fruits and vegetables fresh from their on-site garden, prepared in their open-air kitchen. Vegetarian options are always available and all options are wonderfully fresh and delicious. The movies are great fun, but they are perhaps more famous for their live theatre productions in which they use local talent to bring comedies, musicals and the performing arts to the community. Isabel and Raul also host full moon drumming and music nights.
Rating: Worth howling about! It’s a great gift to the community and always a lot of fun, no matter whether you’re watching a movie at the theater or participating in a drumming circle on the beach.
Hours: Once in a blue moon. Which generally ends up being a dinner/movie option once or twice a week November-July, and maybe twice a month August-October. Please check their blog for details and information about their live performances
Overview: What? It’s the Hotel California – you have to go at least once while you’re in town. And the good news is that you’ll be glad you did! The restaurant has a truly wonderful atmosphere and reflects the combination of fun, whimsy, magic and practicality that original owners John and Debbie Stewart infused the whole place with back in 2002. And Executive Chef Dany Lamote has made the restaurant a mecca for all comers, with plenty of traditional US / international fare for those who aren’t in the mood for Mexican, and terrific local dishes for those who are. Jalapeño margaritas made with Hotel California Tequila are not to be missed no matter which category you fall into! The Hotel California has live music on many weekends, puts on a killer New Year’s Eve program, and is now the venue of the Annual Todos Santos Music Festival organized by Peter Buck of REM.
Service: Totally rocks!
Rating: Too much fun! We begin or end almost every one of our adventure weeks with a meal at the Hotel California. It is always a hit!
Hours: 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily unless there’s music, when it closes at 11:00 PM. Except on New Years. And some nights of the Music Festival.
Overview: La Santeña is a cantina-style Mexican restaurant that evokes an earlier time in Mexico. Built by Mexican entrepreneur and builder Miguel Ochoa, La Santeña has a very charming, warm atmosphere created by the brick walls, high, exposed-beam ceiling, copper-plated bar panels and wooden liquor cabinets. Traditional Mexican fare, some American staples, and a full bar are yours for the sampling in either the delightful inside dining area or the very enjoyable and comfortable tables with umbrellas on the sidewalk. La Santeña often features important sporting events on the flat screen TV.
Service: Very relaxed and nice.
Rating: Very fun! Very nice place to have a meal or a drink with friends.
Welcome to the second installment of our Insider’s Guide to the ResAll Poststaurants of Todos Santos! Here we present the town’s Killer Local Joints and Taco Stands.
Category Three: Killer Local Joints and Taco Stands
Alma y Manny Comida Mexicana
Overview: Tamales are ubiquitous in mainland Mexico, but it was almost impossible to find a fresh, hot, tasty tamale in Baja (or at least in Todos Santos) until Alma opened her street-side stand in early 2013. Folks here literally couldn’t get enough – if you arrived too late in the day she was inevitably sold out. Based on that success, Alma and her husband Manny have since upgraded to a cute open-air restaurant that is a favorite with locals, Mexicans and gringos alike. In addition to their fabulous selection of chicken, pork, beef, chile, pineapple and mixed tamales, Alma and Manny also serve an assortment of traditional Mexican fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner including chilaquiles, sopas, tortas, tacos and pozoles. And they are now almost as famous for their chiles rellenos as for their tamales, and they’ll stuff them with pretty much whatever strikes your fancy. Delicious all around!
Not to be Missed: Chile tamales, pozole
Service: They serve great food! (with a smile). Some English. Lots of people really enjoy the budgies they have in the dining area.
Rating: Three cheers!
Hours: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily, unless they’re closed.
Contact: On Marquez de Leon at the corner of Colegio Militar.
Bahia Restaurant & Bar
Overview: One day Alma, the owner of the fish store in town (no relation to Tamale Alma), woke up and realized that there probably wasn’t anyone in town better qualified to open a seafood restaurant than her; so much to our joy and delight – she did! The result is a completely delicious array of seafood dishes served up on a collection of plastic tables under an awning next to the fish store. It’s a wonderful addition to the lunch scene in Todos Santos.
Not to be Missed: Tostadas de Ensalada de Marlin, Grilled Fish, Ceviche
Service: Very pleasant and efficient.
Rating: Can’t get enough!
Hours: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Overview: Raul Lopez moved to Todos Santos from Michoacan about 5 years ago to open Carnitas Uruapan, and he’s been serving up delicious, traditional Mexican food ever since. His carnitas are famous for being marinated, not fried – and oh so tasty. The walls of this simple, comfortable restaurant are all decorated with original artwork by Juan Manuel Su, and enjoying these murals is almost half the fun of eating here.
Not to be Missed: Chiles rellenos, chilaquiles (great red sauce), and all the breakfast egg dishes.
Service: Personable and welcoming.
Rating: Great! Wildly delicious food at very tame prices.
Location: Colegio Militar at Obregon
Compa Chava’s
Overview: Todos Santos local Salvador Chavez and his wife Thelma started this little road-side café in 2009 and have been serving up unbelievably delicious ceviche and other seafood dishes ever since. Very simple outdoor dining on plastic tables under a palapa roof. Very popular with locals and expatriots alike.
Salvador at Compa Chava
Not to be Missed: Classic ceviche, crab ceviche
Service: Efficient! A bit of English.
Rating: We love it! We take some of our groups here for lunch and also meet our friends here regularly.
Overview: If you’re a meat eater get yourself over to this taco joint and order up some Tacos Al Pastor now –it’s one of the best tacos you’re ever likely to consume in this life. El Pastorcito is so popular that it recently moved to a new, larger location closer to the center of town. The 2 Lucias who run El Pastorcito have been offered significant sums of money to reveal the secrets of their tacos al pastor, but they’re not selling or telling. For vegetarians El Pastorcito also serves papas rellenos and quesadillas. Beer, soft drinks and water are for sale. El Pastorcito was started in 2007 by Alejandro Fuerte, a 20-year resident of Todos Santos who moved here from Michoacan.
Not to be Missed: Tacos al Pastor
Service: Nice folks serving up great food. Limited English.
Rating: Absolutely awesome! We eat here as often as possible.
Hours: 8:00 AM – 2:00 AM daily. Except when they’re closed.
Overview: Looking for a more peaceful environment, Jose Luis Ibarra Grimaldi, his wife Maria and their children moved to Todos Santos from Mazatlan five years ago and have been delighting Todos Santos taco lovers ever since. El Sinaloense serves a variety of seafood and meat tacos, papas rellenos and quesadillas during the day, and a variety of seafood dishes at night. Soft drinks, orchata and water available.
Overview: Las Fuentes is a very charming restaurant that has been serving up a wide range of delicious Mexican breakfast, lunch and dinner dishes since 1994. The name of the restaurant comes from the traditional fountain (fuente) under the large palapa roof. Seating available under the palapa and in the garden.
Not to be Missed: Huevos Rancheros, Nopales Rellenos con Queso (nopale cactus leaves stuffed with cheese), Grilled Lobster
Overview: Started in 2001 by Miguel Angel Torres Villalobos, Miguel’s is another great Todos Santos institution. Originally famous only for its chiles rellenos – and rightly so – Miguel’s has really increased the quality of its other offerings and now serves a full menu of very tasty, very well-prepared, traditional Mexican dishes. They also offer breakfast now. Miguel’s has a very cute atmosphere with stones on the floor, surfboards on the ceiling and plenty of cold beer and margaritas in the kitchen to serve all comers. It’s the epitome of Baja!
Not to be Missed: Chiles Rellenos with Shrimp, Fish Fajitas, any of the enchiladas
Service: They’re on the job!
Rating: A favorite! We take almost all of our groups here for either lunch or dinner during their stay with us.
Hours: 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily. Closed Wednesdays in the summer.
Overview: This taco joint on the side of the road is a celebration of Baja California Sur’s great contribution to Mexican cuisine – the fish taco! Started 13 years ago by the original “George” Jorge Ramirez Rodriguez of La Paz, it is now run by George Jr. who moved to Todos Santos 3 years ago to take over management of the stand from his father. George buys his fish from the local fishermen at Punta Lobos and is proud to be serving a Todos Santos-sourced meal. Soft drinks available for sale. There are usually a couple of plastic tables with chairs next to the cart for those who would prefer to dine en scene.
Not be be Missed: Fish tacos!
Service: They get the tacos from the cart to your mouth as quickly as they can!
Rating: YES!! Great fish tacos! We eat here as often as our cholesterol counts allow.
For a town of just a few thousand people Todos Santos boasts a remarkable assembly of chefs and cooks from throughout Mexico and the world who have been inspired by the town to stay and make their contributions to Baja cuisine. The result is an incredible selection of restaurants that range from funky roadside taco carts to elegant garden dining rooms, serving everything from traditional Mexican fare to exotic Asian cuisine. No matter your tastes or budget, the Todos Santos restaurant community has something to tempt your taste buds and please your palate.
This guide is divided into 7 categories, with restaurants presented in alphabetical order within each category. The sample menus shown with each restaurant are literally just a snapshot from our last visit; menu options and prices may naturally evolve over time.
Presented here:
Category One – Great Food, Great Chefs, Great Atmosphere
Category Two – Wonderful Food in a Beautiful Garden Setting
Category One: Great Food, Great Chefs, Great Atmosphere
Café Santa Fe
Overview: The Café Santa Fe is consistently hailed as one of the best restaurants in Baja and truly, every meal there is wonderful. The secret seems to be the dynamic teaming of fabulously fresh Baja ingredients, Chef Ezio Colombo’s Italian sensibilities, and co-owner Paula Colombo’s New York savvy. Lovely atmosphere with both inside and garden dining. The Café Santa Fe was created by Ezio and Paula in 1990.
To Die For: Tuna carpaccio, lobster ravioli, caprese salad with buffalo mozarella
Service. Wonderful. Most of the staff has been working there since they were teenagers and take great pride in the restaurant and in their work. English spoken.
Rating: Fabulous! It’s one of our favorite spots for celebrations, and we always recommend it to our guests.
Hours: Open 12:00 to 9:00 PM, every day but Tuesday. Closed September 1-October 31, 2014.
Overview. Mazatlan native Chef Sergio Rivera gave up a career as executive chef on the yachts of the rich and famous to establish La Casita in Todos Santos in 2011 – and now we all get to dine like wealthy yacht owners! Chef Sergio started out serving tapas (little Spanish-style dishes) but quickly moved into entrees that feature the wonderful ingredients of Baja and his native Sinaloa. Sergio’s seafood dishes are spectacular and he now has a sushi chef who prepares a beautiful line of sushi entrees. He’s branching out into a wider variety of meats and always features fresh organic produce from local farms. Very relaxed, very charming atmosphere.
Chef Sergio of La Casita
To Die For: Ahi Tuna Tartar Tower, Coconut Shrimp, Pork Ribs. Just ask him to feed you if you can’t make a decision!
Service: Sergio and his darling Aury are almost always on hand to greet guests and their wait staff is very helpful and attentive.
Rating: Incredible! We include a meal at La Casita in almost every Todos Santos Eco Adventures week that we offer and we often have our own family and corporate celebrations here.
Hours: 12:00 to 10:00 PM every day but Monday. Sunday hours 4-10 PM.
Overview: Todos Santos artist and sculptor Michael Cope puts on his chef hat each weekend and what a fantastic treat for the town it is! He specializes in Asian-fusion cuisine, with some recipes coming from the family of his Japanese-American wife Pat. Everything that Michael prepares is indescribably delicious, and he cooks it up with love and flair in the open air kitchen where guests can observe. Dinner is served in the lovely sculpture garden, with numerous firepits around to keep off any chill night air. Michael’s is only open on Fridays and Saturdays and reservations are strongly suggested as the restaurant is very popular with the local community. Michael’s has been open since 2006.
Erick and Michael of Michael’s at the Gallery
To Die For: Vietnamese Crab Cakes, Seared Tuna with Wasabi/Butter, and Filet Mignon with Shiitake Cream Sauce. And everything else on the menu. Seriously.
Service: Michael’s wife Pat and his fellow artist Erick Ochoa take excellent care of all the guests, and Michael comes out to greet people and chat as much as his cooking demands allow. It’s a lovely experience.
Rating: Fantabulous! We include a farewell dinner at Michael’s at the Gallery with many of our Todos Santos Eco Adventures gtrips, and often go there ourselves for meals with friends and family celebrations.
Hours: Fridays and Saturdays, 6-9 PM. Closed during some months in the summer.
Overview: Santo Vino is Hotel California Executive Chef Dany Lamote’s love letter to Baja. Chef Dany, a Congo-raised Belgian chef who came to Baja via Canada, is a long-time proponent of the slow food movement and prepares truly inspired and delicious Mexican dishes featuring the wonderful produce of Baja. Meals are best enjoyed when you ask him to pair each course with his terrific selection of Baja wines, tequilas and beers. Santo Vino dining is not just a gift to the palate but a feast for the eyes as well, with each dish beautifully presented. Housed in the same building as the Hotel California but in a completely separate space, the atmosphere of Santo Vino is warm and charming. Chef Dany is the author of The Hotel California Tequila Cookbook and also has his own line of flavoured sea salts.
Chef Dany of SantoVino
To Die For: Avocado Tequila Milkshake, whatever Dany recommends. Menu changes regularly so just chat with Chef Dany about what he suggests during your stay. You won’t be disappointed.
Service: Very attentive, knowledgeable and helpful.
Rating: Magnifico! We include a meal at Santo Vino in many of our Todos Santos Eco Adventures trips and go there regularly for meals.
Hours: 7 days a week, 5-10 PM. Closed June 15-October 31, 2014.
Overview: Italian Chef Angelo Dalbon and his wife Magda opened Tre Galline in 2003 and have been serving favorites from the old country to travelers seeking an alternative to Mexican fare ever since. They bought Caffe Todos Santos in 2012 and have now consolidated the two restaurants into the Caffe Todos Santos space, serving the Tre Galline menu at dinner. The place has a wonderful atmosphere with both indoor and garden dining. A nice wine list makes it all the more enjoyable.
To Die For: Spinach Ravioli with Cheese and Butter Sauce, Mediterranean-Style Fish
Service: Angelo and Magda make a special point of making every visitor feel welcome and well looked after.
Rating: Favoloso! We don’t get to Tre Galline as often as we’d like, but thoroughly enjoy it when we do.
Category Two: Wonderful Food in a Beautiful Garden Setting
El Gusto! at Posada La Poza
Overview: El Gusto! is definitely one of the most elegant dining venues in Todos Santos. The restaurant features floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, essentially placing diners in the spectacular gardens that the owners created from scratch a decade ago. Beyond the garden you see the beautiful freshwater lagoon and its attendant bird life, as well as the ocean. Truly lovely. There is also a wonderful roof-top bar overlooking the lagoon that is perfect for a sunset margarita (great margaritas!). Swiss owner Juerg Wiesendanger mans the kitchen with Mexican and German sous chefs, producing a delightful “Swissmex” cuisine that combines the Italian, French and German sensibilities of Swiss cooking, with the ingredients and culinary concepts of Mexico. A very pleasing result for all!
What Will Make You Happy: Shrimp Al Gusto, Arrachera Steak, Zuri Geschnetzeltes (a pork favorite from the old country)
Overview: Absolutely spectacular views so always best to plan your visit with time to enjoy the sunset. There is a very limited dinner menu each evening, but the food is generally quite good. There is frequently live music.
Overview: Absolutely spectacular views so always best to plan your visit with time to enjoy the sunset. There is a very limited dinner menu each evening, but the food is generally quite good. There is frequently live music.
Hours: Daily 3:00 – 10:00 PM
Contact: Tel: 612-175-0800
Landi’s Restaurant
Overview: Owner/cook Landi Ortega serves up truly delectable home-style Mexican cuisine in the laidback but beautifully elegant restaurant just off the town square. There are lovely views out over the palm oasis and if you time it right you can catch a sunset on the horizon. Landi’s father, Benito Ortega, is a famous local sculptor and some of his wonderful work is on display at the restaurant. Landi’s is a quick walk from the Sky Deck at the Guaycura Hotel, a lovely place to have a drink before or after dinner.
What Will Make You Happy: Ensalada de Nopales, Cochinita Pibil, Ataxcon, Chicken with Mole
Service: Friendly and efficient.
Rating: Delicious! We include a meal at Landi’s in most of our Todos Santos Eco Adventures weeks and often recommend it to our guests.
“I felt excitement and outright fear: I’d come to a week-long surf camp for women. I’m 64 years old. I grew up along the California coastline, and spent my life around surfers. But I never understood what makes surfers surf. My friends Bryan and Sergio Jáuregui own an adventure travel business in my current home town of Todos Santos, Mexico, and thought I might like to join a group of women coming to town to learn to surf. I’m game for just about anything, considering that I also celebrated my 50th birthday by getting a tattoo and jumping out of an airplane. But surfing? Now that’s a whole other thing. Even though I am a certified scuba diver, I am totally intimidated by the power of the ocean and waves. My Surfari mates were Aimee, 40, and Paige and Cathy Ann, both 49. I tried not to dwell on how much older I was. In wet suits and rash guards, we practiced and practiced on boards on the sand, hands gripping the boards just right, springing to our feet. I’ve known surf maestro Mario Bercerril for years and I have often heard him claim that he could get anyone to ride a wave in the first hour of instruction. Bunk, I thought. But Mario guided me out, picked just the right moment to push my board in the right direction… and I did it! I stood up and rode that wave all the way into shore! After standing up on my first try, I was anxious to do it again… and again… and again. I was starting to understand the phenomenon of surfing addiction. This was just what I needed to feel: more passion, more excitement, more fun. The other girls felt it, too. At our farewell dinner, our instructors handed out graduation certificates. I was the only one on social security to receive one! But I thought that was totally bitchin’.”
early 2013. Folks here literally couldn’t get enough – if you arrived too late in the day she was inevitably sold out. Based on that success, Alma and her husband Manny have since upgraded to a cute open-air restaurant that is a favorite with locals, Mexicans and gringos alike. In addition to their fabulous selection of chicken, pork, beef, chile, pineapple and mixed tamales, Alma and Manny also serve an assortment of traditional Mexican fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner including chilaquiles, sopas, tortas, tacos and pozoles. And they are now almost as famous for their chiles rellenos as for their tamales, and they’ll stuff them with pretty much whatever strikes your fancy. Delicious all around!
ago and have been delighting Todos Santos taco lovers ever since. El Sinaloense serves a variety of seafood and meat tacos, papas rellenos and quesadillas during the day, and a variety of seafood dishes at night. Soft drinks, orchata and water available.
atmosphere with both inside and garden dining. The Café Santa Fe was created by Ezio and Paula in 1990.
lagoon and its attendant bird life, as well as the ocean. Truly lovely. There is also a wonderful roof-top bar overlooking the lagoon that is perfect for a sunset margarita (great margaritas!). Swiss owner Juerg Wiesendanger mans the kitchen with Mexican and German sous chefs, producing a delightful “Swissmex” cuisine that combines the Italian, French and German sensibilities of Swiss cooking, with the ingredients and culinary concepts of Mexico. A very pleasing result for all!
