Torote Restaurant in Cabo & Valle del Sol Real Estate

Torote Restaurant in Cabo & Valle del Sol Real Estate: Why This “Hidden Community” Feels So Special

If you live in Cabo (or you’ve visited more than once), there’s a very good chance you’ve heard of Torote Restaurant.

It’s one of those places that gets recommended again and again… and the crazy part is: it’s not even in the middle of Cabo.

Torote is tucked inside Valle del Sol, just minutes up from town—but the second you arrive, it feels like you just escaped Cabo’s noise completely.

I came up this week for a peaceful morning at the restaurant and sat down with John Buckley, the owner and developer of Valle del Sol, to talk about how Torote became one of Cabo’s most talked-about restaurants… and how it accidentally became the heartbeat of a real estate community.

A Quiet Morning at Torote (And a Reminder of What Cabo Used to Feel Like)

I’ll be honest: I hadn’t been up here in a minute.

But driving through Valle del Sol again, seeing the homes, the landscaping, and the layout of the community… the only word I kept coming back to was:

Community.

It’s calm.
It’s quiet.
You hear birds and crickets.
You actually see stars at night.

And yet… you’re still only about 8 minutes from Cabo.

It’s one of the rare places that gives you both.

Torote Restaurant: “Lightning Striking” at the Perfect Time

When I asked John about Torote, he didn’t pretend like it was some corporate master plan.

It was more like a perfect storm of timing, quality, and demand.

John told me the original idea was simple:

They wanted to build a restaurant as a farm-to-table concept — something that would draw people up the hill so they could experience Valle del Sol and see the real estate side of it.

But the truth is…

They had no idea it would become the success it is today.

The Chef Is the Real Deal (Not a “Tourist Trap” Restaurant)

One thing that stood out in this conversation was how serious they are about the food.

John explained they brought in a chef who’s extremely talented, has worked at a high level, and is basically a mad scientist in the kitchen.

This is not a restaurant where the chef disappears into the back and stays hidden.

John made it clear:

• The chef insists on quality
• He personally picks the ingredients
• He grows a lot of the vegetables
• He’ll literally come to your table and talk to you
• And he’s not chasing awards… he’s just legit

That’s why Torote isn’t just “good for Cabo.”

It’s good anywhere.

Torote Won “Best New Restaurant in Cabo” (2024)

In 2024, Torote received a massive recognition:

✅ Best New Restaurant for 2024 (Cabo culinary awards)

John even mentioned it beat out serious competition—places that would surprise you.

And when that award hit…

Torote blew up.

Even more impressive: the chef later earned recognition placing him in the Top 250 restaurant operators / chefs in Mexico.

That’s not easy.

The Restaurant Grew Because the Market Demanded It

What’s cool is how organically everything expanded.

John said Torote started hosting around 90 people regularly, and even after COVID, it stayed full.

But eventually they ran into a problem:

They were turning people away.

So what did they do?

They built a venue that could hold up to 220+ people.

Then that started filling up too.

Then the demand kept coming.

John described the development perfectly:

“Honestly, Fletcher, it was kind of like whatever the market wanted.”

That’s how Valle del Sol has grown—based on what the owners and visitors actually want, not a rigid developer script.

More Than a Restaurant: Weddings, Events, and a Full Destination

If you’ve seen Torote’s Instagram, you already know what I mean.

It’s not just “come eat dinner.”

It’s weddings.
It’s events.
It’s full venue takeovers.
It’s experiences.

John explained how hard it is in Cabo to find a place that can actually handle 250 people with:

• parking
• food quality
• logistics
• noise
• and still make it feel elevated

Torote filled that niche.

And now Valle del Sol has three venues that can run simultaneously:

• Up to ~250 people
• A mid-size venue (~120 people)
• Small gatherings (~30 people)

Valle del Sol Real Estate: What Makes This Community Different?

Torote is what brings people in.

But Valle del Sol is what makes them stay.

John said something important:

Around 80% of buyers discovered the community after coming to Torote.

They come for dinner…

Then they notice the homes…

Then they start asking questions.

And the buying process is intentionally simple.

How Many Homes Are in Valle del Sol?

Here’s the breakdown John gave:

Phase 1: 30 homes
Phase 2: ~20 homes
Phase 3: 11 homes (fractional) – large $4M homes, 4 bedrooms
Phase 4: TBD

Design Rules That Create the “Pueblo Feel”

One of the coolest parts of Valle del Sol is that it doesn’t feel like generic modern Cabo development.

It feels like a village.

There are only a few requirements, but they matter:

• Clay roofs (so upper homes look out over rooftops like a pueblo)
• Palo de arco woven fencing
• A consistent architectural vibe, but still unique homes

Even though there are three core floor plans, none of the homes look identical.

You can flip layouts, shift things, and customize, because the permitting and planning has been thought through already.

The Buyer Profile: People Who Want Cabo… Without Being Stuck in Cabo

John explained it really well:

This isn’t for everybody.

But for the right buyer, it’s a perfect match.

It works especially well for:

• people close to retirement
• second-home buyers who don’t want a huge maintenance burden
• people who want access to Cabo nightlife but don’t want to live in it
• buyers who want an authentic Mexican vibe, not just glass-box architecture

John also pointed out something that’s true across Cabo right now:

A lot of “edge of town” homes suddenly come with $2M+ price tags.

So Valle del Sol hits a sweet spot for people who want lifestyle + quality + a real community.

The Real Secret: Valle del Sol Feels Like a Real Neighborhood

This part was honestly my favorite.

John gave an example that perfectly captures the vibe:

You’ll have a rugged oil guy from Canada living across from an elegant couple from Dallas…

…and somehow everybody becomes friends.

Poker nights.
Group outings.
Owners looking out for each other.

One homeowner even takes everyone out on his yacht regularly—calling it the “homeowners meeting.”

The age range is wide too:

Late 30’s up to 80+

But the common denominator is the same:

They want the peace of Valle del Sol… and the access to Cabo.

A Developer Who Actually Listens (And That’s Rare in Cabo)

I see a lot of developments in Cabo where the developer basically says:

“We know what we’re doing. Here’s the plan. Take it or leave it.”

John is the opposite.

He listens to the owners, adapts, and upgrades based on what the community wants.

And because so much is done in-house—construction, welding, railings, excavation, finishes—it’s easier to make changes without dealing with five layers of middlemen.

That flexibility matters.

What Should You Order at Torote? (John’s Personal Favorites)

This is the easiest part.

I asked John what someone should get if they come to Torote for the first time.

His answer was perfect:

Ask the chef.

Because everything depends on what’s best that day—what fish came in, what meat looks right, what ingredients are at peak quality.

But if you want the quick shortlist, here you go:

✅ Churros (best dessert in the world according to John)
✅ Steak cooked over open fire
✅ Duck skewers
✅ Flautas / taquitos
✅ Baked crusty cheese + homemade sourdough bread

Honestly… you can’t lose.

Final Thoughts: Come for the Restaurant… Stay for the Lifestyle

If you’ve never been to Torote, it’s one of those places where the hype is real.

Winning “Best New Restaurant in Cabo” isn’t easy, and Torote earned it.

But what surprised me most (even after having eaten here before) was seeing it again during the daytime…

And realizing this isn’t just a restaurant.

It’s the centerpiece of a real lifestyle community.

So whether you’re visiting Cabo, living here full time, or exploring real estate options outside the busy center…

Torote + Valle del Sol is absolutely worth checking out.

Mitch McDonald mitch@caborealestate.com