Did you know that, along the coast of Baja California, Mexico, there’s a tiny town with a big reputation? This seaside stop is Puerto Nuevo, translated to “Newport” in English, and it’s known around the globe for one thing and one thing only: lobster. And not just any lobster. I’m talking a red-shelled, butter-bathed, deep-fried lobster that would make a Maine fisherman blush. And this town, also known as a “lobster village” doesn’t just “serve” lobster; it practically breathes it. So, how did this small fishing village become a global destination?
The Origins of the Puerto Nuevo Lobster Craze
The Puerto Nuevo lobster craze began in the 1950s, when fishermen discovered that, along with clams, mussels, and other seafood, lobsters could make for a pretty great dinner for visiting tourists. As the story goes, a fisherman’s wife invented the famous “Puerto Nuevo-style” lobster — split in half, deep-fried in lard, and served with rice, beans, and fresh tortillas. By the 1970s, visitors from Tijuana, Ensenada, and even Los Angeles were coming down just for the chance to try the local dish with a Baja twist.
RELATED POST: Quesadillas: A Centuries-old Dish With A Twist
“As word spread that fresh lobster was available at the village, Baja travelers pulled in for an informal and inexpensive feast in the kitchens of Puerto Nuevo’s fishermen. At the home of Juan and Petra Ortega, guests made their selection from a washtub filled with lobsters that were kept cool under a wet gunny sack,” the Los Angeles Times wrote in 1988. “By 1975 the Ortegas had built Puerto Nuevo’s first restaurant and began a lobster-dining dynasty that has grown to six Ortega eateries, plus two more up the road in Rosarito. Some days the Ortega family serves as many as 1,800 lobsters.”
This unassuming little town turned itself into a lobster-lover’s paradise with one very smart trick: combining seafood with deep frying.
“I don’t even know what Puerto Nuevo-style is, but I want it,” Chef Anthony Bourdain once said on his hit foodie show No Reservations, right before eating the fried lobster on a plastic plate on the beach.
“Puerto Nuevo didn’t even need the publicity which came with that episode of No Reservations – lobster lovers had been flocking to this tiny fishing village in Baja California from all corners of Mexico and US long before it aired,” the site Eighty Flavors writes.
The Dining Experience
These days, visitors will find dozens of lobster-centric restaurants lining the narrow, colorful streets, each offering essentially the same irresistible deal: lobster, rice, beans, and a steaming stack of tortillas, or totopos, as they’re called here. The town, which is located about 30 minutes south of Tijuana, is popular for Mexicans going north to the United States, and travelers heading south to the city of Ensenada. Thanks to its founders in the 1950s, it’s a must-stop location. When asked if a trip to Puerto Nuevo is “worth it,” one Reddit user summed it up perfectly: “It’s fun and the food is delicious.”
Can’t Make It to Baja? Bring Puerto Nuevo to You
Fall is the perfect season to indulge in lobster, even if you’re on the opposite coast. Maine lobster is in peak season, offering a delicious alternative for those craving a seafood feast. Food writer Marisel Salazar, along with the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative, shares these recipes inspired by Puerto Nuevo-style flavors but adapted for Maine lobster. 
Here’s how to create your own lobster feast at home:
Puerto Nuevo-Style Lobster Recipe
Courtesy of Marisel Salazar and the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative
Ingredients
Seafood seasoning, to taste
1 bottle Mexican beer
2 Maine Lobsters (about 3 pounds)
Black pepper, to taste
2/3 cup lard, vegetable shortening, or olive oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter
Flour or corn tortillas
2 cups red rice
1 cup refried black or pinto beans
1 cup pico de gallo
1 cup salsa verde
6 lemon wedges
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Season with seafood seasoning and a few splashes of Mexican beer. Boil lobsters for 3 minutes.
- Split lobsters in half lengthwise. Rinse and remove green intestines and the black vein from the tail.
- Season lobster halves with seafood seasoning and black pepper.
- Heat lard in a deep-frying pan. Fry each lobster half for 5 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve the lobster with tortillas, rice, beans, pico de gallo, salsa verde, and lemon wedges.
