Travel video guide
Where to Eat in Zona Centro, Baja California: Octopus and Marlin Taco | Varedelo
This guide turns Mexican Street Food in Tijuana 🇲🇽 INSANE TACOS TOUR IN MEXICO 🌮(Part 2) from Mark Wiens into a practical restaurant map with 4 saved spots around Zona Centro, Tomas Aquino, and Zona Urbana Rio Tijuana. The mapped places include a hotel and a restaurant stop. Use it to understand the places, dishes, and trip context before saving the map in Varedelo.
What the creator captured
Mark Wiens was particularly impressed by the original Caesar salad at Caesar's Restaurant, noting that the tableside preparation and the crunch of the romaine made it the best in the world. He also raved about the smoky, charcoal-grilled picanha and rib tacos at Tacos El Vaquero, which he described as incredibly beefy and flavorful. Overall, he celebrated Tijuana as a top-tier food destination where the quality of both street food and historic restaurants is next-level.
What this map is good for
- Planning an italian restaurant stop or short itinerary in Zona Centro.
- Comparing food stops from a creator or saved local map before you commit time in the city.
- Saving 4 mapped spots into Varedelo so the list stays usable on the ground.
- Using the original video as context, then turning it into a clean place-by-place map.
Featured spots on this map
- Hotel Caesars
Hotel in Av. Revolución 1079, Zona Centro, 22350 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico, Zona Centro, Baja California, Mexico - Mariscos El Mazateño
Seafood Restaurant in Calz del Tecnológico 473, Tomas Aquino, 22414 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico, Tomas Aquino, Baja California, Mexico
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - Vittorio's Italian Restaurant
Italian Restaurant in Av. Revolución 1691, Zona Centro, 22000 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico, Zona Centro, Baja California, Mexico
Price level: Medium
Hours: Hours available - Tacos Fitos
Taco Restaurant in Francisco Javier Mina 1695, Zona Urbana Rio Tijuana, 22010 Tijuana, B.C., Mexico, Zona Urbana Rio Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
Price level: Cheap
Hours: Hours available
Food notes from the video
- Octopus and Marlin taco
- Shrimp enchilada taco
- Fish consomme
- Original Caesar salad
- Picanha beef taco
- Arrachera (skirt steak) taco
- Costilla (rib) taco
Experiences captured
- Crossed the border from San Diego to Tijuana
- Visited El Mazateño for seafood tacos
- Dined at the birthplace of the Caesar salad
- Watched tableside Caesar salad preparation
- Visited Tacos El Vaquero for Sonoran style beef
- Observed charcoal grilling of various beef cuts
- Experienced a non-stop afternoon eating tour
Planning notes for Tijuana
The Zona Urbana Rio Tijuana, commonly referred to as Zona Rio, is a planned urban district in Tijuana, Mexico, established during the 1970s and 1980s following the canalization of the Tijuana River. This development transformed the area into a modern business and cultural district characterized by wide boulevards and monumental architecture. Historical Heritage and Architecture The district is defined by its modernist and brutalist architectural styles. The most prominent landmark is the **Centro Cultural.
Must-try foods nearby
- Original Caesar Salad
While invented on Avenida Revolución, the Caesar Salad remains a cornerstone of fine dining in Zona Rio. - Birria de Res (Tijuana Style)
Unlike the goat birria of Jalisco, Tijuana is famous for its beef version. In Zona Rio, particularly around Mercado Hidalgo, this slow-cooked. - Baja-Style Fish Tacos
Though originating in Ensenada, the Zona Rio versions are world-class. These feature white fish (usually angel shark or halibut) dipped in a light beer batter. - Quesabirria
A viral cross between a taco and a quesadilla that took off in the TJ/San Diego border region. - Pulpo a las Brasas (Grilled Octopus)
A flagship dish of the 'Baja Med' culinary movement prevalent in Zona Rio’s upscale restaurants.
When to go: The best time to visit Zona Urbana Rio Tijuana is during the spring (April to June) and fall (September to October) when the weather is mild and pleasant for walking between plazas and restaurants. Summer can be uncomfortably warm and crowded.
Local tips
- Use ride-sharing apps like Uber for reliable transportation and to avoid common taxi fare haggling or scams.
- Expect a standard tipping rate of 10% to 15% at sit-down restaurants, as service charges are rarely included in the bill.
- Say 'buen provecho' to fellow diners when arriving or leaving a restaurant as a sign of local politeness.
- Stick to well-lit main avenues and avoid walking between the border and Zona Rio alone after dark for better safety.
What travelers are noticing
- Cubo Bistro: A high-end culinary opening at the Tijuana Cultural Center (CECUT) gaining traction for its modern Baja-inspired menu.
- Baja Culinary Fest 2026: A major gastro-tourism event in Zona Río showcasing the region's top chefs and emerging food trends.
- FunBox Tijuana: A viral, massive inflatable park located near Mercado Hidalgo that has become a top social media 'check-in' spot.
Extra place context
- Mariscos El Mazateño (Río)
A premier destination for Sinaloa-style seafood in Zona Rio, this branch of the legendary Mazateño is famous for its 'Taco Perrón'—a large flour tortilla filled with spicy shrimp (enchilado) and crunchy fried fish.
food
Planning questions
What is this video map?
It is a crawlable guide to the mapped places from Mexican Street Food in Tijuana 🇲🇽 INSANE TACOS TOUR IN MEXICO 🌮(Part 2), with the creator video, a static map preview, and selected spots from the trip.
Can I save these spots?
Yes. Open the map in Varedelo to save the places, keep planning notes, and revisit the guide from your phone.
Does this replace watching the video?
No. The video remains the source, and the map makes the places easier to scan, compare, and save while planning.
Use it on your trip
Save this restaurant map before you go
Keep the mapped spots, creator context, food notes, and planning details together. Varedelo turns the page into a phone-friendly map you can revisit when you are choosing where to go.