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.

Windmill Food Hall

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When you combine 12 food vendors with a full bar, game arcade, and live entertainment, you get one happy family. Located within Carlsbad’s iconic Windmill building, this upscale food court appeases finicky eaters with a variety of cuisines ranging from Mexican and Italian to Vietnamese and American. Although you can’t go wrong with any choice, top spots include Lobster Lab, Craft Pizza, and Thai Style. Grab a table inside for live music, or head to the patio for outdoor entertainment, including an antique car show held on the third Sunday of every month. Even weekdays draw a crowd with Trivia Mondays, Karaoke Tuesdays, Wine Wednesdays (bottles $15), and Drag Queen Bingo every second Wednesday of the month. Food stalls open daily from 10 to 9 other than the coffee and donut shop that are ready for early risers by 7 am.