The best local flavours in Baja California

Do Juan More Tacos? Sí, por favor.

by Kyle Born — October 04, 2018

Two tacos are on display on a table — If you want the best tacos, try Juan More Taco Tours. — Photo courtesy Enrique Chavelas

One of the best parts of travelling is experiencing other civilizations. To truly immerse yourself in another culture, you need to see their sights, hear their music, smell their air, visit their locals and—most importantly—eat their food. I’m not saying you should eat off of their plates. Preferably, you order your own food and stick with that. Then again, some cultures are more receptive to sharing and have a potluck sort of vibe to them. When in Rome, right? Well, we’re not talking about Rome. This is Baja California and this is where you need to eat when you snowbird to the Mexican state on the Baja California Peninsula.

So, where should you go to ingest the maximum amount of authentic Mexican cuisine on the peninsula? A good place to start would be taking the earlier advice of speaking with locals—particularly, Enrique Chavelas, CEO of Juan More Taco Tours, a food and culture walking tour business that also organizes Mexican cooking classes with market tours. Chavelas is one knowledgeable hombre. His business sees him guiding Mexicans and gringos on tours all over the country, including: Cabo San Lucas (southern peninsula), San Jose del Cabo (southern peninsula), Ensenada (northern peninsula), Cancún and Puerto Vallarta. If anyone knows which eateries are the best, it’s Chavelas.

“As a company, our mission is to be ambassadors of the culture of Mexico through our cuisine,” Chavelas said. “We organize and guide food and culture walking tours for the traveller who wants to get more involved in the local culture and cuisine. We always visit the best family-owned eateries from street tacos to spices markets, tortilla factories, tamale vendors and all the best of the native flavours.”

A woman enjoys a taco at a taco stand — Juan More Taco Tours offers guests an authentic taste of Mexico. — Photo courtesy Enrique Chavelas

Taste of the south

Here are Chavelas’s favourite places to dine in Cabo San Lucas, located on the peninsula’s southern tip. Each eatery contains a quote from Chavelas himself so you know what to expect.