by Benjamin Eugene
With a small population of just 5,000 souls, the desert
oasis town of Todos Santos on the Baja California coast is a vibrant and exotic
destination and one of the favorite places for all expats looking to chill out
by the beach, enjoying spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean while relaxing on
the white sand beaches. Todos Santos attracts hundreds of visitors each year, in
addition to its own friendly expat community.
Surrounded by orchards of palm
and mango, and blessed with a perfect climate, the town has become a haven in
recent years for artisans, surfers, adventure seekers and just about everyone
else you could care to think of, coming to enjoy a healthy lifestyle, natural
beauty and great tasting cups of coffee.
Yep, that’s right, coffee. If you’re a caffeine-addicted
slave like us, then you should know that there’s no better place in Mexico to
get your fix than right here in Todos Santos, something that becomes
immediately apparent to first time visitors when they see just how many coffee
shops there are!
Once Baja California’s booming sugar capital, Todos Santos has
recovered from the decline of its chief industry, becoming something of a Mecca
its gourmet foods and drinks instead. While its fresh fish, organic fruits and
vegetables make for some truly excellent cuisine in its numerous restaurants,
Todos Santos is above all else a place to sit down, relax and enjoy
rich-tasting coffee at its best.
If you have a weakness for fresh coffee brewed just the way
it should be, you’ll be spoilt for choice in Todos Santos. Here are some of the
highlights that any right-minded coffee lover just has to check out:
Cafélix
One of the coolest new hangouts in center of town, Cafélix is one of the first places you’ll
hit up. Famous for its sweet-tasting frappes, available in multiple different
flavors, Cafelix has a great little patio area outside overlooking the main
street, making it a great spot for anyone who loves wasting time watching the
world go by while enjoying their caffeine fix. And if the patio gets too hot to
handle (it often does in this climate), feel free to take advantage of the
air-con inside and enjoy the Gecko Galleria collection of local artwork
displayed on the walls.
Where: Calle Juarez #4, between Hidalgo and Marquez
de Leon
When: Open daily from 7am until 10pm and Sunday from
9am until 10pm
Tel: (612) 145-0568
E-mail: salesboy_vagu@hotmail.com
Caffé Todos Santos
Much older (established 1993), but an equally hospitable
place, is the Caffé Todos
Santos, one of the original coffee shops in town that helped to make Todos
Santos what it is today. This place doubles as a restaurant and the food is on
a par with the coffee – superb. If you don’t believe us, believe the locals
instead, they wouldn’t flock here at both breakfast times and lunch times if
the proprietors weren’t doing something right!
Where: Calle Centenario #33
When: Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 7am to 9pm, and
Monday from 7am to 2pm
Tel: (612) 145-0300
Café Brown
If you thought relaxing and drinking coffee was a rather
dull way for people with nothing better to do to sit and kill time, Café Brown
will make you think again. Decked out in an exotic bohemian style, with
mismatched furniture and an equally eclectic crowd, Café Brown is the epitome
of the casual hangout. The gourmet coffee is made with locally grown beans, always
freshly crushed after you make your order. Complimented with some great
tasting American and Mexican dishes, a friendly crowd, and an unusual selection
of evening events, including African drumming, cinema and salsa, you might find
that killing time can actually be quite a lot of fun!
Where: The Hotel Maria Bonita
When: Open Wednesday to Sunday from 8 am until 8 pm
Tel: (612) 145-0813
E-mail: iuslegis@hotmail.com
Cafe D'Licia
Three words come to mind: homemade,
fresh, and healthy. Todos Santos is an oasis, and Cafe D'Licia is a tropical
paradise within this oasis. The landscaping is beautiful and lush, with
tropical plants and birds. Enjoy an amazing breakfast, Mexican dish, or one of
their delicious homemade salsas, from under their covered patio, as the birds
serenading you. Nevertheless, if it’s coffee you’re looking for you can find
that too, along with chai and other teas. Credit cards not accepted.
Where: Camino Guayparin
#170, Col. Brisa del Pacifico, (off the Playitas road, near El Sol II Mercado)
When: Open Friday to
Monday from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm for Breakfast and Lunch. Sundays - "All you
can eat buffet" from 10 am to 2 pm.
Tel: (612) 145-0862
E-mail: cafedlicia@gmail.com
Santa Fe Deli
This rustic deli is in an old
adobe building surrounded by galleries and art, which give it an old world
charm, especially with their private patio with canopy of bougainvillea and
umbrellas, to shade you from the warm Baja sun. They have a small, but wonderful
menu of breakfast and lunch and yes, they have great coffee. Credit cards not
accepted.
Where: Calle Centenario in
front of the police station
When: Open from 8am until 3pm daily
Pancho Banano Restaurante
A local favorite, this friendly
restaurant serves up much more than a tasty coffee, they have a variety of freshly
baked pastries and goodies to enjoy with your favorite brewed beverage. In addition,
they have terrific breakfast and lunch of Mexican and vegetarian, as well as
cocktails, all to be enjoyed on their curbside patio or inside dining room.
Where: Calle Hidalgo #11,
between Calle Benito Juarez y Colegio Militar
When: Open from 8am until
5pm.
Tel: (612) 145-0885
E-mail: panchobanano@hotmail.com
La Esquina Cafe
La Esquina Café offers healthy
and organic food and coffee in a relaxing atmosphere, with a huge palapa and
garden patio. Their menu includes freshly baked breads, cakes, muffins and cookies
and salads, soups and a big variety of sandwiches, handmade with organically
grown produce and a variety of Mexican dishes, and grilled steak and seafood. In
addition, they have plenty to drink; whether its tea or freshly squeezed juice,
wine, cervesa or tequila, you will find it, but if coffee is your goal, you
will find a great selection of delicious organic coffees to tantalize your
pallet. They also provide free wireless internet to their customers. Credit
cards not accepted.
Where: Calle Topete and
Horizonte
When: Open Monday to Saturday
from 7am-7pm for breakfast and lunch.
Tel: (612) 145-0851
E-mail: marimardelmar@prodigy.net.mx
