5 Tijuana Food Courts for Food, Drinks and Sun
With summer upon us, Tijuana’s food courts are bustling already. The food courts located throughout Tijuana are a great way to discover regional cuisine or bide time with sobremesa — the spanish word referring to time spent after a meal talking with friends and family.
The food courts are located in high traffic areas and popular among the city’s movers-and-shakers, binationals and tourists.
Telefonica might be TJ’s most-visited food court. It is the location of New York Times-featured food truck La Carmelita, whose cauliflower taco can be found North of the Border at Corazon de Torta in San Diego’s Sherman Heights.
Open early to late, and found just a short distance from Revolucion Avenida in Tijuana’s storied city center, the mouthwatering food items at Telefonica range from mexican-styled street burgers (Olote Mexaburgers), vegetarian fare (La Carmelita), barbeque (Humo) grill and seafood (Otto’s Grill), desserts and pastries (Azarosa) and coffee (Far Niente). A full bar offers numerous beer options, as well as wine and even mixed drinks.
With octopus and ahi tuna tacos, bacon dogs, sausage with home-made bread and even an artisan cheese and bread market, people surely spend hours at Telefonica eating, talking and drinking — and often to live music.
Telefonica recently moved, so be sure you familiarize yourself with the new location before heading there.
Colectivo Nueve is located on the west-side of Tijuana’s famed Revolucion Avenida, down a well-lit aisle way between streets Flores Magon and Calle Galeana in the city’s heart. As you walk into the food court, a sign above-head greets you in many of the world’s languages.
Empanadas (19/87), Italian food (Santa Brigida) Mexican (The Burrito Shop), Lebanese cuisine (Beirut), burgers (Indie Burgers), Japanese (Tatami) ceviche (La Martina) means there is something for everyone.
From thin-crust, Italian-style pizza to falafel and gyros, it’s hard to not find something at this hot hangout. Barrica 9, furthermore, offers a formidable selection of craft beers from both Tijuana and San Diego.
Food Garden has two locations — one in Zona Rio and another in the nearby mall, Plaza Rio. While the mall version features more food options, including many local artisan products, it’s still in a mall. The nearby outdoor version, and the first one, is located at the corner of Boulevard General Rodolfo Sanchez Taboada and Calle Mision de San Diego.
Surrounded by eucalyptus in the city’s gastronomy district, this hip location offers vegetarian fare (Veggie Smalls), crepes (Creperie La Luna), traditional Mexican (Picuditas and Los Chilaquiles), Japanese (Ishiro), wine (The Wine Depot), as well as a goods market on the weekends. Food Garden also serves agua frescas, local-craft and domestic beers. Tables are under either an overhang or indoors.
From gourmet carne asada torta on ciabatta bread with pickled red onions, Oaxaca cheese and avocado to lentil burger with house sauce, avocado and topped with mushrooms, your buds will be satisfied.
When you’re ready to order, you can order with the chef. They will give you a receipt, and you then walk over the register, order drinks and pay. Sometimes, there’s even a DJ.
El Jardin Food park is located in Playas de Tijuana at the corner of Paseo Ensenada and Avenida del Agua. This food court offers a playground for the kids and televisions playing MTV and sports, like Club Tijuana Xolos, the Super Bowl and other events.
El Jardin offers seafood (Clandestino), fresh juices, smoothies and coffee (Nektar), Japanese (Ryokon), burgers (District), Mexican (Mercado Norte and La Botanita), Italian (Pizzata), sandwiches (Why Not) and Venezuelan cuisine (Menealo).
With ribs and fries, breakfast burritos, tortilla soup and even sushi, El Jardin Food Park is just a few blocks from the beach and Playas de Tijuana’s popular boardwalk, as well as Friendship Park, where the U.S.-Mexico border wall meets the Pacific Ocean.
Located in one of the better-off-neighborhoods of Tijuana, known as La Cacho, Los Foodies de la Cacho is a neighborhood food court with its own parking lot and an assortment of food choices. Burgers (Bocado Burgers), barbeque (Fierro’s), Italian (Artigiani), and a cafe (Aquamarino) make this a nice spot to stop at the corner of Calle Brasil and Avenida Aguascalientes.
Los Foodies de la Cacho offers items like grilled ribs served with a side of mashed sweet potato and grilled vegetables to artisanal hamburgers, fried onions, tomato, lettuce and swiss cheese.
Los Foodies, which is just up the street (one block to the south) from Telefonica, advertises sporting events shown on its televisions, including baseball, soccer and boxing. It’s food selection is not as extensive as Telefonica and Food Garden. You order with the food stand of your choice and pay their as well. Tables are under overhangs.
Did I miss any cool local Tijuana spots? Let us know in the comments.
