With offerings like octopus tostadas, shrimp tacos and pork sliders paired with a glass of corresponding Vena Cava winery’s white or red (or one of the many excellent, regional craft brews), the street food simplicity here can’t be beat. Enter Troika in 2012, a food truck that permanently rests on the Villa del Valle property. Troikaįollowing the success of Corazón de Tierra, it made sense to add a more casual spot to the Valle’s mix guests who reveled in Diego Hernández’ cooking were sometimes in the mood for something much less fussy. For $75 (wine pairing for $45), this is one of the best tasting menu deals on the planet. If the tamal (with red and yellow moles) is on the menu, you’re one lucky diner. He’s a fierce proponent of organic, sustainable and local cooking, and herbs, fruits, and vegetables, olive oils and honey, as well as some proteins are sourced on-site and used in the daily-changing six-course menu that consists of light seafood dishes, lush salads, hearty meats, and fragrant desserts. Showcasing modern interpretations of traditional Mexican flavors and techniques, Ensenada native Hernández learned his craft from Mexico’s greats including Benito Molina, Guillermo Gonzalez Beristain and Enrique Olvera. Known as the regional star with a #39 ranking on Latin America’s 50 Best List, Diego Hernández Baquedano’s casual, warm fine dining spot is set among boutique inn La Villa del Valle’s gardens - which provide much of the produce for the restaurant. The most difficult reservation to nab in Valle, Corazón de Tierra opened in 2011, just before the restaurant boom took hold. As one of the Valle spots where it’s very easy to linger for hours, plan accordingly. Lovingly prepared meats are a standout, most notably the lamb, which is slow-roasted for over 14 hours. Oysters in various presentations are a good way to start, followed by whimsical dishes such as sea urchin croquetas. Alcocer’s menus are one-of-a-kind, constantly changing, and through them, he elevates local ingredient to art form. He’s proud of his on-site garden, makes much of his own dairy (cheese, butter, ice cream), and raises his own animals which are beautifully showcased in his 10-course tasting menu (though a la carte is available and equally encouraged). An open-air spot with a thatched roof, graffiti-scrawled feature wall, and a view of the Valle that’s hard to beat, Alcocer is fastidious about both his dishes and his ingredients. One of the younger chefs in the region is Roberto Alcocer who helms the kitchen of Mina Penélope winery’s restaurant Malva which opened in 2013. ( Disclosure: In addition to my role as co-founder of New Worlder, I also founded culinary events brand Meets NYC, which launched Baja Meets NYC in 2014.) Valle de Guadalupe What better time to offer up our essential Eat List for Valle de Guadalupe and Ensenada, featuring classic spots to indulge all the region has to offer? And if you want a definitive list to guide you through the wineries, look no further than our Drink List: Valle de Guadalupe. Summer in Valle de Guadalupe is the region’s busiest time with August celebrating the harvest during the Fiestas de la Vendemia, a month-long series of galas, paired tasting dinners, and wine events.

These days, Valle de Guadalupe is about way more than just wine. Swanky boutique hotels are springing up to keep visitors sleeping soundly. Restaurants, once sparse, are now opening with frequency, favoring campestre-style, outdoor dining rooms, with a focus on seasonal local produce and fresh Pacific seafood. Boasting just one traffic light, Valle de Guadalupe has tried to retain its under-the-radar charm, but it’s hard when it’s attractive on so many levels. market, the idyllic spot is firmly marked on Mexico’s must-visit map. Travel media have hailed the region as a place of gastronomic and atmospheric perfection and coupled with a push by winemakers into the U.S. Over the past five years, however, the sleepy town, which sits about 30 miles inland from Baja’s port city of Ensenada, has become a bonafide tourist destination. With its breezy climate, bountiful wine, and locally-inspired cuisine, it was a treasured coastal respite for Mexican nationals and, just a 90 minute drive from San Diego, a secret getaway for southern Californians in the know. As recently as 2012, Baja California Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe wine region was a relatively unknown part of the world to many travelers and food aficionados.

Amaya mexico city opened