Encinitas Restaurants
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Encinitas - browse our top choices for Restaurants during your stay.
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1. Buona Forchetta
$$ | |For authentic Italian cuisine, head to the “Good Fork” where you'll feel like you've stepped into the home of your long-lost Italian relatives, no matter where you’re from. Nearly every dish—Neapolitan-style pies, eggplant Parmesan, lasagna Bolognese, vegetarian ravioli—is made from scratch, with many of the ingredients imported from Italy; even the star of the show, “Isabella,” their golden-domed pizza oven, was handmade in Naples. The pizzas are your go-to though, with their blistered crust, fresh toppings, and artisan-cooking techniques that make them perfect to fold, bite, and eat.
250 N. Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas, California, 92024, USA760-704–8070Known For
- Neapolitan-style pizza
- Homemade Italian desserts
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free options
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2. Valentina
$$ | |It's lively, it's casual, and it's the coolest spot to share tapas with a date over a glass of wine. This Leucadia-based bistro turns heads with its black-and-white decor, as does the Spanish-meets-Mediterranean menu inspired by the owners’ travels. Start off with oysters and bite-size cubes of patatas bravas (spicy potatoes), and keep the plates coming with the authentic jamon ibérico, seared artichokes, and shrimp bathed in chili oil. Don't be afraid to eat with your hands and sweep dishes clean with their house-made bread.
810 N Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas, California, 92024, USA760-943--6686Known For
- Tapas menu great for sharing
- Ideal date spot
- Weekend brunch 11–2:30
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3. Fish 101
$ | |The line out the door—especially during happy hour—is a clear sign you’re at the best place in North County to find locally sourced, sustainably caught fish at a great price. Owned by surfers-divers-fishermen, John Park and Ray Lowe, the vibe is SoCal at its best, with a chill staff serving fresh-shucked oysters, thick clam chowder, and fish sandwiches grilled to perfection; a chalkboard menu displays the day’s catch and what’s been shucked on ice. Fish plates like mahimahi with flash-fried Brussels sprouts and Baja fish tacos with killer salsas are great options. They've got wine on tap, their own micro brew, and a second location in Cardiff. Don’t be surprised to see pro surfers and skateboarders enjoying a cold one: Fish 101 sponsors some of the biggest names in action sports.
1468 N. Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas, California, 92024, USA760-943–6221Known For
- SoCal vibe with amazing fish tacos
- Fresh and healthy seafood
- Seasonal, sustainable ingredients
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. -
4. Juanitas Taco Shop
$ | |Don't let the bars on the windows or the illuminated billboard covered in skate stickers deter you, as the line of hungry surfers-in-waiting is a sure sign you've found the best taco bar in town. Tacos are served on paper plates and burritos are rolled in parchment paper—you'll need both hands to hold these bad boys—at this no-frills hole-in-the-wall that's open until midnight, but that makes it easier to munch street-side, or better yet, take your feast to the beach and ride on. The shredded meat is tender and the salsas have a kick.
290 N. Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas, California, 92024, USA760-943–9612Known For
- Big portions at a great price
- Shredded chicken quesadillas
- Chorizo breakfast burrito
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5. Ki's Restaurant
$$ | | VegetarianVeggies with a view could be the subtitle for this venerable Cardiff-by-the-Sea restaurant that grew from a simple juice shack. Ki's is well known for heart-healthy, gluten-free, vegan, locally sourced, ovo-lacto, vegetarian-friendly dishes like huevos rancheros, filling tofu scrambles, taco plates, chopped salads with feta and nuts, watermelon juice, and carrot ice-cream smoothies. The menu also includes turkey wraps piled on wheat bread and dinner entrées such as Thai seafood curry, roasted Jidori chicken, or Asian salmon salad on a bed of organic greens, all prepared with minimal fat. Get a table up top for incomparable ocean views, but be prepared for a wait, as service is rather slow.
2591 S. Coast Hwy. 101, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, 92007, USA760-436–5236Known For
- Healthy vegan and gluten-free menu
- Yummy Asian-inspired dishes
- Popular post-surfing spot across from the beach
- Heaping Açai bowls
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Ki's Restaurant
$$ | |Veggies with a view could be the subtitle for this venerable Cardiff restaurant that grew from a simple juice shack. Ki’s is well known for heart-healthy, gluten-free, vegan, locally sourced, ovo-lacto, vegetarian-friendly dishes like huevos rancheros, filling tofu scrambles, taco plates, chopped salads with feta and nuts, seasonal juice, and carrot ice-cream smoothies. From 4 to 8 pm, the menu takes a step forward with macadamia-coconut mahimahi, miso-glaze salmon, and filet mignon topped with a mushroom Cabernet sauce.
2591 S. Coast Hwy. 101, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, 92007, USA760-436–5236Known For
- Healthy vegan and gluten-free menu
- Yummy Asian-inspired dishes
- Popular postsurfing spot across from the beach
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7. Las Olas
$ | |In 1981, Señora Mendoza created a home-cooked menu that is still used today, making this one of North County's best Mexican restaurants. Across the street from Cardiff Beach---you can grab a margarita or some fish tacos before heading off to view surfers awaiting their next wave---expect big platters of fajitas, chiles rellenos, and chicken taquitos served with rice and beans.
2655 S. Coast Hwy. 101, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, 92007, USA760-942–1860Known For
- Fish tacos
- Authentic Mexican food
- Local craft beers
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8. Pacific Coast Grill
$$$ | |This casual beachy-style eatery offers sweeping ocean views and seasonal Pacific Coast fare that reflects California's Mexican and Asian influences with dishes like seabass tacos and ahi poke bowl. Evenings are a scene, as attractive beachy types sip microbrews and well-priced wines along with morsels from the sushi bar; dinner in the spacious dining room or on the dog-friendly sunny patio brings porcini-crusted scallops with corn-truffle puree, or plum-ginger–braised short ribs washed down with a margarita that sings with fresh lime and lemon juice.
2526 S. Hwy. 101, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California, 92007, USA760-479–0721Known For
- Romantic waterfront dining
- Fresh oysters and sushi rolls
- Stunning sunsets
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9. VAGA
$$$ | |Cleverly drawing inspiration from near and “farms,” Chef Claudette Zepeda boldly colors outside the lines with a variety of dishes influenced by her travels to Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, and beyond. Grab a seat in the chic dining room where a crew of cooks in an open kitchen fire up a seasonally changing menu that features dishes like beef tartare topped with caviar, clams in a birria broth, or Brandt Farms rib eye with heavy marbling. You’ll be lucky to see the Iron Chef star in the house, since her nickname “Vaga” given by her grandmother, holds truth with this vagabond who works her way around the globe one kitchen at a time.
2100 N. Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas, California, USA760-452--3484Known For
- Farm-fresh cuisine
- Menu by James Beard semifinalist, Claudette Zepeda
- Ocean-view dining
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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