El Nido
One of Rosarito's oldest restaurants, El Nido specializes in mesquite-grilled steaks. Its ranchers grow all of the meat---beef, lamb, deer, quail and rabbit---organically on the owner's farms, and the architectural elements---dark wood and bricks, a volcanic-rock waterfall, an atrium patio and a central fireplace---create a warm, intimate ambiance. Breakfast burritos, eggs, French toast and hot cakes ($4-$6) include hash browns, refried beans and homemade flour tortillas. Dinners ($7-$28) include soup and salad, tortillas and potato. Bring an appetite and cash because El Nido doesn't accept credit cards.
Benito Juarez Blvd. #67
Rosarito Beach, Baja California Norte, Mexico
(661) 612-1430
elnidorosarito.net
Portofino
It's located in the heart of downtown, but Portofino's Italian fishing village atmosphere allows hungry travelers to forget they are in the middle of nightclub mecca. Italian and Mexican dishes, wide selection of Baja wines and daily specials costing less than $5 make Portofino a favorite among locals, too. Ask for the special menu and pay about $4.50 for an entrée, side salad and iced tea daily between noon to 10 p.m. The same items---spaghetti alla bolognesa, fettuccini alfredo con pollo, pepperoni pizza, picatta di pollo and pesce al rosmarino, among others---run between $9-$12 on the regular menu.
Benito Juárez Blvd. #1207-1
Baja California Norte, Mexico
(800) 453-8606
Ortega's Ocean View
Puerto Nuevo-style lobster is a must-eat for northern Baja visitors, so why not enjoy the local flavor where it originated: Puerto Nuevo, a small town about 12 miles south of Rosarito. While more than 30 restaurants in the "Lobster Village" serve the same traditional meal---pan-fried lobster with beans, rice and homemade flour tortillas on the side---prices and quality vary, with some Puerto Nuevo restaurants using fresh langostas while others serve frozen. Oretega's serves up cheap, fresh lobster, around $15, at rooftop tables with views of the sun setting over the Pacific. No credit cards are accepted.
Calle Anzuelo 15-A
Puerto Nuevo, Baja California Norte
(661) 112-5322
Article Written By Jessica Lyons
Jessica Lyons is an award-winning journalist based in Santa Cruz, Calif., who has been writing and editing since 1998. She covers environmental issues and green technologies, travel, fashion, food and wine for a variety of local and national publications including "American Spa Magazine," "Solar Novus Today," "Wine Country This Week" and "Monterey County Weekly."
