Restaurants See our map for locations. Alvaro’s restaurant recommendations are in random order. Price ranges are in USD & per person: $ $10 $$ $10-20 $$$ $25-45 $$$$ $50 + 1. Restaurant Café Santa Fé $$$$ If it wasn’t for the Café Santa Fe, Todos Santos wouldn’t be what is today and, if wasn’t for the Café Santa Fe, I don’t think I would have moved to Todos Santos. Owners Ezio and Paula Colombo are consummate professionals with a seasoned staff. The story goes, Paula and Ezio met in Cabo San Lucas and made a day trip to Todos Santos in the late 80’s and fell in love with a century old adobe ruin. A short time later, they moved to Todos Santos and opened the Restaurant Café Santa Fé. They had to import everything and raised much of their produce. They also taught the locals to bake Italian style breads and make pastas from scratch. The Café Santa Fe will hold its own with the best Italian restaurants, even those Italy has to offer. For starters, don’t miss the Buffalo Mozzarella or the silky scallop carpaccio, or the shellfish salad with generous portions of shrimp, mussels and squid marinated in lemon juice, olive oil and parsley. Even the simple organic green salad that’s served in an earthenware ceramic bowl is bursting with flavor. All the pastas are house made and cooked to perfection al dente The Cafe Santa Fe’s fish is the freshest you’ll find and, if they’re offering fresh Dorado (mahi mahi), Sierra (Spanish mackerel) or Espada (swordfish), don’t miss out. The New Zealand lamb chops, which are marinated in olive oil, garlic and rosemary, are expertly grilled and served over a chiffonade of arugula and accompanied with a side dish of grilled seasonal vegetables, including beets, spring onions, green beans, golden roasted potatoes and peppers. And, if you’re craving a filet mignon, no need to look further. You have the choice of enjoying it grilled, or pan seared and served over a flavorful reduction sauce. If you’re lucky, they’ll have some of their mango sorbet for dessert and, if you’re a tiramisu fan, their version is as light as a cloud and will satisfy your sweet tooth. The service is attentive, friendly, knowledgeable and professional and they boast an excellent choice range of wines representing mostly Italy and Baja California. Visa and MasterCard gladly accepted. Reservations highly recommended. Closed Tuesdays. Caffé Todos Santos $$ Café Todos Santos is one of the oldest institutions in town and one of the most popular places for breakfast and lunch. They also serve dinner nightly except for Sunday and Monday. Owner Marc Spars is the biker/baker who wears a black Stetson and makes the best cinnamon rolls, chocolate muffins, fruit pies and serves up mouth-watering salads and the sandwiches are big enough for two. He recently studied baking in Paris, France and his breads and pastries sell out fast, so get their early in the day. Box lunches can be ordered in advance. Great coffee and espresso bar. Tequilla Sunrise $$ For traditional Mexican specialties, visit the staff at Tequila Sunrise, located across the street from the Hotel California. Open mainly for lunch, they serve lunch al fresco on the sidewalk cafe, or indoors if you prefer. It’s also one of best places to watch the folks who make the drive from Los Cabos to gawk at the legendary Hotel California. Little do they know, it’s really not the place the Eagles sang about in their song, Welcome to the Hotel California. Don Henley himself wrote a letter to travel writer Joe Cummings, stating it as fact. Their Margaritas are served in ice-cold glass goblets that require two hands. Don’t miss out on their lobster rellenos with pomegranates and their chicken mole is one of the best I’ve tasted. If you’re really hungry then go for the beef or chicken fajitas, or any of their combination platters would satisfy those longing for classic Mexican specialties. Credit Cards Not Accepted. La Cañada del Diablo Bar $$ For the best late night drinks in town, don’t miss out on one of Todos Santos’ best-kept secrets. It’s a bit off the beaten path, but worth the visit, especially on Thursday nights when they offer “grill your own t-bone steak,” and Sundays is fish-n-chips night. The prices are hard to beat and the party atmosphere is distinctly Todos Santeñean. Credit Cards Not Accepted. Miguel’s Restaurant $$) For the best Chile Rellenos, the New York Times voted the “best anywhere,” check out Miguel’s right across the street from the PeMex gas station. The poblano peppers are roasted, seeded and stuffed with Queso Asadero (a regional cheese). If there’s fresh shrimp or lobster available, ask Miguel to make you his even more world reknowned shrimp or lobster chile rellenos. For the best Mexican breakfast in town, Miguel’s is hard to beat. The huevos rancheros or the chilaquiles are a great way to start off the morning, and the orange juice is pressed to order. If you’re there during strawberry season, Miguel’s wife Eva makes the most flavorful strawberry preserves and her flan is the best in town. The service is cheeful, warm, friendly and if you come back more than once, Miguel will greet you like a friend of the family. Credit Cards Not Accepted. Closed Sundays Ana’s Caffé $ One of Todos Santos most recent additions is Ana’s Caffe, located across the street from the Pemex gas station. For a quick cup of coffee and Mexican breakfast, Ana’s is perfect stop on the way to surf breaks in Pescadero, and their prices are hard to beat. La Coronela Restaurante at the Hotel California $$$ For the best tappas around, I suggest La Coronela Restaurante located in the Hotel California. As soon as you walk into the lobby of the hotel, the wood-burning grill will capture your senses and reel you in. On the way to the al fresco dining area, make sure to check out the hotline and ask the chef for suggestions. On a recent visit, the chef suggested the pan roasted Huachinango (red snapper) stuffed with rosemary and grilled to tender perfection served over seasonal greens and roasted red and yellow peppers. La Coronela also offers a selection of savory tappas that shouldn’t be missed. Consider the grilled scallops with lemon and pancetta, the pear and Gorgonzola pizza, and goat cheese flautas. If you’re looking for family style dining, look no further. The eager waiters will be happy to present your meal on large, colorful platters. The restaurant keeps late hours (for Todos Santeñeans that means 10 or 11). They have a full bar, mix a strong margarita with with their proprietary tequilla and offer a broad selection of wines from Baja, Argentina, Chile and North America. If you’re a cigar aficionado, they offer a selection of Cuban cigars which are properly stored in a humidifier. Live Folkloric music daily from 12-3 pm. Live rock and roll music on weekends (credit cards accepted. Los Adobes de Todos Santos $$$ Well into its fourth season, Los Adobes continues to serve innovative Mexican cuisine worthy of Bon Appetit’s vote for best Baja restaurant in 2003. Los Adobes serves “cocina Mexican alta” and transforms traditional Mexican classics with an innovative, contemporary twist. I suggest their Mexican Caesar with lobster and basil vinaigrette or the grouper ceviche with sliced avocado and tomato coulis. Their soups are beautifully presented and highly recommend the Sopa Tarasca a creamy blend of Mexican spices, white beans, and chipotle, topped with crispy tortilla strips, avocado and panela cheese. And the shellfish soup with scallops, shrimp and dorado served in a hearty tomato base infused with saffron is particularly satisfying. Los Adobes’ version of “arachera” or marinated skirt steak is charred to perfection, tender and flavorful. My favorites, however, are the stuffed quail served over a hibiscus sauce will leave your taste buds craving for more, and their tender chicken mole is the perfect blend of chile and spices. The generous portions of shrimp, chicken or beef fajitas arrive sizzling on cast iron platters with garnishes presented in dramatic stone mortars. The professionally trained waiters are imported from Guadalajara so they don’t miss a beat and very attentive and gracious. http://www.losadobesdetodossantos.com/our-history.html Los Adobes also offers a High Speed Internet Café and Espresso bar. Visa & MasterCard accepted. Closed Sundays. Pelon’s Taco Stand $ For the best beef tacos in town, visit Pelon’s taco stand right across the street from the Tecolote Bookstore (there’s only one bookstore in town). If you’re worried whether it’s safe to eat from street vendors, no need to worry when you see both Mexicans and North Americans lined up for his savory tacos. Street vendors offer an inexpensive and quick meal that’s hot right off the grill. If you’re really hungry, order the Pappas--stuffed potato, loaded with your choice of chicken of beef and all your choice of toppings such as guacamole, shredded cabbage, picked onions, salsa Mexicana, chile sauce and grilled jalapeños that will leave your mouth on fire. Santa Fé Deli $$ Paula and Ezio have done it again with a casual breakfast and lunch café, located two doors up from Restaurant Café Santa Fe. After an afternoon of visiting the art galleries and walking in the Baja heat, the Santa Fe Deli’s periwinkle colored courtyard and canopy of multicolored bougainvillea offers a cool respite from the mid-day sun. They serve breakfast & lunch until 3 p.m. and offer a hearty walnut french toast, crisp waffles, breakfast sandwiches, egg dishes of all kinds, hamburgers on focaccia bread, and classic Mexican specialties made with olive oil and no lard. As you make your way to one of the courtyard tables, make sure to check out the artisan furniture and gift store just inside the main entrance. Closed Tuesdays. Fonda El Zanguán $$ For the best value in town, I suggest Fonda El Zanguán. This little ‘hole in the wall” is easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. On any given night, each of their 10 tables will be filled with cheerful diners sipping margaritas and enjoying fresh ceviche or smoked marlin. If you’re craving soup, their sopa de pulpo or sopa de albondiga are bright and flavorful served in a tomato-based broth that will warm your bones after a day of hiking or surfing. The day’s catch is always fresh and includes a choice of dorado (mahi-mahi), cabrilla (grouper) or atún (yellowtail) and served with your choice of basil, poblano or thai peanut sauce and, if you’re a shrimp fan, the grilled shrimp with basil sauce are plump and juicy.