La Paz sits on a bay full of fish, and the food shows it. The city is relaxed, informal and generous with seafood, and the best meals are often simple: a plate of tacos at a counter, a bowl of ceviche with a cold drink or a table by the water as the sun goes down. This guide covers what to try, how to approach street food and how to turn a few evenings into a proper tasting trip.
Start with seafood
Fresh fish and shellfish are the heart of local cooking. Look for fish tacos, usually with fried or grilled fish, cabbage and a creamy sauce, plus ceviche and aguachile, which are cured or marinated in lime juice and chile. Smoked marlin appears in tacos and tostadas, and scallops, shrimp and octopus turn up in cocktails and on grills. Chocolate clams, a regional specialty with a dark shell, are a good thing to ask about if you like shellfish. Menus change with the catch, so ask what came in that day and order accordingly.
Take a guided walk
A guided street food tour is the fastest way to learn the center. In about three hours you visit several family-run taquerias and food counters with a local guide, taste a range of dishes and learn what to order next time. It works best early in your stay, so you can go back to the places you liked. If tacos are your passion, there are also taco-focused and seafood-focused outings that follow the same format, so check which suits you.
Eat like a local
Breakfast is often eggs with machaca, which is dried and shredded beef or fish, or chilaquiles, or a simple plate of beans and tortillas. Lunch is the main meal for many locals and the best time for a seafood restaurant, while evenings are for tacos, street carts and a stroll. Along the Malecón, ice cream shops, coffee spots and small restaurants stay open into the evening, and street vendors appear as the light fades. Sweet tooths should look for local confectionery and fruit-based desserts in small shops and markets.
Drink the local spirits
Mexico's agave spirits are the natural drink here. Tequila and mezcal are different products: tequila is made from a single agave and mezcal from many, and mezcal is traditionally roasted in earth pits, which gives it a smoky edge. A guided tequila and mezcal tasting with food pairings is a relaxed way to learn the vocabulary, from joven to reposado and añejo, before you order at a bar. Sip rather than shoot, drink water in between and always arrange a taxi or a walk back to your hotel. Beer, fresh fruit waters and local craft drinks are easy to find, and many restaurants serve a michelada, a savoury beer cocktail, for lunch.
Practical tips
Choose busy places with a steady stream of locals, since turnover keeps food fresh. Drink bottled or purified water and be sure ice comes from purified sources, which most restaurants use. Carry some pesos, because small stalls may not take cards, and tip around ten to fifteen percent in sit-down restaurants, as is common in Mexico. Tell your server about allergies, especially to shellfish, and use a translation app if you are unsure. Hours vary by season, and many places close one day a week, so check before you plan a special meal.
Where to stay for food
If you want to walk to dinner, a seafront or central hotel is easiest. Baja Club Hotel has a restaurant built around local ingredients and a rooftop bar. Hotel Catedral and Posada de las Flores include breakfast and sit within walking distance of the center, which leaves your budget free for seafood lunches.
Markets and snacks
For a cheap and cheerful lunch, look for market-style counters and small stalls where cooks make a few dishes all day. Fresh fruit cups with lime and chile, grilled corn, fresh juices and tamales are common snacks, and a mid-afternoon stop for a cold fruit water is one of the small pleasures of a hot day. Early mornings are good for pastries and strong coffee before a boat trip, and many tour operators will suggest a place near the pickup point.
A simple three-night plan
On night one, take the guided street food walk and an early dinner of tacos. On night two, have a long seafood lunch after a morning on the water and a quiet evening. On night three, try a tequila and mezcal tasting, then finish with ice cream on the Malecón. Between meals, the museums and the seafront give you reasons to walk.
