118 Best Restaurants in San Diego, California

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Until recently, you had to head to the Miramar/Scripps Ranch area for a tasting at Ballast Point, but now there's a spacious (and popular) local taproom in Little Italy. The Sculpin IPA is outstanding, as are the blue cheese duck nachos.

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.

Portions and prices are on point at this OB seafood hole-in-the-wall where dining is a three-step process—choose your fish, pick your marinade, and decide how you want it prepared (sandwich, plate, salad, taco, or à la carte). There’s an on-site market serving wild, organic, and local seafood ranging from snapper and calamari to shrimp and scallops, and all the soups are from scratch including the New England clam chowder served in a bread bowl. The chilled seafood cocktail is refreshing on a hot summer day, especially when paired with local craft beer. For greasy comfort food, try their tuna melt, fish-and-chips, or beer-battered tacos.

Blame a television segment by Guy Fieri on “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” for the long lines of fans from around the globe. But it’s the fresh seafood cooked to order that keeps them coming back to this no-frills fish market and restaurant.

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.

San Diego’s love affair with artisanal bread began when Charles Kaufman, a former New Yorker and a filmmaker, opened this artsy urban bakery and café two decades ago. Ovens imported from France produce irresistible aromas as you choose among classic baguettes and focaccia, delicious assorted pastries and Vienoisserie, and a wide selection of breakfast and lunch specialties.

Be prepared for lines and limited parking at peak hours.

Creeping toward 20 locations, this breakfast chain is spreading like wildfire thanks to the owner, Johan Engman’s obsession with the first meal for the day. Served out of an Airstream kitchen, hot breakfast plates hit your table within 20 minutes and nearly every dish puts a spin on a standard like the tres leches vegan pancakes, the gouda shrimp and grits, and the breakfast burrito with Jurassic pork. No one leaves hungry, or unhappy for that matter, especially with drinks like the lychee mimosa and the house-made bloody Marys. The warehouse-style decor and dog-friendly patio meld perfectly with the Ocean Beach vibe.

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.

This long-standing North Park coffee roaster and café expands its evening offerings to include local beer, wine, and Italian-style cocktails.