If I haven't stated it lately, I love living so close to the Tijuana/San Diego border. In just 30 short minutes' drive, my family and I can be in another country! Baja California is simply bursting with a growing food and entertainment scene, with gorgeous, unspoiled beaches, scenery, and beautiful mountains and desert. Tijuana is just over the border, but we tend to go a bit further south into Ensenada and Valle de Guadalupe, where there is a splendid, expanding wine country and exceptional food scene.
We have a few favorite places that we love, which we visited this weekend, and a few that weren't really our scene. No Baja trip is complete without at least one visit to Valle de Guadalupe, particularly
Tres Valles, our favorite. Valle Guadalupe is an area of big, bold red wines, and a plethora of great food. Check out
Vinas de Garza for innovative, new styles of reds, and
Corona del Valle features a restaurant and play area!
A restaurant that we adore in Wine Country is
Allegro. It's up a dirt road, and you'll think that you're lost when you try and go, but it's so worth the goose chase. Giant, gorgeous, all-beef burgers and homemade potato-wedge fries, and beautiful, fresh salads make this lovely restaurant a regular stop on our trips south.
Another place that we love for coffee is
Cafe Tomas. Besides serving on of the best Baja Mochas that I've ever tasted, they also have a play area! I swear, if this place were in San Diego, it would be a goldmine. Parents enjoy their coffee while the kids play? Genius!
The standout WOW restaurant from this trip was
Sano's Steak House. If you live in San Diego, you may have heard of this somewhat legendary Ensenada steak destination. Let me say, totally believe the hype. Friday evening, we had one of the most memorable meals of my life here, with a beautiful filet mignon served with a creamy, decadent mushroom sauce; tender ribeye steak, a fresh classic Caesar salad and Argentinian sausage. With sides of crispy fresh vegetables (nothing frozen here!) and creamy mashed potatoes, we were positively stuffed when we finished.
There are so many more great places to hit up, like one of my favorite places,
Manzanilla. Manzanilla is an excellent place to feel hip and relaxed, while scarfing some of the best cuisine in Baja. Giant, perfectly cooked steaks, seafood, and pastas are all on the menu, along with local, fresh produce and homemade desserts. The seafood risotto is not to be missed, and if clams or oysters are on the appetizer menu, get them.
The last site to visit is Punta Banda. About 45 minutes south of Ensenada, this beautiful coastal community is so worth the extra drive. Gorgeous and peaceful, it's the perfect place to go and unplug. While you're there, check out
La Bufadora, a fantastic blowhole that is something to see!
The standout WOW restaurant from this trip was Sano's Steak House. If you live in San Diego, you may have heard of this somewhat legendary Ensenada steak destination. Let me say, totally believe the hype. Friday evening, we had one of the most memorable meals of my life here, with a beautiful filet mignon served with a creamy, decadent mushroom sauce; tender ribeye steak, a fresh classic Caesar salad and Argentinian sausage. With sides of crispy fresh vegetables (nothing frozen here!) and creamy mashed potatoes, we were positively stuffed when we finished.
There are so many more great places to hit up, like one of my favorite places, Manzanilla. Manzanilla is an excellent place to feel hip and relaxed, while scarfing some of the best cuisine in Baja. Giant, perfectly cooked steaks, seafood, and pastas are all on the menu, along with local, fresh produce and homemade desserts. The seafood risotto is not to be missed, and if clams or oysters are on the appetizer menu, get them.
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