Dining/Restaurant Directory (A-Z)
Restaurants, Cafes
Aztlan Cafe - 120 Kino Blvd., Puerto Penasco Tel.383-2027 383-3597
(From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Betos Place - 40 Malecon, Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-5198
(From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Cafe Excelsior - 41 Las Americas Blvd., Sonoyta Tel. 2-15-68
Cafe Plazas Las Glorias - 13 Armada Nacional Ave., Puerto
Peñasco Tel. 383-6010 Fax. 383-6015 (From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Cafe Rodeo - 249 Cholla Bay Rd., Cel.512-1724
Cal Broaster Chicken - Las Glorias Business Plaza, Puerto Peñasco Tel. 3832113 (From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Cocodrilos - 26 National Armada Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-6376
(From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Coctelería El Perico Marinero - 46 Malecon Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 3836601 (From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Copper Kettle - 23 Plaza , Ajo, AZ 85321 Tel. 520-387-7000; 520-387-5555
Costa Brava - 41 Estrella Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-3130; 383-4100
Fax. 383-3621 (From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Desert Oasis Restaurant - 3.4 Mile N. Hwy # 8 , Puerto Peñasco
El Capitán - 1 Aqua Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-5698 Fax. 383-5558
(From the US dial (011-52-638) first) Mail: APO #308, Puerto Peñasco,
Sonora 83550
El Galeón - 112 Constitución Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-2818; 383-2175;
383-6175 Fax. 383-5272 (From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Espresso Express Coffee House & Restaurant - 119 Matamoros Ave., Puerto
Peñasco Tel. 383-4098 (From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Friendly Dolphin - 44 Alcantar Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-2608 (From
the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Gamma's Seafood- 28 Nacional Armada Ave., Puerto Peñasco
Gringo Pass Cafe - 120 Hwy. # 85, Lukeville, AZ 85341 Tel./Fax. 520-2570887
Happy Frog - 97 Matamoros Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-6249 (From the
US dial (011-52-638) first)
JR's BBQ Restaurant - 48 Nacional Armada Ave., Puerto Penasco Tel.3835824 (From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
La Cita Cafe - 5 Estrella Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-2270 (From the US
dial (011-52-638) first)
La Curva Restaurant - 100 Kino Blvd., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-3470 (From
the US dial (011-52-638) first)
La Palapa Lupita - 243 Juarez Blvd., Puerto Peñasco Tel./Fax. 383-3697
(From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Lighthouse - 4 Agua Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-2389 (From the US dial
(011-52-638) first)
Lilly's - 31 Malecon Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-2510 (From
the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Manny's Beach Club - 12 Coahuila Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel.
383-3605
Maria Bonita - Malecon Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-3600 (From the US
dial (011-52-638) first)
Mar-y-Sol Sports Bar & Grill - 1742 N. Hwy. 8 , Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-5822
Mezón La Español - 278 Constitutción Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel.383-3763
Old Port Galley - 23 Alcantar Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-3354 (From
the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Pink Cadillac Diner - 141 Matamoros Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-5880
Playa Bonita - 147 Balboa Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-2199 (From the US
dial (011-52-638) first)
Playa Inn Restaurant - 18 Sinaloa Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-5015 Fax.
383-5016 (From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Pollo Giro Chicken & Beef - 229 Juarez Blvd., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 3834076 (From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Rocky Garden Restaurant - 146 Matamoros Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 3835442
Rocky Point Chinese Food - 133 Sinaloa Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 3835940 (From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Sr. Amigo - 12 Malecon Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-3795
(From the US dial (011-52-638) first)
Subway Sandwich - 101 Nacional Armada Ave., Puerto
Peñasco
Sunset Burger Shack - 7 Calle 13 Ave., Puerto Peñasco
Tierra del Sol - 55 Kino Ave., Sonoyta Tel. 2-11-33
Villa Granada - 107 Madero Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-2775 (From the
US dial (011-52-638) first)
Villa Palomera - 148 Nacional Armada Ave., Puerto Peñasco
Vista al Mar - 19 Malecon Ave., Puerto Peñasco Tel. 383-2985 (From the US
dial (011-52-638) first)
The Watering Hole, (desertoasisresort.com/restaraunt.html) is a restaurant
and cantina with fantastic dishes and exotic Mexican cocktails. It's
located at the Desert Oasis Resort, on the main highway into Rocky Point
at KM 91.4. Live music every Friday from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Call 602412-3552 (From the US) or (011-52-638) 102-0222 (From Mexico)
Xochitl's Cafe & Woman's Hostel - 38 Seaside Rd., Cholla Bay Tel. 520-3239778
Restaurants - Read Some Restaurant Reviews
Economical
- Just real cheap, good local food.
Very cheap daily specials 'comida corrida' that are a full
meal. Peñasco's working people (and some middle-upper
class trying to fake it) eat lunch here! (Mexican owned)
- Exceptional pizza here folks, also good Italian
sandwiches, spaghetti plates. They even deliver!
- Very economical breakfasts & lunch specials - foods pretty
good too! (Mexican owned)
- Home of some of the best, biggest economical
Mexican food combination plates in town, good fish plates. Good
service, Great Margaritas, live Mariachis music many nights, cable of main
sports events. (Mexican owned)
-Looks like a bar - guess what? It is! Also a motel &
'kewl' grill. Cheap daily food specials, Thai Food, and at night grill your
own steaks & chicken out on the patio (just ask & they will do it) - (U.S.
Owned)
ky Point Chinese Restaurant - OK, not much imagination on the
name here, spartan tables with red plastic table covers, and some really
decent Chinese food at budget prices! Lots of locals hit this one. (Mexican
Owned)
- Located inside the oldest operating hotel in Peñasco,
with that old Mexico charm that has been lost at many other places
around town. Lunch specials can often be very good & cheap! (Mexican
owned)
Moderate
- If you want to be 'somewhere' having
a great margarita at sunset, and there's an ounce of the
'romantic' in you (or your trying to impress your date, view
the city or propose marriage), nothing beats this one. It sits
up on what the pirates used to call the 'head of the whale' at the end of
Aqua Ave. (Originally many locals thought this owner was nuts when he
started building his own road & water lines almost 1 mile up the steep hill).
Great fish combination plates, shrimp, steaks, drinks, music & the best
views in Peñasco! (for those on a budget, mix up some margaritas, get up
here near sunset [or anytime] and walk over toward the cement water
reservoir next to the parking lot for a free breathtaking view of the city!)
(Mexican owned)
- Class, ocean views, live music, exceptional
seafood, good portions and good staff. (Mexican owned)
- Fun atmosphere, good fish, chicken and beef dishes, live
music at nights & weekends, good waiters & drinks. (Mexican owned)
- Exceptional seafood & Mexican dishes, fun outdoor
patio upstairs, old Mexico decor & atmosphere just like you came here to
experience. One of the owners often sings & plays guitar for the
customers. (Mexican owned)
- Exceptional seafood, a favorite of many locals, unknown
to most tourists & foreigners living here. Everything is painted green &
there are frogs everywhere! (Mexican owned)
- Great view, very good food and some of the best live jazz,
easy listening & dancing music for the 'mature' crowd in Peñasco!
(Mexican Owned)
Pricey
- Bring
your credit cards or lots of cash! Entrees here
can range from great to mediocre beautifully designed surroundings & poolside view (Mexican Corp owned)
Lilly's Restaurant - Good food, nice views, inside & outside patio seating,
good margaritas, a place to 'be seen' & a place to watch the throngs of
tourists, locals and vendors on the Malecon ('boardwalk') just down from
fish markets! The staff is service oriented ( U.S.-Mex owned)
The Story of the Taco Stands
The afternoon heat of the sun had just backed off in
this small seaside town of Puerto Peñasco on the
northern Pacific Coast of Mexico. Taco vendors busily
work around their carts along the largest avenues in
town. Most concentrate along the town’s main street
Juarez Blvd., its bustling Harbor , and the scenic Malecon Avenue near the
fish markets.
As you walk past, inhaling the mouthwatering scents of seasoned, sizzling
meats, onions & peppers, the vendors often call out 'Tacos al Gusto! Pase
Joven!' (Taco's to your liking! Come on, mister!) At some of the busiest
'taquerias' (taco stands) you sit down at a bench, table or stand near the
cart.
'Que quieres?' (How many?) A vendor's vocal wife or child may ask. If your
'espanol' is lacking just answer, 2 taco's por favor! ( 2 tacos thank you).
Suddenly you see a varying display of action as handmade tortillas are
being put on the charcoal griddle, the meat that was slowly hissing on a
quiet spot of the same fire is put on a cutting board, and that chunk of
steak is artistically hacked into small tasty strips then scattered onto the
tortillas. The meat is then topped with chopped onions, cilantro, grilled
peppers (speak up & ask - or point to what you want)'Buen Provecho' (
Bon Appetit ) many stand owners say with pride.
Trying those spicy and tender onions can be heavenly. On the inside the
crunchy, sweet taste can turn your head. Then you begin to notice your
surroundings, that white Church across the street, the people around you,
the tourists, locals-family's-kids as they pass by in front of you, the ocean's
smell, etc. These stands are always located near the action & views. And
they are cheap- such meals are about 12 Pesos (about $1.25 U.S.)
'OVERCOME THE FEAR' -- Food stands in
Mexico date back to the times of the Aztec
Culture, which rivaled Rome in size, low crime
rates, wealth, and community organization!
They are now found throughout Mexico &
many border areas within the United States.
Some visitors initially stay away from tasting
the foods offered from the street carts, lunch
stalls, stands, or juice vendors. But, curiosity, lack of funds, and big
appetites get the better of many visitors. In no time Mexico's 'curbside
cuisine' can become addictive.
Many locals & visitors have their favorites- 'tacos de bistec' (like the ones
just described above) or 'tacos de cabeza', 'taco's of the head', that are
made of the tender flesh of the cows cheeks. Goat meat stews, meat
soups, tortas (hot sandwiches with piles of tasty meat, onions, peppers,
cheese, avocados, etc. can also be found at the stands).
One of the secrets of tacos in Mexico is what you put on it. Always at the
stands & stalls are various sauces, onions, cabbage, peppers, and salsas!
Few customers ever get sick. In fact, in small towns, you may feel safer
eating in the street than in a restaurant. At the taco stands you can see
how clean the cooks hands, utensils and ingredients are. But in a
restaurant you can only hope for the best. Mexicans themselves expect
everything to be prepared with purified water. If you ask most vendors
about their water they will quickly point to a large sealed bottle of 'agua
purificada' (purified water) nearby.
Comparing travelers rules about eating on the street corners, a few things
stand out* Avoid eating raw tomatoes, lettuce, carrots (they are often not rinsed)
* Never eat at any stand where nobody else is (Go with the locals)
We are all humans. We all get sick if we eat something not clean. So,
follow the locals, and eat where they do!
Meantime, try 'gorditas' (corn meal patties stuffed with cheese & often
deep fried-called 'little fatties')
Also try the many fruit juices, elotes (boiled corn on the cob) and tamales
(corn meal patties wrapped in corn husks, packed with meat, onions,
olives, etc.) that are offered.
'THE LAST TAMALE' -- After your taco feast, check around to find a 'tamale
stand' or one that supplies both! Some are sweet, some are not- but they
are all usually 'hot & full of flavor'. Talk with the cart’s owner, and ask
about the business & family!
My wife & I also make tamales , and we sell them
, says Enrique Maldenado, as he introduced me
to his 6 kids as we talked. 'We make enough to
eat, & to pay the rent. When there are no tourists
it's a real struggle to live, sometimes we all fish so
that the family can eat.
Travelers can learn a great deal about Mexico while eating at taco
stands & tamale carts throughout the country's colorful towns & cities.
There is an old saying in Mexico- 'If you don't eat on the street, you're
missing Mexico!'
There is an old saying in Mexico- 'If you don't eat on the street, you're
missing Mexico!'