Best Restaurants 2025: Editors’ Picks

Although he could have earned this title in any of the past 20 years, it is in this past year that Drew Deckman has made his mark here in San Diego.

Deckman was raised in Peachtree, Georgia, then picked up a degree in philosophy before receiving his culinary education from The School for American Chefs at Beringer Vineyards. There, he trained with the esteemed cookbook author and chef Madeleine Kamman. In 2003, while working in Germany at Restaurant Vitus, Deckman received his first Michelin star. He was also recognized as Rising Chef-Star for Berlin while he was executive chef for The Four Seasons Berlin.

Throughout the early 2000s, Deckman traveled extensively, absorbing the flavors of international cuisine and cooking with Masters such as Paul Bocuse and Jacques Maximin.  

In 2011, he and his wife, Paulina, opened Deckman’s en El Mogor in Valle de Guadalupe. This wine region restaurant features cooking over open flame, using local ingredients and only sustainable proteins. Shortly after, they added Conchas de Piedra. Both restaurants earned Michelin stars. They then partnered with Chef Rob Ruiz to open Enso Omakase, a 12-seat sushi bar located within the El Mogor footprint.

Fast-forward to 2024 when Drew and Paulina opened their first restaurant stateside, 31ThirtyOne by Deckman’s. This farm-to-table North Park venture features Deckman’s signature style of the best of Baja — fresh seafood, pasta dishes, and fire roasted meats. “Drew Food,” as he calls it, made with an American head, Mexican heart, and French hands.

This year he also partnered with Ballast Point to open Deckman’s at the Draft in Petco Park, a seafood and ceviche-centric eatery featuring other casual dishes such as Baja-style tacos and fried oyster tortas.

One thing is for certain, Drew Deckman is not done here. Chances are good we will see another addition to the Deckman Hospitality Group before the year is over.

A few years back, Kelli Crosson (second from left) took over as top toque at The Lodge at Torrey Pines’ signature restaurant, A.R. Valentien, having learned everything there is to know about running a kitchen from her mentor, Jeff Jackson. Helming an operation as large as A.R. Valentien, with all the events on their calendar, Crosson is up to the task. She was raised on a 40-acre citrus orchard (she knows hard work), graduated from the French Culinary Institute (she knows discipline), and spent 11 years working with Jackson (she knows dedication).

He has been the executive chef at Nine-Ten in La Jolla for over two decades. Like most chefs, Jason Knibb (middle) started out as a prep cook and dishwasher, learning all back-of-the-house positions along the way. It was when he got the chance to train under Wolfgang Puck at Eureka Restaurant in Los Angeles that he knew cooking would be his life’s work. Early in his career, Knibb also worked with other culinary superstars of the time including Roy Yamaguchi and Hans Rockenwagner, but it was his time working with Trey Foshee at The Tree Room in Sundance, Utah, that he credits with the most influence on his career. Knibb has consistently produced award-winning farm-to-table cuisine, and in 2019, Nine-Ten received “Plate Distinction” recognition in the California Michelin Guide, an award renewed every year since. One of the first San Diego chefs to compete on a Food Network competition show, Knibb is a legend responsible for shaping the early San Diego food scene.

We salute three-time James Beard nominee Carl Schroeder (second from right) for his 20-plus year contribution to the San Diego culinary landscape. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, New York, Schroeder interned for Chef Michael Mina at his highly acclaimed San Francisco restaurant, Aqua. After Aqua, Schroeder worked alongside esteemed California chef Bradley Ogden at Lark Creek Inn in Larkspur. Schroeder was then tapped to run the kitchen at Odgen’s Arterra Restaurant in Carmel Valley, where he created a cult following. This enabled him in 2006 to launch his highly acclaimed Market Restaurant + Bar in Del Mar. Some consider it unusual that after nearly 20 years you can still find Schroeder on the line every night the restaurant is open. Even more surprising is that his core crew of chefs have been with him since day one. That is because Schroeder has boundless drive and is unwaveringly dedicated to his team.  

Raised in San Diego, Travis Swikard (far right) knew early on he wanted to be a chef. One year he even received a cookbook by Daniel Boulud for Christmas, which is just the beginning of his story. In his up-and-coming days, Swikard worked with the luminous San Diego chef Deborah Scott at her Kemo Sabe restaurant. After a short tenure at Island Prime (where he would bump into chef Gavin Kaysen, former chef at El Bizcocho), Swikard left San Diego to enroll in the New England Culinary Institute. Upon graduation he worked in England at Auberge du Lac before heading back to the states where he once again worked with Kaysen (and it comes full circle) for the legendary Chef Daniel Boulud, ultimately being named executive chef at Restaurant Boulud Sud. In 2019, Swikard moved back to San Diego and opened his flagship restaurant, Callie. Reservations open a month in advance, and it is still hard to get a table. But good news is on the horizon — Swikard has a new restaurant, Fleurette French Bistro, under construction in the UTC area which will feature Provençale cuisine. 

I was immediately impressed when Fox Point Farms debuted in Encinitas last summer. The focal point of this sustainability-minded, 21-acre “agrihood” is a farm supplying the development’s market and restaurant, Haven Farm + Table, with fruits, vegetables, flora, and other agricultural products. There is also an on-site brewery and coffee roastery, plus structures for wellness activities (yoga, meditation, Pilates) and multiple stages offering family-friendly entertainment. But the best events Haven hosts are communal dinners presented in collaboration with chefs sharing the best of our region’s edible bounty, highlighted by a wealth of seasonal ingredients grown right on site. foxpointfarms.com

For over a decade, the only way to experience chef Drew Deckman’s Michelin-quality cuisine was to venture south to one of his three restaurants in Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe. But that all changed when he threw open the doors to 31ThirtyOne, a smart, stateside eatery with NYC vibes in the heart of North Park. Dishes on a constantly rotating menu are made up of produce and proteins sourced from farms, ranches, and waters within driving distance of the restaurant. That focus on regionality extends to a wine list stocked with selections sourced from Central California to Baja. With a U.S. flagship now communicating Deckman’s style and values so succinctly, the wait was well worth it. the3131.com

Few local restaurants are as iconic as the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club’s jewel in The Jewel, The Marine Room, which made it all the harder to stomach when the 60-year mainstay attempted to appeal to a younger demographic using Vegas-grade glitz, glam, and exclusivity. Less than two years later, the chef that instituted it is gone, replaced by new exec Ananda Bareño, who most recently helmed the kitchen at the Alila Marea Beach Resort. I have high hopes that her respect for straightforward cookery, commitment to sustainability, and wide-ranging culinary influences (Mediterranean, Mexican, Middle Eastern) will help restore high times at La Jolla’s longtime high-tide gem. marineroom.com 

By Brandon Hernández, Food & Beverage Editor

I love this place because, of course, the atmosphere is stellar. I always love a dark dining room — it’s so romantic. It’s fun to order a million dishes and share them with a handsome escort. I like that you can use your hands on many of the plates and eat like a beast, but because it’s so dark, no one can see you. leilanorthpark.com

My son and I like to go here and reserve seats at the counter. I love watching the goings-on in the kitchen and chatting it up with the chef. While we usually order a range of dishes for starters, I almost always order their burger for my entree, which you have to ask for. It’s a crusty double smash burger that has a super smoky flavor and is lathered in their “secret sauce.” It comes with chunky fries. Ask for them “Animal Style” — they will be covered in melted American cheese. juniperandivy.com

I am a girl who 30 years ago would drive to Los Angeles just to fill my car with bread and pastries from La Brea Bakery, Nancy Silverton’s flagship bakery. Sometimes you would catch Nancy working the counter, a culinary coup for sure. Well, things have changed on the bakery scene since then and now we have many fabulous bakeries here in San Diego, but one that stands out and is totally legit is Izola. Get the Brown Butter Caramel Knot or go savory and try their Muffuletta Croissant, filled with salty cured meats, provolone cheese, and a briny olive salad. izolabakery.com

By Terryl Gavre, Food Editor-at-Large

He’s graced our pages as a favorite of readers and editors alike over the decades, and it’s no wonder. Restaurateur Sami Ladeki first opened Sammy’s Food & Wine in La Jolla in 1989 as Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza, introducing San Diegans to pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven. It was an instant success, and Ladeki went on to expand his dining empire with additional concepts in California and Nevada, including Toasted Gastrobrunch and Roppongi Asian Bistro, which just debuted in Imperial Beach. We are elated that La Jolla’s Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar, which dazzled diners for 17 years until 2015, is set to return this year in the same location on Prospect Street (happy dance!). Showing no signs of slowing down, Ladeki, a renowned businessman and philanthropist, is a true visionary whose staying power is a testament to his place as a pillar of San Diego’s dining scene. sammyspizza.com 

Some restaurants simply hold a special place in your heart. For my family, it’s Samurai Japanese Restaurant in Solana Beach. The restaurant debuted in 1979, and my parents (which includes the stamp of approval from my Japanese-born mother) quickly became devoted patrons. We’ve celebrated countless birthdays and milestones here over the decades, and it’s where my husband, Justin, and I went the night he proposed — after our own meal at Pacifica Del Mar — because my parents were there dining with friends. Pro tip: Request a sushi bar spot with Makoto-san. He only works on weekends these days (as a septuagenarian he’s earned the right to make his own schedule). Start with the hamachi nigiri, then let him guide your meal. You’ll be so glad you did. samuraijapaneserestaurant.com

As if this San Diego baseball season isn’t already captivating enough, in continuing the Padres’ ongoing commitment to improving Petco Park, the club completed a multimillion-dollar renovation of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building prior to Opening Day 2025. And while Petco Park has already long featured a culinary celebration of San Diego with partners including Cardiff Seaside Market, Pizza Port, Puesto, Carnitas’ Snack Shack, and more, recent enhancements such as Deckman’s at The Draft by Ballast Point, Mostra Coffee, The Mini Donut Company, and new premium catering menus in the luxury suites and lounges make a trip to the ballpark that much more alluring for the Friar Faithful. “We have curated a food and beverage program at Petco Park that reflects the best of San Diego and our dynamic culinary landscape, with several new offerings added every season so that our guests always have something new to discover and experience,” says Padres CEO Erik Greupner. mlb.com/padres

By Mia Park, Editor-in-Chief