When you want to get an elevated taste of Baja California’s flavors, visit Park Hyatt Aviara Resort’s Ponto Lago. Debuted in 2020 as part of the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel’s $50 million property-wide renovation, Ponto Lago offers Baja-inspired dishes at breakfast (like the conchas — a Mexican sweet bread — French toast with banana passion fruit custard) and dinner (like Ensenada fish tacos with pickled cabbage, aji amarillo crema and cucumber-tomatillo salsa tucked inside a hand-pressed blue corn tortilla).
At this Carlsbad, California, spot, overnight guests and North Country locals are wooed with equal fervor. It doesn’t hurt that service is impeccable and Batiquitos Lagoon views are nearly indescribable.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- The dining room has an elevated but subtle nautical feel. There are pops of soft blue on chairbacks and menu covers. Light hardwood floors are reminiscent of a dock you’d find on Catalina Island.
- If you’re wondering how the aroma of the Chintextle-rubbed striped bass met you in the front lobby, the secret may be the open-hearth kitchen. Without walled confinement, your nose and eyes can get a whiff of all the excitement coming from chef Pierre Albaladejo and his team.
- You may be tempted to sit in the dining room to watch the chefs in action in the show kitchen, but a seat outside affords scenic views that stretch to the water.
- One of the fan favorites on the menu at the Carlsbad restaurant is the juicy 20-ounce bone-in rib-eye with green garlic, Ibérico fat flambé and caramelized cipollini.
- The drinks menu leans heavily on tequila (like in the Watermelon Agua Fresca) and mezcal (sip the Piña Picante). Be sure to peruse the agave list, which is packed with small-batch tequilas and mezcals.
The Food
- It’s all about options in the a.m. Start your day with a Meditative juice (carrot, orange, ginger, turmeric and lemon white pepper) or a mimosa. After that, dive into an açai bowl, beef birria Benedict or baked huevos rancheros.
- With a menu sprinkled in locally sourced excitement, you can’t go wrong at dinnertime with flame-grilled peri peri chicken tacos, flaky beef empanadas or the Pacific Manila clams with green rice and scallops.
- No matter which beautifully plated main you select, an order of the churros (with spiced Mayan chocolate sauce and a mixed berry compote) makes for a sweet finish to the night.
Amenities
Bar
Breakfast
Dinner
Gluten-free options
Kid friendly
Outdoor seating
Private dining
Reservations recommended 
Takeout
Valet parking
Vegetarian options
Getting There
Ponto Lago
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