Baja California Food Guide: 15 Must-Try Foods in Baja California
The culinary history of Mexican food existed long before the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in the 1500s. Believe it or not, Mexico is one of a very small number of countries around the globe whose cuisine has received the “UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage” recognition due to the important role that cuisine has played in the history of Mexico’s immigrants as well as in its rich colonial past.
As a foodie myself, one of the best parts about travel is trying local cuisine to experience the culture of the region. If you are also a food and culinary traveler type, you will thrive in Baja Mexico. My recent trip to Baja California was no exception, and I will say I truly ate my heart out while there!
This Baja California food guide will serve to lay out the foodie scene in Baja California, and give you the must-try foods to eat while there!
Note: I do NOT recommend reading this article on an empty stomach! So grab a taco (and maybe even a margarita) before reading!
Let’s get to it!
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Baja California Culinary Culture and History
As early as 250 AD maize, beans, and chile peppers were cultivated. The Aztecs, Mayans, and later on the Spanish all splayed their own role in the creation of the distinctive Mexican cuisine that we enjoy today.
Mexican cuisine varies depending on which region it is made in. This diversity can be attributed to the availability of locally produced ingredients. Baja California is renowned for its vast cornucopia of ingredients and is a melting pot, with an endless choice of different delectable dishes to choose from.
Bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Sea of Cortes to the east, Baja California is privy to a vast selection of fresh fish, giant shrimp, lobsters, and various mollusks that are an important ingredient to many of the traditional fish dishes.
There is also a booming agricultural industry that provides a wide choice of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a thriving livestock industry that produces some of the finest meat in the country. This combination of many exceptional ingredients coupled with a passion for great food and a rich cultural culinary heritage is translated into recipes that express a combination of European and indigenous culinary expertise.
Combined with the recent renaissance of the wine industry, Baja California is the perfect utopia for wine and food lovers alike. So pack your bags, it is time to head off to Baja California for the gastronomic experience of your life!
Must-Try Foods from Baja California
1. Tempura Fish Tacos
Invented in the “Mercado Negro” in the 1960s in Ensenada, the base of the dish is a corn tortilla that is filled with local fish and traditional spicy Mexican sauces. The fish is wrapped in tempura flour, fried, and then accompanied by either pico de gallo or guacamole, shredded cabbage, and sometimes cream depending on where it is made.
2. Almejas Chocolatas Tatemadas (Chocolate Clams)
This dish is considered as being one of the legendary dishes in Baja. It is made from chocolate clams (of course they are not made from chocolate!) that are harvested locally. The clam shells are around 2.75 inches in ciçrcumfrence and are jam-packed with delicious clam meat.
To prepare the dish, the clams are covered with romerillo (an edible shrub that can be found in the desert) and roasted on hot stones. The clams are served accompanied by warm flour tortillas and different salsas.
3. Tacos de Pescado (Fish Tacos)
This tasty battered fish and shrimp dish is synonymous with Baja California. The tacos which are a staple ingredient of the Mexican diet are filled with fish and accompanied by a varied selection of different types of salsa.
These are easy to find at the many taco stands that are dotted around or sometimes can also be ordered in a traditional restaurant. One of my favorite places to get fish tacos is at Los Equipales, located in the beautiful Mulegé region of Baja California on the eastern part of the peninsula.
In any case, you can find these tacos almost everywhere (there are many taco standed dotted around the region) so when the desire to have one strikes, you will not be disappointed.
4. Machaca de Mantarraya (Stingray)
This is one of the favorite dishes of the locals in Baja and should not be missed. The idea of eating stingray may be off-putting but do not let this stop you from trying it.
The fabulous shredded stingray meat is slowly simmered and then combined with a delicious mix of native spices, cilantro, diced tomatoes, onions, and green chiles are added before it is loaded into a warm flour tortilla (similar to a burrito) and eaten.
5. Comida de Pobres (Food of the Poor)
There is nothing poor about this food, this rich yummy seafood soup served accompanied by a mix of vegetables and rice. Served with the traditional warm flour tortillas, you will feel like royalty when you tuck into the very satisfying dish.
6. Quesadilla de Pulpo (Octopus Quesadilla)
If you love octopus then you must try this exquisite dish, another local favorite. The grilled octopus meat is accompanied by a sauce on the side that is selected by the chef such as chile cascabel, chile guajillo, chile mirasol, or chile de arbol and tomatoes. There is no need to add salsa as the dish has a very thick texture and is perfect to eat on its own.
7. Abalone Chorizo
This curious delicacy which originated in Baja California was invented at a time when there was no system to refrigerate food. Food was pickled in vinegar so that it could be conserved for longer periods without going off. The dish is prepared by cutting the abalone meat and then mixing it with red chilis and paprika before it is made into a chorizo sausage.
It goes especially well with tacos or eggs. Abalone mollusks are now in short supply but if you have a reasonable food budget, this special chorizo is available in some of the top-end restaurants in Ensenada and also can be found on Cedros Island.
Be forewarned that this is a seasonal dish and if you want to try it then best to plan your visit between December and June to avoid disappointment.
8. Sushi Tijuana
One of the typical dishes from Tijuana is sushi. This Japanese dish has been re-invented by Tijuanian chefs by adding a unique Baja California flair to the recipe through seasoning it using local flavors. Sushi has firmly established itself as a favorite dish of the locals.
If you are a sushi fan, then you must try Baja California style! According to Vice, “Mexican sushi is all that traditional sushi is not.” Sushi can be found all around Baja and of course in Ensenada.
9. Baja Med
Chef Miguel Angel Guerrero created a unique style of food that is the fusion of three different countries – Mexico, the Mediterranean, and Asia. Mexican ingredients such as cotija cheese, chicharron, and pork rinds are combined with Mediterranean classics such as olive oil, and Asian ingredients such as lemongrass.
Baja Med uses vegetables that have been produced in their orchards and have amazing rich homegrown flavors. It is a perfect embodiment of the seafood and fresh produce that makes Baja California food so delicious. Examples of Baja Med food are:
- Beef Carpaccio with a mint vinaigrette and blue cheese
- Deep sea shrimp accompanied by baby tomatoes, green onions, fried marlin, and local cheeses
- Slow-cooked short ribs covered in fig syrup that is served on a bed of black mole sauce.
There is a long list and traditional food is respected and easily found, though Baja Med is not for Mexican food purists, it is a delicious way to enjoy food that has been transformed into something unique and for anyone who is into fusion food, this is an opportunity to tantalize your taste buds.
10. Meatballs with Pork Rinds
The Arabs may have invented meatballs, but in Baja California, there has been a gastronomic twist added to the recipe.
It is made from two types of meat – beef and pork and is mixed with eggs, and shredded pork rinds. A mix of vegetables – chilis, green tomatoes, cream, parsley, and garlic are fried together and then chicken broth is added to the mix. The meatballs are then added and are left to boil for twenty minutes with a bay leaf. The cooked meatballs are served with cream for a rich pleasurable gastronomic experience.
11. Tamales from Güemes
Another iconic Baja California dish that no foodie should miss is the Tamales from Güemes. This incredible Mexican dish that everyone needs to try has a special twist in Baja California, made from chicken, olives, pork, and raisins.
The olive oil that is used to make the Tamales is produced in the Valle de Guadalupe. If you want to experience some of the finest regional food in Baja then these are a must.
12. Grilled Beef Tacos
This delicious Mexican dish can be found almost anywhere in Baja California and comes with many different fillings. Bursting with flavor, beef tacos are particularly well-known in the city of Mexicali.
Baja California produces 78% of all Mexican beef and it has a reputation for being of exceptional quality. The main part of the filling is grilled beef, that is put into handmade tortillas and topped with onions, spicy sauces, and guacamole.
13. Birria from Tijuana
Originally from the state of Jalisco, Birria which is made in Tijuana is unique and it is one of the typical dishes in Baja California. This dish is made from beef, chicken and beef broth, garlic, bay leaf, cumin, pepper, and onion and it is all boiled together until the ingredients are well-cooked.
The Birria has a special marinade, an assortment of garlic, California chili, cloves, and ball tomatoes, (once it has been mixed and run through a strainer) it is added directly to the boiling meat and vegetables. The finished mix is put into taco shells and is often accompanied by cilantro, lemon, spicy homemade sauce, and chopped onion.
14. Cream of Corn with Rice
More than fifty different varieties of corn are grown in Baja California. This traditional dish is a local delicacy that is mixed with rice, corn cream, butter, onion, garlic, liquid cream, and vegetable broth.
The rice is cooked first in the vegetable broth and then for the best flavor, all of the ingredients are slowly added and fried together creating one of the famous delicacies of Baja California. A delicious dish for and also suitable for vegetarians.
15. Machaca (Crush)
The literal translation of the name means “crush” which refers to the meat that is often dried and then rehydrated before it is rolled into a burrito. This tasty burrito is crammed full of tender beef or pork that has been shredded and though the recipe will vary depending on the chef it is most commonly accompanied by chilies, onions, tomatoes, and peppers and is often eaten as a main dish.
Bonus dish- Caesar salad
And last but not least a bonus dish – Caesar Salad! Yes, you understood correctly! Caesar salad has nothing to do with Julius Caesar or the Romans! It was the invention of Tijuanian chef Livo Santin in 1940 who at the time worked at “Hotel Cesar.”
The salad was such a hit that it was later patented by the owner of the hotel César Cardini. The story of the salad’s creation is that a group of hungry tourists showed up at the restaurant on a weekend but there was nothing too elaborate on the menu for them to eat.
Chef Livo, ever the inventive guy, gathered together what was around the kitchen and created a salad of hard-boiled eggs, romaine lettuce, some dry bread (the famous croutons of today), and some Italian cheese. He then topped this mix with a dressing that his mother had made for him when he was a child. If you want to have the original Caesar Salad then a visit to Caesars Restaurant in Tijuana is a must.
What wine to pair with your food?
Baja California is the largest wine-producing region in Mexico and there is a wide variety of different excellent white and red wines to try with the vast array of delicious local cuisine. Why not pick up a bottle of wine at one of the incredible wineries in Valle de Guadalupe, the top wine region in Baja California.
White wines are often made from such grapes as Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay or if you prefer red wine there are many beautiful wines to try that are commonly made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Grenache Noir, Merlot, Petit Sirah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc or Malbec.
Aside from these traditional grape varieties, there is a vast array of lesser-known grape varieties that are being made into some outstanding wines – Baja California is a food and wine lover’s paradise, in short, the sky’s the limit!
Conclusion
There it is, our list of the top fifteen dishes that you should discover if you want to truly eat Baja California style. This is only the tip of the iceberg, there are many more dishes that you can discover during your stay.
And, if you are looking for one of the best parts of Baja California to try these foods, why not visit Valle de Guadalupe! There are so many incredible things to do in Valle de Guadalupe, from horseback riding to zip lining. And it is one of the foodie capitals in Baja California, especially with its close proximity to a wine region! Trust me, you won’t regret visiting!
