Best Lunch in Cabo San Lucas

Dos Mares is a relatively recent arrival to the Marina dining scene, taking over the location formerly occupied by Barometro. It's a great spot, with scenic views of million dollar yachts and the high-end shops of Puerto Paraíso and Luxury Avenue. Musicians stroll by periodically, adding to the romantic seaside ambiance. Dos Mares specializes in Mediterranean-influenced dishes showcasing the fresh local seafood, with creative presentations and bold flavor combinations courtesy of Chef Juan Manuel Sánchez. Pastas, pizzas and steaks are also available, and the dessert menu features some deliciously decadent options, including chocolate fondant and Bavarian ice cream. Dos Mares is open for lunch and dinner.

Baja California Sur's first brewery has two locations — the original in San José del Cabo, and a rooftop aerie at Corazón Cabo Resort & Spa — both of which have proved exceedingly popular with tourists and locals alike. Fine food is available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with menu options ranging from hamburgers and gourmet pizzas to New York Strip steak and other entrées. The beers are excellent, either in a bottle or on tap, and you can order flights of the draft beer for a sudsy overview of their offerings. If you can only visit one of their locations, check out the rooftop brew pub at Corazón Cabo, which offers gorgeous views of Playa El Médano and the granite monuments at Land's End.

Miguel's chile rellenos may not be the best in all of the Baja California peninsula, as an enthusiastic reviewer from the New York Times once claimed, but they are amazing. The stuffed chiles - available with lobster, shrimp, cheese and in vegetarian form - are certainly the signature dish at Miguel's, the top stop in Todos Santos for traditional Mexican comfort food. Tacos, enchiladas, fajitas and chicken mole are also on the menu, and this is a congenial pit stop for ice cold beers and tropical cocktails. The atmosphere is very casual and laid-back, perfect for whiling away a lazy afternoon.

Named for three legendary actors from the golden age of Mexican cinema — Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete and Javier Solís were collectively known as Los Tres Gallos (The Three Roosters) — this charming restaurant has been a shining light of the Cabo San Lucas dining scene since 2010, and is now working the same magic in San José del Cabo thanks to a gorgeous new location in the heart of the city's Distrito del Arte, which officially opened in November 2020. The new restaurant has one of the most remarkable features of any local eatery, since it is essentially designed around a trio of huanacaxtle trees which have grown together into one enormous tree. The focus in both locations, however, is on delicious traditional Mexican cuisine, from mole con pollo to pit-roasted cochinita pibil and much, much more. Michel Zermeño (who owns the restaurants with wife Fabiola Sánchez) is fond of inviting his mother into the kitchen from time to time, to ensure dishes are being made with the requisite love and time-honored methods of cooking and preparation. Chairs and tables are handmade onsite, and reflect Los Tres Gallos' traditional, "old school" oriented sensibility.

What started as a taco stand is now a fixture of the Marina dining scene, with a corner location on the waterfront, just behind Tesoro Los Cabos Resort. Solomon's Landing packs in the crowds, thanks to a combination of first-rate food, first-class service and affordable prices. The menu covers a lot of ground, but Chef Brian Solomon specializes in seafood. Like most area restaurants, there is a "you hook it, we'll cook it policy," and whether you've brought your own catch or are sampling from the menu offerings, the kitchen staff will prepare your choice of fish any way you like it, including a la Veracruz, Rockefeller, and many other styles. There is also an onsite sushi bar, and plenty of great happy hour deals from the island bar. The bar has its own menu, with more casual fare and more budget-oriented prices.

El Pollo de Oro is the best comfort stood stop in Cabo San Lucas, as its daily crowds attest. The place has been around forever, at least by Los Cabos standards, and long-time visitors may remember its previous incarnation on Blvd. Lázaro Cárdenas. The present location features a spacious well-ventilated dining area, as well as a large entry area that accommodates scattered groups of cops, firemen and other locals who are hanging around waiting for take-out. Chicken platters are the specialty of the house, although Pollo de Oro also boasts the best pork ribs in town. The smart move is to order a combo platter with half a chicken and half an order or pork ribs, served with sides of macaroni salad and brown rice.

Hotel Hacienda was the first hotel ever to open in Cabo San Lucas in 1963, although there's a world of difference between that modest property, built by pioneer developer Rod Rodriguez (of Palmilla fame), and the luxurious Hacienda Beach Club & Residences developed on the same magnificent site — at the juncture of the Marina and Médano Beach — by another pioneer developer, Don Koll, in the early 2000s. The latter is among the most exclusive, expensive and spectacular properties in the region, although anyone who is either curious or hungry is welcome to dine at the superb onsite restaurant, Hacienda Cocina y Cantina. Traditional Mexican cuisine and an elegant barefoot-friendly setting distinguish the beachfront eatery, which looks out across the bay to Land's End. Tortilla soup, chicken mole, and shrimp chile rellenos are among the many house specialties.

Campestre is a bit off the beaten tourist track, and can be a bit difficult to find without a local tour guide or taxi service. Despite its out-of-the way location, however, this is one of the finest purveyors of traditional Mexican food in Cabo San Lucas, and well worth a visit. Campestre draws large local crowds for its "comida corrida," a budget-friendly afternoon meal that includes a soup and agua fresca of the day, and a choice of entrée options. The best lunch or dinner option for tourists is the Mexican combination plate, which includes flautas, quesadillas, chile rellenos and delicious guacamole. Mexican coffee and dessert options like fried bananas are also available.

Beloved by locals and tourists alike for its laid-back beachfront atmosphere, Zipper's offers excellent cantina fare and easy access to some of the area's best surf breaks. Set on Costa Azul Beach - site of the annual WSL sponsored Los Cabos Open of Surf - this is the kind of place where you can enjoy a delicious Angus beef cheeseburger or a rack of BBQ ribs while watching the waves, and wave riders, roll in. Hamburgers are a big draw here, but Zipper's does everything well, including deli sandwiches and Mexican comfort food fare. Lunch is the best time to catch the beach scene, but combo dinners at sunset while kicking back with beers or a bottle of wine isn't too bad either. Satellite televisions show all the big games.

Under the guidance of Chef Enrique Díaz, Alcaravea Gourmet has evolved over the past decade from a small eatery into one of the benchmark fine dining restaurants in all of Los Cabos. Guests enter through trellised vines and flowers into a casually upscale dining room, with an atmosphere perfect for romantic dinners, family outings and special events. The menu features Italian cuisine with Mediterranean accents, and is complemented by warm Mexican service from the well-trained staff. All entrées include salad, pasta and bread courses, and wines are available by the bottle or glass from their international wine list. Alcaravea also offers the best lunch deal in Los Cabos: soup or salad, entrée with veggies or pasta, plus dessert and drink, all for $10.