Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico: A Culinary and Wine Hotspot

The Valle de Guadalupe is an area of Ensenada Municipality, Baja California, Mexico. This area is a unique, mysterious, and an increasingly popular tourist destination for foodies and wine lovers. It contrasts the ancestral with modern, the traditional with innovative; the green from the vineyards and ocher; the roast of the hills and mountains.

To get to Valle de Guadalupe, I drove across the border from San Diego to Tijuana about an hour and a half south. If you have a Global Entry card, it makes it quicker and easier to pass through the border. If you’d like to join Global Entry, here is how you apply. If you do not have Global Entry yet, don’t forget your passport!

Our first stop in Valle de Guadalupe was Rondo del Valle Winery. Kings & Queen Cantina, the restaurant we ate at on the property, is a must during your visit. I shortly discovered that Kings & Queen has locations all over southern California and the restaurant chain is making its way to New York in the near future. Rondo del Valle’s property is beautiful and vibrant, including a cosmetic shop Aires de Lavanda where you can book lavender experiences for a unique activity between wine tastings. I also recommended wine tasting in Rondo del Valle’s VIP room. I quickly became obsessed with this winery and all it had to offer.

Even though La Justina Valle is not a winery, I knew I needed to include it. This restaurant is all about the aesthetic, and the food was equally as amazing. I suggest enjoying a late lunch here before a big night of drinking.

Our final stop for the day was at Casa Frida. This place is FUN and truly has it all. They have multiple restaurants on the property. My favorite is Corazón, a new gastronomic concept with the heartbeat of Mexican traditions. Their rooftop is the perfect spot to watch the sunset over the valley. The music and cocktails are hard to beat, so making a reservation beforehand is definitely the way to go. If you want to spend more time in Valle de Guadalupe, I suggest renting one of their suites on Airbnb. Casa Frida ENG is the suite I’m interested in booking for my next trip down.

L.A. CETTO is another winery I didn’t get the chance to visit, but is definitely on my list for next time. L.A. Cetto is present in more than 27 cities around the world, and distributed in New York for American consumers if you would like to try their wine.

My first visit to Valle de Guadalupe will not be my last.