El Cruce + 241: A Taste of Baja in Chula Vista

On Chula Vista’s charming Third Avenue is El Cruce + 241, a Baja-inspired restaurant that brings a taste of Valle de Guadalupe, Ensenada, and Rosarito to San Diego. 

Owners Collin Corrigan (who also owns and operates craft brewery Cerveceria Transpeninsular), Pamela Rogers, and Galen Rogers share a love for the people, culture, and overall vibe of the Baja region. The three have built relationships with Baja breweries, wineries, and proveyeurs over the years, dedicated to celebrating and promoting the region this side of the border.  

The 4,000 square-foot bi-level space has expanded with an outdoor patio right on the Third Avenue Village. The menu, developed by Ensenada-based chef Sano Hussong, is seafood-forward, with crown favorites like Ceviche de Pescado, fresh oysters sourced directly from the town of San Quintin, and Baja-style Fish Tacos. Don’t miss the Esquite, an off-the-cob version of elote, Mexican street corn. The El Cruce + 241 version of the dish combines the corn with jalapeño aioli and chili rub, topped with cotija cheese.

With the exception of a couple of selections, including the Thorn Michelada, all 30 beer taps are Baja-based from Tijuana’s Insurgente to Ensenada’s Wendlandt. All wines are sourced from the Valle de Guadalupe region, from prominent Guadalupe wineries to smaller, family-run vineyards.

For anyone with an insatiable thirst for Baja beverages, you can can purchase beer crowlers filled with beer or bottles of wine, some of which are not available elsewhere in the U.S.

Visit El Cruce + 241 at 241 Third Ave., Chula Vista