The first time I found myself meandering San Jose del Cabo’s cobblestone streets, I stopped in my tracks when I came across Tequila Restaurant. And it wasn’t because I was in the “One tequila, two tequial, three tequila, floor”-kind of mood perpetuated in nearby Cabo San Lucas.



After living in Jalisco—the centre of Mexico’s tequila industry—for a year, I had developed a habit of checking out unfamiliar tequila labels to see if I could recognize the names of the towns where the elixir is cultivated.



Upon popping into the restaurant’s den-like lobby, I discovered that the intimate restaurant is home to a humidor that would make Che Guevara salivate, a wine list to satisfy the most sophisticated oenophile, and, of course, a tequila selection made for a geek like me.



Sure enough,  I discovered a bottle of reposado from Oro Azul, an artisanal brand distilled in the picturesque city of Jesus Maria, a place where I’d attended my fair share of tastings.



My nostalgia of the agave-dotted countryside evaporated, however, as soon as I stepped onto Tequila’s garden.



At the far end of the patio, sharply dressed waiters attended to guests seated at tables underneath a wooden canopy draped in white cotton cloth as beehive-shaped lanterns twinkled from high tree branches.

On the Table

I took a seat at a small table with a view of the casual crowd and began exploring the menu.



I had my eye on the lobster bomb—deep fried chunks of lobster wrapped in a wonton shell served on a bed of black bean chipotle sauce—but I changed my mind after talking to my server.



He informed me that in addition to managing Tequila, owners Fernando Hernandez and Enrique Silva also run El Tamarindo, a certified organic farm that supplies produce to their restaurant along with local luxury resorts.



I opted for a meal with a maximum showing of local fare. First, the house specialty, the oriental spring rolls—julienned carrots, chayote, zucchini, and jicama wrapped in wonton skin and fried, served with orange ginger dipping sauce garnishe with jamaica blossoms.



I followed up my tasty starter with a crisp arugula salad topped with luscious local shrimp, aged balsamic vinegar and olive oil. And of course, my shot glass of Oro Azul made the perfect dinner companion.



With such fresh food and a tequila list to make your head spin (in a good way), that night Tequila Restaurant became a must-stop place for every trip to San Jose del Cabo in my future.