140 Best Restaurants in San Diego, California

This 14,000-square-foot farmhouse-style eatery is perched on the waterfront with spectacular views and equally impressive food. With only a handful of locations in California, this health-conscious concept doesn't skimp on flavor or prices, but quality and sustainability don't come cheap (the Malibu burger starts at $22), and for those seeking fresh options like a raw brussel sprout salad or their red-green-yellow tacos, it's well worth the price. Due to the high-volume location at the entrance of Seaport Village, expect to wait for a table, especially during busy brunch.

Step into this swanky New York--style Italian chophouse that takes you back in time with its piano bar, paintings of Sinatra, and dirty martinis to match. The menu is as rich as the atmosphere with the taste of olive oil, garlic, and lemon in every bite. Start with the steamed clams or homemade cannelloni, and move on to the lobster Manhattan over linguine or the charbroiled veal chop Fiorentina. Nearly all the desserts are made from scratch including the New York cheesecake and the rich cannoli. The dim lighting and dark leather booths make this one of the more romantic restaurants in La Jolla.

It’s hard to dine closer to the Pacific than at this venerable La Jolla Shores mainstay whose two-story-tall windows capture beachgoers, kayakers, snorkelers, and swooping gulls; if the tide is high, waves race across the sand and crash against the glass. The Maine lobster bisque comes coated in Meyer lemon cream with a cheddar biscuit, while the bluefin tuna is dressed in a togarashi aioli. Select from sides including pan-seared wild mushrooms, truffle yuca fries, and fire-roasted tudela artichokes.

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.  

San Diego is perfect for picnics and this popular deli just a block from Balboa Park helps turn these outdoor affairs into memorable feasts. Fans, including workers from nearby offices, rave about the ample and affordable hot and cold sandwiches, homemade soups, chili, and pizza by the slice or pie. Some favorites include the California sandwich with turkey, avocado, bacon, and sprouts; a chopped chicken salad with chipotle ranch dressing; and the albondigas soup. Early birds can start the day with an acai bowl or breakfast burrito before heading into the park. Don't be put off by the retro sign out front; inside there’s a surprisingly modern and well-stocked grocery, wine shop, and liquor store, too.

For quick healthy bite, Mendocino Farms offers a convenient selection of chef-created sandwiches, salads, soups, and sides with comfortable and abundant seating. Kids will enjoy the corner chalkboard area with free rein to doodle.

Tucked away on the bottom floor of a tattoo parlor, this funky little taco shop has a drink menu larger than the Mexican food lineup (but don't let that dissuade you). Place your order next to the wall of bottle caps, and then head to the pet-friendly street-side patio that draws a crowd for the hearty burritos wrapped in warm, soft tortillas and authentic salsas that range from traditional red salsa to chipotle cream. Prepare to wait a few minutes for those no-skimp octopus tacos, and thick steak burritos. On Friday and Saturday, this hole-in-the-wall cures late-night munchies with carne asada fries and a 10 pm last call.

Three local families—with a fishing history—joined nets in 2008 to provide the best catch in Point Loma; a wall menu showcases sustainable seafood caught mostly by them, off the shores of San Diego and Baja. The fisherman’s stew and fish tacos are on point, loaded with swordfish, octopus, calamari, and rock fish, while the tuna melt and breaded shrimp beckon a cold brew to wash it all down. Regardless of the time of day, there’s usually a line out the door on Fridays. At low tide, you can see oysters under the pier, reminding you that you're as close to fresh seafood as it gets. Bypass the small indoor dining space for a patio table overlooking the dock, but keep an eye on your fries. If your neighbor doesn’t grab them, a seagull most certainly will. 

Owner Nico Gibbons has been a familiar face in the San Diego seafood scene for years, and he finally found a permanent location for his popular pop-up in 2024. Located just a block from the oceanfront, the small suite contains both a dining area and market case stocked with rotating cuts of fresh ahi tuna, shrimp, halibut, swordfish, red snapper, and more. It doesn't get any fresher than this.

Be sure to try Nico's homemade habanero-guava-carrot hot sauce, or purchase your own bottle to take home.

Owner Kelsey McNair's obsession for detail in his beer is equally apparent in his NYC-style pizzas, which come in 12" and 18" options. Toppings range from house marinara sauce to fresh basil, Calabrian chili peppers, capicola, and meatballs straight from his mother's recipe book.

Bring quarters for the two pinball machines.

Despite Old Town's (somewhat accurate) reputation as a tourist trap, Old Town Mexican Cafe has been a favorite for locals and tourists since opening in 1977. Expect crowds from open until close, with a line of guests hungry for popular breakfast dishes like chilaquiles, omelettes, and huevos rancheros, as well as lunch and dinner specialties like fish tacos, carne asada, enchiladas, and much more. Wash it all down with one of their famous margaritas or michelada made with lime, clamato, and your choice of beer (any Mexican Lager strongly recommended).

Between music by Pavarotti, the checkered tablecloths, and the sight of homemade pasta and free-flowing vino, you’ll swear you’ve died and gone to Italy. At this cozy La Jolla Shores eatery, northern and southwestern Italian flavors have fused into culinary magic—homemade bread, sauces, gnocchi, and pasta like pappardelle with braised lamb and linguine with mussels—since 2004. The breaded veal and lobster ravioli are both exceptional and pork osso buco in port wine sauce is a popular main course that can be enjoyed alfresco on warm summer nights on the dog-friendly patio. Despite its size, the tiramisu with espresso-dipped ladyfingers goes down way too easily.

Also known as the Fish Shop, this is a favorite among locals. Peruse the customizable menu that lets diners select a type of fish, marinade, and preparation style (grilled or fried, and taco, sandwich, salad, or plate) that suits their tastes. You can dine on the heated patio, order your food to go, or buy the daily catch to cook at home.

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. 

This trendy La Jolla restaurant “plays” tribute to the past with its location inside William Kesling’s historic piano showroom where live music still plays during cocktail hour. The casual yet refined menu features steelhead trout, pan-roasted chicken, and unconventional Caesar salads topped with jalapeño rings and Parmesan shavings; be sure to request a side of the creamy coconut rice pilaf. Its corner location offers patio seating as well as a mid-century-meets-tropical-style lounge with a magnificent mural by artist, Eva Struble, and a travertine bar where mixologists pour Oaxacan negronis and cocktails named after birds. Arrive by 5:30 to hear an hour set of live piano on Wednesday and Sunday and live saxophone on Thursday.

This much-praised, popular Vietnamese restaurant offers over 200 dishes so that choosing a meal here can be difficult. Waiters steer diners to familiar tasty offerings like traditional pho, kung pao chicken, garlic-butter fried chicken wings, and fresh pork or shrimp spring rolls. For the adventurous, more exotic options abound, like the broken rice dishes, and bo luc lac, sizzling cubes of beef served with a chunk of butter melting on top. Families can build-their-own spring rolls with the oven-roasted whole catfish served with vegetables, dipping sauces, and rice paper. The large, relatively spare dining room gets packed, especially on weekends, but service is usually prompt, if sometimes curt, typical of almost all Convoy Street dining spots.

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.

Blocks from the beach in La Jolla Shores, this comfortably modern dining room and shaded patio hits all the right notes—affordable, polished, and family-friendly. From lunch to closing, it bustles with regulars from the neighborhood and visitors from around the world who are guided through the extensive Italian menu by the professional staff, some of whom have worked here for over three decades. Warm bread with spicy dipping sauce is hard to resist, but save room for favorites like grilled romaine hearts wrapped in crisp prosciutto, saffron shrimp pappardelle, and veal scaloppine with mushroom risotto cakes. Kids love their special menu, while parents relish the value-packed wine list with excellent selections by the glass.

Rows of picnic tables, surfboard decor, and beer-brewing on-site have made this funky, friendly brewpub a block from the beach a locals’ favorite. The nearly 40 brews on tap include a namesake pour and other craft beers that have made San Diego a beer-drinkers destination. Between sips, nosh on munchies like garlic beer buddies, seasoned bits of pizza crust. Surfers, families, and others with big appetites order one of 16 signature pizzas slathered with toppings, available whole or by the slice until 3 pm and after 9 pm. Got a sweet tooth? Try a stout or porter float.

When fishing boats unload their catch on-site, a seafood restaurant and market earns the right to boast that they offer “the freshest thing in town.” In the late 1950s, mostly sportfishermen came here, but word got out about the just-caught fried fish on San Francisco–style sourdough bread, and now locals and visitors come to enjoy bay views, sunshine, and a greatly expanded menu of seafood dishes. An efficient crew takes orders for food and drinks at the counter, keeping the wait down even on the busiest days. In addition to sandwiches, favorites include fish tacos, seafood cocktails, sushi, salads, and fried platters of fish, shrimp, and scallops. This is San Diego's top seafood market for those who like to grab live crustaceans to prepare at home.

Pork chops, deviled eggs, tuna casserole, alphabet soup—1960s comfort food has taken a turn for the better, thanks to Ponyboy at The Pearl Hotel. It’s the ideal spot for happy hour or small bites, starting with the grilled oysters à la Rockefeller, graduating to beef stroganoff, and concluding with pineapple upside-down cake for that final craving. Despite the familiar classic menu, everything is elevated and made from scratch. Come early to grab a poolside table and sip and soak in the cult classics during Wednesday’s movie nights where your favorite flicks are projected onto the big screen.

This lovely restaurant in the historic House of Hospitality makes contemporary fare, friendly service, and patio dining available to legions of museum- and theatergoers who come to Balboa Park. The bar is a fashionable destination for creative drinks and light nibbles, while the dining room's specialties range from fish tacos and paella to unusual surf-and-turf combos.

Parking in Balboa Park can be daunting; take advantage of the weekend valet parking at the entrance of the restaurant.

This 500-square-foot restaurant serves up heaping portions of tacos, burgers, bowls, and “sammiches” inspired by the owner’s international travels. American classics have an Asian twist, like the smoked pork belly street tacos with kimchi aioli and ginger slaw or the Cajun spice-dusted lamb lollipops with coconut-jalapeño rice. Don’t be surprised if the chef steps out of the glass-walled kitchen to ask how you liked the “Fork'n Burger” or the “Notorious P.I.G.” with a mountain of pork and smoked gouda. Between the postcard murals and Southeast Asia-meets-Hawaiian vibe, you might forget you’re in La Jolla.

This isn't your average taco shop. The Oaxacan-inspired menu by chef José Cepeda uses traditional ingredients and spins them on their heads to create dishes like the popular crab corn doughnut and crispy duck carnitas served with his famous black mole. The atmosphere is moody, the drinks are strong, and the guacamole is worth every penny.

This small steak house manages to pack in huge flavor in their oak-grilled premium cuts of meat like Wagyu tri-tip, 40-day dry-aged bone-in New York strips, pork tomahawk, and king salmon. If you're not sure what to try, opt for one of the "Boards" to try a variety of the best cuts of the night, as determined by the chef.

Blink and you'll drive right by The Remy, a recommissioned steak house completely renovated in 2023. Once inside the lounge that sports a hipster-ish hunting lodge vibe, you can sidle up to the bar for a handcrafted cocktail or grab a table to enjoy a thick slice of perfectly prepared beef.

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.