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For authentic Italian cuisine, head to the “Good Fork” where you'll feel like you've stepped into the home of your long-lost Italian relatives, no matter where you’re from. Nearly every dish—Neapolitan-style pies, eggplant Parmesan, lasagna Bolognese, vegetarian ravioli—is made from scratch, with many of the ingredients imported from Italy; even the star of the show, “Isabella,” their golden-domed pizza oven, was handmade in Naples. The pizzas are your go-to though, with their blistered crust, fresh toppings, and artisan-cooking techniques that make them perfect to fold, bite, and eat.
250 N. Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas, California, 92024, USA
Known For
- Neapolitan-style pizza
- Homemade Italian desserts
- Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free options
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In 1984, “Mom” (aka Anita Nichols) opened her first pie shop in the old Julian Café building. People lined the streets for a slice of the guilty pleasure, known for its buttery crust, not-too-sweet filling with local apples, and commitment to quality. Two bakeries later—plus training at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute—the integrity of Mom’s pies remains the same. And although apple is the moneymaker, you can’t go wrong with peach, bumbleberry, or pecan pies, or other sweet treats like chocolate chip cookies and apple dumplings. For something savory, there are soups, salads, sandwiches, and chicken potpies. When the wait is too long at the Main Street location, head five minutes outside of town to Mom's Wynola on Highway 78, or better yet, call in your order and they will ship a pie right to your door.
2119 Main St., Julian, California, 92036, USA
Known For
- Pressed apple cider
- Cinnamon ice cream
- Baking classes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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For four generations, recipes have been handed down the line of this Sicilian family who opened their first restaurant in 1920. From Milwaukee to Julian, they set down roots in the quaint pie capital in 1982 and never looked back, creating this casual, red-checked-tablecloth kind of place, where you can dine outside in good weather. The menu is consistently on-point with Sicilian classics like spiedini—stuffed slices of rolled beef on skewers—calzones that are big enough to share, pizzas, and pasta dishes. All sauces, dressings, ravioli, breads, and desserts are made from scratch. There's a small bar (serving beer and wine only) that's popular with locals.
2718 B St., Julian, California, 92036, USA
Known For
- Thin-crust pizza
- Cozy setting
- Old-school Italian cooking
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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 honey-sriracha quail knots, hemp seed pretzels, and the plant-based Impossible Burger; save room for a real beer float. The company store offers signature items; check their website for weekly events.
1999 Citracado Pkwy., Escondido, California, 92029, USA
Known For
- Real beer floats
- Brewery tours offered twice daily at 2 and 4 pm.
- Farm-to-table bistro food
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Every morning at 3 am, chefs are hard at work in this scratch, stone-hearth kitchen where nearly everything is produced in-house, including the sauces, dressings, and breads baked with a sourdough starter dating back 120 years. Handcrafted sandwiches range from steak-mushroom melts with smoked blue cheese to turkey with aged Brie and balsamic compote, and the pizzas are large enough to share, though most people find themselves walking out with a to-go box—especially if they start with “Mother’s Meatballs,” made with Kobe beef, bubbling in a cast-iron skillet. If you didn’t save room for dessert, take a leisurely stroll around Old Town and come back for the bread pudding, a treat that lures people time and again.
41923 2nd St., Temecula, California, 92590, USA
Known For
- Stone-hearth kitchen
- House sangria
- Sourdough pretzels
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No breakfast
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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It's lively, it's casual, and it's the coolest spot to share tapas with a date over a glass of wine. This Leucadia-based bistro turns heads with its black-and-white decor, as does the Spanish-meets-Mediterranean menu inspired by the owners’ travels. Start off with oysters and bite-size cubes of patatas bravas (spicy potatoes), and keep the plates coming with the authentic jamon ibérico, seared artichokes, and shrimp bathed in chili oil. Don't be afraid to eat with your hands and sweep dishes clean with their house-made bread.
810 N Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas, California, 92024, USA
Known For
- Tapas menu great for sharing
- Ideal date spot
- Weekend brunch 11–2:30
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A diner dating back to 1928 is both a local hangout and the headquarters of the historic Highway 101 movement. Find all kinds of Highway 101 memorabilia here along with old-school ambience, prompt service, and great prices. The bountiful breakfast menu (served all day) lists omelets, eggs any way you want, buttermilk pancakes, and French toast. On offer at lunchtime are burgers, sandwiches, and chili fries. The thick milkshakes and root-beer floats will take you back in time.
631 S. Coast Hwy., Oceanside, California, 92049, USA
Known For
- Headquarters of the historic Highway 101 movement
- All-day breakfast
- Thick milkshakes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner, Reservations not accepted
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Directly across from Oceanside Pier, Oceanside’s most upscale restaurant specializes in seafood dishes and upscale comfort food in an elegant, art-deco setting; it’s worth visiting for the ocean views and appetizers and sides like charred Brussels sprouts and lamb lollipops. If you're thirsty, start with a drink from the menu of more than 120 vodkas that make up exotic cocktails like the Spicy Pineapple, Pear Blossom, and Cali Mango. Sweet tooths should save room for the New York cheesecake with bourbon cherry glaze.
It's best to make a reservation since this place can get busy, especially during weekly promotions and happy hour.
333 N. Pacific St., Oceanside, California, USA
Known For
- Martinis
- Weekly dinner specials
- Ocean views
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No lunch Mon.–Thurs.
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This bakery tucked down a narrow alley proves there’s no such thing as too many pie shops in Julian. After mastering the apple-to-crust ratio, they took on lunch specials by offering a soup–sandwich–pie combo for $13. Wraps, salads, and other wholesome goodies are also available. Apple crumb is the biggest seller, but few can pass up their lemon tarts, molasses cookies, and berry strudels.
2122 Main St., Julian, California, 92036, USA
Known For
- Apple pie
- Lunch specials
- Gluten-free and vegan options
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Void of GMOs, colorings, preservatives, or enhancers, this family-owned business taps into locally sourced ingredients to offer great food at a remarkable price. Located on the edge of Old Town Temecula, it's as simple as point, grab, and go with an online kitchen firing up bowls, burgers, sandwiches, and entrées like grass-fed tri-tip, free-range chicken, and sustainable salmon. The Thai-chicken curry bowl comes with coconut, lemongrass, and chilies, while the En Fuego Burger is piled high with double-smoked bacon, organic avocado, and jalapeno aioli. There’s plenty of gluten-free and vegan options, as well as family packs, perfect for four. The understated chocolate chip cookie might be the best you’ve ever had.
40665 Winchester Rd., Temecula, California, 92591, USA
Known For
- Antibiotic-free meat
- Food is made slow and served fast
- Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free dishes
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With its flowering trellises and vineyard views, the spacious patio at Thornton Winery's café is the perfect place to lunch on a sunny day. The kitchen, which faces the French country–style dining room, turns out lobster ravioli, margarita flatbread, sandwiches, and other hearty fare. The reasonably priced wines include the winery's signature sparklers.
32575 Rancho California Rd., Temecula, California, 92589, USA
Known For
- Bacon cheeseburger
- Sunday brunch
- Live music weekends April–Sept
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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This local watering hole seems to collect characters ranging from hippies to mountain men and is the place to go any night of the week. A large, dimly lighted room houses the bar and dining tables, and the menu lists pasta and pizza in addition to old-fashioned entrées such as liver and onions, ribs and steaks, and a mixed grill. Dinners come with soup or salad, and mashed potatoes and vegetables. There's live music Friday and Saturday at 8 pm.
660 Palm Canyon Dr., Borrego Springs, California, 92004, USA
Known For
- Classic entrées
- Long-standing roadhouse
- Extensive menu
- Good buffalo wings, burgers, and ribs
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Before dawn, owner and chef Narciso Dorado preps all of Carmelita's meat, sauces, and sides to create the generous portions served at this friendly family-run eatery tucked into a back corner of what is called "The Mall." Carmelita's draws locals and visitors all day whether it's for a hearty breakfast, a cooked-to-order enchilada or burrito, or a brew at the bar. If you're still hungry, they'll serve you plenty of chips and salsa. It's the best place to escape the heat with a margarita on the rocks.
575 Palm Canyon Dr., Borrego Springs, California, 92004, USA
Known For
- Reasonably priced menu
- Large portions
- Festive cantina
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Breakfast foodies religiously line up for a table at this cheerful A-frame restaurant for the chance to dig into wholesome food made from scratch like organic quinoa Benedict, multigrain pancakes, and French toast stuffed with fresh ricotta. Built from reclaimed wood and salvaged bricks, the eatery has a green roof, solar panels, and is insulated with recycled denim—all of which helped it earn platinum LEED status. Breakfast is served all day, but you can opt for sandwiches, salads, and burgers for lunch. You also can’t go wrong with the Thai steak salad made with grass-fed Angus or the cucumber and avocado sandwich with a side of homemade potato chips. The attached grab-and-go bakery opens at 7 am for train commuters. There is even a doggie menu for patio-side pooches.
246 N. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach, California, 92075, USA
Known For
- Scratch kitchen
- California-style comfort food
- Generous portions
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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The parking lot in front of D'Carlos is always full, a sure sign that Ramonans like this casual family-style dinner house. The menu offers something for everyone: burgers, sandwiches, salads, steaks, barbecue, seafood, and pasta. Old-time favorites include chicken-fried steak and homemade meat loaf. Monday is all-day happy hour and daily drink specials feature up to 50% off cocktails. The place can feel chaotic, but friendly waitresses are surprisingly efficient. There's also patio dining in good weather.
1347 Main St., Ramona, California, 92065, USA
Known For
- Daily drink specials
- Homemade meat loaf
- Good variety
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The line out the door—especially during happy hour—is a clear sign you’re at the best place in North County to find locally sourced, sustainably caught fish at a great price. Owned by surfers-divers-fishermen, John Park and Ray Lowe, the vibe is SoCal at its best, with a chill staff serving fresh-shucked oysters, thick clam chowder, and fish sandwiches grilled to perfection; a chalkboard menu displays the day’s catch and what’s been shucked on ice. Fish plates like mahimahi with flash-fried Brussels sprouts and Baja fish tacos with killer salsas are great options. They've got wine on tap, their own micro brew, and a second location in Cardiff. Don’t be surprised to see pro surfers and skateboarders enjoying a cold one: Fish 101 sponsors some of the biggest names in action sports.
1468 N. Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas, California, 92024, USA
Known For
- SoCal vibe with amazing fish tacos
- Fresh and healthy seafood
- Seasonal, sustainable ingredients
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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Fast-casual takes a healthy spin at this cheery spot—think Technicolor peace sign, floral wallpaper in the bathroom, and power-boosting juices. The menu evokes the same colorful vibe with bowls like the Mother Earth (ancient grains and sweet potato) or the glow bowl (sweet potato noodles, bok choy, shiitake mushroom, and coconut milk); soups; mix-and-match sides; wraps; and salads mixed with fresh ingredients like organic kale, ginger miso vinaigrette, and proteins that include sustainable salmon, grass-fed steak, and organic, non-GMO tofu.
2690 Via De La Valle, Del Mar, California, 92014, USA
Known For
- Kid-friendly ambience
- House-made lemonades
- Mix-and-match healthy sides
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This meat-focused eatery fills bellies with farm-to-table artisanal cuisine like bacon mac and cheese, and a 12-ounce pork chop served over house grits. Add a sunny-side-up farm egg to your burger, chop, shank, or house-made pasta, and if you’re into sauces, the chef is on point with lick-your-plate gravies with garlic, onions, and herbs. Burgers and sandwiches come with hot truffle fries served in a brown paper bag, stylistically in line with the quirky-rustic decor made from repurposed materials. The Flying Pig is a member of the Slow Food movement, meaning food is fresh, not fast.
509 Mission Ave., Oceanside, California, 92054, USA
Known For
- Elevated comfort food with craft beers on tap
- House-made pasta, bread, and bacon
- Natural prime-grade steaks seared in a cast-iron skillet
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Pick up a basket of fresh-cooked fish-and-chips at this dive and you're in for a treat. The shop has been serving clam chowder, shrimp cocktail, and fish sandwiches since 1969. Trophies and photos of big catch are on display. Outdoor tables offer terrific views of the Oceanside Marina. Early risers and late-night diners should look elsewhere since this spot opens at 11 am closes at 7 pm.
276 S. Harbor Dr., Oceanside, California, 92054, USA
Known For
- Crunchy, battered fish tacos piled high with coleslaw and secret sauce
- Great prices
- Affordable daily specials
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Overlooking the water in Oceanside, this beachside restaurant serves oysters, clam chowder, fish tacos, and several fresh catch options, which can be enjoyed from their rooftop lounge.
211 Mission Ave., Oceanside, California, 92054, USA
Known For
- Classic Baja SoCal food like margaritas and fish tacos
- Rooftop deck
- Taco Tuesday 3–9 pm
