San Diego Reader

• Restaurant | Mexican | Barrio Logan

Cocina Doña Tina

• 1950 Main Street, San Diego, CA 92113 | Directions

Cocina Doña Tina sits on the corner where the food section of the Northgate Gonzalez supermarket (an LA-based chain — this is its 31st store) is at 1950 Main Street, but you can access it off César Chavez too.
It has a nice patio in a plaza with fountains and trees, right under the bridge. Inside, it’s kind of like an eatery you’d find in, say, K-Mart...until you get close up and personal with the food. Man! It goes on forever, steaming chafing dishes with everything from ceviche to chicharron to pork stews, full of rich Mexican food tradition.