Few experiences can top a day of sailing the Gulf of California, but upon docking you’ll find some of the best restaurants in Los Cabos. Enjoying a waterfront meal at a luxury restaurant or sipping on Mexico’s best coffee will elevate the memory to perfection.
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1. El Farallon
Boasting “cliffside dining at the edge of the ocean,” El Farallon’s open-air kitchen is helmed by world-renowned chefs who turn fresh local ingredients into magic. The four-course meal experience includes items like Sea Bass Ceviche, lobster tail, rib eye steak, and Tres Leches with Berries. The Champagne Terrace invites you to savor 20 unique rotating champagnes.
Be sure to try: The Ginger Balsamic Marinated Cremini Mushrooms
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2. Sunset Monalisa
Love tasting menus, Mediterranean dishes, and rotating menus based on the availability of seasonal ingredients? Sunset Monalisa can deliver on your culinary expectations with its three menu concepts consisting of a prefixed a la carte menu, a 5-course “The Signature” menu, and The Monalisa Experience. Can’t-go-wrong options: sea scallops, truffle pasta, or American Wagyu filet.
Be sure to try: Spaghetti Caviar: Unagi kabayaki, herbs, siberian caviar, lime, and bottarga
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3. Pitahayas
Blending Pacific influences that draw from Japan, Mexico, Thailand, Korea, China, Hawaii, and the Philippines, this fusion menu is complemented by exquisite views and one of the area’s best wine lists. Indulge in duck dumplings, lobster risotto, tuna tataki, and uber fresh octopus.
Be sure to try: The Seafood Trilogy: grilled fish filet in fruit relish, lobster tail in vanilla bean sauce, and jumbo prawns in butter sauce
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4. Manta
Sometimes referred to as “The East Cape’s culinary centerpiece,” Manta draws inspiration from Peru, Japan, and Mexico but sources ingredients locally and sustainability whenever possible. Chef Enrique Olvera puts both thought and effort into the diverse menu, where you’ll find sashimi, aged prime New York strip steak, beetroot ceviche, and octopus anticucho.
Be sure to try: The fried oyster burrito with mushrooms and teriyaki sauce
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5. Mozza Baja
Being a previous winner of the James Beard Foundation’s “Outstanding Chef Award,” you’d expect nothing less than perfection from Chef Nancy Silverton, and her blend of Italian fine dining at Mozza Baja in Marina Village in Costa Palmas delivers. Step off your yacht or sailboat and head to the wood-fired pizza oven, outdoor lounge, or indoor restaurant and bar. Treat your tastebuds to goat cheese ravioli, crispy duck confit, porcini-rubbed bone-in ribeye, or grilled calamari.
Be sure to try: Funghi misti pizza with fontina and thyme
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6. Nobu
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa incorporates the latest trends in Japanese cuisine with South American inspirations to treat guests to the best of land and sea. Watch the dazzling sunset as you feast on Lobster Shiitake Salad, scallop tostadas, King Crab Amazu Ponzu, or Hot Stone Japanese Wagyu.
Be sure to try: Tutor Tartare with Caviar
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7. Neptune
With views of El Arco, this beachside seafood establishment gives its chefs room to explore their creativity with the freshest ingredients the region has to offer. Sink your teeth into a free seafood platter of lobster, jumbo shrimp, oysters, and clams, treat yourself to the 16-ounce rib-eye, or savor the steamed red snapper filet with pickled vegetables.
Be sure to try: Neptune Make Roll: Mamenori, tuna, avocado, mango, yellow aji, green curry, and sesame seeds
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8. Don Manuel’s
Located in the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal resort, Don Manuel’s is known as “an inspired evolution of modern Mexican gastronomy”. Guests are invited to order family-style and share dishes as a table to allow for a wider variety of menu tastings. Beyond smoked short ribs, slow-cooked duck, beef tartare, and smoked lobster tails, there are vegan and vegetarian appetizers, soups, and entrees.
Be sure to try: Avocado risotto with roasted wild mushrooms and Reggiano
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9. Lorenzillo’s Restaurant
Built directly on the corner of a marina, Lorenzillo’s bills itself as a “live lobster house” and has plenty of lobster-focused dishes to back up that claim. Even the most demanding palates will be impressed by the grilled filet mignon, grilled salmon steak, or broiled shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon.
Be sure to try: Filet of fish stuffed with lobster, shrimp, and portobello mushrooms topped with Bearnaise sauce
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10. Estiatorio Milos
Founded by acclaimed chef Costas Spiliadis, Estiatorio Milos in Four Seasons Los Cabos has been recognized as one of the finest Mediterranean seafood restaurants around the globe. Reservations are recommended for this highly sought-after beachfront establishment, which guarantees a menu of delights. Offerings include a raw bar, Bluefin tuna, grilled lamb chops, and an exceptional wine list.
Be sure to try: The Milos Special: a tower of lightly fried zucchini and eggplant with kefalograviera cheese and tzatziki
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11. Nicksan
Celebrities, tourists, and locals know that the award-winning cuisine at Nicksan manages to balance Japanese and Mexican cuisine perfectly. Billed as a true “beyond sushi” experience, Chef Angel Carbajal combines taste, texture, aroma, and art to present stunning plates that showcase local seafood. From tempura and sashimi to oysters and lobster curry, you’ll leave satisfied but not so stuffed to make the few steps back to the marina.
Be sure to try: Kara-Age Soft Shell Spicy Crab: A 3-ounce deep-fried soft-shell crab sauteed with chives, serrano chile, and light soy sauce, served warm
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12. Casena
Looking for something scrumptious to take with you as you embark on your voyage to explore the Sea of Cortez? If you’re leaving from the Marina Village at Costa Palmas, swing by Casena. The retail boutique sells fresh-baked breads, salsa, Mexican honey, tequilas, packaged snacks, and lattes made from Mexico’s best beans.
Be sure to try: The avocado toast
Considering a second home to make Los Cabos a more frequent stop? Costa Palmas resort now offers private residences in the heart of Marina Village. Offering a semi-private, full-service port that can accommodate yachts, sailboats, and fishing vessels up to 250 feet long, Marina Village allows you to bring your love of the water to your backyard. To learn more, visit the website.