If you’re looking for an abundance of farm-to-table dining and a culinary scene committed to sustainability, Los Cabos delivers.
A Gastro Obscura Guide to Los Cabos

A former 19th century farmhouse where sugar cane was once cultivated is now a 21st century organic farm and restaurant honoring traditional Mexican cuisine and Mediterranean flavors. Los Tamarindos uses homegrown produce and meats, like quail and cornish hens, to give new life to family recipes that have survived for generations. Situated a mile away from the Sea of Cortez and San Jose del Cabo, their menu is rife fresh fish (pufferfish escabeche and grilled baja oysters, anyone?) caught by local fisherman and hand-selected by Chef and owner Enrique Silva. The brunch menu is set up with decadent “food stations,” such as the Crudo Bar with coconut ceviche, El Comal y La Granja with sopes made of nixtamal corn with Oaxacan red mole, locally-sourced chorizo or squash blossom; and Humo y Fuego with juicy suckling pig or lamb. Huerta Los Tamarindos offers immersive 4-course meal cooking classes in their stone kitchen so you can try to recreate the magic at home. 

In the foothills of San Jose del Cabo exists an oasis where palm trees naturally grow – a rarity in a region where cacti run wild. This unique patch of land became the inspiration for Acre which began as a farm to table restaurant and bar but now includes chic yet sustainable treehouse accommodations. Their globally influenced, Mexican inspired food and cocktail menu showcases the bounty of their 20-acre farm, and products from other sustainability focused vendors. The grilled octopus with plantain puree, beet salad and the (unexpected) cheddar biscuits are standout dishes exemplifying the freshness of the ingredients and intentionality of flavors. Acre even has their own mezcal label directly sourced from Oaxacan small batch mezcaleros, serving as the base of decadent drinks like the ginger mezcalita and the “pepino” featuring a cucumber cordial . Peacocks roam the property so don’t be startled when one casually walks by your table. 

Metate Cabo prides themself in preserving culinary classics like tacos and tlayudas using ancestral cooking techniques that have been passed down from previous generations. The multi-colored woven pillows and place settings showcase time-honored Mexican craftwork while the tiled decor and intimate outdoor setting transports you to a Mediterranean villa. The restaurant was built around a majestic cactus so it could watch diners enjoy meals created by the bounty of the land. In the spirit of honoring Mexican food traditions, the tortillas are made within eyesight in an open air kitchen, the smell wafting from table to table. Slow-cooked short rib tacos with housemade salsa and the tlayudas with beans and mole for vegans, or chorizo and quesillo cheese for non-vegans boast authentic flavor profiles topped off with produce grown from their garden. Not only does the food represent the community but they host cultural and gastronomic events that feature local talent.

In the trendy Arts District of San Jose de Cabo, a former warehouse from the 1960’s has been transformed into Lumbre, a modern-industrial upscale dining experience. source their ingredients solely from local fishermen, ranchers and farmers to ensure quality; and their custom kitchen and furniture was made by local builders and artisans. Chef Cesar Pita is a gastronomic expert, and truly loves cooking over open flames, so Lumbre’s open kitchen gives guests a view of his favorite tools: the wood fire grills, the iron and brick oven. The substantial menu covers all bases with “Sealife over Flames” options like bluefin tuna with fermented habanero or ceviche with chayote squash and tangerine. The “Braso” dishes merge local Baja Sur flavors with traditional Mexican classics, like chile rellenos with scallop chorizo. Creative combinations like melon and pine nut mole, or coconut foam and shallots, make Lumbre a standout in Cabos’ sustainable culinary scene. If you’re feeling indecisive, explore the curated six course tasting menu.

Take a drive to Todo Santos, a quaint, coastal town an hour north of Los Cabos, for Jazamango’s upscale, farm to table dining experience. Thirty year veteran chef Javier Plascencia brought his culinary talents from Tijuana to Baja Sur fusing international ingredients with locally-sourced products from nearby ranches and the sea. There’s Asian inspiration merging Mexican flavors like in the nopal chutney, as well as Mediterranean fare like fava bean hummus with fresh goat's milk cheese and the “pizza di mare,” topped with garlic octopus and the smoked catch of the day. Jazamango even has their own bakery complete with baguettes and Mexican goodies like cinnamon rolls and donuts. Two points of advice to maximize the visit: go early because they have a limited amount of each dish, and ask about seasonal specials where Plascencia’s creativity is likely to shine. Every Sunday they serve their weekly barbacoa specials featuring succulent “local style” lamb and they regularly host special events like food festivals or DJ nights where you can mix and mingle in their garden under the stars.  

This 125 acre farm, hotel and spa offers a multitude of ranch-to-table options in a color-rich wonderland of sunflowers, sacred hearts and boho garden decor. Flora’s Field Kitchen focuses on hearty family meals that highlight their seasonal produce like eggplants and mangoes, and animals raised without hormones or antibiotics. The menu is largely Mediterranean featuring housemade pasta entrees like gnocchi and heirloom tomatoes, and appetizers such as lemon beet hummus flatbread. Within the restaurant, “Mama’s Pizzeria” boasts 15 permutations of Napolitan style pizzas with topping combos like fennel sausage and mozzarella, or farm bacon and farm egg. There’s still Mexican standards like tortillas made from corn ground by hand, and tamales which visitors can learn to make during their cooking classes. To appease your sweet tooth, get a scoop of ice cream or sorbet at “Flora’s Ice Cream Cart,” made with milk from their ranch and fresh vanilla, or buy some baked goods like savory pumpkin breads and or lavender doughnuts as a souvenir. Round off your visit at The Farm Bar with a “Farmarita,” an heirloom carrot infused margarita. It’s vegetables so it’s healthy, right?

Ruba’s Bakery and Bistro is where you go to indulge in breakfast. They use high-quality, locally sourced ingredients for a cornucopia of baked goods: elevated takes on Mexican classics like chocolate-filled peanut butter conchas covered in marzipan; and foreign favorites with a Cabos flair, like the “ruby croissant,” dipped in pink chocolate and sprinkled with pistachios. Coffee aficionados should explore their “brew bar,” with assorted cold brew concoctions; or for less of a buzz there’s several herbal tea blends or seasonal juices. Their mind blowing breakfast menu also has range, putting their spin on Mexican dishes like chilaquiles and cazuelas, and global breakfast favs like stuffed french toasts and benedicts and biscuits. This Michelin Guide recommended cafe and restaurant is located in a casita from the 1940’s, the former home of Professor Francisco Payén who is immortalized through a mural on the dining patio. There’s also a beach location (La Playa) at the Newport Plaza, next to the Puerto Los Cabos marina with their go-to coffee and tea creations but a different brunch/lunch style menu of sandwiches, salads and wood-fired oven pizzas.

El Huerto’s focus on sustainability is woven through everything. Not only do they grow 70% of their produce but they also recycle their cardboard and plastic, harvest rainwater, compost on-site and operate 60 solar panels which powers 65% of their electricity needs. It’s infused in their “farm to glass” inspired bar menu with exquisite cocktails such as “Bees & Flowers” made with scotch, sencha infused organic honey, lemon juice, orange bitters. And obviously, it’s the foundation of the Mediterranean and Asian-inspired dishes on their seasonal menu featuring Baja Sur staples like grilled octopus, a unique parmesan and heirloom tomato fondue, and “Todo Santos Beer and Chorizo Wild Mussels.” Start your day dining amidst their quaint gardens and orchards and exploring their robust breakfast menu. Carnivores can enjoy chicharron quesadillas and short rib burritos, alongside tasty and filling vegetarian and vegan options like lemongrass and kaffir pancakes or crispy avocado toasts. This family-owned restaurant brings local school children to the farm to learn planting and harvesting, promoting sustainability by building community.

Some of Baja’s best seafood can be found in Todos Santos, a designated Pueblo Magico with colonial Spanish architecture and a burgeoning creative community. Oystera specializes in oysters, as its name suggests, but goes beyond being an oyster bar. The restaurant, located in a historic sugar mill, presents an extensive array of seafood selections, especially their numerous varieties of local oysters, both raw or grilled, as well as clams and scallops. The raw bar is an extravaganza of fish and seafood carpaccio, escabeche and ceviche, and the appetizers are all seafood – in chowder, fried or smoked. For larger plates, Oystera’s “Grilled, Fried and Sauteed” menu is a diverse mix including a soft shell crab sandwich, grilled fish cheeks or a scallop and goat cheese risotto. After you eat, kick it with a cocktail and check out the funky Todos Santos music and arts scene that’s found a home here.

Los Tres Gallos is the spot for artisanal Mexican favorites that taste like they came from abuelita’s (grandma’s) kitchen. Their downtown location has a lively outdoor patio with bright red walls that compliment the papel picado, vibrant Mexican folk art flags, and tea lights. Being so close to the water, there’s shrimp and fish ceviches and fresh catch-of-the-day entrees, yet they serve up some mouth-watering meats like cochinita pibil or carnitas de chamorro, pork shank marinated in spices and orange juice; then slow-cooked Michoacán style (simmered for three hours in pork fat and shredded for tacos). Comfort foods like mole enchiladas and queso fundido are menu highlights for lunch and dinner, but they also have a robust breakfast menu with Mexican staples like molletes (crispy bread with refried beans, melted cheese and chorizo), fresh fruit smoothies and refreshing coffee cocktails. Margarita lovers can try the standard recipe with a housemade mix or the seasonal varieties using guava or passionfruit. Save room for dessert, especially the pan de elote topped with ice cream and fresh berries.