A Mexican food lover and vegetarian’s paradise, Ranchos makes me proud to say I live in San Diego. Ranchos serves the food that makes people jealous they don’t live here. Most restaurants have their fair share of vegetarian options, but Ranchos has such a long menu, it took me forever to decide what to order. I decided on a tofu, eggplant and avocado enchilada trio, which I split with a friend and was glad I did because the portions are extremely large. But it was a tough decision, Ranchos serves breakfast all-day and even their breakfast menu is diverse and creative. They serve everything from a whole wheat, tofu and potato burrito and organic buttermilk pancakes to fresh fruit liquados, or thick, non-dairy smoothies made of blended fruits. I tried the blueberry-banana one with bee-pollen, which could have been a meal in itself.
As if an entire breakfast menu isn’t enough to choose from, Ranchos serves eye-catching combinations for lunch. Tortas with shiitake pattie strips or tempeh, veggie fajitas with tofu or nopales and they have meat-eating friendly options too, like pollo in homemade mole salsa and monster burritos with chicken and beef options. Ranchos serves food “rancho” style which means, as their menu explains, it is “all natural…with olive or vegetable oil…mole and salsas made from scratch…organic fruits and vegetables…and fresh fish,” including a whole wheat salmon or lobster burrito.
Late summer, early fall in this city doesn’t get better than on a quaint, outdoor, plant covered patio with lively, Mexican music and a beautifully created umbrella of potted and hanging plants. But never mind this late summer, early fall stuff, with October pending I’m not worried about when sit-outside-the-sun-sets-at-7:30 turns into eat-inside-it’s-definitely-fall because Ranchos has a spacious dining room with brightly colored yellow walls. Various Frida Kahlo portraits cover part of the wall and intricately painted ceramics hang in every alcove, which reminds me of a house I knew in Jalisco.
Need directions? Beneath that non-descript, red-lettered sign you drive past on your way to the gas station as you head down Sunset Cliffs Blvd. sits the OB treasure, Rancho Food. And if you’re not at the beach, I hear there are locations on Point Loma Avenue and 30th street in North Park, too.
