Aldea La Jolla: The Restaurant That Replaced Mermaids & Cowboys
La Jolla Village now has a new option for modern Mexican cuisine: Aldea La Jolla, which replaced Mermaids & Cowboys.
The downtown La Jolla restaurant officially held a grand opening in January 2024. Founded by La Jolla native Steve Horowitz, Aldea La Jolla is currently opened for dinner service with brunch service planned for next month, according to Eater.
As far as the menu, expect a range of delicious takes on Mexican cuisine lovingly curated by executive chef John Villalba — known for his prior experience at New York City’s Tavern on the Green — and chef consultant Alex Reznick, who has competed on food shows such as “Top Chef” and “Beat Bobbly Flay.”
Options include Mexican seafood favorites like ceviche, aguachile, and camechena. You’ll also find terrestrial options such as crispy pork belly, chile verde, and birria bone-in short rib.
There are also unique options like the La Jolla Salad, made with little gem, avocado, heriloom tomatoes, cucumber, and verde diosa, and the Calabacitas, which features squash blossoms, heirloom squash, tomato, Anaheim chili, queso Oxaca, and salsa macha aioli.
Additionally, there’s a range of drink options, including beers on tap, red and white whites, and sparking wines. For cocktails, there are a few twists on the classic margarita, as well as unique drinks like the Amiga, which is made with vodka, lavender truffle syrup, lime citrus, and egg white.
The entire Southern California region is known for its exceptional Mexican food, and Aldea La Jolla might just become a top contender on the list of the best Mexican restaurants in San Diego.
Aldea La Jolla is located at 1251 Prospect St. in La Jolla. It’s open for dinner service from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Media credit: Image courtesy of aldealajolla.com
Mike Peterson is a writer, editor, and strategist based in San Diego. When he’s not writing and editing the La Jolla news, you can often find him practicing yoga, rock climbing, or exploring the outdoors with his wife and dog.
