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$$$$ | Las Animas Bajas |
This alfresco dining experience is built right in the center of the self-sustaining Flora Farms. It's a charming oasis featuring a farm-to-table restaurant, spa, gift shop, cooking school, organic market, and culinary cottages (private homes), all under the Flora Farms brand. Meals are homemade including produce and meat (chicken and pork) grown on the property and bread baked on-site. Wholly organic meals include favorites like fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, massive pork chops fired in the wood-burning oven, butternut squash ravioli, and a selection of pizzas and seasonal salads. Even the sausages served with sweet potato chips are homemade. The adjacent Farm Bar serves unique takes on classic cocktails delivered in Mason jars, like the ginger and beet margarita or the Farm Julep (watermelon juice with basil, mint, and rum). Flora's is a wonderful learning experience for families by day and a romantic spot for couples by night. There's live music nightly at 7:30 and cooking classes Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:30 to 2 pm (cost $115 includes lunch).
Flora Farms, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23450, Mexico
Known For
- Wood-fired pizzas
- Farm setting with live music
- Produce raised on-site
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and daily 2:30–5 pm
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$ | Centro |
In a relaxing garden filled with retro decor, waiters in mesh trucker hats and black T-shirts deliver remarkable urban Mexican cuisine with a dash of Grandma’s secret recipes. Under the shade of a mango tree, start with the trio of salsas infused with orange and chipotle, served with a basket of freshly fried tortilla chips. Local breakfast favorites are the French toast and Costa Azul (baked eggs with a Dijon cream sauce). Or go straight to the lunch menu, featuring the pork shoulder sandwich, jicama mango salad with citrus cream dressing, and a cheese-and-vegetable stuffed poblano sandwich. All pastries are crafted in-house, including the sinfully divine churros, served with sweet milk.
Manuel Doblado 24, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23400, Mexico
Known For
- Delightful breakfast under the shade of a mango tree
- Yummy churros and gourmet coffees
- Fresh squeezed juices and healthy smoothies
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner
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$$ | Centro |
Baja's popular brewery is right in the middle of San José del Cabo's Art District. Fun and upbeat, this brewpub has great music and serves filling pub meals. Craft burgers, mixed greens, and mesquite-fired pizzas—and more elegant entrées such as tuna tartare and ceviche tostadas—should be accompanied with a pint of any of eight special San José cervezas, along with seasonal offerings, all brewed within sight of the bar and restaurant. Another branch of the brewery is located on the rooftop of the Cabovillas Resort in Cabo San Lucas.
Morelos 1277, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23401, Mexico
Known For
- Wood-fired pizza
- Customers watching behind-the-scenes brewing while enjoying beers at the bar
- Baja beer on tap
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$ | Laguna Hills |
Fronted by miles of secluded East Cape beach, this casual seaside cantina (with cheap cervezas) gets rave reviews from locals who make the 10-minute drive out of San José del Cabo. The palapa restaurant serves reasonably priced seafood entrées, such as coconut shrimp; breakfast burritos; hefty build-your-own burgers; and house flan. Indeed, this custardlike dessert could easily be enough for two or three—try it with a shot of Kahlúa poured over the top. Also, Sunday breakfast is a big hit.
Old East Cape Rd., San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23401, Mexico
Known For
- Giant burritos
- Coconut shrimp with piña colada dipping sauce
- Laid-back bar with sandy floor
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards, Closed Aug. and Sept. No dinner Sun, Cash only
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$ | Marina |
This two-story palapa restaurant, named “The Drunken Sailor,” is always packed with locals and tourists alike. It’s no wonder: the location across from the marina is the perfect spot to watch the sunset while enjoying a ginger mint mojito or tamarind margarita. Several dishes feature unexpected Vietnamese and Costa Rican influences, such as the panko-crusted fish taco with ginger cream and the shrimp enchilada with coconut pineapple sauce and fried plantains. The shrimp burger on homemade bread comes with chili lime fries and pairs well with an ice cold michelada (salt-rimmed Mexican beer with lime, spices, and hot sauce). Timid palates must overcome any hesitation and try the best dessert in Los Cabos: the avocado-lime chocolate cream pie on graham cracker crust.
Puerto Los Cabos, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23200, Mexico
Known For
- Unique ceviches menu
- Best Los Cabos dessert: avocado-lime chocolate cream pie
- Sunset view
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards, Closed Mon
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | Centro |
The scent of fresh-baked French baguettes and a picture-perfect display of croissants, éclairs, colorful candies, and ice creams greet you at this café-bistro just off San José del Cabo's main square. In the creperie area, the cook tucks delicate crepes around eggs and cheese, ground beef and onions, or shrimp and pesto. If you choose to eat in, salads, and other standard fare are offered. The patisserie has a well-designed drink menu of fine wines and tequilas and a full list of organic coffee and tea-based drinks.
Manuel Doblado at Av. Hidalgo, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23400, Mexico
Known For
- Organic local coffee
- Chocolate truffles
- Scrumptious breakfast crepes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$ | Centro |
Celebrity chef Tadd Chapman and partner Miguel Guerrero joined forces to re-launch this traditional Mexican restaurant in its new location and with fresh new culinary techniques. Opt for lunch specialties of octopus tacos and black scallop ceviche, and for dinner, try the seafood risotto, or the grilled NY strip with habanero chimichurri. Exceptional breakfasts—ranging from stuffed French toast to eggs Benedict prepared five ways—are served from 8 to noon for about $10.
Jose Maria Morelos 134, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Known For
- Home-baked banana zucchini bread
- Guacamole with chapulines (grasshoppers)
- Octopus tacos
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$$ | Centro |
This popular Italian restaurant right in the center of San José on the town's zócalo (square) is known for authentic and affordable Italian fare. Locals and visitors alike flock to this reasonably priced perennial favorite for antipasti and wood-fired-oven pizzas, a never-ending selection of pastas, and steaks and seafood dishes. The homemade beef ravioli with four-cheese sauce is to die for. Reservations are necessary on Thursdays after the Art Walk. Another outpost can be found in Cabo San Lucas.
Av. Zaragoza at Av. Hidalgo, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23401, Mexico
Known For
- Authentic Northern Italian cuisine
- Handmade pizza baked with mesquite wood
- Great Caesar salad
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Closed Mon
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$ | Centro |
Massive globes of 15 types of margaritas and a Mexican guitarist singing American covers makes this a magnet for tourists, but it also draws locals. If you're looking for cheap and delicious Mexican food, you've come to the right place. Tacos stuffed with chorizo, marinated pork, and flank steak pervade the menu, though it's the quesadillas, with fillings like pumpkin flower, poblano pepper and onion, and pork skin that shine. Chilangas, or fried, folded-over quesadillas with melted cheese, also merit the trip, while the volcanoes (hard-shell taco cups filled with cheese and your choice of meat) are not to be missed. The outdoor-garden setting of Las Guacamayas is kitschy, with trees sprouting up from the floor, and Christmas lights strung from branch to branch. Painted murals run along the walls, and wooden chairs surround tables with plastic coverings.
Calle Paseo de los Marinos, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23410, Mexico
Known For
- Outstanding marinated pork tacos
- Great prices
- Live music and outdoor seating
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$$ | Las Animas Bajas |
A former sugarcane mill dating back to 1888, this quaint restaurant is surrounded by farmland that provides organic fruits and vegetables to many of Cabo’s top eateries. Wildflowers in Mason jars and hand-painted clay dishes set the scene at this rustic spot where the menu is based on the season’s harvest. Start with heirloom-tomato soup and a microgreen salad with tamarind vinaigrette. For something fresh and innovative, try the shrimp tacos on thinly sliced jicama (instead of tortillas) topped with a pineapple salsa. A selection of pizzas, and slow-roasted meats like the pork shank with green mole and baked eggplant, are cooked in a wood-fired oven. One of the secrets to the fine flavors is the homemade herbal oil that is dribbled on breads and meats. A cooking class takes place at 10 and 5, by reservation only.
Calle Animas Baja, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23400, Mexico
Known For
- Four-hour cooking classes ($95)
- True farm-to-table dining experience
- Homemade herbal oil on breads and meats
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$$$ | 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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$$ | Centro |
Located in San José's oldest mission, this Mexican-Asian fusion restaurant is modern and sophisticated with a series of tropical patios romantically lighted by dim fixtures and a view of the stars above. The menu highlights gourmet fusion creations by chef Paul Zamudio, such as pad Thai or dumplings, but always accompanied by Mexican flavors.
Av. Zaragoza 20, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23401, Mexico
Known For
- Mexiatica (Mexican-Asian) dishes
- Fresh and natural raw ingredients
- $15 all-you-can-eat menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted, Closed Mon.
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$$ | Centro |
Reminiscent of an old colonial hacienda, this two-story restaurant draws a crowd with its live music, Sunday brunch, and large menu ranging from fresh seafood to imported steaks. The front sidewalk seating is a great place to survey the world going by. The menu includes U.S. cuts of beef along with fajitas, chiles rellenos, a variety of seafood platters and lobster—always in demand. Latin bands and other musicians play nightly between October and May. Service can be slow at times, so be prepared to be patient, especially when you're trying to get the bill.
Blvd. Mijares 30, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23400, Mexico
Known For
- Live music Thursday–Sunday
- Hacienda-style dining room
- Flavorful chicken enchiladas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$ | Centro |
Don't be fooled by the bare-bones atmosphere: Tacos Rossy serves some of the best tacos in San José. Fish tacos are the thing at this no-frills joint brimming with local families who munch on everything from peel-and-eat shrimp to ceviche and chocolate clams. Served breaded and fried, the shrimp, scallop, and fish (flounder) tacos here are cheap and delicious. Dress them up however you like at a condiment bar that offers avocados, chilies, cabbage slaw, onions, and an assortment of sauces from tomatillo to habanero.
Carretera Transpeninsular, Km 33, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23450, Mexico
Known For
- $2 tacos and $3 margaritas
- Large condiment bar for dress-your-own taco
- Best taqueria in town
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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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By day it looks like a hole-in-the-wall, but when the sun goes down, the rummage-sale-meets-taco-stand atmosphere of this open-air local favorite truly comes to life. Get beyond the ghoulish silhouette logo—ahorcado means "hangman" in Spanish—and you'll find that the food is pretty good. One of the few area restaurants open late, it's packed until closing, usually around midnight. Old pots, baskets, antique irons, sombreros, and other tchotchkes hang from the walls and rafters. Quesadillas come with vegetarian fillers such as flor de calabaza (squash blossom), nopales (cactus), and rajas (poblano chilies), while meatier house specialties include beef tongue tacos in mustard sauce, cochinita pibil tacos, Cantonese-style beef rib tacos, and cuchiviriachis—a tostada filled with cheese and meat and roasted for a perfect melt. This is the place to get a chilled Corona for a handful of pesos.
Calle Panga 30, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, 23401, Mexico
Known For
- Outstanding tacos
- Reasonable prices
- Authentic Mexican experience
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards, Closed Mon. No lunch, Cash only
