41 Best Restaurants in San Diego, California

Handmade pasta, Italian-hearth cooking, and classic cocktails are the winning formula for this La Jolla restaurant inspired by the best of Italian cuisine. Grab an indoor table near the bar, or one in the open-air dining space where heat lamps and fairy lights bring warmth on those rare, chilly nights. Although the entrées are on point, it’s really the starters that steal the show, like the marinated olives, chicken liver mousse, garlic prawns, and roasted bone marrow. The smoky birch-wood beets with goat cheese, pistachio, and raspberry will have you contemplating how to replicate the dish at home. Scallops are served on a bed of cauliflower puree and the in-house pastas are generous on the sauces, including the Bolognese with pasture-raised beef and farmer’s market soffritto. Be wise and make a reservation to avoid the wait, especially on weekends.  

Healthy, creative dishes and a friendly staff make this art-filled East Village café a local favorite for breakfast and lunch. Hungry San Diegans wait 30 minutes or more to enjoy fluffy scrambled eggs with chicken apple sausage or strawberry banana pancakes with a side of eggs and bacon. Also popular are Mexican-inspired dishes like chilaquiles, breakfast burritos, and quesadillas. Outstanding rosemary, cinnamon, brown, and gluten-free breads are handmade, and the Mission Mocha coffee and Mexican hot chocolate are like liquid desserts. Lunch favorites include the border-inspired chicken pesto sandwich, tortilla soup, and house quesadilla. Locations are also found in Mission Beach and North Park.

Adding a dose of hip to Balboa Park, this gastropub, located adjacent to the San Diego Museum of Art's sculpture garden, offers a stylish pit stop pretheater or between museum-hopping. The menu features grab-and-go options as well as dine-in upscale pub fare and craft brews, with several vegan options and a weekend brunch. Panama 66 does not take reservations.

Behind the dripping ferns and inside the eye-catching Millennial pink building wrapping around the corner of Goldfinch and Washington is Paradis, an all-day café and Spanish pintxo bar serving coffee, pastries, brunch, and tapas. Classic California dishes like avocado toast and acai bowls are available, as well as more European-inspired goodies like crispy patatas and Calabrian dates. Ritual Coffee provides the beans and the baristas can whip up anything from flat whites to cappuccinos, macchiatos, and more. Seating is available inside or in the enclosed courtyard, which also leads to the rooftop restaurant-with-a-view, Communion. 

Two French transplants have brought sleek Parisian style to Downtown San Diego, and rows of eclairs, tarts, croissants, colorful macarons, and the aroma of espresso greet patrons as they enter a minimalist space. For something more substantial, look to their menu of crepes, sandwiches, salads, and quiches; caffeinated drinks range from teas and coffee to a sweet lavender honey latte.

Fresh homemade pasta served as the diner wants it is the mantra at this cozy Italian restaurant. Opt for indoor seating, which offers a charming, old-world feel, with warm lighting, wood beam ceilings, and exposed brick.

Dual concepts sit side-by-side with a shared patio always buzzing with activity. Start your day with a matcha latte and freshly baked pastry from Secret Sister; in the evening, it's time for oysters and natty wine at The Rose Wine Bar.

This casual indoor-outdoor eatery in La Jolla Shores has a sprawling outdoor patio perfect for leisurely lunches with friends and family. Surfers and well-heeled locals populate the 50-seat patio while enjoying made-to-order organic smoothies and fresh salads, as well as scrumptious breakfast and creative lunch entrées that include flatbreads, soups, sandwiches, and the popular cheeseburger and prime steak frites. The blueberry banana smoothie is addictive, while the tarragon chicken salad with lemon aioli, green apple, avocado, pistachios, and dried cranberries over mixed greens with a citrus vinaigrette is a tantalizing mix of flavors.

Bright “Brady Bunch” decor, plus plenty of sunshine and fresh air pouring through windows and skylights, are cheery wake-ups for diners at this hip neighborhood haunt for pancakes and lattes. Expect long waits for a table, especially on weekends; free coffee helps the time pass while you wait to indulge in made-from-scratch breakfast bliss.

This 50,000-square-foot monument to beer and good food is a crowd-pleaser, especially for fans of San Diego’s nationally known craft beer scene. The global menu features dishes like the Bavarian pretzel and Brewmaster's Beef Dip that pair perfectly with on-tap and bottled beers from around the world and Stone’s famous IPAs. Dine indoors in high-ceiling rooms guarded by etched-metal gargoyles and lit by beer-bottle chandeliers. Or, relax outdoors where parents often unwind as their kids enjoy the patio. Before leaving, browse the company store for hip logo wear like hats and hoodies.

It’s hard to top this longtime, nautical-styled Harbor Island restaurant’s views across San Diego Bay to the Downtown skyline and Coronado Bridge. An alfresco dining deck and a contemporary seafood-focused menu ensure the dining experience at this working lighthouse doesn't take a back seat to the scenery. Sample the iced shellfish platter before moving on to traditional lobster bouillabaisse and paella or grilled prawns with spicy grits. The family-owned institution also serves a popular Sunday brunch that stars crab legs, peel-and-eat shrimp, smoked salmon, and oysters along with mimosas. Prefer beer? Choose from a long list of on-tap and bottled craft brews.