The Shrimp Factory. Squid Roe. Hangover Bar and Restaurant. The big names in Cabo San Lucas are enough to give a food critic a bellyache. But fear not. Los Cabos, as the two-town resort area at the tip of the Baja Peninsula is known, does offer plenty of good eating. Our 10 favorite bites range from a French-trained chef’s five versions of ceviche to ice-cold coconut milk sipped straight from the shell at a roadside stand. Luckily, they can all be found not in busy Cabo San Lucas but in the sleepy neighboring town of San José del Cabo—and along the 20-mile coastline off the Carretera Transpeninsular, otherwise known as Highway 1, which connects the two.

LUNCH AND A SWIM
Villa Serena
Km 7.5 on Highway 1; 011-52-624-145-8244; lunch for two, $54*
No need to ditch your bathing suit when you go for lunch at Villa Serena, a casual palapa-covered restaurant with a dreamy  view of the Sea of Cortés. After placing your order, you can float around in the pool, just steps away, until your meal arrives. Then groove on tangy tortilla soup with pillows of melty panela cheese, and an excellent shrimp salad—a tortilla shell filled with fat shrimp, avocado, broccoli and carrots in a silky dressing. Every evening (except Monday), a guitarist serenades.

ALTA GASTRONOMIA
Don Emiliano
27 Blvd. Mijares, San José del Cabo; 011-52-624-142-0266; dinner for two, $70
Located in the colonial center of San José del Cabo, the elegant Don Emiliano offers gracious service and a lovely patio. But the real draw is the food, prepared by chef Margarita Carrillo de Salinas. Her laminillas de pulpo is a gorgeous mosaic—thinly sliced octopus sauced with zingy cilantro vinaigrette. The unusual seca de natas soup (or sopa) layers milk custard, heirloom tomatoes, chicken and poblano chiles to wonderful effect. Yellowfin tuna, seared rare, gets a touch of chili oil; it’s served with a sumptuous tamale filled with earthy, truffle-like huitlacoche, a corn fungus that’s one of Mexico’s great delicacies.

ICE POPS
La Tropical Nieve y Paletas
Main plaza, San José del Cabo; paletas $1 each
In the searing heat of a Cabo afternoon, nothing beats a paleta—an ice pop made from fresh tropical fruit. While the icy place called Paletas Michoacan is perhaps better known, the paletas sold at this tiny hole-in-the-wall have purer, brighter flavors. Just ask the local families sitting on the bench outside. Choose pineapple (piña), tamarind (tamarindo) or, best of all, guava (guayaba)—sweet, tart, juicy and prettily pink. 

YOUR #1 CABO SNACK
Cocos Helados
El Mirador Highway 1; no phone; coconuts for two, $5
As you drive Highway 1, keep your eyes peeled for the white pickup truck with the “Cocos” signs. The owner, Miguel, uses a machete to whack away at the shell of a hulking green coconut, which he then presents to you, trophy like, with a straw. Miguel favors scenic vistas, so you’ll probably be able to watch surfers below as you sip the ice-cold coconut milk. Return the shell so he can carve out the tender young coconut meat inside. Back into the shell it goes. Squeeze in some lime and add a pinch of chili powder for an utterly refreshing snack.

CEVICHE FLIGHT
Tequila & Ceviche Bar
Las Ventanas al Paraiso, Km 19.5 Highway 1; 011-52-624-144-2800; ceviche sampler and margaritas for two, $75
With its snaking pools and sculpture like aloe gardens, Las Ventanas resort is an ideal spot for a stroll. Reservations are required for non-guests, so book an umbrella-shaded table for lunch at the Tequila & Ceviche Bar. You’ll be in for a treat: French-born executive chef Fabrice Guisset has a way with ceviche. A sampler of five—which might include parrot fish with coconut, scallions and rum; cabrilla (a type of sea bass) with tomato, cilantro and jalapeño; tuna with avocado; scallops with red onions and parsley; and shrimp with chipotle— shows how varied the flavors and textures can be. There are 50 tequilas to choose from, but it’s hard to resist a killer margarita made with Clase Azul Reposado, a perfectly balanced tipple.

TACOS WITH A VIEW
Girasoles de la Hacienda
Hacienda del Mar Vacation Club, Km 10 Highway 1; 011-52-624-145-8000; lunch for two, $50
Snappy ceviche and super-fresh fish tacos compete with rooftop views of palm groves and the Sea of Cortés at the casual Girasoles de la Hacienda. The ceviche is made with octopus, red snapper and  avocado, while the tacos have fillets crisp-fried in a delicate batter and come with a colorful array of condiments: purple cabbage, shredded carrots and pale slices of cucumber. A squeeze of lime, a splash of tomatillo salsa, and don’t forget to take in that dreamy view.

A SINGULAR BREAKFAST
Market
One&Only Palmilla, Km 7.5 Highway 1; 011-52-624-146-7000; breakfast for two, $60
Nightly room rates at the super-luxe One&Only Palmilla can soar above $3,000 in high season. But breakfast not only will gain you admission to the stunning resort (you can’t get past the guard gate without a reservation), it also will let you live the good life for a blissful hour or two. If the drop-dead view of Palmilla Beach and being waited on like royalty aren’t enough, there’s more: Star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten recently opened the new Market restaurant here. Mango-kaffir lime-leaf smoothies, coconut pancakes with lavender-maple syrup, spicy eggs with chipotle cream and crisp tortillas—it doesn’t get much better than this.

CACTUS ON THE PATIO
El Comal
1357 Blvd. Mijares, San José del Cabo; 011-52-624-142-5508; dinner for two, $70
A guitarist strolls the bougainvilleastrewn patio at El Comal, a relaxed, friendly restaurant in San José’s colonial center. Dinner starts with a terrific sangria, red wine floating magically on top. Sopes de cochinita pibíl are superb—tender corn cakes topped with black beans, achiote-rubbed roast pork and crumbly queso fresco, a mild white cheese. Ensalada de nopal is another standout, thanks to grilled strips of prickly pear cactus with a deep, intriguingly smoky flavor. Entrees include delicious pork leg slow-roasted in maguey leaves.

THE BEST FISH TACOS
Tortillería Erika
Calle Mauricio Coronado and Velasco Ibarra, San José del Cabo; fish tacos $1.50 each
The area’s most appealing tacos de pescado are found at a little open-air lunchroom in front of Tortillería Erika, near the untouristy Mercado Municipal. The delicate corn tortillas, fresh from the tortillería, are a revelation; the fish is flaky and moist; the salsa cruda is fresh and gloriously hot.

MEAT LOVERS REJOICE
Arrecifes
Westin Resort & Spa, Km 22.5 Highway 1; 011-52-624-142-9000; dinner for two, $140
The Westin might be an acquired taste—in shades of milk chocolate and shocking pink, it looks like a quarry gouged from the hillside. But at night, with the dramatic lighting, there’s nothing more romantic than a late dinner at the Arrecifes restaurant’s outdoor bar, perched over a spectacular rocky beach with waves crashing below. Go for a perfectly grilled rib-eye steak with terrific chimichurri sauce and a glass of red wine.

STOCKING YOUR KITCHEN
If you want to create your own great meals, you’ll find plenty of fresh ingredients in San José del Cabo.

MERCADO MUNICIPAL
The town market is where locals go for farm-fresh produce, meats and fish. Beside the stalls of fruit and vegetables, you’ll find a great butcher; competing fishmongers offering gorgeous red snapper, tuna and skate; a dairy stand for eggs, milk and cheese; and even a stall selling tortilla baskets—all at great prices. Calle Mauricio Coronado and Velasco Ibarra

TORTILLERÍA ERIKA
This tiny open storefront next to the market turns out corn tortillas with delicate texture and exquisite  flavor. An employee stacks them neatly as they fall, one after another, from the tortilla machine. Then he wraps them, still warm, in white paper—a dozen for a dollar. Calle Mauricio Coronado and Velasco Ibarra

FRENCH RIVIERA RESTAURANT & BAKERY
The charming creperie and bakery near the main tourist street (Boulevard Mijares) is the perfect place to pick up breakfast pastries—blackberry muffins, apple empanadas, glazed doughnuts—or desserts. It also sells French baguettes and a crusty pan de chipotle. Treat yourself to a scoop of tequila-orange sorbet. 10 Plaza Colli Local; 011-52-624-142-3350

STAY

RCI-AFFILIATED RESORTS IN LOS CABOS INCLUDE:

FINISTERRA CLUB & RESORT
HACIENDA DEL MAR RESORT
VILLA DEL PALMAR, CABO SAN LUCAS

For more information,
visit RCI.com or call
Weeks: 800-338-7777
Points: 877-968-7476

NON-RCI-AFFILIATED RESORTS:

WESTIN RESORT & SPA LOS CABOS
The Westin has seven pools and
spectacular ocean views from
every room. Km 22.5 Highway 1;
800-937-8461; westinloscabos.com;
doubles from $375

SHERATON HACIENDA DEL MAR RESORT & SPA
A graceful, sprawling hacienda on 28 acres.
The rooms are attractive and comfortable,
with pretty ceramic-tiled showers.
Km 10 Highway 1; 888-625-5144;
sheratonloscabos.com; doubles from $399

EL ENCANTO INN
This hacienda-style inn has
26 rooms in two buildings.
133 Calle Morelos, San José
del Cabo; 011-52-624-142-
0388; elencantoinn.com;
doubles from $99

CASA NATALIA
A 16-room boutique hotel
on the main plaza in San
José’s colonial center. 4 Blvd.
Mijares, San José del Cabo;
888-277-3814; casanatalia.com;
doubles from $350

LAS VENTANAS AL PARAISO
This was Los Cabos’ first
“super-luxury” resort when
it opened in 1997. Km 19.5
Highway 1, San José del Cabo;
888-767-3966; lasventanas.com;
doubles from $775