American and Mexican cuisine meld together at the California-Mexico border in Alta Baja Market. This grocery store, community space, and cafe are located inside the 4th Street Market on the corner of 4th Street and Bush Street in Downtown Santa Ana. The café offers a taste of the American Southwest. The market combines all your southwest cooking ingredients with a place to enjoy them in a home cooked meal and a space to gather with the community for events and tastings.
Breakfast and lunch are served all day at Alta Baja. The breakfast menu has savory Mexican delights like cheesy quesadillas and seasonal frittatas. For lunch, various freshly made sandwiches and salad options are offered. The market houses some staple southwestern ingredients like heirloom beans/corn/grains, chiles, spices, and sweet treats. Make sure to try some of their unique fruity flavors of Micheladas as well for a refreshing twist on a summer classic. You can also find various local crafts, home goods, and books.
Many events and activities are hosted each month including cooking classes, workshops, lectures, walking tours, book signings and much more. Local farmers and crafters are also encouraged to sell their goods in the market and internships are available for local youth. Some upcoming fun outings are a walking tour of Orange County, a 1-day wine trip to Valle de Guadalupe, and sugar skull decorating.
The current big upcoming event is the Heirloom Bean Encuentro – All Things Rancho Gordo from October 17-19. The event will be one of the largest ever hosted by Alta Baja Market and will feature a three-course bean meal, walking art tours, wine tastings, and drag bingo and brunch. A seat at dinner costs $100 and for just $35 extra dollars, you can add a specialty Mexican wine pairing with the five-course meal.
Alta Baja prides themselves as having the largest collection of Mexican wines, craft beers, and spirits in the country. The selection of wines are handpicked by shop owner Delilah Snell. A significant portion of the wines come from Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe, a prominent region similar to California’s Napa Valley. Alta Baja now has an exclusive wine club where subscribers can receive 3 to 6 bottles of wine four times a year. States that are lucky enough to have this service are CA, ID, NM, NV, FL, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico.
The Alta Baja Market is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with kitchen services ending at 3 p.m. Alta Baja is a great example of the convergence of cultures and the delicious craft of Mexican cuisine and wine. You’re bound to find a drink and bite to eat that you’ll love at Alta Baja.