San José del Cabo eats better than its modest size suggests. The centro histórico has a cluster of restaurants around Plaza Mijares and along Calle Álvaro Obregón covering everything from traditional Mexican to modern Baja cuisine — and prices are considerably lower than the resort corridor hotels along the beach. The organic Saturday market on Calle Coronado is worth arriving early for: fresh tamales, local cheese, artisan mezcal, and produce from the sierra.
The Baja kitchen makes heavy use of the sea: fresh tuna, dorado, and shrimp come off boats that dock at La Playita a few kilometres east. The local style combines these with ingredients from the huertas (small farms) in the mountains behind the city — avocado, papaya, chilies, and citrus. For a traditional sit-down meal, the restaurants around Plaza Mijares fill with a mixed local and visitor crowd well into the evening.