Todos Santos, Mexico

Given the fruits of Todos Santos’ geography, restaurants in Todos Santos can come in many shapes, sizes, flavors and themes, ranging from plain to exotic, from authentic to not-so, from sophisticated to simple comfort food. There are places where one sits to eat, or where one eats standing. There are Todos Santos restaurants that serve snacks as others serve full-blown meals, or even one masquerading as the other. And, just like the consistency of the Todos Santos weather, restaurants in Todos Santos tend to appear and disappear in practically a blink of an eye. Still, there are some restaurants that have stayed strong in Todos Santos long enough to become something of fixtures in Todos Santos.

Among the numbers of this long list of Todos Santos restaurants and eateries catering to every tourist’s gastric need are places like Cafe Santa Fe, located in the main square of Todos Santos’ town proper right across from the town’s Teatro de Marquez; Cafe Brown, located in the Mision del Pilar Plaza and; Cafe Todos Santos in Calle Centenario. These three aforementioned Todos Santos restaurants are well-known for their non-Mexican themed cuisine (although they sometimes serve them on request) that make the more wary travelers feel comfortable. Cafe Santa Fe, for example, is an Italian-style bistro serving authentic Mediterranean dishes, while Cafe Brown is known mostly for its specialty sandwiches (and it wide range of books for the customers’ entertainment). Cafe Todos Santos, while much more eclectic in food range than the previously mentioned Todos Santos restaurants, is still known as the one that serves the best coffee and pastries in town (the locals attest to that).

There are other Todos Santos restaurants that are popular for their more conventional local food. Barajas Tacos (also known as The Happy Fish), located at the corner of the streets Degollado and Cuauhtemoc, is known for its “Baja fast food”. It is said that one can go crazy with the salsas and and condiments served with the meals at this Todos Santos restaurant. If one wants a more upscale version of this (The Happy Fish is practically an open-air food cart), there is the Restaurant Bar Las Fuentes located at the corner of the streets Degollado and Militar. Todos Santos’ Restaurant Bar Las Fuentes is known for serving some of the best traditional-style Mexican dishes, as well as some stranger snacks – if one wants real adventure, one should try munching on Nopales Rellenos con Queso (cheese sandwiched between flat pieces of cactus, served with spicy sauce).

Apart from the food, there are certain Todos Santos restaurants that bank on giving their clients a definite experience – and what better way to give diners than to serve them at a fantastic location? The El Gusto! Restaurante at the Posada La Poza Resort and the Cerrito’s Beach Club in Playa Los Cerritos. While both take advantage of their proximity to the ocean, the former features a sophisticated dining area as well as a whale deck, whereas the latter serves its customers right at the beach and sometimes offer upbeat entertainment like band performances.

Most restaurants in Todos Santos are closed on Tuesdays, and the smaller establishments close for weeks on off-peak seasons, but restaurants in Todos Santos are nevertheless something to go to Todos Santos for.