When you walk out of the San José del Cabo airport, dueling bars blasting music and pouring margaritas greet you. It sets a festive vibe as bachelor parties and family escapes begin.
Head north into Cabo San Lucas, and there is more of that celebratory energy. But venture east to the Sea of Cortez and you’ll discover an oasis, the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended Four Seasons Resort and Residences Los Cabos at Costa Palmas.
The luxurious resort is home to a beautiful golf course, an inviting beach and airy guest rooms with walk-in closets and private plunge pools. But you’ll want to particularly check out the culinary offerings — with 12 distinct dining options, it’s a food lover’s paradise.
Zest, the resort’s newest eatery, crafts an unforgettable meal. Billed as “the smallest restaurant in Baja,” Zest offers only one reservation nightly for up to 12 guests. If a couple celebrating a honeymoon books two seats, then it has the entire restaurant to itself. The “restaurant” is, in fact, executive chef Paolo Della Corte’s private garden outside of sister establishment Limón.
Twinkling lights hang from lush greenery; herbs and vegetables grow in planter boxes; passion fruit dangles from an arbor above the dining table; and the scent of lemon trees perfumes the air. Della Corte delivers a nine-course meal featuring local ingredients such as tuna, hibiscus flowers and oysters.
“My cooking is a journey across cultures, shaped by the seasons and grounded in a deep reverence for the ingredient,” he says.
The third course, an exquisite beef tartare on brioche, layered with hazelnut praline, truffle caviar and freshly harvested flor de cempasúchil (marigold flowers), is his favorite on the menu, which changes every three months.
“I hope Zest is known for its intimate scale, for its singular setting beneath the lemon trees and for a dining experience that begins with a simple product grown just steps from the table and unfolds into a gastronomic journey, where technique and culture come together to transport each guest to another place,” he says.
Hotel guests can enjoy another delicious experience at Estiatorio Milos. The resort’s signature restaurant, founded by celebrated Greek chef Costas Spiliadis, overlooks the expansive white sandy beach and boasts an impressive daily catch of local and international seafood. Diners can choose the wild shrimp or whole branzino they want to eat from an ice display.
Chef Gonzalo Torrado believes that “simple preparations are best,” and lets the fish’s freshness shine with minimal sauces and accouterments. The lobster pasta, served with the head and tail perched on the side of a massive plate and a tangle of housemade pasta, is incredible. The sauce features bursting cherry tomatoes, sweet basil leaves and chunks of delicate, buttery lobster. It’s so good you’ll want to sop up every last drop.
Local tuna is a specialty and comes in every way, shape and form, from sashimi to tartare to kofta. Torrado gets a whole tuna from a nearby farm about once a week and invites guests to witness the fish’s breakdown. He and his sous chef use incredibly sharp, long Japanese knives to slice into the massive 200-pound fish. Once a large slab is sliced off, they teach you how to cut the tuna as thin as possible for sashimi. Spoons are passed around, and diners are invited to scrape the flesh from the bone before Torrado sprinkles on salt, lemon zest and olive oil, resulting one of the freshest bites of tuna you’ll ever taste.
At Casa de Brasa, the property’s Mexican grill that serves lunch and dinner, learn about the history of the fish taco, which originated here in Baja. Tempura-fried shrimp is piled high on a housemade corn tortilla and comes with a creamy chipotle mayo and citrusy slaw. It’s satisfying and delicious — the perfect poolside snack.
For more innovative eats, hop on a water taxi, which departs frequently from the Four Seasons marina, and take a short ride to Delphine. L.A.-based celebrity chef Ludo Lefebvre’s beach club turns out fare like chickpea bruschetta and grilled octopus with lemon vinaigrette. It’s light, flavorful food that fits the French Riviera-inspired setting.
