Chef William Eick’s fine dining take on modern Japanese cuisine, which started as a pop-up before opening in its own intimate space in Oceanside’s Tremont District, spotlights progressive dishes that combine Japanese technique with Southern California ingredients.

A taste of Central Texas has landed in Oceanside with the arrival of this LA-based sensation that specializes in classic Texas-style breakfast tacos based on homemade flour tortillas and pastured eggs. Besides its bestselling tacos, HomeState is also getting high marks for its creamy queso dip and refreshing house cocktails like frozen spicy Palomas and tequila highballs.

Chef Andrew Bachelier (Jeune et Jolie, Cucina Enoteca) is behind this stylish cafe and test kitchen in Leucadia where the eclectic and craveable daytime menu ranges from coconut milk-soaked Spanish-style French toast to blue corn chilaquiles in mole negro and Turkish poached eggs served alongside fresh juices and tonics. Its 25-seat patio will also be used for special events, including preview dinners for Chick & Hawk, his highly-anticipated North County restaurant with Tony Hawk.

The relaxed, upscale restaurant brings fresh oysters to La Jolla Shores along with a flexible menu that includes wood-grilled meats like prime rib, pork chops with cheddar grits, and adobo-rubbed trout.

Elegant and breezy, the La Jolla restaurant interprets modern Italian cuisine with a focus on handmade pasta, pairing delicate tagliatelle with king crab and luscious short rib ragu with thumbnail-size gnocchetti, and sourcing fresh catch from the local Tuna Harbor Dockside Market for standout seafood dishes featuring squid and mackerel. Don’t miss the cocktails, which center around carefully-considered classics.

Two highly-trained itamae, veterans of the Michelin-starred Soichi Sushi as well as downtown’s popular Taka Sushi, have paired up to open a sleek restaurant in Linda Vista that showcases their sushi skills through an eight-course omakase menu. With two seating per night and just 10 seats, reservations are required for the seasonal seafood experience.

The first solo restaurant from chef Nate Horton (Swagyu, Animae) highlights his background in wagyu beef and Asian cuisine, mixing high-end steaks with modern izakaya dishes and influences and ingredients that reflect his Hispanic heritage. Bringing a rare tasting menu opportunity to East County, the bar also offers creative cocktails that showcase Japanese whisky and agave spirits.

Chef Phillip Esteban’s first stand-alone restaurant for his Filipino rice bowl chain pairs the fast-casual menu with beer and natural wine. Its silog bowls come topped with everything from crispy pork belly to grilled chicken and a vegan mushroom and tofu sisig. Filipino flavors extend to desserts and drinks, including taho (sweetened tofu and fruit) and ube milk tea.

The Japanese tradition of kaiseki is on display at this intimate and special new spot in Bankers Hill from the team behind Azuki Sushi. The 10-seat restaurant hosts two seatings per night for its 10-course seasonal tasting menus that combine sushi and sashimi with grilled and cooked dishes.

Situated among the museum’s collection, Artifact offers a transportive menu that spans the globe, with beautifully-presented dishes and accomplished cocktails. A special dinner experience, featuring a multi-course menu inspired the cuisine and traditions of select cities and regions around the world, is offered once a month.

This sparkling addition to Little Italy is thrilling diners with Baja-style plates of fresh seafood, from platters of chocolate clams to standout dishes like shrimp aguachile en salsa verde, tuna and scallop tostadas dressed with guajillo chile mayo and ponzu, and tiradito mixto in XO sauce from executive chef Miguel Angel Gomez. Seafood-friendly drinks include sake, champagne, and a selection of labels from wine regions throughout Mexico.

Acclaimed LA chef Jason Neroni of Venice Beach icon, the Rose, has been spending significant time in San Diego where he created this sleek new restaurant for downtown’s revamped and renamed Kimpton Alma. Supported by chef de cuisine Aldo Negrete and pastry chef Erin Steidley, Neroni’s seasonal menu for the dinner-only space includes everything-spiced Parker House rolls served with black sesame and smoked eggplant dip and local black cod prepared in the style of Japanese unagi. The chef, who is in the process of opening a highly-anticipated pizzeria in LA, will reportedly be bringing his pizza prowess to a new poolside bar opening at the hotel later this spring.

South Bay’s dynamic food hall holds a diverse collection of cuisines, offering everything from Thai and Indonesian food to pizza and Southern barbecue. Built to service the local community and draw interested diners to downtown National City, the public market also houses a beer bar and beer garden. Newly-added vendors, opening soon in the space, include a Filipino pancit-focused outfit from chef Phillip Esteban and a spot for gourmet deli sandwiches and butcher’s plates.