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What to eat in Tijuana? Where to eat in Tijuana? 11 Traditional Foods You Have To Try in Tijuana

The best traditional dishes in Tijuana and the best authentic restaurants that make them, recommended by industry professionals.
Last update: Sun Feb 16 2025
11 Traditional Foods You Have To Try in Tijuana
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01
Tacos
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Tacos are the national dish of Mexico, dating back to the Mexican silver mines of the 18th century, when the word taco referred to gunpowder that was wrapped in a piece of paper and inserted into rocks. It was used to excavate the precious ore from mines and was called tacos de minero or miner's tacos. Today, the word is widely known to signify the leading street food and fast food item in Mexico – thin, flat griddle-baked tortillas topped with numerous fillings, folded and eaten without any utensils.


A taco is basically anything eaten on a soft tortilla, and there is an infinite variety of them. In Sonora, in the north of Mexico, they eat the classic carne asada - thinly sliced meat grilled over coals and topped with salsa, onions, guacamole, and a lime wedge. 

MOST ICONIC Tacos

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02

Street Food

BAJA CALIFORNIA, Mexico
4.4
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Taco de camaron is a variety of taco filled with shrimps and various other ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, coriander, mayonnaise, or pico de gallo. Shrimp tacos originate from Baja California, and are often served with lime or lemon wedges on the side.


It is recommended to pair the dish with a cold beer on the side.

MOST ICONIC Tacos de camarones

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Tacos al pastor is a Mexican dish consisting of thin slices of shaved pork from a rotating spit, placed on a tortilla and topped with onions, chopped coriander, pineapple chunks, chili, and salsa. The dish evolved from the Lebanese culinary traditions that arrived in Mexico in the late 19th century along with numerous immigrants.


It stems from the popular shawarma, but the Mexicans changed the spices and substituted lamb with pork. Tacos al pastor originated in the city of Puebla, and their name is translated to shepherd's style tacos. However, the addition of pineapple to the dish still remains a mystery to be solved.

MOST ICONIC Tacos al pastor

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04

Salad

TIJUANA, Mexico
3.9
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The iconic Caesar salad was named after its creator Cesare (Caesar) Cardini, an Italian immigrant who lived in San Diego but, circumventing Prohibition laws in the United States, operated a popular restaurant in Tijuana, just south of the Mexican border.


Back then, in the 1920s, during the Prohibition era, Tijuana was flourishing as many Californians, including Hollywood jet set, would often drive over to party and enjoy the good life. And just like it was the case with many other world-famous dishes, Caesar salad was invented through sheer ingenuity and improvisation. 

MOST ICONIC Caesar salad

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Carne asada tacos are the first tacos in history. It is believed that the first tacos appeared in the 1500s, made with thin slices of meat cooked over hot coals. The meat was placed in a corn tortilla and topped with guacamole, onions, chili peppers, and lime – also known as the carne asada taco.


Over time, people started to make other versions in different regions, and nowadays we are witnessing a true taco-mania, and it all began with the simple carne asada tacos.

MOST ICONIC Carne asada tacos

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06

Sandwich type

PUEBLA DE ZARAGOZA, Mexico
4.4
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Mexican tortas are luscious traditional sandwiches filled with delicious, mostly authentic Mexican ingredients. They are a unique Mexican creation, considering they are served in bread rolls, an ingredient that is not so often associated with Mexico.


There are two bread varieties usually incorporated in tortas, the traditional French influenced bolillos, and the similar round teleras, which are an authentic Mexican product from Puebla. The rolls are sliced horizontally, buttered, and stuffed with the most popular Mexican ingredients such as beans, avocados, ham, queso, jalapeños, and a myriad of other typical Mexican dishes like fried beef or chicken, shredded beef, roasted pork, and even tamales

MOST ICONIC Tortas

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07
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Tacos de lengua is a unique variety of a taco, filled with thin slices of cooked and grilled beef tongue and various other ingredients depending on personal preferences. Beef tongue is characterized by its tender texture, making it an ideal accompaniment for salsas, coriander, and tart lime juice.

MOST ICONIC Tacos de lengua

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08

Sandwich

GUADALAJARA, Mexico
4.2
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Torta ahogada is Guadalajara's signature sandwich, a salted bun that is crunchy on the outside and soft on the interior, filled with pork, and submerged in a spicy salsa consisting of vinegar, cumin, and chile de árbol pepper. The sandwich is then filled with onions, mild tomato-garlic salsa, and a squeeze of lime juice.


It was invented in the early 1900s, and today it is a staple dish for curing hangovers, usually found on small stands on street corners and busy urban centers.

MOST ICONIC Torta ahogada

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09
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Tacos gobernador (lit. governor's tacos) are Mexican tacos named after a Sinaloan governor. In order to prepare the dish, warm tortillas are filled with a combination of shrimps, grated cheese, coriander, onions, and tomatoes. The tortillas are then folded in half, brushed with butter, and cooked on a griddle over medium heat.


When served, tacos gobernador are often accompanied by lime wedges and hot chili sauce. Apart from Sinaloa, these tacos are also quite popular in Baja California.

MOST ICONIC Tacos gobernador

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Wrap

MEXICO
4.3
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Mulitas are sometimes described as "quesadillas on steroids". The Mexican dish usually consists of a crispy tortilla filled with chunks of grilled meat, cheese, and salsa or guacamole topping, although the fillings may vary from one food stand to another.


The name of the dish literally means little mule, referring to the fact that the food is wrapped and transferred from a street vendor to the consumer. It is recommended to top each mulita with another tortilla and drizzle it with lime juice.

MOST ICONIC Mulita

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