Tijuana may not be the first city that comes to mind when you think of Mexico’s culinary boom, but the metropolis just 20 miles south of San Diego has quickly morphed into a gastronomic hot spot with white-tablecloth eateries, hipster food courts, and time-honored taquerias. The face of la revolución? Chef Javier Plascencia.

Hailing from a renowned food family—some say their legendary Caesar’s restaurant is the birthplace of the namesake salad—the Tijuana native attended culinary school in San Diego, and in 2006 opened Romesco Mexiterranean Bistro in San Diego’s Bonita neighborhood with his family. The menu has been a shining example of Baja Med cuisine, which fuses Mexican fare with ingredients reaped from the region's Mediterranean-like climate.

But it wasn’t until 2011 when Plascencia debuted Misión 19 in Tijuana that the chef started to make waves as the poster boy for Baja Norte. The much-lauded fine dining restaurant has helped revitalize Tijuana, signaling a shift away from the city’s crime-ridden reputation and instead toward creative and entrepreneurial pursuits in food, art, and more. While also working on various restaurants with his family’s consortium, Grupo Plascencia, the chef opened Erizo Baja Fish House & Market but had eyes on taking Baja Med beyond his hometown.

In 2012 Plascencia opened Finca Altozano, a rustic, seasonally driven restaurant set on a ranch in the heart of Baja’s idyllic wine country, Valle de Guadalupe, located less than two hours from San Diego. And this summer, the chef, who splits his time between San Diego and Tijuana, opened his largest project to date: Bracero, a stunning, bi-level restaurant that celebrates the chef’s culinary heritage in San Diego’s Little Italy nabe.

Even with projects zigzagging across the border, Plascencia makes time to travel through Tijuana, Rosarito, Ensenada, and the Valle with plenty of bites and sips along the way. He gave Vogue.com the scoop on his favorite restaurants, bars, and more.

Where to Go for the Best Tacos

It’s hard to play favorites, but Plascencia’s go-to is the carne asada at Tacos El Franc, a casual taqueria in Tijuana’s Zona Centro. “The ingredients are fresh and tortillas are handmade,” Plascencia says. “Plus, they’re superfast and friendly.” In Rosarito he heads to Tacos El Yaqui, a popular stand with the lines to prove it. The sole option is the arrachera (marinated skirt or flank steak), which combines a flour tortilla, melted cheese, and meat seared outside on a wood-fire grill. “I love the way they char the jalapeños. I have to have those tacos every few days.”