Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

24 Jun 2026

San Javier Farm Restaurant – Loreto, Mexico

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A day trip to San Javier, a mountainous village located 22 miles southwest of Loreto, provided one of the most memorable meals of the trip. In addition to its stunning 18th-century stone mission and centuries-old olive orchards, San Javier is home to chef Saúl Torres Cárdenas’ farm-to-table restaurant San Javier Farm (23880 San Javier, Baja California Sur, México).

The restaurant’s setting couldn’t be any more tranquil, cradled in the mountain range with the afternoon sun dappling the outdoor dining room.

Chef Saul Torres at San Javier Farm Restaurant - Loreto, Mexico

San Javier Farm is a one-man show. Originally from Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Chef Saúl cut his teeth at renowned resorts and hotels across Mexico (Garza Blanca, Marival, Grand Fiesta Americana, Grand Park Royal, Hotelito Mío Playa Las Ánimas, Club Regina Puerto Vallarta, Raintree Club Regina Los Cabos) before settling in Loreto in 2023.

San Javier Farm Restaurant offers a hyper-local dining experience, where the chef builds seasonal menus using only ingredients grown on-site and sourced from local producers.

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Potpourri

22 Jun 2026

The Real Tradwives of Loreto, Mexico

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Ballerina Farm has nothing on Rancho La Mesa, a traditional Mexican ranch located about a 30-minute drive from the heart of Loreto. It is one of a hundred or so family-run operations that dot the region. A local expert from Loretours took our group of food and travel writers to the ranch and served as a guide and translator.

Rene Cunningham, who owns and operates Rancho La Mesa along with his wife and grandson, was the first to greet us when we arrived early in the day.

We took a moment to take in the grounds before the tour got underway. Rene’s extended family is sizable, so there are saddles for every member whenever they visit the ranch.

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Potpourri

11 Jun 2026

{The Best Day Ever} Fishing for Yellowtail in Loreto, Mexico

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Fishing for Yellowtail in Loreto, Mexico

Summer 2026 is off to a roaring start with a five-day jaunt to Loreto, Mexico, courtesy of Visit Baja California Sur. I was a part of a small group of food and travel writers (Hi, Lisa and Sam!) invited to experience the region’s gastronomic delights and cultural attractions, which included a sampling of Loreto’s restaurants, sailing aboard a catamaran on the Sea of Cortez, milking goats at a traditional ranch, and so much more.

One of the trip’s highlights was participating in a real-deal team fishing tournament on my first morning in town.

Fishermen start their days bright and early, even faux ones cosplaying for the day. Seeing the sun rise over the Pacific was worth the early call time.

The tourism board knew better than to send two writers and a publicist (Hi, Dianna!) out to sea on our own, so they commissioned the experts at Monzon Sportfishing to do what they do best: Take enthusiastic but inexperienced tourists on the ultimate fishing adventure. Captain Antonio was the day’s MVP, for real.

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