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Steak and veggies on a plate with wine in background. 
Winesellar and Brasserie.
Winesellar and Brasserie

Where to Find Lunch in Office-Heavy Sorrento Valley

Whether you’re grabbing a business lunch or just filling up on your lunch hour, these Sorrento Valley restaurants are the best bets for a mid-day meal 

by Grace Cassidy
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Winesellar and Brasserie.
| Winesellar and Brasserie
by Grace Cassidy

Sorrento Valley isn’t necessarily the first neighborhood that comes to mind when considering where to go out for lunch, but the area is known as an epicenter for biotech, IT, and other local businesses as well as being in close proximity to UC San Diego.

With more and more San Diegans going back to the office and needing a spot to fuel up for lunch, here are some great options whether grabbing takeout, dining solo, or catching up with clients or co-workers.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; the latest data about the delta variant indicates that it may pose a low-to-moderate risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial transmission. The latest CDC guidance is here; find a COVID-19 vaccination site here.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Sue’s Korean Kitchen

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The Plaza Sorrento Shopping Center houses several good options for a quick lunch, including this spot for homestyle Korean food. Open for takeout only, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, the restaurant offers weekday lunch specials and traditional dishes that include bibimbap, kimchi fried rice, and galbi.

6755 Mira Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 352-6511
(858) 352-6511

The WineSellar & Brasserie

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This longtime neighborhood spot features a retail shop where you can browse a variety of wines and an upscale restaurant space where the lunch menu features traditional French favorites like escargot and duck confit.

9550 Waples St #115, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 450-9557
(858) 450-9557
Steak and veggies on a plate with wine in background.  Winesellar and Brasserie.

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LuckyBolt Kitchen + Takeaway

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LuckyBolt is committed to bringing San Diegans local food from farms and artisans in the area. The menu changes by the week, but some great items include soups, veggies, hummus, and even local olive oil. You can either eat at their flagship store in Sorrento Valley or order a home delivery with goodies for the week.

10920 Roselle St STE 104, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 352-6766
(858) 352-6766
Overview of table with food. LuckyBolt/Instagram

Mr. Holy Gao

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Located within the Sorrento Mesa Business Center, this Chinese restaurant is know for serving large portions of Chinese food, with many dishes from the Szechuan region of China. Lunch specials, offered on weekdays, range from $9 to $13 and include options like hot and spicy fish filet, ma po tofu, and beef with green onions.

10066 Pacific Heights Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 587-3916
(858) 587-3916

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Gravity Heights

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This brewery, restaurant, and beer garden from Whisknladle Hospitality is the perfect spot to enjoy soup, salad, burgers, sandwiches, and wood-fired pizza with co-workers. On weekdays, the restaurant is open at 11:30 a.m. , and on weekends they open up an hour earlier for brunch. 

9920 Pacific Heights Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 283-8206
(858) 283-8206
View of restaurant interior. Gravity Heights/Instagram

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Karl Strauss Brewing Company

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This local brewery/restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and until 10 pm. on Friday and Saturday. Overlooking a tranquil pond, it’s a fine spot for a casual lunch with a menu that ranges from beer pretzels to harissa hummus, wings, tacos, burgers, and more.

9675 Scranton Rd, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 587-2739
(858) 587-2739
Woman’s hand holding beer with plate of food on table. Karl Strauss Beer/Instagram

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Park Commons

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This area food hall, run by Whisknladle Hospitality, holds a multitude of options for a quick lunch. Open Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., it offers Middle Eastern fare, fried chicken and burgers, and poke bowls.

9645 Scranton Rd, San Diego, CA 92121
A large dining room with communal tables. Park Commons

Punjabi Tandoor

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With two locations in San Diego and one in Carlsbad, this restaurant has been a longtime local favorite for Indian and Punjabi cuisine. Its lunch specials, features vegetable, chicken, or lamb-based mains include rice, naan, and raita.

5424 Morehouse Dr, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 643-9370
(858) 643-9370

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Green Acre Campus Pointe

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A quick drive from Sorrento Valley, this expansive restaurant is ideal for groups of friends and co-workers, offering a large and varied menu that ranges from snacks and salads to wraps, sandwiches, pizzas, and main dishes like ricotta gnocchi and braised tri-tip.

10300 Campus Point Dr, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 450-9907
(858) 450-9907

The Greenspot Salad Company

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When you’re looking for something light and nutritious, the Greenspot Salad Company offers a delicious range of salads, bowls, flatbreads, and wraps. The Baja steak bowl topped with grassfed steak, black beans, and pico de gallo.

9450 Scranton Rd #112, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 587-2585
(858) 587-2585
Salad bowl. [Official photo]

Also featured in:

Rough Draft Brewing Company

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This beer-lover’s spot is only open three days a week at the Sorrento Valley location: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. (The Del Mar location is open seven days a week, though.) While its main focus is house beer, the kitchen offers several options for a relaxed lunch or after-work snack including a charcuterie plate, antipasto salad, and salami flatbread.

8830 Rehco Rd suite d, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 453-7238
(858) 453-7238
People in Oktoberfest outfits holding beer. Roughdraft/Instagram

Pauly's Pizza Joint

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Serving fresh New York-style pizza, Pauly’s is a local favorite in Sorrento Valley. Stick to a signature thin crust pie for a simple and delicious lunch, or enjoy one of their many salads, calzones, strombolis, or sandwiches. 

6780 Miramar Rd STE 105, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 566-8646
(858) 566-8646
Man throwing pizza dough up in the air. Pauly’s Pizza

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Sue’s Korean Kitchen

6755 Mira Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121

The Plaza Sorrento Shopping Center houses several good options for a quick lunch, including this spot for homestyle Korean food. Open for takeout only, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, the restaurant offers weekday lunch specials and traditional dishes that include bibimbap, kimchi fried rice, and galbi.

6755 Mira Mesa Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 352-6511
(858) 352-6511

The WineSellar & Brasserie

9550 Waples St #115, San Diego, CA 92121

This longtime neighborhood spot features a retail shop where you can browse a variety of wines and an upscale restaurant space where the lunch menu features traditional French favorites like escargot and duck confit.

9550 Waples St #115, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 450-9557
(858) 450-9557
Steak and veggies on a plate with wine in background.  Winesellar and Brasserie.

LuckyBolt Kitchen + Takeaway

10920 Roselle St STE 104, San Diego, CA 92121

LuckyBolt is committed to bringing San Diegans local food from farms and artisans in the area. The menu changes by the week, but some great items include soups, veggies, hummus, and even local olive oil. You can either eat at their flagship store in Sorrento Valley or order a home delivery with goodies for the week.

10920 Roselle St STE 104, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 352-6766
(858) 352-6766
Overview of table with food. LuckyBolt/Instagram

Mr. Holy Gao

10066 Pacific Heights Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121

Located within the Sorrento Mesa Business Center, this Chinese restaurant is know for serving large portions of Chinese food, with many dishes from the Szechuan region of China. Lunch specials, offered on weekdays, range from $9 to $13 and include options like hot and spicy fish filet, ma po tofu, and beef with green onions.

10066 Pacific Heights Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 587-3916
(858) 587-3916

Gravity Heights

9920 Pacific Heights Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121

This brewery, restaurant, and beer garden from Whisknladle Hospitality is the perfect spot to enjoy soup, salad, burgers, sandwiches, and wood-fired pizza with co-workers. On weekdays, the restaurant is open at 11:30 a.m. , and on weekends they open up an hour earlier for brunch. 

9920 Pacific Heights Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 283-8206
(858) 283-8206
View of restaurant interior. Gravity Heights/Instagram

Karl Strauss Brewing Company

9675 Scranton Rd, San Diego, CA 92121

This local brewery/restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and until 10 pm. on Friday and Saturday. Overlooking a tranquil pond, it’s a fine spot for a casual lunch with a menu that ranges from beer pretzels to harissa hummus, wings, tacos, burgers, and more.

9675 Scranton Rd, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 587-2739
(858) 587-2739
Woman’s hand holding beer with plate of food on table. Karl Strauss Beer/Instagram

Park Commons

9645 Scranton Rd, San Diego, CA 92121

This area food hall, run by Whisknladle Hospitality, holds a multitude of options for a quick lunch. Open Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., it offers Middle Eastern fare, fried chicken and burgers, and poke bowls.

9645 Scranton Rd, San Diego, CA 92121
A large dining room with communal tables. Park Commons

Punjabi Tandoor

5424 Morehouse Dr, San Diego, CA 92121

With two locations in San Diego and one in Carlsbad, this restaurant has been a longtime local favorite for Indian and Punjabi cuisine. Its lunch specials, features vegetable, chicken, or lamb-based mains include rice, naan, and raita.

5424 Morehouse Dr, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 643-9370
(858) 643-9370

Green Acre Campus Pointe

10300 Campus Point Dr, San Diego, CA 92121

A quick drive from Sorrento Valley, this expansive restaurant is ideal for groups of friends and co-workers, offering a large and varied menu that ranges from snacks and salads to wraps, sandwiches, pizzas, and main dishes like ricotta gnocchi and braised tri-tip.

10300 Campus Point Dr, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 450-9907
(858) 450-9907

The Greenspot Salad Company

9450 Scranton Rd #112, San Diego, CA 92121

When you’re looking for something light and nutritious, the Greenspot Salad Company offers a delicious range of salads, bowls, flatbreads, and wraps. The Baja steak bowl topped with grassfed steak, black beans, and pico de gallo.

9450 Scranton Rd #112, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 587-2585
(858) 587-2585
Salad bowl. [Official photo]

Rough Draft Brewing Company

8830 Rehco Rd suite d, San Diego, CA 92121

This beer-lover’s spot is only open three days a week at the Sorrento Valley location: Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. (The Del Mar location is open seven days a week, though.) While its main focus is house beer, the kitchen offers several options for a relaxed lunch or after-work snack including a charcuterie plate, antipasto salad, and salami flatbread.

8830 Rehco Rd suite d, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 453-7238
(858) 453-7238
People in Oktoberfest outfits holding beer. Roughdraft/Instagram

Pauly's Pizza Joint

6780 Miramar Rd STE 105, San Diego, CA 92121

Serving fresh New York-style pizza, Pauly’s is a local favorite in Sorrento Valley. Stick to a signature thin crust pie for a simple and delicious lunch, or enjoy one of their many salads, calzones, strombolis, or sandwiches. 

6780 Miramar Rd STE 105, San Diego, CA 92121
(858) 566-8646
(858) 566-8646
Man throwing pizza dough up in the air. Pauly’s Pizza

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