Eating at Restaurants and Taco Stands in Baja

Baja offers some of the most incredibly delicious eating experiences, but you also need to use caution when dining out in Baja.

For the most part, restaurants and taco stands in Baja offer fresh hand made foods which are probably more healthy than a lot of the processed foods served in many US restaurants. However, some discretion is required to ensure you are eating quality fresh foods that are prepared in a sanitary environment. Here are a few rules for enjoying delicious and safe Baja meals.

If you are new in town, find the restaurant where all of the tourists and expats eat

Why reinvent the wheel? Make it easy on yourself and find the restaurants and taco stands where other people are already eating. Odds are if other tourists or expats are eating at a restaurant, the place probably has a solid reputation for serving quality food. Ask others where the good restaurants are in town, and when you arrive, ask others what dishes they recommend. This way, you are not a lab rat, and you are ensured of a safe and tasty meal.

Foods to Avoid at Restaurants

If you are vacationing in Baja, you do not want to risk wasting any of your precious days being sick. Here are a few tips on foods to avoid while on vacation in Baja. This does not mean you are guaranteed to get sick if you eat them, but there is a higher risk if you eat these foods.

• Salads and other raw vegetables - Sometimes the lettuce and other raw vegetables may get washed in Baja tap water, so consuming salads can be risky. It is usually the tap water that gets tourists sick.
• Chicken dishes - I do not know why chicken tends to be a problem, but many of my experienced Baja friends recommend staying away from chicken dishes. I believe them.
• Water - Make sure to ask if the water is purified before drinking any restaurant water. If you want to be extra safe, request bottled water.
• Ice Cubes - Most restaurants that cater to tourists serve purified water, but the ice may not be made from purified water. You should stay away from beverages that have ice cubes, or order the beverage without ice.

Start Out Slow

As you merge into the Baja lifestyle, you may want to start out slow while eating at restaurants. Try eating one taco the first time instead of four tacos. If the first taco settles in smoothly, then go back for more later. If the food doesn't agree with you, at least you didn't gorge yourself on it!

Fish Tacos

Quality fish tacos are one of the ultimate Baja taste experiences - but they need to be good ones! Many people think that a fish taco needs to be fried - this tends to be the preferred fish taco technique in northern Baja, but I find grilled fish tacos to be much more flavorful and healthy. Personally, I can't truly taste the fish when it is fried - and it is hard to tell if the fish is fresh or not. If you want to request a grilled fish taco, make sure to ask for 'a la plancha'- this means 'grilled'. If the fish is fresh, the server should be more than happy to prepare the tacos a la plancha. The best fish tacos I have ever eaten are located just south of Todos Santos in a small stand on the east side of the highway. It is called 'Los 2 Gordos', and their tacos are absolute heaven wrapped in warm tortillas. Smoky salsa, fresh dorado seasoned and grilled to perfection, cabbage, lime... 'I'm drooling' If I recall correctly, they were only $1.50 USD each too!

Try to eat out at least one time on your trip

If you are extremely skeptical about the safety of Baja restaurant food, then you can have a completely enjoyable and fulfilling Baja experience without eating any of the local food. Read our page about what foods to bring with you to Baja. However, if you want to sample the foods, don't be paranoid. Many tourists eat out in Baja for almost every meal without any problems. Just use the tips listed above, and you can enjoy some of the tastiest and freshest food around.