Mi Pueblo
1712 Fremont Blvd., Seaside, (408) 493-0114
950 E. Alisal St., Salinas, 751-9713
A trip to Mi Pueblo is like a proxy for leaving Monterey County for somewhere south of the border, like if Alice fell down the rabbit hole and woke up as Alicia, transported to a noisy world full of vibrant colors and enticing treats. There’s English in the fine print, but Spanish is the lingo here for all announcements and advertising. No habla español? No problemo. Everyone around is friendly and helpful, and most importantly, wants to feed you. Fresh-out-of-the-ground produce at unbeatable prices is reason enough to shop here, but the kicker is Mi Pueblo’s prepared foods department, where the pozole runs out quickly, the tacos al pastor are out of this world, the burritos are the bomb and everything is uber-affordable. The only thing that could make this place better is a bottle of tequila. Oh, wait. They have that, too.