Caesar's


 * for other things called Caesar or Caesar's, see Caesar (disambiguation)

Caesar's is a restaurant inside a hotel of the same name on Avenida Revolución in Tijuana, Mexico. The restaurant is best known for originating the Caesar salad.

History
The restaurant was founded by Italian immigrants Cesare (Cesar) and Alessandro (Alex) Cardini. Tijuana experienced a boom in visitors from Southern California in the 1920s due to alcohol prohibition in the United States. In the early years it was called "Caesar's Place" or "Caesar's Franco-Italian Restaurant}.

In 1931 the Cardinis moved to a larger building with hotel rooms, as many visitors from California wished to spend the night in Tijuana.

The origin of the Caesar salad
According to story, Caesar Cardini was at his restaurant in Tijuana on a particularly busy day when he improvised a salad with the ingredients he had on hand. On July 4, 1924, Cardini created the Caesar salad, which has since become one of the most ubiquitous dishes on restaurant menus worldwide.

After Caesar Cardini sold the hotel and restaurant, it went through several ownership changes. In 1948, the Avakian family took over the property and continued to operate and preserve the restaurant’s legacy, including the tradition of preparing the Caesar salad table-side.

Over the years, many names have been mentioned as the inventors of the salad, including Cardini's brother Alex Cardini and Livio Santini, a young chef at what was then Caesar’s Place, who some believe brought the salad recipe from his mother in Italy.

Tijuana historian Fernando Escobedo de la Torre and businessman Armando Avakian Gámez have researched and concluded that the original salad was created by Caesar Cardini on July 4, 1924, in Tijuana. Their conclusion is based on testimonies, historical archives, and eight years of research.

The salad became famous and was promoted by celebrities and other personalities, spreading its popularity to the United States and Europe. By around 1930, the salad was offered as “Romaine Parmigian Dressing” for 50 cents, according to an original menu on display at Caesar’s restaurant.

Julia Child, the famous American chef and television personality, recounted in her 1975 book "From Julia Child’s Kitchen" her early memories of dining at Caesar’s restaurant in Tijuana and experiencing the Caesar salad prepared tableside by Caesar Cardini himself.

21st century
The restaurant experienced a significant reduction in U.S. visitors to Tijuana after the September 11 attacks, leading to its closure in 2009 due to debt. Javier Plascencia's family took over the restaurant's operations, renovated it, and reopened it in July 2010 with a luxurious art deco interior reminiscent of the 1920s. The property where the restaurant operates continues under the Avakian family's ownership.

In 2017, the San Diego Reader called it the "classiest joint in Tijuana". Waiters prepare the "original" Caesar salads tableside.

The restaurant and hotel were featured by Andrew Zimmern in his Travel Channel television special The Border Check.