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Tijuana is legendary, though that legend has long been for its seedier aspects and just-over-the-border antics than as a respectable travel destination. However, a lot has changed in recent years. Safer streets, new developments, artisan food trucks, locally-brewed craft beers, gastropubs, all have made Tijuana into more of a 鈥淪an Diego-South鈥� than its rowdy alter-ego.

I spent a few days checking out this city I鈥檇 long heard of, but had never visited, and with the help of a local, found some gems you might not expect.

I had some help finding these great spots. My friend Alejandro is a guide for Turista Libre and after months of nagging me to come down and check out his home town, I finally did. Many of the spots here he includes on his tours to tijuana, plus a bunch more I didn't see (next time, I've been promised).

1) Craft Beers

Tijuana has embraced the craft brew phenomenon with enthusiasm. The Plaza del Zapato (yes, 鈥淪hoe Plaza鈥� or "Plaza Fiesta/Party Plaza" as it's locally known) is actually a fantastic destination of small quirky bars with themes ranging from punk to hipster, and everywhere in between. Craft breweries like Border Psycho and Insurgentes have their own bars here, and the vibe throughout is chill and friendly. I enjoyed a creamy cinnamony Leche de Pantera ("Panther Milk") from La Prision, and tried the Coffee Porter at Fauna. My favorite was the pulque at Zenzontle.

2) Food Trucks

I鈥檇 make the case that LA started the food truck trend, but it has certainly spread wide from there. M茅xico has tons of incredible food in general, and many of the Tijuana food trucks focus either on a few select dishes, or a modern twist on old classics. In the Telef贸nica Gastro Park park, for example, you can get everything from rich, flavorful steaks to perfect mole chicken.

At the Otto's Grill Mariscos truck, I had a simply amazing tuna tostada that was somewhere between ceviche and poke.

3) Caesar Salad

Did you know the Caesar Salad was created in Tijuana? I sure didn鈥檛, but then, I鈥檓 not what you鈥檇 call a big salad eater. Most sources point to Caesar Cardini, and the Hotel Caesar continues his legacy and his recipe.

Made table-side, the delicious mix of garlic, fresh lemon juice, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, egg, and enough oil to keep a 747 aloft for a few days, all blend together to create a salad that鈥檚 deservedly famous.

I鈥檓 not sure what the green leafy things were in it, but they added some nice crunch.

4) Tacos

Ok, this is probably the opposite of 鈥渦nexpected鈥� but for me what was unexpected was how much better the tacos are. Seriously. After years of enjoying Cal-Mex style tacos at places in Southern California, I didn鈥檛 realize how much better they could get (they were already good, I mean come on, they鈥檙e tacos. Who doesn鈥檛 like tacos?). We stopped for a late-night snack at Tacos las 3 Salsas on the so-called "Ahumaderas" street ("Smoky Street").

I had a simple carne asada taco with guacamole and cheese and I鈥檒l tell you, one of the all-time best things I鈥檝e ever eaten. It cost barely more than a dollar. I鈥檇 go back to TJ just to get one more of these tacos. My friends told me these weren't even the best in TJ. Mind blown.

5) Market of All The Things

Outdoor markets are awesome, no matter where you find them. Some are better than others. The Mercado Hidalgo has everything from spices to sweets, pinatas to pi帽a, and more.

Grab pork torta ahogada ("drowned torta") at one stall, and some sweet and delicious horchata at another.

Bonus) Lobster

I鈥檓 not a huge fan of lobster, but if you are, it鈥檚 worth the drive a bit south, down the stunning Autopista Escenica Tijuana-Ensenada, to Puerto Nuevo.

Restaurants just off the beach cook fresh lobster while you watch the sun set over the Pacific (or mid-day, when I was there. Just painting a picture...). Eat them with a just a side of butter, or make your own burrito/taco/wrap thing with freshly made flour tortillas, guacamole, salsa, and more.

In short, Tijuana is great for countless reasons, and not one of them is what it鈥檚 famous for. A word of warning, though, plan for many, many, many hours in line crossing back over the border into the US. I stood for 2 hours. Longest it has ever taken me to cross a border, anywhere in the world.

Source: Forbes

By: Geoffrey Morrison