-
$$ | Balboa Park |
Innovative restauranteur Tracy Borkum raised the bar of in-park dining with the unveiling of Artifact, located in the Mingei commons and courtyard. Taking culinary inspirations from around the globe, flavors and spices from Morocco to Peru are on display in lunch and dinner menus billed as "craft cooking inspired by ancient methods, spices and botanicals." Several vegan and gluten-free options are available. Breakfast and quick-serve options are available daily at the adjacent Craft Cafe.
1439 El Prado, San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Sophisticated menu
- Weekend happy hour
- Gluten-free and vegan offerings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Tues. and Wed.
-
$ | Normal Heights |
There's almost no combination on earth as satisfying as pizza and beer—which just happen to be Blind Lady's specialties. The old-world-style pizzas are topped with organic ingredients, like house-made chorizo and avocado, which offer an excellent complement to their extensive beer selection, which is updated on their chalkboard daily. Just be patient waiting for a seat at the popular neighborhood spot, which is decorated with upcycled materials such as reclaimed wood floors and glass cases of vintage beer cans.
3416 Adams Ave., San Diego, California, 92116, USA
Known For
- Spicy chorizo pizza with avocado
- Crispy Belgian frites
- House-brewed craft beer
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.--Wed.
-
$ | South Park |
A golden-domed pizza oven, named Sofia after the owner’s daughter, delivers authentic Neapolitan-style pizza to fans who often line up for patio tables at this dog- and kid-friendly Italian restaurant in South Park. Pizzas make a meal or can be shared, but don’t miss the equally delicious appetizers, heaping salads, or fresh pastas, and be sure to save room for some dolci.
3001 Beech St., San Diego, California, 92102, USA
Known For
- House-made sangria
- Bubbly Neapolitan-style pizzas
- Bustling patio
-
$$ | Point Loma |
A wall of mason jars with pickled vegetables and brined olives transports you to an Italian market in Rome where the owner’s mother perfected generations of recipes that have made their way into this Point Loma eatery. Since its 2019 opening, customers have lined up for generous portions of homemade Italian staples including pasta, gnocchi, meatballs, sausage, bread, and decadent desserts. Choose your pasta shape, sauce, and topping, or simply lean on the advice of the knowledgeable waitstaff. The tagliere cutting board is piled high with prosciutto, burrata, green olives, artichoke hearts, and marinated vegetables beckoning a dunk of focaccia with every bite, while the risotto and tagliata are cooked to perfection and the spaghetti with mussels and clams will have you reenacting Lady and the Tramp. For the finale, get your camera ready for the table-side tiramisu drenched in espresso and topped with mascarpone fresco. The outdoor patio is inviting year-round, even in winter when heat lamps, wool blankets, and sheepskin rugs keep things cozy.
4161 Voltaire St., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Nearly everything made from scratch
- Authentic Italian cuisine
- Excellent vegan options
-
$ | |
For Paris-perfect cakes and tarts embellished California-style with fresh flowers, head to this sleek, serene branch of Karen Krasne’s pastry shop and café. The space with soaring ceilings hosts breakfasts, lunches, and light dinners, accompanied by a wide selection of teas, coffee, organic wines, and craft beers. For those who don’t want to start with dessert, there are sandwiches, soups, salads, and artisanal cheeses, plus a kids' menu of grilled cheese or free-range turkey served on local bread. When it’s time to satisfy your sweet tooth, try a slice of passion fruit ricotta cake, a mini-banana cream pie, or helping of croissant bread pudding. The original shop near Balboa Park, at 2870 4th Avenue, serves only desserts, coffees, and teas.
1430 Union St., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Blueberry coffee cake for breakfast
- Chocolate dulce de leche cake
- House-made dips including onion dip and Parmesan pesto
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations not accepted
-
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
-
$ | Ocean Beach |
Surfers with big appetites, and fans of Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, chow down on huge, messy burgers, fries, onion rings, and shakes at this funky, hippie beach joint adorned with beat-up surfboards, stickers, and license plates from almost every state. Don’t be put off by lines out the door---they move quickly and the wait is worth it, especially for the Guido Burger; inspired by Guy Fieri, it's topped with pastrami, onions, pickles, and Swiss cheese. Wash it down with one of their own microbrews including a hazy IPA and a Mexican lager. A miniburger is a less-filling option, and there are veggie and chicken patty options for the red-meat averse. Newer outposts—as family-friendly as the original '60s joint—are Downtown and at Petco Park.
5010 Newport Ave., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Legendary bacon cheeseburgers and thick-cut onion rings
- Surf-shack vibe
- A little sass with your burger
-
$ | Liberty Station |
The city's former Naval Training Center is home to more than 30 vendors so even the pickiest of diners will be pleased. Options include tacos and quesadillas at Cecilia's Taqueria; fried rice, pad Thai, and curries at Mama Made Thai; lavender lattes from Westbean Coffee Roasters; fried chicken and fries from Fluster Cluck; sweet and savory crepes from Olala; more than a dozen Argentinean empanadas at Paraná; and croissants, éclairs, and macarons at Le Parfait Paris. There are a few communal tables indoors, but the best seating is the kid- and dog-friendly outdoor patio, outfitted with Adirondack chairs and market lights. Not all vendors are open for breakfast.
2820 Historic Decatur Rd., San Diego, California, 92106, USA
Known For
- Cuisines from around the world
- Lively kid- and dog-friendly patio
- The best regional foods under one roof
-
$$ | Ocean Beach |
Amid surf shacks and hippie beach bars, this restaurant perched on stunning Sunset Cliffs feels like a hidden European bistro. The sisters who run the show come from a long line of successful local restaurateurs and have brought their passed-down expertise to the thoughtful service and simple, healthy menu that features entrées like plant-based tacos, quinoa bowls, and the Bistro Burger with Hatch Chile cheddar on a brioche bun. The morning menu features chia seed puddings and baked eggs, which are a welcome contrast to the typical indulgent brunch fare.
1424 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Eggs Benedict
- Cozy bistro setting
- Chocolate hazelnut scone
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No dinner
-
$ | La Jolla |
The desserts are magnificent at this small, charming shop in operation for nearly 50 years, where dessertier Michele Coulon confects wonders, using organic produce and imported chocolate. Snack on cookies, cupcakes, brownies, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and mini-desserts. But this is not just a place for dessert: lunch is served Tuesday through Saturday (the store is open 9 am to 3 pm), and the simple menu includes quiche and salads. Other irresistible treats found here are a chocolate-lovers’ Torte Lion Belge, pear-frangipane tart, and Marjolaine Torte with layers of meringue, chocolate ganache, and buttercream.
7556 Fay Ave., San Diego, California, 92037, USA
Known For
- Instagram-worthy presentation
- The buttercream- and berry-filled Gateau Aileen
- Gluten-free items usually are available
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No dinner, Reservations not accepted
-
$$ | Little Italy | Modern American
Urbanites craving a hip casual setting and gourmet menu pack architectural salvage–styled Prep Kitchen Little Italy, tucked upstairs above a busy corner in this thriving neighborhood. With first-date cocktails, after-work brews, or birthday champagne, diners relish familiar choices like meatball sandwiches, chops, and pork belly with kimchi Brussels. Generously sized dishes like spicy Carlsbad mussels or fusilli Bolognese could serve as dinner for two. Farmers’ market flatbreads, changed daily, are made for sharing, too, while the hefty WNL Burger topped with bacon and egg is a staple lunch, brunch, and dinner. There are also locations in Del Mar and La Jolla.
1660 India St., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Weekend brunch featuring popular chilaquiles dish
- Bacon-wrapped dates
- $6 tapas during the daily happy hour
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekends
-
-
$ | |
Bold graffiti graphics, chandeliers with tangled telephone wires, and beat-heavy music energize this Downtown eatery that celebrates Mexican street food with a modern twist. Settle into one of the interior rooms or the sunny patio under orange umbrellas to sip margaritas and other specialty cocktails, Baja wines, or fruity aguas frescas made daily. Guacamole, ceviche, seafood tostadas, and a festive stack of chili-and-salt-spiced mango whet appetites for tasty street tacos—nine varieties including lobster, mushroom, and striped bass that can be mixed and matched for plates of three. Deep-fried carnitas with a cactus leaf salad, grilled filet mignon, and octopus tacos round out the menu. The original (and smaller) Puesto is in downtown La Jolla.
789 W. Harbor Dr., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Taco trio plates
- Unique Parmesan guacamole
- Fruit-infused margaritas made in-house
-
$ | Ocean Beach |
Inspired by the grass-fed burgers they sampled in New Zealand, the founders of this convivial eatery set out to replicate those same high-quality flavors in their Ocean Beach spot. The interior nods to the outdoor-oriented Kiwi country, with surfboards turned into light fixtures, rugby photos, and bodyboards as wall art. An outdoor "parklet" wrapping the corner lot draws a crowd, clinging to the laid-back atmosphere and chill staff that will know you by name before the meal is over. Food focuses on burgers with organic, grass-fed beef, as well as chicken, lamb, and seafood options dressed in garlic aioli and tomato chutney, along with huge portions of onions rings and fries. The meat pies have a croissant-like crust, and there are also salads for those seeking greens. The weekend brunch menu delivers chilaquiles, steak and tamale Benedict, and cheesy grits. With 24 beers on tap, this OB mainstay was one of the first local businesses to pioneer the craft beer movement.
1851 Bacon St., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Grass-fed beef burgers
- Exceptional handmade cocktails and great daily specials
- Great local craft beer
-
$$ | Pacific Beach |
One fan called it “a notch above amazing”—an accolade not expected for a Japanese eatery wedged in a strip mall in Pacific Beach. But it’s a destination for lovers of high-quality, superfresh raw fish from around San Diego and abroad; reservations strongly encouraged. The front parking lot is very small, but there's additional parking behind the mall.
4529 Mission Bay Dr., San Diego, California, 92109, USA
Known For
- Velvety hamachi belly
- Sea urchin specials
- Chef's omakase tasting menu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch weekends, reservations essential
-
$ | |
Next to his successful fine-dining restaurant, Juniper and Ivy, celebrity chef Richard Blais has opened this more casual eatery complete with a walk-up counter, picnic-style tables, a bocce court, and a giant rooster—a nod to the egg- and chicken-theme menu. Ingredients are sourced from high-quality vendors and used for sandwiches, of which the fried chicken varieties shine, as well as salads and sides like fluffy minibiscuits with a miso-maple butter and a Mexican spin on poutine. The all-outdoor space feels like a cool playground for foodies, and there's even a slick bar that doles out craft cocktails.
2266 Kettner Blvd., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Señor Croque fried chicken sandwich with smoked pork belly
- Biscuits with miso-maple butter
- All-outdoor seating with bocce court
-
$$ | Hillcrest |
Old-school wood-fire techniques meet modern architecture in this busy bistro where comic book–style art covers the concrete walls and the bottle-lined bar beckons locals and visitors alike. Locally sourced ingredients and smoky, savory flavors feature in the well-balanced menu; be sure to save room for one of the inspired desserts.
3752 Park Blvd., San Diego, California, 92103, USA
Known For
- Five-hour braised oxtail raviolini
- Wood-grilled cauliflower with curry vinaigrette
- Roomy outdoor patio
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch weekdays
-
-
$$ | Pacific Beach |
Occupying a prime oceanfront lot just south of Crystal Pier, the views from the raised dining room are impressive. Throw in an excellent raw bar, a wide selection of shared plates, and a buzzy bar scene and you get Waterbar's "social seafood" concept.
4325 Ocean Blvd., San Diego, California, 92109, USA
Known For
- "Boardwalk hour" oyster specials
- Boozy weekend brunch
- Ocean views
-
$ | |
The line that inevitably wraps around the building is indicative of the quality of the tacos and the large selection of local craft beers on tap. Indeed, these are some of the best tacos in all of San Diego, ranging from the classic carne asada and Baja fish tacos to fried-shell beef tacos and Califas, which features French fries inside the tortilla.
2196 Logan Ave., San Diego, California, 92113, USA
Known For
- Baja-style street tacos
- Pruno de Piña (beer and fermented pineapple)
- Churros and ice cream
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
-
$$ | Ocean Beach |
Enthusiasts from around the world laud this combined wine shop, bar, and cozy California bistro. Available from lunch until 10 pm, the American bistro fare starts with baked Brie or chicken-liver mousse, moves on to savory short-rib sliders and seafood risotto, and ends with flourless chocolate marquise or goat’s milk cheesecake.
2265 Bacon St., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- More than 1,000 bottles of wine
- Consistently top-notch
- Knowledgeable staff who can offer bottle recommendations
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
-
$$$$ | La Jolla |
Champions of in-season, fresh-today produce, the chefs at this cozy room in the luxurious, Craftsman-style Lodge at Torrey Pines have made A.R. Valentien one of San Diego’s top fine dining destinations. Be prepared for food combinations that are simultaneously simple and delightfully inventive—crispy skin sablefish; duck confit; prime rib with bordelaise, and an impressive collection of California wines.
11480 N. Torrey Pines Rd., San Diego, California, 92037, USA
Known For
- Charcuterie platter
- Roasted duck
- 280 wine selections
-
$ | Ocean Beach |
For a taste of Cuba in San Diego, head to this Ocean Beach bakery where owner Vivian Hernandez Jackson combines her Cuban heritage, Miami childhood, and London culinary training in breakfast and lunch offerings. Morning specialties like raspberry scones with passion fruit icing, a traditional guava-and-cheese puff pastry, and ham-and-Manchego quiche can be savored with café con leche, a sweet Cuban espresso with hot milk. For lunch, try the Cubano slow-roasted pork sandwich with plantain chips, followed by a classic flan or the mango cheesecake. The salsa music and photos of Cuban street life will transport you to the colorful country.
4820 Newport Ave., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Tangy, citrus-centric desserts
- Traditional Cuban pastries
- A quick bite before shopping or hitting the beach
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
