Minimalist dining room serving authentic Isaan Thai cooking, from duck curry noodles to Hat Yai fried chicken. Locally sourced ingredients are used in dishes that the kitchen will not modify.
Bustling taqueria serving Tijuana-style street tacos on handmade corn tortillas. Spicy adobada pork is shaved from a vertical spit; expect separate, fast-moving lines for each type of meat.
Lively seafood hall in a former warehouse, centered on a massive raw bar shucking fresh oysters. The quirky, nautical-themed room buzzes with energy; expect a wait even with a reservation.
Opulent steakhouse channeling mid-century glamour with its camel leather booths and book-matched walnut ceilings. A rooftop garden offers sweeping city views; a cocktail cart prepares classic drinks tableside.
Japanese noodle house serving up craft beer and cocktails. Expect a trendy crowd slurping ramen and eating buns in the neon light of this recently remodeled bar.
Lively gin bar serving Spanish and Portuguese seafood tapas in a nautical-themed room. Sidewalk tables are set up Parisian-style – chairs face the street for prime people-watching.
Neapolitan-run restaurant serving wood-fired pizzas and house-made pastas like lamb ragù. Its bright, leafy dining room centers on a white and blue tiled bar pouring classic Aperol Spritzes.
Elevated steak and Asian fusion cuisine set in a chic, contemporary setting in San Diego's Embarcadero Marina.
Italian restaurant on the piazza where pasta is tossed tableside in hollowed-out cheese wheels. Its patios spill onto the square, offering prime people-watching over Aperol spritzes.
Simple strip mall restaurant serving fiery Sichuan dishes loaded with numbing peppercorns. Enormous, family-style portions quickly fill the table.
Compact, fast-casual Taiwanese spot in the Convoy District running a steady counter service. The open kitchen turns out massive bowls of spicy beef noodle soup, popcorn chicken, and crispy scallion beef rolls.
Family-owned seafood spot where the dining room is built around a premier fish market. A restored 1930s fish case displays the day's catch, which dictates the seasonal coastal menu.
Bustling Clairemont Mesa izakaya frying up thick, panko-breaded pork cutlets and rich katsu curry. The cozy dining room and dog-friendly patio run steady with shared plates of beef tataki, cold beer, and rotating sake.
Coastal Italian restaurant on the third floor, firing pizzas in a wood oven and making all its pasta by hand. Patio tables have unobstructed views over the Pacific – book one for sunset.
Counter-service eatery and fresh fish market operating out of a Sorrento Valley corporate park. Separate lines manage the daily rush for heavy bowls of traditional Hawaiian poke and hot plates eaten on the courtyard lawn.
Plush dining room set inside a resort, marked by marble columns and inlaid floors. Multi-course tasting menu draws on Japanese, French, and Mexican techniques, with each plate landing in tightly choreographed sequence.
Waterfront fish counter serving poke bowls, grilled tacos, and seafood burritos packed with the day’s catch. Indoor tables and a patio face the harbor, with orders called out as plates hit the pass.
Intimate Mission Hills wine bar serving European-style tapas spiked with New Mexican Hatch chiles. The warmly lit, 50-seat room pairs folk art and antler chandeliers with a steady evening rotation of shared plates and date-night dinners.
Inventive sushi spot with a lively, club-like vibe and a large aquarium glowing at its center. The menu skips overfished species like bluefin, focusing instead on thirty-plus creative rolls and a deep sake list.
Hot pink taco shop where wrestling masks hang from the ceiling and a single gold booth is reserved for champions. The menu’s main event is the Surf & Turf burrito, supported by a salsa bar with nearly a dozen house-made options.
Waterfront Mexican restaurant defined by its panoramic views of the downtown skyline and bay. The massive outdoor deck is the main draw; tableside guacamole and agave-focused cocktails complete the scene.
