If you are a tourist in my city, plan your visit accordingly:
Don’t miss these San Diegan treasures:
Barrio Logan Chicano Park — We have a long standing tradition of fighting for spaces to exist in. This park was scheduled to be used for SDPD business but after many protests and demonstrations, we won the rights to this land. We built a park for our families, and built a community together. Every year there is a Chicano Park celebration.
Las Cuatro Milpas — This is one of San Diego’s and Barrio Logan’s oldest staples. It was founded by the Estudillo family and is still run by the family today. My go-to order: Dos tacos de carne, frijoles con chorizo, y un paquete de tortillas de harina
Libelula — Is an independent, Latinx & lgbt+ friendly bookstore. What I like most about this shop is that they file their books rather uniquely by matching books to moods. They have a great children’s corner with plenty of bilingual books!
Gabriel’s Tortilleria — For your tortilla & masa needs
Sammy’s Mexican Bakery — Best conchas you’ll ever have!
Authentic Mexican Food:
La Libertad — The Cruz have always been a hardworking family. They take pride in their Mexican background, and equal pride in nurturing through food. Chef Jorge can make any dish special… but he opened up a birria taco shop. That isn’t to say his birra tacos are basic, but if birria tacos are his basic, imagine what else he can do! My go-to order: Quessabirria tacos with consomé. Squeeze the limónes, put the pickled onions into your taco, dip it in the consomé & bite in.
La Fachada — Frijoles and grilled onions pair well with mulitas
El Carrito — Is in fact a railroad passenger car & one of the oldest Mexican spots in the barrio
Momentos — This is your Mexican grandmother’s kitchen, twisted: huevos rancheros, Mexican hamburger, tortilla soup
Coffee:
Chikita Cafe — There’s so many stickers!
The Mental Bar — Encanto’s first independently-owned & black-owned coffee shop
Cafe Moto — Mexican Mochas or Dirty Chai’s
Por Vida — Horchata Lattes
Taco Shops:
Adalbertos — ANY burrito, no joke
The Barrel / Vaqueros — Carne Asada Fries
Santanas — California Burrito with Green Salsa
Bars & Breweries: