The Best Restaurant in North County and Around, California

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Dining in the North County tends to reflect the land where the restaurant is located. Along the coast, for example, there is one luxury fine-dining spot after another. Most have dramatic water views and offer platters of exquisite fare created by graduates of the best culinary schools. Right next door you can wander into a typical beach shack or diner for the juiciest hamburger you’ve ever tasted. Locally sourced food can be found at restaurants throughout the area, although a few chefs have adopted molecular gastronomic techniques. Backcountry cuisine is generally served in huge portions and tends toward home-style cooking, steak and potatoes, burgers, and anything fried.

Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens—Escondido

$$ Fodor's Choice

One of the fastest-growing companies in the United States, Stone staked out a hilltop overlooking Escondido to create, brew, and sell its beloved craft beer in a gorgeous, solar-run facility. Thirty-six craft and specialty beers are always on tap in the tasting bar and the bistro, which has indoor and garden seating for lunch and dinner, where you can dine on an ingenious menu that features yellowfin ahi poke nachos, hand-braided IPA pretzels, and Wagyu beef burgers; save room for a real beer float. The company store offers signature items; check their website for weekly events.

1999 Citracado Pkwy., Escondido, CA, 92029, USA
760-294–7866
Known For
  • Real beer floats
  • Brewery tours $15 offered twice daily at 2 and 4 pm
  • Farm-to-table bistro food

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