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$$ | Point Loma |
A wall of mason jars with pickled vegetables and brined olives transports you to an Italian market in Rome where the owner’s mother perfected generations of recipes that have made their way into this Point Loma eatery. Since its 2019 opening, customers have lined up for generous portions of homemade Italian staples including pasta, gnocchi, meatballs, sausage, bread, and decadent desserts. Choose your pasta shape, sauce, and topping, or simply lean on the advice of the knowledgeable waitstaff. The tagliere cutting board is piled high with prosciutto, burrata, green olives, artichoke hearts, and marinated vegetables beckoning a dunk of focaccia with every bite, while the risotto and tagliata are cooked to perfection and the spaghetti with mussels and clams will have you reenacting Lady and the Tramp. For the finale, get your camera ready for the table-side tiramisu drenched in espresso and topped with mascarpone fresco. The outdoor patio is inviting year-round, even in winter when heat lamps, wool blankets, and sheepskin rugs keep things cozy.
4161 Voltaire St., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Nearly everything made from scratch
- Authentic Italian cuisine
- Excellent vegan options
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$ | Ocean Beach |
Surfers with big appetites, and fans of Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, chow down on huge, messy burgers, fries, onion rings, and shakes at this funky, hippie beach joint adorned with beat-up surfboards, stickers, and license plates from almost every state. Don’t be put off by lines out the door---they move quickly and the wait is worth it, especially for the Guido Burger; inspired by Guy Fieri, it's topped with pastrami, onions, pickles, and Swiss cheese. Wash it down with one of their own microbrews including a hazy IPA and a Mexican lager. A miniburger is a less-filling option, and there are veggie and chicken patty options for the red-meat averse. Newer outposts—as family-friendly as the original '60s joint—are Downtown and at Petco Park.
5010 Newport Ave., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Legendary bacon cheeseburgers and thick-cut onion rings
- Surf-shack vibe
- A little sass with your burger
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$ | Point Loma | Eclectic
This bustling market and food hall is just one of the latest additions to an ever-expanding Liberty Station, the historic mixed-use redevelopment of San Diego's former Naval Training Center. Vendors offer everything from lobster rolls to empanadas, gumbo, or tostadas, making it an excellent place to pop in for a quick but high-quality meal.
2820 Historic Decatur Rd., San Diego, California, 92106, USA
Known For
- Popular food stalls
- Fast, good food
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$ | Liberty Station |
The city's former Naval Training Center is home to more than 30 vendors so even the pickiest of diners will be pleased. Options include tacos and quesadillas at Cecilia's Taqueria; fried rice, pad Thai, and curries at Mama Made Thai; lavender lattes from Westbean Coffee Roasters; fried chicken and fries from Fluster Cluck; sweet and savory crepes from Olala; more than a dozen Argentinean empanadas at Paraná; and croissants, éclairs, and macarons at Le Parfait Paris. There are a few communal tables indoors, but the best seating is the kid- and dog-friendly outdoor patio, outfitted with Adirondack chairs and market lights. Not all vendors are open for breakfast.
2820 Historic Decatur Rd., San Diego, California, 92106, USA
Known For
- Cuisines from around the world
- Lively kid- and dog-friendly patio
- The best regional foods under one roof
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$$ | Ocean Beach |
Amid surf shacks and hippie beach bars, this restaurant perched on stunning Sunset Cliffs feels like a hidden European bistro. The sisters who run the show come from a long line of successful local restaurateurs and have brought their passed-down expertise to the thoughtful service and simple, healthy menu that features entrées like plant-based tacos, quinoa bowls, and the Bistro Burger with Hatch Chile cheddar on a brioche bun. The morning menu features chia seed puddings and baked eggs, which are a welcome contrast to the typical indulgent brunch fare.
1424 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Eggs Benedict
- Cozy bistro setting
- Chocolate hazelnut scone
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. No dinner
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | Ocean Beach |
Inspired by the grass-fed burgers they sampled in New Zealand, the founders of this convivial eatery set out to replicate those same high-quality flavors in their Ocean Beach spot. The interior nods to the outdoor-oriented Kiwi country, with surfboards turned into light fixtures, rugby photos, and bodyboards as wall art. An outdoor "parklet" wrapping the corner lot draws a crowd, clinging to the laid-back atmosphere and chill staff that will know you by name before the meal is over. Food focuses on burgers with organic, grass-fed beef, as well as chicken, lamb, and seafood options dressed in garlic aioli and tomato chutney, along with huge portions of onions rings and fries. The meat pies have a croissant-like crust, and there are also salads for those seeking greens. The weekend brunch menu delivers chilaquiles, steak and tamale Benedict, and cheesy grits. With 24 beers on tap, this OB mainstay was one of the first local businesses to pioneer the craft beer movement.
1851 Bacon St., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Grass-fed beef burgers
- Exceptional handmade cocktails and great daily specials
- Great local craft beer
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$$ | Ocean Beach |
Enthusiasts from around the world laud this combined wine shop, bar, and cozy California bistro. Available from lunch until 10 pm, the American bistro fare starts with baked Brie or chicken-liver mousse, moves on to savory short-rib sliders and seafood risotto, and ends with flourless chocolate marquise or goat’s milk cheesecake.
2265 Bacon St., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- More than 1,000 bottles of wine
- Consistently top-notch
- Knowledgeable staff who can offer bottle recommendations
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$ | Ocean Beach |
For a taste of Cuba in San Diego, head to this Ocean Beach bakery where owner Vivian Hernandez Jackson combines her Cuban heritage, Miami childhood, and London culinary training in breakfast and lunch offerings. Morning specialties like raspberry scones with passion fruit icing, a traditional guava-and-cheese puff pastry, and ham-and-Manchego quiche can be savored with café con leche, a sweet Cuban espresso with hot milk. For lunch, try the Cubano slow-roasted pork sandwich with plantain chips, followed by a classic flan or the mango cheesecake. The salsa music and photos of Cuban street life will transport you to the colorful country.
4820 Newport Ave., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Tangy, citrus-centric desserts
- Traditional Cuban pastries
- A quick bite before shopping or hitting the beach
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$$ | Shelter Island |
For more than 50 years, generations of San Diegans and visitors have enjoyed this Polynesian-theme icon with its stunning bay and city skyline views. The menu is a fusion of Hawaiian and Asian cuisines with standouts like the crispy ahi tuna, wok-fried bass, and pan-seared scallops with macadamia nut butter.
2230 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego, California, 92106, USA
Known For
- Potent Bali Hai mai tais
- Sunday brunch buffet with a DIY sundae bar
- Happy hours Monday–Thursday 3–5
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch Sun.
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$ | Ocean Beach |
Portions and prices are on point at this OB seafood hole-in-the-wall where dining is a three-step process—choose your fish, pick your marinade, and decide how you want it prepared (sandwich, plate, salad, taco, or à la carte). There’s an on-site market serving wild, organic, and local seafood ranging from snapper and calamari to shrimp and scallops, and all the soups are from scratch including the New England clam chowder served in a bread bowl. The chilled seafood cocktail is refreshing on a hot summer day, especially when paired with local craft beer. For greasy comfort food, try their tuna melt, fish-and-chips, or beer-battered tacos.
5083 Santa Monica Ave., San Diego, California, USA
Known For
- Fish served five ways
- Locally sourced seafood
- Beer-battered fish tacos
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$$ | Ocean Beach | French
Ocean Beach is a slightly eccentric beach town, not a place diners would expect to find this warm, romantic bistro that evokes a French farmhouse. The satisfying French-inspired menu of soups, woodstone-oven flatbreads, mussels, and other bistro classics is served in cozy dining rooms and a rustic outdoor patio. Go traditional with boeuf bourguignonne or chicken fricassee or spice it up with a flatbread topped with goat cheese, roasted beets, and curry onion jam.
4996 W. Point Loma Blvd., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Popular crispy Brussels sprouts with pancetta
- Tuesday date night special
- Happy hour
- Featured on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch
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$ | Ocean Beach |
Creeping toward 20 locations, this breakfast chain is spreading like wildfire thanks to the owner, Johan Engman’s obsession with the first meal for the day. Served out of an Airstream kitchen, hot breakfast plates hit your table within 20 minutes and nearly every dish puts a spin on a standard like the tres leches vegan pancakes, the gouda shrimp and grits, and the breakfast burrito with Jurassic pork. No one leaves hungry, or unhappy for that matter, especially with drinks like the lychee mimosa and the house-made bloody Marys. The warehouse-style decor and dog-friendly patio meld perfectly with the Ocean Beach vibe.
4839 Newport Ave., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- Fluffy pancakes
- Unique coffee creations and morning cocktails
- Both classic and innovative breakfast dishes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$$$ | Harbor Island |
Swathed in murals, intricate light fixtures, breezy outdoor seating, and a cushy interior, this massive waterfront destination has one of the best skyline views in the city, making it a top spot for Mexican craft cocktails and bayfront dining. The menu veers toward modern Mexican with starters like tableside guacamole, tuna tostadas, and crispy calamari; be sure to try their organic margaritas or various agave-based libations. For something more substantial, go for Chef Deborah Scott's fish-and-chips or chicken enchiladas. The menu is somewhat pricey but worth every penny to dine on top of the water with an unobstructed view of downtown.
880 Harbor Island Dr., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Extraordinary skyline views
- Happy hour appetizers
- Crispy ahi tuna tostadas
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$ | Liberty Station |
The scent of fresh-baked bread whets the appetite of customers at this Liberty Station bakery and café seeking rustic scones or raisin brioche cinnamon rolls for breakfast, or one of the hearty lunch sandwiches like almost-grilled cheese with melted Brie and Gorgonzola on warm rosemary--olive oil bread. All can be enjoyed inside or on the sunny patio with hot or cold drinks including the house-made lemonade. The bakery turns out 21 different loaves; among them are the popular Pt. Loma sourdough, Gruyère and chive, and the Pane Cioccolata with Belgium and Swiss chocolate (only available weekends). Box lunches with a sandwich, chips, and cookie, perfect for picnics or other outings, are $14 to $19 each.
2750 Dewey Rd., San Diego, California, 92106, USA
Known For
- Fluffy raisin brioche cinnamon rolls
- Sandwiches served in half portions
- Box lunches to go
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed.
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$$$ | Shelter Island |
Step inside this restaurant, part of a tropic-style hotel complex and concert venue on Shelter Island, and discover a dining room that’s contemporary in look and outlook with amazing vistas of bobbing sailboats, seabirds, and sunsets. Hotel guests, concertgoers, yachties, and a few locals enjoy the contemporary menu featuring classic American fare like crab cakes, lobster mac and cheese, and skirt steak (regulars request the macadamia-crusted halibut). Sunday brunch from 10 to 2 draws a crowd. After sharing an in-house dessert, stop by the bar next door to work off the calories dancing to live music.
Reservations are needed during concert nights; check the website for schedule.
2241 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego, California, 92106, USA
Known For
- Unique concert venue setting
- Macadamia-crusted halibut
- Bay-side views
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$$$$ | Harbor Island |
Two restaurants in one share this enviable spot on the shore of Harbor Island: the splurge-worthy Island Prime steak house and the relaxed C Level with a choice terrace. Both venues tempt with unrivaled views of Downtown San Diego's skyline. Island Prime's surf-and-turf dinner menu offers a trio of fillets topped with blue cheese, wild mushrooms, and Alaskan king crab. At C Level, sharable plates are often Asian fusion-inspired, like the ahi stack with mango salsa and taro chips, or comfort food like lobster and fontina BLT. Of the nearly dozen desserts, don't miss the potted brownie banana split: homemade peanut butter ice cream over a warm brownie with dulce de leche, fudge, and brûléed bananas.
880 Harbor Island Dr., San Diego, California, 92101, USA
Known For
- Sunset views
- Popovers served with jalapeño jelly butter
- Waterfront dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch at Island Prime
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$$ | Point Loma |
Tucked bay-side between Harbor and Shelter islands, Jimmy's (JFAT for short) draws hungry boaters and sea lovers with its marina views and elevated backyard-barbecue faves like the Cowboy burger with crispy onion rings and pecanwood bacon. The interior blends varnished wood with industrial-chic I beams and garage-style doors, plus there's a patio facing the water. Happy Hour 3–6 draws a crowd for $9 cocktails and $12 burgers. Bottles of the company’s zesty chipotle ketchup now can be purchased to take home.
4990 N. Harbor Dr., San Diego, California, 92106, USA
Known For
- Bloody Marys during weekend brunch
- Seven types of burgers
- Happy hour specials ($9 cocktails and $12 burgers)
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$$ | Shelter Island |
This outcrop of the Brigantine chain brings a modern vibe to Shelter Island with a beer-friendly menu as impressive as the harbor view. For a true San Diego dining experience, try the California tuna bowls, surf n’ turf fondue, or chili-glazed salmon with kale hash. There are plenty of gluten-free and vegan dishes to boot, including seafood salad, steamed clams, and crispy buffalo cauliflower. Weekend brunch (10–3) and daily Happy Hour (3–6), pack the house. For grab n’ go, swing by the walk-up window offering the same menu.
2614 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego, California, 92106, USA
Known For
- Outdoor patio overlooking the harbor
- Fried calamari
- Heaping surf n' turf
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$ | Ocean Beach |
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. On Friday and Saturday, this hole-in-the-wall cures late-night munchies with carne asada fries and a 2:30 am last call.
5060 Newport Ave., San Diego, California, 92107, USA
Known For
- No-skimp burritos
- Battered fish tacos
- Carne asada fries
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$ | Point Loma |
Three local families—with a fishing history—joined nets in 2008 to provide the best catch in Point Loma; a chalkboard 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.
1403 Scott St., San Diego, California, 92106, USA
Known For
- Big fish sandwiches
- Seafood combo with chips
- Great seafood without the fine dining price
