Just one of the delireously delicious dishes inside Telefonica Gastro Park

Just one of the delireously delicious dishes inside Telefonica Gastro Park

Ban the thought of filling up on nachos, rice and beans when dining on a budget in Tijuana. You can save the bucks for fine dining, and there’s plenty of that here, and still explore the city through it’s more modest eating establishments. Here are five places with fine brews and some of the best food in Tijuana. You will eat very, very well!

After 9/11 it wasn’t easy to enjoy Tijuana’s culinary scene, but cross-border systems are being stream-lined and now heading over for a day or dinner is becoming simpler. Long before the 1970’s spring break bacchanals in Tijuana, the city was the west-coast Prohibition escape for celebrities and mobsters. During WW2, it was the drinking hole for the Pacific Fleet. Tourism dried up with terrorism fears as new passport restrictions were enforced. Recently innovations have made visiting Tijuana much easier (Border crossing tips here) and cartel business has moved south of Mexico City. The area’s opened up again to its glorious heart – full of feasting and celebrating life through serving the best food in Tijuana.

Dia de los Muertos altar inside the Mercado Hildalgo

Dia de los Muertos altar inside the Mercado Hildalgo

Here’s a few of the fantastico places to find great meals and drinks that will help you save money for shopping and more travel:

The bustling center of Mercado Hildalgo a great place to find the best food in Tijuana

The bustling center of Mercado Hildalgo

1.Mercado Hildalgo – The oldest open marketplace in the central city buzzes with activity every day of the year. It’s most fun to visit during the holidays, when sugar skulls and decorations abound for Dia de los Muertos and other Mexican Celebrations. Fresh fruit, cheeses, cafes and bakeries surround a central parking area where a permanent Chapel rises and seasonal altars rotate below. If you’re courageous, look for roasted crickets or Tequila imbued with rattlesnake!

Eating fried crickets inside Mercado Hildalgo

One adventurous bite! I tried fried crickets – salty, crunchy and delicious!

2.El Taller, Baja Med Cocina – Not far from the Racetrack (now greyhounds rather than horses, and casino.) Their celebrated pizza innovations slice easily with the thin crust and fresh, original ingredients (escargot anyone?!) A bit trendy, the open kitchen and lengthy dining room is often packed.

The entrance to El Taller, Baja Med Cocina

The entrance to El Taller

3. Telefonica Gastro Park – Set up in a large lot at the base of the old Telephone building, this food truck/small business courtyard is packed with fresh, local and creative drinks and bites, many based on traditional recipes. Black Zapote tea anyone? Craft beers, long tables and hammocks make it a perfect hangout for a meal with friends. Save room for coffee and desserts!

Telefonica Gastro Park is the center of where to find the best casual food in Tijuana

 

Humo chef and friend inside Telefonica

Humo chef and friend inside Telefonica

4. Norte Brewing Company – Not everyone enters through the parking garage but it’s easier to manage than finding the Norte Brewing Companyentrance via a narrow passage set deep off Avenida Revolucion. The effort is worth it for the breezy space looks out over rooftops and the beer is stellar. Flavors rotate but inventive beers such as Foreign Club Robust Porter (Nitro y CO2,) Penthouse IPA and the thickly delicious, Sugar Daddy Chocolate Oatmeal Stout just might be on tap. If you’re a true craft beer afficianado, and very lucky, ask about Súpermash, which uses the nugget of the hop flower. The blooms come direct from Rancho Loza-La Casa Del Lupulo, precursors in the cultivation of organic hops in the valle de Guadalupe.

Norte brewing company is one of the best food in Tijuana spots for the casual drinker

5. Hua Huis, Restaurante de Mariscos – Now that the Tijuana airport bridge is open you can walk in and out of the country, airplane reservation in hand, simply enough. It’s a great convenience but you miss visiting Tijuana. Should you be heading in or out of the U.S. at the Otay Mesa border crossing and find yourself hungry, stop at the blue storefront of Hua Huis. The seafood is traditionally prepared as ceviche, grilled, or marinated, and the meats are tender as well. A small bar keeps drinks flowing too.

The modest storefront of Hua Huis Restaurane de Mariscos

The modest storefront of Hua Huis Restaurane de Mariscos

Hua Huis Ceviche Plates

Hua Huis Ceviche Plates

Here’s a brief video on where to find some of the best food in Tijuana:

Where to find the best food in Tijuana for casual diners:
  1. Mercado Hildalgo – The central market isn’t far from the CECUT cultural center in the Zona Rio.
  2. El Taller Baja Med Cocina: Full bar, sauces and salsas, and famous for their Pizza Baja Med
  3. Telefonica Gastro Park: Full courtyard surrounded by food trucks and temporary vendors. Dog-friendly and open to all ages.
  4. Norte Brewing Company: In Zona Centro off steps from Avenida Revolucion.
  5. Hua Huis, Restaurante de Mariscos: Seafood specialties served minutes from the Tijuana Airport

Thank you to our Binational Liason, Juan Arturo Saldaña Angulo with Tijuana Tourism and Convention Bureau. The trip sponsors, Tijuana Tourism and Convention Bureau and Rosarito Beach Hotel. And the transportation provided by Ticketon and Turismo Express.

I hope that you enjoyed this post and will share! Three images to pin:

best food in tijuana bites and brews

Best casual dining for the best food in Tijuana

Best food in Tijuana Telephonica Gastro Park