Carmelita's

Address 575 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs, CA 92004

The town's Mexican restaurant of choice — bright dining room, generous portions, very strong margaritas. The menu runs through the usual Cal-Mex repertoire (combination plates, fajitas, enchiladas) with a few Sonoran touches.

Lunch is the better value. The patio is the place to sit on a warm winter evening; a pitcher of margaritas and a basket of chips after a hard hike in the canyons is the established Borrego ritual.

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