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$$ | Balboa Park |
Innovative restauranteur Tracy Borkum raised the bar of in-park dining with the unveiling of Artifact, located in the Mingei commons and courtyard. Taking culinary inspirations from around the globe, flavors and spices from Morocco to Peru are on display in lunch and dinner menus billed as "craft cooking inspired by ancient methods, spices and botanicals." Several vegan and gluten-free options are available. Breakfast and quick-serve options are available daily at the adjacent Craft Cafe.
1439 El Prado, San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Sophisticated menu
- Weekend happy hour
- Gluten-free and vegan offerings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Tues. and Wed.
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$$ | 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
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$$ | |
Design lovers will fall for celebrity chef Brian Malarkey's sprawling restaurant, a former art store that has been refashioned into four luxe spaces in one—an entryway lounge, outdoor lounge, fireplace-dotted patio, and the main dining room, which is flanked by beaded chandeliers, lush banquettes, and paintings in rich jewel tones. The menu is heavy on wood-roasted dishes, many of which are apt for sharing, like the roasted baby carrots or hiramasa with crispy quinoa. There are also larger options like an oxtail gnocchi and pizzas with toppings from mushrooms to bone marrow.
2210 Kettner Blvd., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Roasted baby carrots with cashew sesame dukkah
- Pillow-soft oxtail gnocchi
- The secret menu Parker House rolls topped with Maldon sea salt
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.--Sat.
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$$ | 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
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$$ | Little Italy | Modern American
Urbanites craving a hip casual setting and gourmet menu pack architectural salvage–styled Prep Kitchen Little Italy, tucked upstairs above a busy corner in this thriving neighborhood. With first-date cocktails, after-work brews, or birthday champagne, diners relish familiar choices like meatball sandwiches, chops, and pork belly with kimchi Brussels. Generously sized dishes like spicy Carlsbad mussels or fusilli Bolognese could serve as dinner for two. Farmers’ market flatbreads, changed daily, are made for sharing, too, while the hefty WNL Burger topped with bacon and egg is a staple lunch, brunch, and dinner. There are also locations in Del Mar and La Jolla.
1660 India St., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Weekend brunch featuring popular chilaquiles dish
- Bacon-wrapped dates
- $6 tapas during the daily happy hour
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekends
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | 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
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$$ | Hillcrest |
Old-school wood-fire techniques meet modern architecture in this busy bistro where comic book–style art covers the concrete walls and the bottle-lined bar beckons locals and visitors alike. Locally sourced ingredients and smoky, savory flavors feature in the well-balanced menu; be sure to save room for one of the inspired desserts.
3752 Park Blvd., San Diego, California, 92103, USA
Known For
- Five-hour braised oxtail raviolini
- Wood-grilled cauliflower with curry vinaigrette
- Roomy outdoor patio
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch weekdays
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$$ | 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
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$$ | Ocean Beach |
Enthusiasts from around the world laud this combined wine shop, bar, and cozy California bistro. Available from lunch until 10 pm, the American bistro fare starts with baked Brie or chicken-liver mousse, moves on to savory short-rib sliders and seafood risotto, and ends with flourless chocolate marquise or goat’s milk cheesecake.
2265 Bacon St., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- More than 1,000 bottles of wine
- Consistently top-notch
- Knowledgeable staff who can offer bottle recommendations
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$ | Shelter Island |
For more than 50 years, generations of San Diegans and visitors have enjoyed this Polynesian-theme icon with its stunning bay and city skyline views. The menu is a fusion of Hawaiian and Asian cuisines with standouts like the crispy ahi tuna, wok-fried bass, and pan-seared scallops with macadamia nut butter.
2230 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego, California, 92106, USA
Known For
- Potent Bali Hai mai tais
- Sunday brunch buffet with a DIY sundae bar
- Happy hours Monday–Thursday 3–5
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun.
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$$ | |
The ultramodern Italian eatery with young Milanese owners gets cheers for its design and cuisine from hip Little Italy residents and visitors alike. Diners linger over drinks and house-made pasta at the friendly long bar and more intimate upstairs dining room. Small plates designed for sharing include fried saffron risotto balls and meatballs with a spicy tomato dipping sauce. Pasta Your Way offers full and half-portion pastas with one of 10 sauces, plus chicken, shrimp, or meatballs if desired. Traditional soups, salads, and meat and seafood dishes pair well with one of the many Italian wines available by glass or bottle. Parking can be challenging but the Little Italy valet service is available after 5 pm.
750 W. Fir St., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Mix-and-match pasta entrées
- Gluten-free pasta options
- Traditional Italian tiramisu
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Mon.
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$$ | Ocean Beach | French
Ocean Beach is a slightly eccentric beach town, not a place diners would expect to find this warm, romantic bistro that evokes a French farmhouse. The satisfying French-inspired menu of soups, woodstone-oven flatbreads, mussels, and other bistro classics is served in cozy dining rooms and a rustic outdoor patio. Go traditional with boeuf bourguignonne or chicken fricassee or spice it up with a flatbread topped with goat cheese, roasted beets, and curry onion jam.
4996 W. Point Loma Blvd., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Popular crispy Brussels sprouts with pancetta
- Tuesday date night special
- Happy hour
- Featured on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$ | East Village | Italian
A restaurant and gourmet market converge at this boisterous warehouse-like space that's outfitted in copper light fixtures, intricate tilework, and marble-topped tables. Dining here is as much a treat for the eyes as it is for the stomach, with house-made pastas, freshly shaken cocktails, and Italian meats that double as decor thanks to the open-kitchen culinary stations. The menu is broken up into appetizers like smashed avocado bruschetta and can't-miss meatballs before moving on to pizzas, pastas, and more hearty fare like lamb osso buco or sea bass with toasted farro and chive oil. Postdinner, stop by the market for olive oils, sauces, cookbooks, and other treats.
1195 Island Ave., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Shareable meatball trio
- Salami and cheese bar
- All-you-can drink mimosas during brunch
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$$ | | American
One of the few restaurants with a view that's also worth eating at, Brockton Villa is tucked in an historic cottage on a hillside above La Jolla Cove. Food is served all day, but this dining spot excels at brunch and lunch when ocean views are best. Snag a seat by the fireplace and start the day with their famous soufflé-like orange-scented Coast Toast, breakfast tacos, or the popular blue crab–cake eggs Benedict. For lunch enjoy the curry chicken salad wrap, a lobster roll, or chopped Mediterranean salad. During the late-afternoon social hour, a bottle of wine and artisanal cheese board are only $30.
1235 Coast Blvd., La Jolla, California, 92037, USA
Known For
- Prime ocean views
- Orange-scented Coast French Toast
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$$ | Mission Beach |
While the panoramic ocean view is the star attraction at this rooftop restaurant next to Belmont Park, the tasty sushi and share plates are a pleasant surprise for such a touristy locale. Lunch and dinner service bookend a popular afternoon happy hour.
3105 Ocean Front Walk, San Diego, California, 92109, USA
Known For
- Incredible ocean views
- Large specialty sushi rolls
- Summer crowds
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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$$ | |
French meets Southern Californian cuisine at this charming historic Victorian home in the heart of Coronado. A favorite of locals and guests at the nearby Hotel del Coronado, the romantic bistro offers French favorites like boeuf bourguignon and moules marinière as well as California standbys like rockfish ceviche in tomatillo sauce.
1132 Loma Ave., San Diego, California, 92118, USA
Known For
- Eclectic Sunday brunch
- Solid dessert selection
- Romantic atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$$ | |
More than simply a sushi restaurant, Cloak and Petal offers up "Japanese tapas," with a menu of small bites that range from fresh sashimi to Wagyu beef lettuce cups. Even more stunning is the visual appeal, including a giant cherry blossom tree behind the bar.
1953 India St., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Tiki drinks with Far East ingredients
- Unconventional sushi rolls
- Decor that's a feast for the eyes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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$$ | |
The redesigned Little Italy restaurant-bar oozes slightly surreal cool. Crammed bookshelves line the walls, banquettes and mirrors are scrawled with sayings, and taxidermy appears in odd settings like a lion preying on a hog above the bar. The management’s no-fear mind-set extends to the menu—ketchup and vodka have been outlawed here—but young fans and neighborhood residents who gather here after work find plenty to savor. Dinner features gastropub fare like Korean barbecue wings, thick burgers, and wood-fire dishes that include bone marrow, roasted carrots, and rib eye. Save energy for the potent rum drinks at False Idol, the in-house tiki bar accessible only through the walk-in cooler.
675 W. Beech St., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Wood-fired cuisine including grilled oysters and fire-roasted eggplant dip
- Refreshing craft cocktails infused with cucumber, grapefruit, or apple
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$$ | Little Italy | Italian
With its innovative, affordable Italian food, polished service, bustling bar scene and olive tree–shaded patio, this Chicago transplant is right at home in Little Italy. Sip the Davanti Spritz (Aperol, prosecco, and soda) while nibbling on their famous cheesy focaccia sweetened with honey or antipasti cheeses, meats, and olives. Dine family-style, sharing slices of thin-crust pizza, plates of classic pastas like cacio e pepe, or a steaming bowl of mascarpone polenta topped with the ragu of the day. Desserts veer classic Italian, like tiramisu, cannolis, and a goat cheese cheesecake. There's a second location in Del Mar.
1655 India St., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Build you own Bloody Mary bar during weekend brunch
- Cheesy focaccia appetizer
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekends
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$$ | Hillcrest |
Big caloric portions and long lines are hallmarks of this Southern-accented comfort food destination where hungry regulars from near and far line up for an indulgent meal in the crowded (and sometimes noisy) dining room. Bring an appetite and a friend; sharing plates is a necessity here.
3628 5th Ave., San Diego, California, 92103, USA
Known For
- Decadent sage-fried-chicken eggs Benedict
- Huge portions perfect for sharing
- Inventive and generously garnished cocktails
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
