Downtown Tijuana is gaining more and more energy with each day when it comes to great cuisine and culture, and in this rediscovery of its streets and underground passages there are many hidden jewels to be discovered. One such jewel is Puerco y Pintas.

I know it sounds over-the-top, but Puercos y Pintas is one of the best specialized pork restaurants around. It is not cuts of pork as you might think, but everything from rinds to succulent Rib-Eye style cuts such as the one that we were served during our recent visit.

I say that they are specialized, because all of their dishes revolve around pork, and they take advantage of every little piece so that nothing goes to waste. How could you go wrong with delicious BBQ ribs served with Baja craft beer? It is worth noting that the menu was created by foodie lovers and one of the chefs from Mision 19, but is not hard on the wallet. There most expensive dish is less than $150 pesos (less than 12 dollars).

Coming back to the craft beer, Puerco y Pintas

offers an ample variety of craft beer and is home to Ensenada's Cervecería Cannería they also offer many other regional beers. Among the variety, you can find Monastika, Border Psycho, Puerco Salvaje of Mexicali and many others depending on the season. All beers are from Baja California.

One of the best aspects of this place is the ambiance, a laid back place where anybody can pop in and enjoy a delicious pork belly sandwich and drink beer without being rushed or looked down on. Another plus, for those interested in the craft beer environment, are there "Beer Enthusiast Wednesdays" where you can hang out with master brewers and try out different types of beer accompanied by different dishes served from the kitchen.

Puerco y Pintas is open Monday through Saturday, 4:00pm to 1:00am, on 4th Street in Downtown Tijuana, on Diaz Miron Street between Avenida Revolucion and Avenida Madero. Click here for directions

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jorge.guevara@sandiegored.com