Misión 19 is the restaurant that made the world pay attention to Tijuana's food scene. Chef Javier Plascencia opened it in 2011 and quickly won international recognition for his Baja Med cuisine — a cooking philosophy that fuses the produce of Baja California (olive oil, wine, seafood, valley vegetables) with the techniques of Mediterranean cooking and the flavours of Baja's Asian immigrant communities.
The dining room is sleek and modern, occupying a tower in Zona Río. The menu changes seasonally and follows what's available from local producers and the Pacific coast fisheries. Expect dishes built around local tuna, abalone, Ensenada octopus, and Baja valley herbs. Wine is mostly from the Valle de Guadalupe, just an hour south.
Reservations are essential on weekends. This is a special-occasion restaurant with corresponding prices — by any standard higher than most of Tijuana, though still competitive with mid-range dining in San Diego.