Happy Cinco de Mayo! Being a border town right next to Tijuana, it’s easy to see the celebration all around San Diego. Many people tend to confuse today with Mexican Independence Day (which occurs on September 16), so here is a little explanation of what exactly is celebrated during Cinco de Mayo (from Wikipedia):
Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for “fifth of May”) is a holiday held on May 5 that commemorates the Mexican’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. It is celebrated primarily in the state of Puebla and in the United States. While Cinco de Mayo sees limited significance in Mexico itself, the date is observed nationwide mostly in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. “Cinco de Mayo is not a Mexican holiday—it is an American Civil War holiday, created spontaneously by Mexicans and Latinos living in California who supported the fragile cause of defending freedom and democracy during the first years of that bloody war between the states.” Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day, the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico.
This is a great time to head to Downtown San Diego and Old Town to celebrate, especially with great food. Outside of Ensenada and Rosarito, here are a list of places that I love to go to when I need a bit of Mexican cuisine (click on the link for locations and official website). ¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
1. Fresh MXN Food (Formerly known as Santana’s Mexican Grill. The Quesomush quesadilla is the BEST!)
2. El Indio Mexican Restaurant & Catering (As featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network.)
3. Sombrero Mexican Food (Touted as Blink 182’s favorite Mexican cafe. They go to the one in Poway, but we frequent the one in Misison Valley.)
4. Old Town Mexican Cafe & Cantina (Home of the original tortilla makers in Old Town.)
5. Roberto’s Mexican Food (If you want good rolled tacos, there is practically one around every corner here!)
(Image courtesy of 101 Things To Do)