Helping to kickstart the culinary evolution of Oceanside, the restaurant has attracted the attention of the Michelin Guide, which honored it as a 2020 “new discovery” along with four other San Diego restaurants. The restaurant conveys the complex flavors of Southeast Asian cuisine through its interpretation of some of the area’s signature dishes.

Another standout in Oceanside, sushi spot Wrench and Rodent showcases chef/owner Davin Waite’s unique skills with foraging and far-out flavor innovations. Though his path veers from traditional sushi to include unconventional rolls and creative sauces, Waite is uncompromising in his care for ingredients.

Chic to the max, the second Carlsbad restaurant from the team behind Campfire is a modern French restaurant seen through a SoCal lens. An enviable open kitchen is the sparkling stage, turning out a sophisticated but not at all stuffy menu that’s quickly become an industry favorite. Under executive chef Eric Bost, Jeune et Jolie was recently awarded a Michelin star.

Chef/owner Carl Schroeder, whose extensive culinary experience includes working with famed chef Michael Mina and Bradley Ogden, has kept the longstanding restaurant open while remaining faithful to a hyper-seasonal cooking style inspired by local farms including the nearby Alice Waters-endorsed Chino Farm. The restaurant is now offering a reservation-only, three-course tasting menu in the dining room while the bar and lounge are open for walk-ins.

At San Diego’s only two Michelin star restaurant, longtime executive chef/director William Bradley and his team guide diners through elaborate five or ten course chef’s tasting dinners.

With a culinary program led by executive chef Christine Rivera that hinges on its labor-intensive masa production, Galaxy continues to be a leader among modern Mexican restaurants and is known for its regular guest chef collaborations.

This three-floor stunner offers choose-your-own-adventure dining. Though its fine dining lower- level restaurant is temporarily closed, George’s still offers top-notch views and food at its rooftop terrace and craft cocktail-focused gastrobar. As San Diego’s top supporter of Chino Farms, the ingredients are impeccable, and executive chef/partner Trey Foshee is one of the city’s most admired chefs.

San Diego has several stellar hotel restaurants and this is one of them. The La Jolla restaurant, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is helmed by longtime executive Jason Knibb who admired by the food-obsessed and other local chefs for his precise and never pretentious California cuisine. Check out his signature dish, the Jamaican jerk pork belly.

When it set up shop in the quiet coastal community of Bird Rock in 2018, Wayfarer brought the beach its first real-deal bakery. Established by owner and master baker Crystal White, it’s become a destination worth trekking to for its flaky pastries sweetened with local produce and sturdy-crusted loaves made of heirloom grains.

For a city of its size, San Diego has too few restaurants dedicated to showcasing local seafood and the bounty of the West Coast. This Pacific Beach stalwart, which recently got a makeover, is a seafood distributor, retail market, restaurant, and cocktail bar in one.

Venerable sushi master/owner Yukito Ota has trained many of the city’s top sushi chefs and still presides over a sushi bar that serves one of the top omakase experiences in town from an unassuming space in a Pacific Beach strip mall.

This neighborhood bistro, run by a veteran of the city’s best French restaurants, has charm for days. Its relaxed bar and comfortable dining room are a fine setting for French classics that include made-to-order sky-high souffles.

The sophomore entry from Trust Restaurant, recently honored with Michelin Plate status, is already a staple in Mission Hills where it offers up a range of experiences via its relaxed cocktail bar or upscale dining room.

Though it was initially built to honor some of the world’s great pizzerias, the North Park eatery has carved out a highly-respected identity that may inspire tributes of its own. Its accomplished “Neo-Neapolitan” pies are often topped with farmer’s market produce.

This stylish independent restaurant, an Eater Award-winner, has handily sustained its success over the years and spawned a growing hospitality empire, is overseen by hard-working chef/co-owner Brad Wise.

The unique format of this atypical restaurant allows the kitchen to change its menu daily and offer seasonal, creative plates at accessible prices. Operating regularly Thursday through Saturday, the wine bar and shop serve three and five-course set menus and features winemaker dinners on other nights of the week.

Nearly 15 years ago, Starlite helped locally kickstart the concept of a craft cocktail bar that also serves great food and it’s still one of San Diego’s best practitioners of the combo.

Tables at this well-established Bankers Hill spot are still some of the most sought-after in town thanks to a shareable Italian-inspired menu that’s both modern and familiar.

The neighborhood favorite spent 2020 enhancing its offerings, from adding lunch service to expanding its seasonal dinner menu, tacking on a full cocktail list, and even opening an adjacent bakery. A longtime champion of the natural wine scene, it’s also the best place in town to taste and buy local wine.

With local celeb chef Brian Malarkey at the helm, Herb & Wood is a stunning spot to see-and-be-seen, but it has also managed to become one of the city’s top destinations for thoughtful yet accessible dining.

Executive chef Brian Redzikowski shines brightest at his Chef’s Table experience, when he can fully tap into his culinary depths, but the well-trained chef’s Asian-inflected a la carte menu is also consistently tasty and thoughtful.

This Little Italy steakhouse is firmly on its way to becoming a classic. Thrill to Caesar salads, omelets, and steak tartare made tableside followed by luxurious cuts of dry aged beef cut to order, prized Wagyu beef grilled on Japanese charcoal, and retro hits like Tournedos Rossini and Steak Diane. 

Recently given Bib Gourmand status by the Michelin Guide, this crowd-drawing brunch spot stands out by serving an internationally-inspired breakfast menu and commendable cocktails in a pink-hued, fantastical setting.

This South Park rebel makes its mark with the rarely-seen pairing of top-notch craft cocktails with a chef-powered, vegan menu. Add a dose of seriously eye-catching design and you’ve got a winner.

With outposts throughout San Diego, the flagship location of this friendly, family-owned Italian restaurant remains the most beloved. Regulars rave about the pizzas that emerge from its signature gold-tiled ovens as well as the pastas, both are also available gluten-free.

This enduring East Village steakhouse, still gleaming from a recent expansion and remodel, serves contemporary American cuisine from longtime chef Victor H. Jimenez. The best seat might be at the chef’s counter, where you can watch the kitchen while enjoying a multi-course meal.

The anchor restaurant at the iconic Hotel del Coronado is also a showcase for the region’s best seafood. Chef JoJo Ruiz (Lionfish, Ironside) has a long history of supporting local fisherman, whose fresh catch is cooked whole and served tableside just steps from the beach.

This Chula Vista fixture is a frequent stop for locals and a temple to traditional lamb borrego, cooked slowly until succulent and served in simple, tasty preparations, from tacos to flautas. Adventurous diners might try the whole roasted lamb head.