Must-see restaurants in San Diego

  • Liberty Public Market

    San Diego

    The culinary heart of a 1920’s-era naval training center turned artistic urban playground, this hip food hall presents around 30 local artisan vendors who…

  • Juniper & Ivy

    San Diego

    Spearheading the new crop of Little Italy's fine-dining restaurants, J&I is the creation of star chef Richard Blais, who performs culinary sorcery with…

  • Hash House a Go Go

    San Diego

    This buzzing bungalow with its old-school dining room, busy bar and breezy patio dishes up rib-sticking 'twisted farm food' straight from the American…

  • Pacific Beach Fish Shop

    San Diego

    You can't miss this fishy-themed joint with its enormous swordfish hanging outside. Inside, it's a casual, communal bench affair. Choose from more than 10…

  • Old Town Mexican Café

    San Diego

    In business since the 1970s, this vibrant Mexican joint delivers authentic south-of-the-border fare despite the clichéd folkloric look. Marvel at staff…

  • George's at the Cove

    La Jolla

    The Euro-Cal cooking is as dramatic as the oceanfront location, thanks to the bottomless imagination of chef Trey Foshee. George’s has graced just about…

  • Clayton's Coffee Shop

    San Diego

    Some diners only look old-fashioned. This one is the real deal from the 1940s, with red leatherette swivel stools and booths with minijukeboxes. It does…

  • Hodad's

    San Diego

    Since the flower-power days of 1969, OB’s legendary burger joint has served great shakes, massive baskets of onion rings and succulent hamburgers wrapped…

  • Fish 101

    San Diego

    In this casual grown-up fish shack, order at the counter, sidle up to a butcher-block table, sip craft beer or Mexican coke from a mason jar and tuck into…

  • Shore Rider Cafe

    La Jolla

    For tasty eats in a surf vibe right near the beach, head to Shore Rider's new mellow open-air patio, where they play California rock and serve beer on tap…

  • Carnitas' Snack Shack

    San Diego

    Eat honestly priced, pork-inspired slow food in a cute outdoor patio with natural wooden features. Wash dishes like the triple-threat pork sandwich (with…

  • Puesto at the Headquarters

    San Diego

    In the old San Diego Police Headquarters, this vibrant eatery serves modern Mexican street food that knocked our zapatos off. Start with some creamy…

  • Trattoria I Trulli

    San Diego

    Country-style seating indoors and great people-watching on the sidewalk. Just one taste of the homemade ravioli or lasagna, salmon with arugula, capers…

  • Cucina Urbana

    San Diego

    In this corner place with modern rustic ambience, business gets done, celebrations get celebrated and friends hug and kiss over refined yet affordable Cal…

  • Las Olas

    San Diego

    For fish tacos with a sea view, Las Olas is so popular it has its own traffic light, right across the street from the beach. Lobster is served in the…

  • Point Loma Seafoods

    San Diego

    From California spiny lobster to harpoon-caught swordfish, the seafood at this been-there-forever fish market is off-the-boat-fresh and finds its destiny…

  • Buona Forchetta

    San Diego

    A gold-painted brick wood-fired oven imported from Italy delivers authentic Neapolitan pizzas straight to jammed-together family-sized tables at this…

  • Big Kitchen

    San Diego

    Here since the '70s, this neighborhood joint is decorated with bric-a-brac, progressive bumper stickers, homages to The Beatles and pictures of Whoopi…

  • Harry’s Coffee Shop

    La Jolla

    This classic 1960 coffee shop has a posse of regulars from blue-haired socialites to sports celebs. The food is American at its best – pancakes, tuna…

  • 101 Café

    San Diego

    This tiny, streamlined modern diner (1928) serves all-American classics from omelets and burgers to chicken-fried steak with country gravy, or steak and…

  • Filippi’s Pizza Grotto

    San Diego

    There are often lines out the door for Filippi’s old-school Italian cooking (pizza, spaghetti and ravioli) served on red-and-white-checked tablecloths in…

  • George's Ocean Terrace

    La Jolla

    For beautiful ocean views and a laid-back atmosphere, this rooftop-dining space is heated during winter months, and gets booked up quick in the summer…

  • Ocean Beach People’s Market

    San Diego

    For strictly vegetarian groceries and fabulous prepared meals and salads north of central Ocean Beach, this organic cooperative does bulk foods, and…

  • 1500 Ocean

    San Diego

    It’s hard to beat the romance of supping at the Hotel del Coronado, especially at a table overlooking the sea from the verandah of its first-class dining…

  • JRDN

    San Diego

    A big heaping dose of chic amid PB’s congenital laid-back feel. There’s both an ocean view and a futuristic interior (and most excellent bar scene)…

  • Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens

    San Diego

    Local brewer Stone has transformed the former mess hall of the naval training center at Liberty Station into a temple to local craft beer. Tuck into spin…

  • Waypoint Public

    San Diego

    Waypoint's comfort-food menu is designed to pair with craft beer. The focus is squarely on burgers and sandwiches, including a wicked tri-tip with whiskey…

  • Basic

    San Diego

    East Village hipsters feast on fragrant thin-crust brick-oven-baked pizzas under Basic’s high ceiling (it’s in a former warehouse). Toppings span the…

  • Bali Hai

    San Diego

    Near the tiki-themed hotels of Point Loma, this longtime, special-occasion restaurant serves Hawaiian-themed meals like tuna poke (cubed raw fish mixed…

  • Ki’s Restaurant

    San Diego

    Across from the beach, Ki’s is an organic cafe-restaurant and a hub of local activity. At the juice bar on the first floor are awesome smoothies, healthy…

  • Swami’s Café

    San Diego

    This local institution can't be beat for breakfast burritos, multigrain pancakes, stir-fries, salads, smoothies and three-egg ohm-lettes (sorry, we couldn…

  • Saffron

    San Diego

    This multi-award-winning hole-in-the-wall is actually two shops – Saffron Thai Grilled Chicken and Noodles & Saté, but you can get both at either shop and…

  • Vineyard Rose

    San Diego

    South Coast Winery's gracious main restaurant has an arts-and-crafts-style barn feel and vineyard views from the balcony. Salads and sandwiches are…

  • Crab Catcher

    La Jolla

    Stellar views look out to La Jolla's coastline at this fresh-fish restaurant, with clean decor, crisp white tablecloths and wrought-iron chairs on the…

  • Corvette Diner

    San Diego

    Your kids will be your BFFs for bringing them to this over-the-top '50s-themed diner in Liberty Station. DJs spin rock-and-roll classics, waitresses wear…

  • Cottage

    La Jolla

    Shhh! Don’t tell anybody that the stuffed French toast, eggs La Jolla (with Canadian bacon, mushrooms, spinach and garlic, and balsamic vinegar), fish…

  • Tony’s Jacal

    San Diego

    An institution in Solana Beach, the Gonzales family turned their home into a restaurant in 1946, when people would line up to sample their proper Mexican…

  • Brigantine

    San Diego

    At this respected local seafood chain, lunch is heavy on sandwiches (and famous fish tacos), while dinners are fancier with dishes like marinated…

  • East Village Asian Diner

    San Diego

    This cool diner-decorated eatery fuses mostly Korean cooking with Western and other Asian influences (witness the 'super awesome' beef-and-kimchi burrito)…

  • Patio on Lamont

    San Diego

    Although the wicker-chair look is getting a bit dated, this popular neighborhood restaurant is like a fine bottle of wine that gets better with age…