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Check Out These 10 Spots New To San Diego Restaurant Week

Make a reservation at these SDRW first-timers.

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While we might have grown a little weary of San Diego Restaurant Week, the second installment of the biannual dining extravaganza is almost upon us. And, with over 180 participating restaurants, in lieu of the usual suspects Eater decided a better way to highlight the 11th showcase of San Diego’s culinary prowess would be to shine a spotlight on recently-opened eateries and SDRW first-timers, plus a brand new menu to be unveiled in honor of the event.

In keeping with the "Celebrate Local" spirit, if you think Restaurant Week has passed it’s prime we advocate making this week your own – by getting out to support your local neighborhood restaurants, eateries and hole-in-the-wall gems instead.

Note: map points are not ranked.

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Galaxy Taco

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Trey Foshee’s relaxed taco joint will be serving up a two-course lunch menu consisting of a starter or sweet – including an heirloom tomato salad (proteins can be added for an additional cost), and flan – next, select any two tacos from ten on offer including Baja fried fish, lamb barbacoa, potato, and grilled SD avocado. The three-course dinner includes options such as birria steamed clams to start, a wood grilled trout with adobo rub and shishito-watercress salad, followed by churro vanilla ice cream with Mexican chocolate sauce. PRICE POINT: Lunch $15, dinner $30.

Catania Coastal Italian

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Choose any three dishes (appetizer, main and dessert) from Exec Chef Ryan Johnston’s regular dinner menu, which will all be served to share family-style. For appetizers think arancini, wood grilled quail, and wild salmon and uni crudo. For mains think whole roasted branzini, spit-roasted half duck with rainier cherries and pancetta, and summer squash rotolo. Dessert includes a torta di pistachio with fresh strawberries and lemon sorbet. PRICE POINT: $45 per person, plus tax and an automatic 20 percent gratuity.

Oceana Coastal Kitchen

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Chef Stephen Riemer is serving up an inaugural three-course dinner menu that includes a Nigiri quartet (tuna, shrimp, yellowtail, & salmon), and heirloom melon gazpacho with Fresno chile and ginger to start. Smoked short ribs with onion dumplings, and Sea of Cortez scallops with pickled cherries and Tahitian squash purée are available to follow. Sweet treats include two cake options – the pear upside down comes with almond bundt and Luxardo cherry, while the lavish mocha layer comes with triple chocolate and espresso. PRICE POINT: $30 per person (plus tax & tip).

Backyard Kitchen and Tap

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This lively coastal eatery will be serving up a two-course lunch menu, and three-course dinner menu throughout the week. Chicken wings (BBQ, spicy, buttermilk) and housemade meatballs, plus entrees such as fish and chips, and a wild mushroom flatbread make up some of the lunchtime bites. While dinnertime fare includes a pork chili verde soup appetizer, and three-meat mac n’cheese (Andouille sausage, tasso ham, bacon) entrée option. Take your pick between a S’More’s Pie, or lemon curd with minted berries and fresh mint chiffonade for dessert. PRICE POINT: Lunch $15, dinner $30 per person (tax & tip not included).

Grant Grill

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By no means a newcomer to San Diego Restaurant Week, this year the iconic eatery will be launching an entirely new menu of seasonally inspired dishes in honor of the festivities. Known for its high end epicurean eats, highlights include braised smoked pork belly with lavender pea puree, corn bread and honey comb, yellowfin tuna [BS1] with uni, salmon caviar, finger lime and sea beans, opah with maitake mushroom, kale and cavatelli pasta, and braised veal cheeks with burrata agnolotti, wood ear mushrooms. PRICE POINT: $50 per person (tax and gratuity not included).

Bracero - Cocina de Raiz

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Still haven’t had dinner at the hottest ticket in town? Then stop by during SDRW and sample Javier Plancesia’s iconic new eatery for less than $30. Bracero’s set lunch menu comprises a slow braised brisket torta with avocado, demi, heirloom tomatoes and pickled onions, served with a vida verde side salad of salt cured cactus, watercress, zucchini, pickled chayote, purslane, avocado and queso añejo. Dessert comes in the form of chocolate cherry, with plum and bitter chocolate sorbet. PRICE POINT: $20 per person.

Le Parfait Paris

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The purveyor of high quality French pastries will be offering a midday-friendly entrée, dessert and drink special throughout restaurant week. Entrees include a Croque Monsieur, Salade Parfaite, salmon Carpaccio, and the choice of either a Nicois or chicken Panini, plus soup. Featured desserts include a chocolate éclair, fruit éclair and Paris Brest, but for an additional $2 these can be switched out for any dessert from the menu. Drink options include organic soda. PRICE POINT: $15 per person.

Nozomi Sushi & Japanese Fusion

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If you find yourself in North County head to Nozomi where the sushi chefs will be whipping up two special options for the week. The two-course lunch menu includes any hand roll, plus a vegan salad and the choice between shrimp and vegetable yakisoba, salmon and asparagus fried rice, or spicy garlic miso ramen. While panko-fried oysters, ahi poke and a Surf’n Turf roll with seared steak and crab make up a handful of options from the three-course dinner menu. PRICE POINT: Lunch $15, dinner $30 per person.

Wild Note Cafe

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Adjoined to the famed Belly Up, this music-themed bistro will be offering a set price two-course lunch, and three-course dinner menu for the week. Lunchtime fare includes a lobster dumpling appetizer, plus a non-traditional jumbalaya and Kobe beef slider entrées. Dinner bites include crispy cornmeal calamari to start, followed by either tandoori chicken, or beef “rad” Thai. Don’t miss the Jack Daniels pecan pie with dark chocolate for dessert. PRICE POINT: Lunch $15, dinner $35 (tax and tip not included).

Farmer's Bottega

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Executive Chef Alberto Morreale is serving up a three-course dinner for his SDRW debut – featuring everything from starters like pork belly tacos (salsa fresca, avocado, tomatillo salsa), to mains including a wild boar risotto with roasted cherry tomatoes and wild mushrooms. A fish ($15) and pasta ($5) special will also be available. Desserts come in the guise of a gluten free pear cranberry tart, and lava chocolate cake. PRICE POINT: $30 per person, with an additional wine pairing option available for $15.

Galaxy Taco

Trey Foshee’s relaxed taco joint will be serving up a two-course lunch menu consisting of a starter or sweet – including an heirloom tomato salad (proteins can be added for an additional cost), and flan – next, select any two tacos from ten on offer including Baja fried fish, lamb barbacoa, potato, and grilled SD avocado. The three-course dinner includes options such as birria steamed clams to start, a wood grilled trout with adobo rub and shishito-watercress salad, followed by churro vanilla ice cream with Mexican chocolate sauce. PRICE POINT: Lunch $15, dinner $30.

Catania Coastal Italian

Choose any three dishes (appetizer, main and dessert) from Exec Chef Ryan Johnston’s regular dinner menu, which will all be served to share family-style. For appetizers think arancini, wood grilled quail, and wild salmon and uni crudo. For mains think whole roasted branzini, spit-roasted half duck with rainier cherries and pancetta, and summer squash rotolo. Dessert includes a torta di pistachio with fresh strawberries and lemon sorbet. PRICE POINT: $45 per person, plus tax and an automatic 20 percent gratuity.

Oceana Coastal Kitchen

Chef Stephen Riemer is serving up an inaugural three-course dinner menu that includes a Nigiri quartet (tuna, shrimp, yellowtail, & salmon), and heirloom melon gazpacho with Fresno chile and ginger to start. Smoked short ribs with onion dumplings, and Sea of Cortez scallops with pickled cherries and Tahitian squash purée are available to follow. Sweet treats include two cake options – the pear upside down comes with almond bundt and Luxardo cherry, while the lavish mocha layer comes with triple chocolate and espresso. PRICE POINT: $30 per person (plus tax & tip).

Backyard Kitchen and Tap

This lively coastal eatery will be serving up a two-course lunch menu, and three-course dinner menu throughout the week. Chicken wings (BBQ, spicy, buttermilk) and housemade meatballs, plus entrees such as fish and chips, and a wild mushroom flatbread make up some of the lunchtime bites. While dinnertime fare includes a pork chili verde soup appetizer, and three-meat mac n’cheese (Andouille sausage, tasso ham, bacon) entrée option. Take your pick between a S’More’s Pie, or lemon curd with minted berries and fresh mint chiffonade for dessert. PRICE POINT: Lunch $15, dinner $30 per person (tax & tip not included).

Grant Grill

By no means a newcomer to San Diego Restaurant Week, this year the iconic eatery will be launching an entirely new menu of seasonally inspired dishes in honor of the festivities. Known for its high end epicurean eats, highlights include braised smoked pork belly with lavender pea puree, corn bread and honey comb, yellowfin tuna [BS1] with uni, salmon caviar, finger lime and sea beans, opah with maitake mushroom, kale and cavatelli pasta, and braised veal cheeks with burrata agnolotti, wood ear mushrooms. PRICE POINT: $50 per person (tax and gratuity not included).

Bracero - Cocina de Raiz

Still haven’t had dinner at the hottest ticket in town? Then stop by during SDRW and sample Javier Plancesia’s iconic new eatery for less than $30. Bracero’s set lunch menu comprises a slow braised brisket torta with avocado, demi, heirloom tomatoes and pickled onions, served with a vida verde side salad of salt cured cactus, watercress, zucchini, pickled chayote, purslane, avocado and queso añejo. Dessert comes in the form of chocolate cherry, with plum and bitter chocolate sorbet. PRICE POINT: $20 per person.

Le Parfait Paris

The purveyor of high quality French pastries will be offering a midday-friendly entrée, dessert and drink special throughout restaurant week. Entrees include a Croque Monsieur, Salade Parfaite, salmon Carpaccio, and the choice of either a Nicois or chicken Panini, plus soup. Featured desserts include a chocolate éclair, fruit éclair and Paris Brest, but for an additional $2 these can be switched out for any dessert from the menu. Drink options include organic soda. PRICE POINT: $15 per person.

Nozomi Sushi & Japanese Fusion

If you find yourself in North County head to Nozomi where the sushi chefs will be whipping up two special options for the week. The two-course lunch menu includes any hand roll, plus a vegan salad and the choice between shrimp and vegetable yakisoba, salmon and asparagus fried rice, or spicy garlic miso ramen. While panko-fried oysters, ahi poke and a Surf’n Turf roll with seared steak and crab make up a handful of options from the three-course dinner menu. PRICE POINT: Lunch $15, dinner $30 per person.

Wild Note Cafe

Adjoined to the famed Belly Up, this music-themed bistro will be offering a set price two-course lunch, and three-course dinner menu for the week. Lunchtime fare includes a lobster dumpling appetizer, plus a non-traditional jumbalaya and Kobe beef slider entrées. Dinner bites include crispy cornmeal calamari to start, followed by either tandoori chicken, or beef “rad” Thai. Don’t miss the Jack Daniels pecan pie with dark chocolate for dessert. PRICE POINT: Lunch $15, dinner $35 (tax and tip not included).

Farmer's Bottega

Executive Chef Alberto Morreale is serving up a three-course dinner for his SDRW debut – featuring everything from starters like pork belly tacos (salsa fresca, avocado, tomatillo salsa), to mains including a wild boar risotto with roasted cherry tomatoes and wild mushrooms. A fish ($15) and pasta ($5) special will also be available. Desserts come in the guise of a gluten free pear cranberry tart, and lava chocolate cake. PRICE POINT: $30 per person, with an additional wine pairing option available for $15.

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