Happy July! This year marks my 40-somethingth rotation around the sun. Since it’s my birthday month, I’m writing about my favorite topic… food of course. I just saw a TikTok by @tylerjarry about parents planning meals for vacations, at one point he says, we’re going to be hungry after snorkeling so let’s plan to get to the restaurant at 2:13pm, hilarious, and yes that’s totally me.

Like everything in life, the way I planned to eat when I moved to Puerto Peñasco is very different from how it’s actually going. I planned to cook most meals at home; healthy of course, with fresh seafood, fruit and vegetables from the local markets; but I also planned to venture out at least once a week for untried, new, or off the beaten path restaurants. However, March 2020 put an immediate wrench in the works. During quarantine from March to May, my diet consisted mainly of salami, cheese, and wine from Sam’s Club, with a few days of chicken and veggies to round things out. And Happy Hour started every day at three o’clock on our patio.

Once the restaurants re-opened, we found ourselves going to the same few places over and over again, mostly due to convenience. This was how we operated in Phoenix also, we ate out a lot, but frequented the same places regularly. Alas, my family members are creatures of habit and like the routine and comfort of going places where everyone knows us. Our regular restaurants are mainly “tourist” places, but what can I say, we love them. I see a lot of posts online about eating at small “mom and pop” shops; but truthfully, every restaurant in Rocky Point is family owned. Some are just larger than others. If you’re not eating at Burger King or the VIP, you’re eating at a locally owned restaurant. So, you are either supporting a family directly, or many families at the places that have many employees. Also, most of the larger restaurants give back a lot to the community. Win-win. Since we eat out probably 5 times a week, we definitely help support the local economy. I do try to make it a point to try one new restaurant at least every other week. I recently joined the Facebook group “Rocky Point Foodies” to get the lowdown on all the good eats new and established. My family knows it’s futile to resist me when I say, I heard about this new restaurant on Facebook / Instagram that I want to try.

We will cook healthy meals at home, but then there are dishes to wash (yuck); so, if someone mentions going out, I’m in. I have learned to make an amazing Mexican shrimp cocktail (recipe coming during shrimp season). I’ve actually learned how to peel a jicama (it’s not pretty) but my 8-year-old and I can eat a whole jicama with lime and Tajin in one sitting. I also make a mean huevos rancheros. I’m also addicted to Agua de Jamaica. We still eat a lot of chicken and veggies because it’s fast and easy.

So here are, in no particular order, the top five restaurants we frequent: Garufa Steakhouse, Al Capone’s, El Camaron Gigante, Manny’s, Wrecked at the Reef.

Here are my other favorites that we don’t get out to enough, but I highly recommend:

For Breakfast: Kaffee Haus, Candy Cake, Rosy’s, Pink Cadillac

On the Malecon: Boo Bar, El Oktopus, Moo, Margarita Mermaids, Seafood Mary’s, Flavio’s

Whale Hill: Latitude 31, Roger Pizza, El Casa de Capitan, Pane e Vino

Sandy Beach: Sonoran Grill, Puesta del Sol, Changos, Banditos, Colins Cantina

In town faves: El Pollo Papago, Rocky Point BBQ House, Cookiez Cantina, La Argentina Empanadas, Tiki Fresh, Avocato Burrito, Chef Mickey’s, Kraken, Sushi Sun, Mariachis y Tequila, La Curva

Here are the places I still haven’t tried but are on my list: La Negrita, Tacos Brissa, Asadero Viva Mexico, Jesse’s Carreta, Los Mtz, El Tapio, Pedros, Lolitas, El Barrilito, The New Mexican, Momos, and of course almost every taco stand I see!

And since we’re talking about eating out, don’t forget to tip your servers! Most places now take credit cards, but you still have to tip in cash.

Gotta go out to eat now! Buen Provecho!