Sustainable seafood is one draw at downtown Carlsbad’s Bluewater Grill. Others: the broad terrace, attentive service, and a focus on local ingredients. The menu has a few lunch specials (like fish tacos for $18 and a crab BLTA for $19), plus a range of similarly priced dishes, including fish and chips, seafood louie salad and, yes, an angus cheeseburger served with housemade potato chips.

The salads, bowls, and sandwiches at Urbane Cafe are fresh, light, and filling. They’re also popular with the work lunch crowd and office catering. One bowl features salmon, whole grain rice, marinated kale, roasted sweet potatoes, edamame, and a sweet chili aioli drizzle while a comfort food-stacked sandwich has roasted turkey, French brie, cranberry chutney, arugula, and herb aioli.

Tucked near the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean, this outdoor spot serves simple sandwiches and salads, plus out-of-this-world views (and experiences — the cafe is part of a gliderport). Menu options include a chicken caesar wrap made with fresh grilled chicken, and a crunchy, dense veggie delight (with balsamic vinaigrette, avocado, cucumber, onions, pepperoncini, provolone, tomato, jicama, and spring mix on multigrain).

Take some of the freshest fish around, marinate and grill it, then stuff it between two fluffy buns or drop it onto a pile of greens, and you get the magic that is El Pescador. They also have poke, clam chowder, sashimi, and many other seafood dishes. To hear it described, it may not sound special, but its loyal patrons know the quality and flavors here are unbeatable. (Pro tip: while you’re there, stop by their massive fishmonger counter and pick up something to cook for dinner.)

Chicken katsu curry, chicken karaage, and house specials like the katsudon (with either pork, chicken, or tofu) anchor the menu of this beautifully-adorned Japanese style from-scratch curry spot in Kearny Mesa. They have a few weekly specials, plus a color coded spiciness chart (from 0 to 10). Closed Mondays.

Since it opened in 2011, Bahn Thai has become a destination for toothsome Thai. For good reason: the University Heights restaurant (with a newer, larger Hillcrest location) doles out rich curries, smokey, garlicky noodles, tart soups, and other Thai favorites, in sizable portions for reasonable prices. They do brisk takeout business plus dine-in as well, but the patio is small. A picnic at nearby Trolley Barn Park is one more option.

Warm, savory veggies and meats bundled in tender pastry and baked until golden. Fruit, custard, and sweet fillings piled into tender, crumbly crusts. That’s the spirit of Pop Pie. Eaten alone or together, their pies make for a deeply comforting lunch. (They also serve coffee and espresso — in case you need to stave off a food coma.)

This family-run restaurant in a La Mesa strip mall is a go-to spot for carnitas connoisseurs. You’ll see them lined up at lunch time, grabbing mouthwatering meals for now and maybe later (the portions are generous).

Once a tiny bastion of NY-style pizza in Golden Hill, this chain now has a handful of locations around San Diego, including in Imperial Beach and Ocean Beach. Along with classics (a cheese slice is $2.75), they’re known for their signature pies. The Sports Bar is a potato skin turned pizza, with bacon, sour cream, potatoes, and chives while the Frenchie has ham, pear, caramelized onion, and blue cheese.

It may be a cafe (serving Cafe Moto beans), but Influx is also a magnet for the midday lunch set, especially at its airy Little Italy and North Park locations. On the food side, they specialize in both breakfast and lunch, with simple and well-assembled sandwiches, bagels, and salads. The feta sandwich tastes like a Greek-ish salad between bread, with hummus, feta cheese, sliced red onion, cucumber, tomato, and mixed greens. A few turkey, ham, and tofu varieties means various diets and cravings can get satisfied.

In 2014 Crack Shack put Little Italy on the map for something that wasn’t Italian food, and San Diego’s diners have been grateful ever since. This crowd favorite continues to serve its crispy, juicy chicken sandwiches, bone-in jidori fried chicken trays, and veggie-laden bowls to hungry lunch (and dinner) patrons in two whimsical locations: the original, on Kettner Boulevard, and a second spot in Encinitas, just off Interstate 5.

This tiny Mexican spot in National City does everything right for its customers, from the food (classic fish tostadas, carne asada tacos, Cali-style carne asada fries, and hefty tortas) to the welcoming staff and low prices.