The Best Restaurants in San Diego

Addison Restaurant is San Diego's first and only two-star Michelin restaurant, showcasing Californian gastronomy's allure. Chef William Bradley offers a unique culinary perspective by using regional ingredients to craft dishes with Southern Californian influence. Addison also offers an extensive wine list with Californian vintage drinks and newly discovered cocktails and wines from all parts of the world. The restaurant offers soaring ceilings in its interior with arched windows and scenic views of the surrounding hillside. Since its establishment in 2006, it has been recognized by Forbes Travel Guide Five Star Restaurant from 2009-2021, an AAA Five Diamond Restaurant from 2009-2021, and Relais and Chateaux Property from 2010 to 2021.

This traditional Milan-style restaurant is popular for its paper-thin crust pizza, Focaccia, Antipasti, and Formaggi. Established by Giacomo Pizzigoni, the restaurant was opened in 2016. It also offers an impressive wine list that pairs well with restaurants dishes. In addition, it offers outdoor seating for diners and a modern cozy atmosphere with cool murals and committed services.

Famous for its craftsman-style architecture, this restaurant offers scenic golf course views. The Evans family manages it, and its menu is well crafted by chef Jeff Jackson and a devoted kitchen team. It offers an elegant woody indoor and outdoor dining room with an ever-changing menu based on Southern Californian influences. Popular entrees include lamb choppers, beets with pistachio butter, and caramelized sea scallops. The restaurant also features an impressive wine cellar with Californian wines, craft cocktails, and locally brewed beers, and a terrace where diners can enjoy the outdoor scenery over a drink. Since its establishment in 2017, the restaurant received an award for Best Hotel Fine Dining restaurant.

Antony "Tony" D' Amato established Baci in 1979 after working in restaurants since he was 16. Baci is popular for its refined Italian fare offered by black-tie waiters in a dark opulent dining room. Its interior blends Italian rusticity and modern sophistication with a rich mahogany bar that sets a natural tone. Baci offers an elegant patio and a romantic dining room alongside an extensive wine list. The modern dining room is well decorated with art decor accents and crisp white linens that add a touch of class. Popular entrees include Ricci Pasta, Osso Buco, and Swordfish Oreganato.

This upscale bar and restaurant specializes in chef-inspired sharable plates and handcrafted cocktails. The woman-forward restaurant and bar offers a Paris-themed elegant back bar with golden candle-lit crystal chandeliers. The restaurant's menu offers dishes centered on sharable platters with influence from Southern, northern, and western regions of North America. It was established in 2021 by Brittany L.

Opened in September 2019, Blade 1936 was established by chef Mario Cassini. As a tribute to Oceanside's old newspaper, The Bladé-Tribune occupied the space in the late '30s. San Diego architect Irving Gill transformed the historic grill into an Italian haven with wood, steel, and rustic elements. The upscale casual modern restaurant specializes in traditional Italian cuisine with a menu that features fresh pasta, local steaks, fresh seafood, and top-notch dessert. In addition, Blade 1936 offers a private wine room, two dining rooms, and an outdoor patio alongside chef tables.

Created in 2012 by Andre Bonora, this restaurant offers nice recipes within Italy's Bologna influence. It offers a stylish West Coast theme with casual indoor and outdoor dining spaces in its interiors. Its Seasonal menu features New Southern and Northern American cuisine made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Popular entrees include chicken cotoletta, boneless ribeye steak, and homemade beef meatballs served with marinara sauce. It offers a simple but elegant interior with dark, red, dark wood, and white shades.

Mike Cunningham's Cunningham Restaurant Group owns this Northern American steakhouse. It offers two dining rooms and an open-air rooftop bar with views of Little Italy. Since its establishment in 2016, the restaurant specializes in table-side cart service and honoring the complex arts of perfectly prepared steaks and seafood. Popular entrees include pork chops with foraged mushroom, vegan steak Diane made with seitan, and New York strip steak. In addition, it offers a plush interior with cushy leather booths, green marbled tabletops with brass details, and celebrity portraits.

Located in the downtown area of San Diego, this restaurant is owned by chef Deslatte. The Bud and Bob's Bistro menu specializes in traditional New Orleans-style Creole and Cajun fares. Popular entrees include crawfish Etouffe, pasta jambalaya, and shrimp served with grits. Besides its top-notch dishes, it offers a rustic décor interior with low-hanging chandeliers and red-brown shades complementing white table cloths. The restaurant was opened in 2017, and reservations are highly recommended.

Owned by John Resnick, Campfire was established in 2016. It offers diners a unique dining experience where people gather around a fire to share and make meals. It offers new American fares with influence from France, Senegal, and Italy. Popular entrees include roasted broccoli, chicken, and oysters. Campfire has woodsy decor with a mountain motif lining one wall and shelves with camping tchotchkes. In addition, owner John Resnick offers an impressive cocktail collection with unusual ingredients like fermented pineapple and black walnut.

This French Inspired Mexican Bistro is owned by Chick Ross. Established in 2020, its kitchen staff team is led by chef Alex Carballo to create French-inspired Mexican comfort food. Its décor blends a posh Mexican cantina and a French farmhouse. Its interior boasts white walls decorated with colorful, simply sketched cacti, suns, and flowers. The mural art depicts the tale of the restaurant's story. Carte Blanche offers an elegant couch-lined lounge, and a 12-person bar that offers a lively yet laid-back atmosphere.

Perched atop La Plaza Center in the La Jolla neighborhood, this restaurant offers a menu specializing in Italian coastal fares. It was established in 2015 by chefs Ryan and Arturo. Popular entrees include Diavola pizza, crispy octopus, and wood-roasted cauliflower. Catania's interior décor boasts a modern, intimate space with eye-catching design elements from patterned ceramic tiles. It also features a color palette with vibrant aqua and muted greys to mimic San Diego's landscape.

This Italian restaurant was owned by Cesarina Mazzoni and her husband Niccolo Angius in 2019. It offers traditional Italian food with Roman influence. The restaurant features an outdoor patio and a cozy indoor dining area. Popular entrees include crispy octopus, gnocchi with Norma sauce, and lasagna. Besides its tasty Italian dishes, the restaurant offers a cozy interior. It offers simple, elegant furniture with dark wood, white and brown shades, and its walls are aligned with shelves of pickled ingredients.

Lying in the downtown area of San Diego, this restaurant is known for traditional Mexican dishes. Established by Paulina Chaidez, the restaurant specializes in traditional Mexican cuisine. Popular entrees include vegetarian quesadillas, huevos rancheros and chilaquilles bomba. It was established in 2012, and it offers an elegant and vibrant atmosphere. Decorated with vibrant colors, the restaurant features simple but classy furniture with a colorful ceiling. Besides its inviting menu, the restaurant features an outdoor patio and a bar with a wide selection of cocktails and wines that pair well with its meals.

This restaurant was mentioned as one of San Diego's five most sizzling steakhouses. It offers a unique dining experience that combines contemporary Northern American fare with the Western flare. Its interior won the 2008 Orchid Award for Interior design. Featuring a classic landscape, the restaurant offers exposed beam ceilings with cowboy accents. Cowboy Star offers a fireplace and large leather booths to offer diners an Old West ambiance. In addition, it features a stunning classic display kitchen at the front, and diners can get views of the kitchen. The restaurant was established by Jon and Angela Weber in 2008.

This French restaurant specializes in traditional French dishes along North Park Corridor. The restaurant showcases chef Vincent Viale's ability to blend the French classics with modern accents made with local seasonal ingredients. Popular entrees include steak frites, smoked salmon, and souffle du jour. Et Voila Bistro offers a polished and elegant interior that creates a romantic and relaxed atmosphere. It was opened by Ludo Misfud in 2006.

Located among art and commerce in San Diego's Little Italy, this trendy tiki bar is a popular restaurant in San Diego. It was established by Martin Cates in 2018 and it features a restaurant with light snacks and contemporary Northern American dishes. Popular entrees include sushi, tacos and burgers. The tiki bar offers a lush interior with wall-to-wall Polynesian pop-inspired artifacts and tiki décor. Reservations are highly recommended.

Popular for its signature Italian dishes, this restaurant lies in San Diego's Oceanside neighborhood. Diners love its chicken parmigiana, chicken piccata, and cheese pizzas. Brandon Lorber established it in 2015. Its interior offers an open kitchen with warm brick walls and stained glass murals. The white tablecloths add an elegant touch to its dark, dimly lit interior.

Reserve a table today at this Balistreri restaurant whose menu specializes in traditional Italian dishes. It offers a sophisticated and classy interior with generational recipes from Northern and Southern Italy. Favorite entrees include veal chops, cannoli, and zucchini. The restaurant offers a classy interior with décor thriving in red, warm wood, and dimly lit interiors alongside a picturesque fountain. It was established by Anthony Balistreri in 1974.

Opened in 2018, this restaurant is situated in the eye-catching Eitol Towers. It offers a casually elegant atmosphere with a dining area that leads to an open-air atrium. It also offers ample outdoor seating and walkways with seating nooks. Its menu executed by chef Johnny Durran uses fresh local ingredients to craft Californian fares with influences from Libya, Croatia, and Morocco. Popular entrees include Chorizo Spiced Jumbo Prawns and Arancini.

This popular restaurant was formerly known as Giulio's of Pacific Beach. It was established in 1961. It features a full bar with a wide selection of fine wines that pair well with the restaurant's dishes alongside a patio. It is famous for its Italian-based menu with fares like scampi, homemade pastas, veal, beef, poultry, and seafood. Popular entrees include scampi al pesto, shrimp bisque, and scampi alla Giulio. In addition, it offers an elegant interior with red seats and tables, crisp white tablecloths, and wood furnishings that complement the furniture.

This elegant restaurant offers a culinary experience that reimagines French cuisine through a southern Californian landscape lens. It also offers a Le Menu du Bar, which features a lounge for diners looking for a more casual evening. Its interior offers a bistro and a patio bathed in champagne hues, blush tones, and brass details. It also features ‘70s details in its palette and décor. Popular dishes include smoked salmon with fermented chili, wagyu beef paired with delicate veggies, and rabbit sausage. It was established by John Resnick in 2018. Jeune et Jolie was named in Esquire Magazine's 2019 list of the Best Restaurants in America.

This cozy and intimate restaurant sits in the heart of the Hillcrest neighborhood. It offers French food in a bistro fashion, a full bar, and an elegant interior. Popular dishes include steak frites, cote de Porc Forestiere, and Truite Amandine. It offers a charming interior with white and dark contrast alongside simple but elegant furniture. It was established in 2019 by Sandra and Renaud Cugusi.

Mister A's offers contemporary French-hued Northern American food and hand-crafted cocktails. It also boasts a Wine Spectator top-rated wine list and an eclectic menu that uses hand-selected ingredients. Popular entrees include Georges Banks Scallops, Mister A's Mac, and Cheese and Black Mussels Provencale. It was established by Bertran d Hug in June 2015. Mister A's offers an elegant interior with warm colors and a chic blend of red seats, tan furniture, and a warm, well-lit interior.

Established in 2018, this restaurant offers Italian dishes with extra attention to fish dishes. Dominic's Rotondi and Romano lead the kitchen team with centuries of old pasta-making techniques influenced by Puglia, Campania, and Sicily. Staples include Raviolo Fritto Cacio e Pepe and Signature Neapolitan Scarpello. Since its establishment, it has been featured by The San Diego Union-Tribune, Zagat, Pacific Magazine, and There San Diego. Monzu's interior décor features a bright white and yellow color scheme with Mediterranean décor details.

This upscale brewery offers a full-service restaurant and live entertainment for its diners. It features an open seating plan at the fire pit with views of the band cabana. It offers two patios, one for diners with children and one for adults. The family patio offers playground elements, picnic tables, and climbing structures. The adult patio offers fire pits, stand-up shuffleboards, and bocce balls. It offers an Island-style bar that runs from the interior to the adult patio. Its menu focuses on northern and Southern American comfort food with popular entrees like beer-can-style chicken and smoked salmon. Mark McLarry and Jane Minotti established this restaurant in 2019.

This restaurant was recognized by Open Table and Traveler's choice in 2020. Chef David Gallardo offers a menu that focuses on Californian cuisine with French influence. Popular entrees include pan roasted pheasant, organic beet salad, and house-made mint ice cream. The restaurant offers intimate dining set with elegant Art deco and a posh interior. Its lounge's interior offers an old Hollywood feel with vintage furniture and a well-lit dining space. It also features a wine bar with an extensive collection of drinks that pair well with the dishes. It was established in 2019.

Listed as one of OpenTable's 100 Best Neighborhood Gems in America for 2021, this seafood-focused French Bistro is popular for its French dishes. It also features a good wine menu and a heated outdoor patio. In addition, it offers a cozy interior with white walls and blends of tan, dark, and blush tones with low-hanging chandeliers. Popular entrees at the restaurant include french onion soup gratinee and lobster risotto. It was established by Garo Minassian in 2014.

Puesto La Jolla is an award-winning Mexican restaurant that offers an innovative approach to traditional Mexican flavors. It has gained national acclaim for its crispy melted cheese tacos. Chef Luisteen Ginzalez offers an eclectic menu with ceviche, ensaladas, starters and guacamoles. Besides its dishes, it offers a bar program with hand-crafted cocktails and house-made tequilas. Popular entrees include fillet mignon, chicken taquitos, and wild shrimp ceviche. Since its establishment by Eric Adler in 2012, it has been featured by National Geographic, Insider, Michelin Guide, Zagat, Eater, the LA Times, and Food and Wine. It offers a well-lit interior and an elegant blend of warm and dark tones with simple, well-decorated furniture.

Owners Giuseppe Gagliano and chef Robert Ciacciofera have teamed up to offer diners an eclectic bar that offers homemade dishes. It features bottles of wines shelved in a tiled bar and a breezy interior. The wine bar also offers its garden and patio with a laid-back atmosphere. Besides its extensive wine list, it offers a menu with traditional Sicilian recipes, and popular entrees include the bologna and Calabria sandwich and Sicilian meatballs served with grilled seasonal veggies. It was established in 2020.

This restaurants' interior storefront mimics a 1920s liquor store. It also features a fireplace, dim and intimate lighting with canines, and a book central theme. Its lush setting offers a relaxing and mysterious experience to its diners. In addition, it offers a massive collection of hand-crafted cocktails with popular entrees like hibiscus phosphate, pirate's anthem, and house Gin and Tonic. Raised by the Wolves is owned by Erick Castro and Chris Patino, and it opened in 2018.

This restaurant is an Italian legacy with a family heritage that began in Calabria. Its menu focuses on southern Italian dishes with flavorful seasonal vegetables. The restaurant's dishes are well-curated by French chef Phillippe Verpiand. Popular entrees include Calamari con Spinaci and Burratta alla panna. Rosalina Gangale and her two sons Giancarlo and Gianfranco opened the establishment in 2013. Its interior offers towering walls in stone white and grey shades. Its pale brown wood furnishings complement the restaurant's walls, and its elegant hanging chandeliers add a touch of elegance to the restaurant.

This restaurant specializes in New Californian cuisine with an interactive chef's table that offers craft cocktails and organic meals. Chef Tom Prescott dedicated the kitchen staff to crafting innovative dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. Popular entrees include mushrooms, seared scallops, and steak frites. Established in 2019, the restaurant provides a wide collection of wines and cocktails alongside occasional live music. The restaurant offers a lush black and white theme with walls lined with plants and lamps.

Seneca's menu is well designed by chef Russel Rummer, who owned a pizzeria in San Francisco. He crafts Roman-inspired dishes, pizzas, and pasta. Favorite entrees include bistecca Fiorentina and Coda Alla vaccinara with dark chocolate shavings. Its bar offers a wide variety of cocktails that pair well with the dishes. Its interior offers a nautical theme alongside indoor and outdoor seating. Seneca offers a rich ambiance with dark wood furnishings and ceiling to floor windows and interior plants.

This traditional Italian restaurant focuses on traditional Napoli food and excellent seafood. Established in 2019 by Flavio Piromallo, the restaurant offers house-made pasta and an Italian wine list alongside classic cocktails. Popular entrees include mussels steamed with lemon and black pepper, fisherman's risotto, and house-made pasta. It features an elegant interior with white, blush, dark shades, and art décor lining its stonewashed walls. Their hanging plants and dim light add a touch of elegance to the restaurant.

This French and Spanish restaurant offers a large selection of Tapa plates. Each dish on the menu is made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients. It also offers beers and wine selections that pair well with its dishes. Popular dishes include truffle fries, warm goat cheese, and seafood paella. The restaurant has received five awards of excellence since its establishment. It offers an interior that blends classic Italian decorations with a modern twist. In addition, it offers a white-tiled bar with blue patterns and white seats that blend fine with tan colors. Flavio Piaromallo started the restaurant in 2019.

This full-service Italian restaurant and pizzeria is owned and operated by Jeff Oliveri. Popular entrees at the restaurant include Bianca Pizza, Pasta Marsala, and Cheese Pizza. It also offers indoor and outdoor seating and a charming atmosphere ideal for fine dining. Established in 2020, it also provides an array of craft beers and Italian wines. It offers an open interior with a central pizza bar, a 30-seat patio, and a fire pit. Its elegant interior combines dark and tan colors with simple but elegant furniture.

This lively, inviting restaurant is popular for its plant-based dinners and weekend brunches. Besides its dishes, it offers a vast collection of beers and wine. Popular entrees include chicken and waffles served with maple syrup, gnocchi, and crab cakes. Established in 2020 by Jessica and Davine Waite and partner Christopher Logan, the restaurant aims to impress with influence from Southern California. It offers a plush interior with towering walls lined with hanging plants and simple, elegant furniture with dark and tan shades.

This cozy neighborhood restaurant features a wine bar and fresh, locally sourced food. The Red Door is an Italian restaurant owned by Luciano Cibelli. The restaurant offers a seasonal menu alongside a wine list with a unique selection of drinks. Since its establishment in 2018, it has earned several awards like San Diego's Diner's Choice, OpenTable's Best Italian Restaurant, and San Diego's Best Italian Restaurant by Modern Luxury. Popular dishes include Beef Wellington, Risotto, and Seared Scallops. The Red Door offers a chic interior with stone, dark, tan, and white shades. Its elegant, simple wood furnishings add a touch of class to the restaurant.

This West Coast restaurant specializes in deep-dish and traditional pizzas served alongside a fresh salad, appetizers, and sandwiches. All dishes are made from scratch and blend influences from Italy and Spain. Popular dishes include old town pizzas, Margarita pizza, and Golden Beets Arugula. It offers a rustic interior with wooden furniture that complements its white walls. It also features hanging plants and chandeliers, and boasts a bar with a wide selection of beers and cocktails. It was established in 2012 by restaurateur Matteo Cattaneo.

This quaint wine shop offers an intimate dining area with French dishes. Established in 1988, it has constantly been ranked among the top 10 local restaurants by OpenTable. In addition, the Brasserie has been awarded the Wine Spectators Grand Award and Best of Award of Excellence. Popular entrees include the leg of lamb salad, mushroom toast, and dry-aged ribeye. Established by Gary Parker, it offers an elegant, dimly lit interior with hanging plants and white-clothed tables.

This restaurant was founded in 2013 by Davin and Jessica White. Offering contemporary northern American dishes, this restaurant offers inventive seafood and sushi dishes. Popular entrees include inari sushi, scallops, and salmon. It offers a cozy eclectic space with white paint and lamp fixtures.

This restaurant offers New Northern American dishes with Spanish and Mexican influences alongside a bar with a collection of cocktails and wines. It provides a warmly lit interior with high ceilings and tan shades. Its wall colors complement the restaurant's furniture and patterned floors. Popular entrees include chicken fried steak, enchilada steaks, and tacos. It was established in 2021 by Arsalan Tafazoli.