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Jackie Bryant

Where to Eat in Rosarito Beach

There are a lot more than tacos in this Mexican beachside party town

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Unlike other destinations in Baja California, Rosarito Beach isn’t exactly known for its culinary scene, instead playing host to partiers, American retirees, day-trippers and other passers-through looking for a taste of life south of the border. That doesn’t mean there aren’t good places to eat, though. Thanks to its immigrant community, there are a wide variety of restaurants from around the world, which includes Indian and various European cuisines, as well as top notch tacos and carnitas. Here are 12 places to eat in Rosarito.

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Claudius Viña y Bodega 

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One of the only places to taste wine in Rosarito is Claudius Vine and Wine Cellar, which was started by a Spanish man who increases his haul yearly. Besides a tour and tastings, the winery also hosts winemaking classes.

Carnitas la Flor de Michoacan

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Michoacan-style carnitas is the only thing to get, which is a good thing at this local mini-chain’s flagship location. Pro-tip, ask for some of the back fat chopped and mixed in with the rest of the succulent and sometimes crunchy skin and meat.

El Gaucho Argentino

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Argentinean-style steakhouses are popular throughout Mexico and Rosarito’s answer to that is El Gaucho Argentino, which specializes in cuts not often seen in the United States, like vacio or entraña.

Restaurant El Nido

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Mesquite-grilled steaks are a must-order at this mainstay of Rosarito Beach. Most of the restaurant’s produce and meat also come from its proprietary farms in the nearby countryside.

Susanna's Restaurant

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Susanna’s is a well-loved staple in Rosarito, particularly among the American set that calls the beach town home. Expect American and European-style dishes, like salmon fettuccine and asparagus salad. Susanna’s also boasts an extensive wine list.

Tacos El Yaqui

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Rosarito’s favorite taco joint is, without a doubt, Tacos El Yaqui. Sonoran-style arrachera, or grilled skirt steak, is the move here and the tacos typically come served with a larger format flour tortilla with pinto beans inside.

Pasta y Basta Trattoria Italiana

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Pasta y Basta is considered the best Italian restaurant in the area, serving a variety of Italian dishes including pasta and pizza.

Popotla

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Less a singular destination than an entire village, Popotla sits just in the shadow of Baja studios and features beachside vendors selling fresh seafood, right off the boat. Eat at one of the makeshift beachfront stalls or take the haul up to one of the restaurants, like La Estrella, to have them cook it for you.

Tapanco

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Sister restaurant to the popular El Nido is Tapanco, which features fresh corn tortillas and a variety of Mexican dishes, though it’s best known for steak.

Tamales Liz

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Tamales Liz is an otherwise nondescript storefront that serves fresh, 100% corn tamales made with nixtamalized yellow and white corn to eat there or takeaway.

Bleu Galley

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Bleu Galley is a deli and cafe with sit-down breakfast and light afternoon bistro bites as well as take-away. The focus is on fresh ingredients, including dishes that feature vegetables.

Goa Indian Fusion

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Rosarito newcomer Goa Indian Fusion serves curries, tandoori dishes and more to an area that hadn’t had Indian food prior. The restaurant also specializes in vegan and vegetarian dishes.

Claudius Viña y Bodega 

One of the only places to taste wine in Rosarito is Claudius Vine and Wine Cellar, which was started by a Spanish man who increases his haul yearly. Besides a tour and tastings, the winery also hosts winemaking classes.

Carnitas la Flor de Michoacan

Michoacan-style carnitas is the only thing to get, which is a good thing at this local mini-chain’s flagship location. Pro-tip, ask for some of the back fat chopped and mixed in with the rest of the succulent and sometimes crunchy skin and meat.

El Gaucho Argentino

Argentinean-style steakhouses are popular throughout Mexico and Rosarito’s answer to that is El Gaucho Argentino, which specializes in cuts not often seen in the United States, like vacio or entraña.

Restaurant El Nido

Mesquite-grilled steaks are a must-order at this mainstay of Rosarito Beach. Most of the restaurant’s produce and meat also come from its proprietary farms in the nearby countryside.

Susanna's Restaurant

Susanna’s is a well-loved staple in Rosarito, particularly among the American set that calls the beach town home. Expect American and European-style dishes, like salmon fettuccine and asparagus salad. Susanna’s also boasts an extensive wine list.

Tacos El Yaqui

Rosarito’s favorite taco joint is, without a doubt, Tacos El Yaqui. Sonoran-style arrachera, or grilled skirt steak, is the move here and the tacos typically come served with a larger format flour tortilla with pinto beans inside.

Pasta y Basta Trattoria Italiana

Pasta y Basta is considered the best Italian restaurant in the area, serving a variety of Italian dishes including pasta and pizza.

Popotla

Less a singular destination than an entire village, Popotla sits just in the shadow of Baja studios and features beachside vendors selling fresh seafood, right off the boat. Eat at one of the makeshift beachfront stalls or take the haul up to one of the restaurants, like La Estrella, to have them cook it for you.

Tapanco

Sister restaurant to the popular El Nido is Tapanco, which features fresh corn tortillas and a variety of Mexican dishes, though it’s best known for steak.

Tamales Liz

Tamales Liz is an otherwise nondescript storefront that serves fresh, 100% corn tamales made with nixtamalized yellow and white corn to eat there or takeaway.

Bleu Galley

Bleu Galley is a deli and cafe with sit-down breakfast and light afternoon bistro bites as well as take-away. The focus is on fresh ingredients, including dishes that feature vegetables.

Goa Indian Fusion

Rosarito newcomer Goa Indian Fusion serves curries, tandoori dishes and more to an area that hadn’t had Indian food prior. The restaurant also specializes in vegan and vegetarian dishes.

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