Primitivo Restaurante

Down a dirt road past a fence hung with wine bottles, this open-air restaurant in Baja's Valle de Guadalupe wine country is anchored by a large fire pit where cast iron and open flame do all the heavy lifting. The menu follows a loose arc, oysters first, then a protein, then sharing plates that use the whole animal or fish. The cooking is rooted in local sourcing and fire, and the chocolate cake at the end earns the trip on its own.

Two honors, in evidence: