Mulegé’s restaurants serve reasonably priced meals in an authentic setting. Don’t be dissuaded by an empty dining room during off-peak months; the food is reliable anytime of year.

Second-story Los Equipales (Moctezuma, tel. 615/153-0330, 7:30 A.M.–10:30 P.M. daily, mains US$10–23) overlooks a busy street and serves the best Mexican and seafood dishes around. The name refers to a type of leather-and-wood chairs that are part of the restaurant’s decor.

On the south side of the river, past Clementine’s Inn, Jungle Jim (no tel., lunch and dinner Mon.–Sat., mains US$6–12) feels a bit like an eating club, with regulars helping themselves to drinks at the bar. Decent burgers and seafood are the mainstays of a changing menu.

Popular among tourists, the restaurants at Las Casitas (tel. 615/153-0019, 6:30 A.M.–9:30 P.M. daily, breakfast mains US$4–6, dinner mains US$9–17) and Hotel Serenidad (tel. 615/153-0530, www.hotelserenidad.com, 6:30 A.M.–9:30 P.M. daily, mains US$5) offer moderately priced Mexican fare. The garden patio at Hotel Serenidad is a pleasant place to enjoy a signature daiquiri. Las Casitas also does a Friday night Mexican buffet with live music for US$10 during the high season.

Two places are worth a special trip to the beach to dine: On the beach where the road meets Playa El Sombrerito, the 21-year-old El Patrón (no tel., lunch and dinner daily, mains US$5–10) offers a complete menu of Mexican and seafood specialties.

Casa de Pancho Villa (no tel., breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, mains US$5–10), just a few steps away on the road to the beach, is newer and funkier. Both are reasonably priced and open daily and have spectacular views of the estuary and beach area.

Antojitos, Tacos, and Fast Food

Mulegé has several good taco stands. Try the tacos de carne asada or a quesadilla at Asadero Dany’s (Romero Rubio, no tel., 8 A.M.–4 P.M. Thurs.–Tues). Better yet, Tacos Doney Mely’s (no tel., 7:30 A.M.–10 P.M. Wed.–Mon., US$9–20), on Calle Moctezuma, across from the Hotel Mulegé, makes great tacos and even better carnes and seafood.

Taquitos Mulegé (Plaza Corona, no tel., 9 A.M.–1 P.M. daily) serves the best fish tacos in town. Right next door, Mr. Pizza (no tel., 5–11 P.M. daily in summer, 3–11 P.M. daily in winter, 12” pizza US$10, 14” pizza US$15) offers pizza with additional toppings included in the price, as well as side portions of spaghetti and salad.

Eduardo’s (Moctezuma, no tel., US$9–15) bakes pizza 6:30–11 P.M. Monday–Wednesday and Friday–Saturday but changes the menu on Sunday to prepare family-style Chinese food.

Several ice cream shops sell nieve (Mexican-style no-milk ice cream) and paletas.

Groceries

Among the town’s tiendas, you’ll find the widest selection of foods—both locally grown and some prepared—at Casa Yee (Madero 46, near Las Casitas, tel. 615/115-3018), Abarrotes El Pingüino (on the access road to/from the highway, near Hotel Mulegé), and Mercado Alba (on Plaza Corona, tel. 615/153-0030, 8 A.M.–9 P.M. daily). With advanced notice, Saul’s Tienda (on Calle Madero where it becomes Calle Playa) can get just about any gringo-requested ingredients, including a Thanksgiving turkey.

The Hielera Mulegé, on “Ice House Road” (signed San Estanislao, no tel.), just north of town and west of Highway 1, has block ice and purified water. It’s open 24 hours daily. Standard business hours for most tiendas is 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. daily.