San Diego’s Best Restaurants 2024: Readers’ Choice

New Restaurant

Lilian’s
858.221.7000, liliansrsf.com
Steak 48
619.901.0048, steak48.com
Cocina de Barrio
760.704.8625, eatcocinadebarrio.com

San Diego Tradition

Poseidon Restaurant
858.755.9345, poseidonrestaurant.com
The Godfather
858.560.1747, godfatherrestaurant.com
Water Grill San Diego
619.717.6992, watergrill.com

Special Occasion

Addison
858.314.1900, addisondelmar.com
The Marine Room
858.459.7222, marineroom.com
A.R. Valentien
858.777.6635, lodgetorreypines.com/ar-valentien

Date Night Spot

Lilian’s
858.221.7000, liliansrsf.com
Steak 48
619.901.0048, steak48.com
A.R. Valentien
858.777.6635, lodgetorreypines.com/ar-valentien

Ambience

Marisi La Jolla
858.401.6787, marisilajolla.com
Adelaide Restaurant
858.793.6467, laubergedelmar.com
Cucina Enoteca Del Mar
858.704.4500, urbankitchengroup.com

Place to Take Out-of-Town Guests

Mister A’s
619.239.1377, asrestaurant.com
George’s at the Cove
858.454.4244, georgesatthecove.com
The Brigantine
brigantine.com

Hotel Restaurant

Lilian’s
858.221.7000, liliansrsf.com
Nine-Ten Restaurant & Bar
858.964.5400, nine-ten.com
Vaga Restaurant & Bar
760.452.3484, vagarestaurant.com

Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, The Inn at Rancho
Santa Fe debuted a long-
awaited reimagination in November 2023, including a
new signature restaurant, Lilian’s, and cocktail lounge, Bing’s Bar. Named after The Inn’s original visionary female architect Lilian J.
Rice, the restaurant, under the direction of Chef Moira Hill, uses only the freshest, most sustainable ingredients from area farmers, ranchers, and fishermen (photographed here is the Kale Cavatelli: lamb sausage, arrabiata, house burrata, basil). — Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe debuted a long-awaited reimagination in November 2023, including a new signature restaurant, **Lilian’s**, and cocktail lounge, Bing’s Bar. Named after The Inn’s original visionary female architect Lilian J. Rice, the restaurant, under the direction of Chef Moira Hill, uses only the freshest, most sustainable ingredients from area farmers, ranchers, and fishermen (photographed here is the Kale Cavatelli: lamb sausage, arrabiata, house burrata, basil).

Restaurant Bar

Bing’s
858.221.8000, bingsbarrsf.com
The Pony Room
858.759.6246, ranchovalencia.com
Monarch Ocean Pub
858.925.6047, monarchdelmar.com

Culinary Innovation

Lionfish Modern Coastal Cuisine
619.738.7200, lionfishsd.com
Vaga Restaurant & Bar
760.452.3484, vagarestaurant.com
Avant Restaurant
888.281.7938, avantrestaurant.com

Steak

Steak 48
619.901.0048, steak48.com
Born and Raised
619.202.4577, bornandraisedsteak.com
Rare Society
858.771.0181, raresociety.com/solanabeach

Seafood

Poseidon Restaurant
858.755.9345, poseidonrestaurant.com
Oceana Coastal Kitchen
858.539.8635, catamaranresort.com
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, La Jolla
858.459.5500, eddiev.com

American Cuisine

Lilian’s
858.221.7000, liliansrsf.com
Nine-Ten Restaurant & Bar
858.964.5400, nine-ten.com
Sandpiper Wood Fired Grill & Oysters
858.228.5655, sandpipersd.com

French Cuisine

Bleu Bohème
619.255.4167, bleuboheme.com
Jeune et Jolie
760.637.5266, jeune-jolie.com
Mille Fleurs
858.756.3085, millefleurs.com

Italian Cuisine

Amalfi Cucina Italiana
amalficucinaitaliana.com
Cori Pastifico Trattoria
619.573.6159, coripasta.com
Rovino Restaurant + Bar
619.269.9341. rovinosd.com

Mediterranean Cuisine

Beeside Balcony
beesidebalcony.com
Mezé Greek Fusion
619.550.1600, gaslampmeze.com
Del Mar Seaside Grill
858.461.1010, delmarseasidegrill.com

With open-air locations in Del Mar and La Jolla, Beeside Balcony is the passion project of chef/owner Christophe Cevasco, whose Mediterranean-inspired menu blends elements of French, Italian, Spanish, and Greek cuisines. Dishes are made from scratch, incorporating seasonal ingredients from local producers. — With open-air locations in Del Mar and La Jolla, **Beeside Balcony** is the passion project of chef/owner Christophe Cevasco, whose Mediterranean-inspired menu blends elements of French, Italian, Spanish, and Greek cuisines. Dishes are made from scratch, incorporating seasonal ingredients from local producers.

Chinese Cuisine

Chin’s Szechwan
govisitchins.com
Fortunate Son
619.391.3766, fortunatesonchinese.com
KJ Chinese Restaurant
760.751.3100, harrahssocal.com

Indian Cuisine

Royal India
royalindia.com
Himalayan Cuisine
619.461.2503, himalayancuisineone.com
Clay Oven Indian Cuisine
858.666.6569, clayovenindiancuisinecalifornia.com

Thai Cuisine

Bangkok Bay Thai Restaurant
858.792.2427, bangkok-bay.com
Kiin Extraordinary Thai
858.925.7318, kiinthaidelmar.com
Birdseye Kitchen
760.479.0488, birdseyekitchen.com

Japanese Cuisine

Samurai Japanese Restaurant
858.481.0032, samuraijapaneserestaurant.com
Himitsu
858.263.4463, himitsusd.com
Shimbashi Izakaya
858.523.0479, shimbashiizakaya.com

Mexican Cuisine

Casa de Bandini
760.634.3443, casadebandini.com
Fidel’s Little Mexico
858.755.5292, fidelslittlemexico.com
Valle
866.723.8906, valleoceanside.com

BBQ

Phil’s BBQ
philsbbq.net
Grand Ole BBQ
grandolebbq.com
Bubba’s Smokehouse BBQ
858.551.4227, bubbassmokehousebbq.com

Sushi

Temaki Bar Sushi
760.704.8888, temakibarsushi.com
Cloak and Petal
619.501.5505, cloakandpetal.com
Sushi Ota
858.880.8778, sushi-ota.com

Tacos

Puesto
eatpuesto.com
Tacos El Gordo
tacoselgordobc.com
City Tacos
citytacossd.com

Pizza

Amalfi Cucina Italiana
amalficucinaitaliana.com
Trattoria Don Pietro
619.255.7205, trattoriadonpietro.com
Filippi’s Pizza Grotto
realcheesepizza.com

Draft Selection

Barleymash
619.255.7373, barleymash.com
Viewpoint Brewing Company
858.356.9346, viewpointbrewing.com
The Lost Abbey
lostabbey.com

Last year, The Lost Abbey moved from its original brewery in San Marcos to share space with Mother Earth Brew Co. in Vista, and sister company, Pizza Port, took over the beers of their previously shared Port Brewing portfolio. Even with all that change, “The Abbey” remains a juggernaut, offering one of the broadest and most diverse lineups of beer in a county awash with it. Its quartet of tasting rooms in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, San Elijo Hills, Vista, and downtown’s East Village remain the best bets for locally produced brews — Belgian-inspired ales, barrel-aged sours, stouts, strong ales — and now
a new line of hop-forward IPAs, including the 18-year-old company’s first-ever hazy. — Last year, **The Lost Abbey** moved from its original brewery in San Marcos to share space with Mother Earth Brew Co. in Vista, and sister company, Pizza Port, took over the beers of their previously shared Port Brewing portfolio. Even with all that change, “The Abbey” remains a juggernaut, offering one of the broadest and most diverse lineups of beer in a county awash with it. Its quartet of tasting rooms in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, San Elijo Hills, Vista, and downtown’s East Village remain the best bets for locally produced brews — Belgian-inspired ales, barrel-aged sours, stouts, strong ales — and now a new line of hop-forward IPAs, including the 18-year-old company’s first-ever hazy.

Wine List

Pamplemousse Grille
858.792.9090, pgrille.com
A.R. Valentien
858.777.6635, lodgetorreypines.com/ar-valentien
Nine-Ten Restaurant & Bar
858.964.5400, nine-ten.com

Craft Cocktails

Avant Restaurant
888.281.7938, avantrestaurant.com
California English
858.201.3461, californiaenglishsd.com
Water Grill San Diego
619.717.6992, watergrill.com

Margarita

Casa de Bandini
760.634.3443, casadebandini.com
El Sueño
619.510.9813, elsuenosd.com
Barrio Star
619.501.7827, barriostar.com

Brewery/Brewpub

Viewpoint Brewing Company
858.356.9346, viewpointbrewing.com
Karl Strauss Brewing Company
karlstrauss.com
Stone Brewing Co.
stonebrewing.com

Business Lunch

California English
858.201.3461, californiaenglishsd.com
The Grill at Torrey Pines
858.777.6641, lodgetorreypines.com
Parc Bistro-Brasserie
619.795-1501, parcbb.com

The Grill at Torrey Pines embraces the nostalgia of cooking over an open fire. Savor the smoky flavors in dishes from the restaurant’s custom-built wood-burning rotisserie and cozy up for a leisurely meal complete with sweeping views of the iconic Torrey Pines Golf Course. Try the Wood Grilled “Cardiff Crack” with Market Vegetables, Pinquito Beans, and Santa Maria Salsa Fresca (photographed here),
a new menu addition by Chef Ryan Dzierzawski. — **The Grill at Torrey Pines** embraces the nostalgia of cooking over an open fire. Savor the smoky flavors in dishes from the restaurant’s custom-built wood-burning rotisserie and cozy up for a leisurely meal complete with sweeping views of the iconic Torrey Pines Golf Course. Try the Wood Grilled “Cardiff Crack” with Market Vegetables, Pinquito Beans, and Santa Maria Salsa Fresca (photographed here),
a new menu addition by Chef Ryan Dzierzawski.

Dessert

Extraordinary Desserts
extraordinarydesserts.com
Paris en Rose
858.461.0154, parisenrosebakery.com
Thyme in the Ranch
858.759.0747, thymeintheranch.com

Ice Cream Shop

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream
handelsicecream.com
Stella Jean’s
stellajeans.com
JoJo’s Creamery
760.487.5937, jojoscreamery.com

Baked Goods

Broad Street Dough Co.
760.704.8633, broadstreetdoughco.com
Wayfarer Bread & Pastry
wayfarerbread.com
VG Donut & Bakery
760.753.2400, vgbakery.com

Coffee Shop

Spill the Beans
spillthebeanssd.com
Invita Café
invitacafe.com
Bird Rock Coffee Roasters
birdrockcoffee.com

Breakfast

Harry’s Coffee Shop
harryscoffeeshop.com
The Cottage
thecottageencinitas.com, thecottagelajolla.com
T’s Café
858.755.7642, tscafe101.com

Brunch

Serea Coastal Cuisine
619.435.6611, sereasandiego.com
Adelaide Restaurant
858.793.6467, laubergedelmar.com
Toasted Breakfast + Gastrobrunch + Dinner
toasted.net

Sandwich Place

Board & Brew
boardandbrew.com
Jersey Mike’s
jerseymikes.com
Mona Lisa Italian Foods
619.234.4893, monalisalittleitaly.com

Vegetarian/Vegan Gluten-Free Options

Nectarine Grove
nectarinegrove.com
Plumeria
myplumeria.com
Flower Child
858.314.6818, iamaflowerchild.com

Family-Friendly

Casa de Bandini
760.634.3443, casadebandini.com
Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza
sammyspizza.com
Park 101
619.723.0438, park101carlsbad.com

Specialty Gourmet Shop

Venissimo Cheese
venissimo.com
Cardiff Seaside Market
760.753.5445, seasidemarket.com
MRKT Space
mrktspace.com

Catering

Ranch 45
858.461.0092, ranch45.com
Pamplemousse Grille
858.792.9090, pgrille.com
The Wild Thyme Company
858.527.0226, thewildthymecompany.com

A perennial favorite of readers and editors, Pamplemousse Grille is primely situated on Via de la Valle adjacent to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. The restaurant is helmed by renowned chef and owner Jeffrey Strauss, whose talents have delighted the palates of the world’s most influential epicures. Well-known within the San Diego philanthropic community, Strauss often commits his time and culinary skills to charitable events, where his name and the lure of the incredible menus he creates add significant value. Recently, Strauss and his team expertly plated 150 Lobster, Avocado & Pamplemousse Salads for ICA San Diego’s annual gala (pictured here). — A perennial favorite of readers and editors, **Pamplemousse Grille** is primely situated on Via de la Valle adjacent to the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. The restaurant is helmed by renowned chef and owner Jeffrey Strauss, whose talents have delighted the palates of the world’s most influential epicures. Well-known within the San Diego philanthropic community, Strauss often commits his time and culinary skills to charitable events, where his name and the lure of the incredible menus he creates add significant value. Recently, Strauss and his team expertly plated 150 Lobster, Avocado & Pamplemousse Salads for ICA San Diego’s annual gala (pictured here).

Farmers Market

Little Italy Mercato
littleitalysd.com/events/mercato
La Jolla Open Aire Market
lajollamarket.com
Rancho Santa Fe Farmers Market
ranchosantafefarmersmarket.com