San Diego may be most famous for its unmatched fish tacos and craft beer scene. But this fine city isn’t a two-trick pony. There’s so much more to this beach town’s culinary scene than fast-casual dining. We know the restaurants you must try when you visit San Diego—sexy date night stunners, spectacular oceanfront dining, charming bistros. The latest entries into our culinary landscape include a Oaxacan-inspired sensation in North Park, kaiseki cuisine from a legendary sushi master, and Italian comfort food with a twist in La Jolla. Here are the San Diego restaurants to seek out right now and all year-round.
La Jolla
Helmed by chef Silvio Salmoiraghi of Michelin-starred Ristorante Acquerello in fa*gnano Olona, Italy, Ambrogio by Acquerello in La Jolla was recently added to Michelin’s 2024 California guide. Embracing fine Milanese dining combined with French, Korean, Japanese, and California influences, the restaurant features four and eight course tasting experiences. Dine on Dancing with the Stars, an eight-course, prix fixe tasting menu, or A Walk in the Garden, chef Silvio’s eight-course, prix fixe vegetarian counterpart. The menu changes with availability and seasonality, but may include delicacies such as Capesante Alla Pollock (Hokkaido scallops sashimi, burrata, tomato), Ventresca Di Spada In Giardiniera (swordfish belly, pink peppercorn, pickled vegetables), Piccione Tandoori All’italiana (squab, radish, civet sauce) and Tagliolini Al Verde (spring onion, clams, guanciale). Two optional wine pairings are available to experience Ambrogio’s array of organic and biodynamic wines.
Downtown
Under the helm of acclaimed chef Tara Monsod, San Diego’s first James Beard Award finalist, the Puffer Malarkey stunner ANIMAE has become a destination restaurant for Filipino and Southeast Asian food, drawing a loyal clientele that comes from as far as LA. Her upscale dishes tweak familiar Filipino comfort food dishes and flavors of common street treats into a fine dining experience that’s not often seen in Southern California. Sip something sweet or savory from the co*cktail menu alongside crispy pig ears or ume oysters, then explore the sake menu while you indulge in A5 wagyu, Kare Kare Short Ribs with green beans and eggplant, or Branzino Cha Ca.
East Village
Translating to “the most beautiful” in Greek, Callie is executive chef Travis Swikard’s charming ode to the Mediterranean coastline, featuring shareable dips and spreads, house-made pastas, and grilled dishes like Harissa Grilled Lamb Chops and Aleppo Chicken. Can’t make up your mind about what to order? Let him curate your experience with the Mediterranean Feast, a five-course, family-style meal, with an optional wine pairing. Save room for dessert, too, especially Passionfruit Pavlova, decorated with rose meringue kisses and honey-whipped labneh, topped with pistachio halva. In addition to a global wine list that includes reds, whites, roses, skin-contact, and dessert options by the glass, Callie also boasts a noteworthy craft co*cktail list, with Espresso Self (vodka, espresso, nola coffee liqueur, vanilla bean, pistachio, cardamom) acting as their version of the popular espresso martini.
Cesarina
Point Loma
The kitchen at Cesarina’s centerpiece is a pastificio, with an enormous mixer and extruder where a dozen or so varieties are made, including ruffled, twisted, fluted and stuffed shapes that you mix and match with a dozen different sauces and toppings like octopus meatballs, guanciale, and earthy porcini. An array of antipasti, several specialty pasta dishes, and chicken, beef, and seafood entrees round out the bill of fare, and there’s a full vegan menu as well. Their deconstructed tiramisu is worth saving room for—homemade ladyfingers are doused with fresh espresso from a tiny Bialetti pot, then topped with mounds of crema al mascarpone and a dusting of cocoa—it’s also available gluten-free and/or vegan. Worth mentioning: the service at Cesarina is always as warm and enthusiastic as a nonna’s hug.
Carlsbad
Feminine, charming and très chic, from its soft coral crushed velvet booths and Art Deco touches to its inventive co*cktail program, Jeune et Jolie brings modern French cuisine to Carlsbad, just a few blocks from its beloved sister restaurant, Campfire. Stodgy French classics get a facelift on executive chef Eric Bost’s four-course tasting menu that changes weekly. The elegant French table showcases seafood and seasonal vegetable dishes, or take a seat at the bar and order a la carte. A raw bar is available in both the dining room and the bar, and boasts oysters from both coasts, king crab with fermented pepper, and an elegant take on a Croque Madame, gussied up with Kaluga Queen caviar and Iberico ham on brioche, smothered in béchamel.
Golden Hill
Within just months of opening, Kingfisher had already garnered a coveted spot in Michelin’s California Guide. The gorgeously appointed dining room has an Art Deco vibe, with vivid shades of teal and seafoam, gilded accents, cozy banquettes lining the wall, and a massive center bar. Chef David Sim’s menu combines Vietnamese fine dining with French, SoCal, and Filipino flair. This includes a silky Duck Paté with herbs, chili oil, house pickles, and kumquat preserve; Wild Mushroom Congee that mingles morels, crispy garlic, garlic chives, cilantro, egg yolk, and house spicy “sim”bal sauce; and Baja Striped Seabass glazed with caramelized fish sauce, mustard greens, green onion, crispy shallots, and Meyer lemon buttered rice garnished with toasted shrimp. The Smoked Dry Aged Duck—a crispy leg confit, duck xo sauce, rice noodles, lettuce wraps, and nuoc mam chimichurri—has developed a bit of a fan following and is limited to eight portions per day, so get there early if you have your heart set on it. The co*cktail program follows suit with inventive twists on spirit-forward classics and fruity tropical refreshers, including a killer Singapore Sling.
Bankers Hill
Kinme Omakase is an immersive Japanese dining experience and true passion project from Shihomi Borillo and executive chef Nao Ichimura of Azuki Sushi. Drawing from the Kasieki sequence to create a multi-course experience that changes seasonally and highlights subtleties in technique and preparation. The tasting menu focuses close attention to detail to execute a course-by-course cultural experience. Sushi chef Ichimura meticulously prepares the day’s catch from hand-selected fish, while chef de cuisine Kevin Alvarado showcases his classic French training and knowledge of San Diego’s bounty of produce to express seasonal flavors. To accompany the cuisine, choose from Kinme’s a fine selection of vintage burgundy wines, exclusively allocated sakes, and a highly curated selection of Japanese whiskeys. With just ten seats, guests dine at a central counter, allowing for an immersive experience as they watch the chefs create each dish. Kinme is open Wednesday through Sunday, with two seatings per night, at 5:30 pm and 8 pm. Reservations are released at the beginning of each month.
North Park
Award-winning Mabel’s Gone Fishing gives you Spanish gintoneria and wine bar vibes without the expensive trip to Barcelona. From the creators of Secret Sister and The Rose Wine Bar, the mostly gin-based co*cktail menu usually carries a trio of gin and tonics, vermouth and sherry on draft, and a couple of beer selections, while a curated wine list draws exclusively from Spain, Portugal and California vineyards. Seafood dominates the menu with chilled oysters and raw appetizers, house smoked fish on sourdough, mussels escabeche, clam toast, and gambas al ajillo, plus a few entrees that change frequently depending on what’s fresh that day. You’ll be tempted to order one of everything, but do save room for the Basque cheesecake.
La Jolla
Eric and Alan Adler, along with their cousin Isi Lombrozo, began their taco empire in La Jolla with the first Puesto location, and are now making their mark in the beachy suburb with Marisi, tucked into the spot that formerly housed Whisknladle. Led by executive chef Cameron Ingle and beverage director Beau du Bois, Marisi’s menu represents the best of Italian hearth cooking, like handmade pasta and woodfired dishes—think mouth-watering carpaccio; seasonal agnolotti; tender short rib ragu; whole roasted branzino dressed in pesto verde and herbs; and a 40oz Snake River Farms porterhouse. Start your meal with du Bois’ Marisi G&T, a fresh take that includes white port, or choose an aperitif from one of more than 30 vermouths.
Bankers Hill
There’s a reason Mr. A’s perennially on “best of” lists—best view, best date, best special occasion, most romantic—it checks all the boxes for a memorable night out. The view, of course, is the first thing you’ll notice; it’s especially breathtaking from the 18-seat sunken bar and 72-seat indoor-outdoor lounge, where watching the jets fly over the cityscape never gets old. Chef de Cuisine Stephane Voitzwinkler deftly blends American, French and Alsatian influences into classic dishes; think rosy pink duck breast with huckleberry gastrique, or modern takes on local swordfish and Georges Bank scallops. Make reservations well in advance, especially if you want a window seat, and yes, they do have a dress code.
Little Italy
A bucket list destination for the brunch and Instagram crowd, Morning Glory’s menu more than lives up to the visual theatrics of its insane decor. The poofy souffle pancakes and instantly classic Morning Glory ginger fried rice are must-tries, along with items like breakfast dim sum (served until noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only) and breakfast carbonara, a tangle of al dente bucatini topped with crispy pork belly, a soft poached egg, and a drizzle of Calabrian chili oil. For special occasions, Family Affair entrees like The Born + Raised Wet-Aged Steak & Eggs Experience, a 45-day aged, two-pound porterhouse with eggs, hash browns, and truffles, serves two to three people. Of course, no self-respecting bruncher skimps on the liquid libations—we suggest the Socialist Republic of Coffee co*cktail, a boozy riff on Vietnamese coffee (if you want to wake up) or the Morning Wood Old Fashioned (if you need a little hair of the dog).
North Park
Tucked into a dark catacomb deep in Consortium Holding’s award-winning La Fayette Hotel, Quixote is a moody, mysterious Oaxacan dining venue illuminated by dozens of candles reflecting off stained glass windows. Creative craft co*cktails feature mezcal and Mexican distillates, while heirloom grains, beans, masa and artisanal moles are the focal point of the dining experience. Dive into a Crab Corn Doughnut, contrasting cool lump blue crab meat atop a warm savory doughnut, a saline hit of caviar and emulsified burnt chili, or Memelitas, succulent duck carnitas on masa cakes, in a pool of black mole. A trio of larger plates include whole grilled seasonal fish or braised lamb belly smothered in mole chichilo, a lesser known Oaxacan mole, flavored with robust beef stock and often thickened with crushed tortillas
University Heights
The Friendly has long been an industry favorite for its good vibes and signature Dirty Flat Top burger. Order a slice to munch on while you watch your burgers get squashed into two thin patties with crispy edges and juicy pink middles, layered melted American cheese, softly caramelized onions, and a swipe of garlic aioli in a buttered, griddled, squishy white bun. It may not be Instagram-pretty, but combined with an ice cold beer it hits just right. By the way, don’t bother asking for fries, ketchup, pickles, or additional accouterments—you can find those at one of their other three spots in North Park, Kearny Mesa and Pacific Beach. Check their Instagram for popular random, location-specific specials.
Hillcrest
Chef Brad Wise’s stylish neighborhood hangout, the flagship of Trust Restaurant Group, has a loyal local following for his wood fired cookery combined with bold and inspired seasoning. The menu is divided into categories: Farm, Ocean, Ranch, and More (a trio of larger entrees). Chef Wise’s deft touch with San Diego’s prized seafood is evident in dishes like Pan Seared Halibut with caviar beurre blanc, white asparagus, spring peas or Crab Fried Rice, a mélange of wood roasted lobster, lemongrass emulsion, thai chili, basil and lime. Trust’s wildly popular weekend brunch even has its own menu star: the ultimate cinnamon roll has a cult following and is in limited supply, so it sells out quickly.
Oceanside
After impressing Valle de Guadalupe diners with his noteworthy Malva Cocina de Baja California restaurant over the years, chef Roberto Alcocer has received his first Michelin star at Valle, a lush restaurant in Oceanside boasting stellar views of the Pacific Ocean. The four- or eight-course, prix fixe menus feature California-sourced ingredients, with flavors that are sealed over an open wood fire and offered alongside an optional wine pairing. For the ultimate experience, book the chef’s table inside the kitchen that seats one to six guests, where you’ll be dazzled by an eight-twelve course tasting menu and a guided upscale wine pairing using the highest quality seasonal ingredients from the region in each course. A full bar serves craft agave co*cktails.
Mary Beth Abate is a San Diego-based freelance writer.
