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Tours in San Diego |
We have selected 15 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments.
The restaurants below have been classified into four different pricing categories:
$$$$ (over US$80)
$$$ (US$60 to US$80)
$$ (US$40 to US$60)
$ (up to US$40)
The prices quoted below are for an average three-course meal for one person and half a bottle of house wine or cheapest equivalent.
Gastronomic
George's at the Cove
Spectacular coastal scenery and terrific contemporary Californian haute cuisine. The combination is likely to make any visit to George's at the Cove in La Jolla a memorable experience. The elegant fine dining restaurant is located on the main floor, and the menu is seasonal with a strong emphasis on fresh ingredients and a creative approach to regional cuisine. Upstairs, the Pacific View Bar and rooftop Ocean Terrace Bistro offer a more casual menu and breathtaking views of La Jolla Cove.
1250 Prospect Street, La Jolla
Tel: (858) 454 4244.
Website: www.georgesatthecove.com
Price: $$$$
The Marine Room
Right on the beach at La Jolla Shores, The Marine Room blends an incredible location with expertly prepared French, Mediterranean and Californian cuisine. Famous for the dramatic displays of the pounding surf right outside its windows, the restaurant also deserves its reputation as a great place to experience culinary excellence. During the winter, the restaurant hosts special 'High Tide Breakfasts', with the waves pounding right against the windows.
2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla
Tel: (858) 459 7222.
Website: www.marineroom.com
Price: $$$$
Mille Fleurs
Ensconced in the highly exclusive enclave of Rancho Santa Fe, Mille Fleurs is one of the San Diego region's very best French restaurants, boasting haute cuisine, elegant décor, top-notch service and an intimate hacienda setting. On offer is an exclusive culinary experience - the food served at Mille Fleurs is classically continental, but with a contemporary style and innovative touch.
6009 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe
Tel: (858) 756 3085.
Website: www.millefleurs.com
Price: $$$$
Star of the Sea
With its wonderful location on San Diego Bay, literally over the water, Star of the Sea is a San Diego landmark that has few problems attracting visitors. This elegant, artfully decorated dining room and bar has a nice ambience and an impressive seasonal menu with seafood as the speciality - ranging from fresh oysters and Dover sole to Alaskan halibut and Copper River salmon. A fantastic Lobster Degustation set menu is also available.
1360 North Harbor Drive (on San Diego Bay at Ash Street)
Tel: (619) 232 7408.
Website: www.starofthesea.com
Price: $$$
Business
El Agave Tequileria
There are many good Mexican restaurants in San Diego, and among the very best is El Agave Tequileria in Old Town. This Mexican nouvelle cuisine restaurant serves a wide range of authentic dishes from various Mexican regions while also giving many of them a modern twist. In addition to the top-notch food on offer, El Agave has an impressive tequila selection; more than 100 brands are served by the shot.
2304 San Diego Avenue, Old Town
Tel: (619) 220 0692.
Website: www.elagave.com
Price: $$
The Fish Market
The Fish Market and its upstairs, the more upscale Top of the Market, are a fish lover's paradise. The casual, busy and bustling downstairs offers an enormous selection of totally fresh seafood, while the Top of the Market is more formal and serves fish and seafood dishes in more elegant presentations. Both levels offer remarkable views of the harbour and the Coronado Bridge. Downstairs there is a retail seafood market.
750 North Harbor Drive
Tel: (619) 232 3474.
Website: www.thefishmarket.com
Price: $$
Sally's Restaurant
Located right on the waterfront in Seaport Village, Sally's Restaurant is a friendly place with lively atmosphere and excellent food. The main focus of the cooking is fresh seafood, and the restaurant's exhibition kitchen allows guests to see the chef in action working his magic with the ingredients. Sally's is famous for its generous portions and for serving the best crab cakes in town.
1 Market Place
Tel: (619) 358 6740.
Website: www.dinehyatt.com
Price: $$
Trendy
Bertrand at Mister A's
The 12th-floor panoramic views of Downtown, San Diego Bay, Balboa Park, Coronado, Point Loma (the entire city) are unbeatable, and the cuisine (a contemporary combination of French and Californian influences) and wine list are top notch. Casual elegance characterises both clientele and ambience at Bertrand at Mister A's, where guests can enjoy patio dining at eye level with the planes heading for the nearby airport.
2550 Fifth Avenue
Tel: (619) 239 1377.
Website: www.bertrandatmisteras.com
Price: $$$
Laurel Restaurant & Bar
Laurel Restaurant & Bar in Banker's Hill near Balboa Park is a landmark San Diego dining destination that reopened in July 2005 under new ownership. The restaurant's stunning new glamorous interiors perfectly match the chef's creative interpretations of traditional French and Mediterranean cuisine with Asian accents. The menu is a fascinating list of innovative
and flavoursome dishes, and the extensive wine list has already won the acclaim of critics.
505 Laurel Street
Tel: (619) 239 2222.
Website: www.sdurbankitchen.com
Price: $$$
Budget
Café Chloe
A charming café, wine bar and bistro in one, the elegant, European style Café Chloe in Downtown's up-and-coming East Village is a chic and friendly place with award-winning French-inspired dishes on offer. The food is fabulous, from the steak frites to the chicken and wild mushroom vol au vent, and the prices are very reasonable.
721 Ninth Avenue
Tel: (619) 232 3242.
Website: www.cafechloe.com
Price: $$
El Indio
A San Diego culinary institution since the 1940s, El Indio in Little Italy/Middletown not far from the airport is probably San Diego's most famous Mexican restaurant. It is rumoured that three US presidents have ordered food from El Indio to be sent to Washington DC! Abundant portions of fresh, high-quality sonora-style Mexican food await visitors to this popular restaurant. The vegetarian menu is highly recommended.
3695 India Street
Tel: (619) 299 0333.
Website: www.el-indio.com
Price: $
Greek Islands Café
Very relaxed and casual, as well as thoroughly authentic, Greek Islands Café on the waterfront in Seaport Village is a charming place with a personality of its own. Proper Greek home-cooked food is on offer - Greek lasagne, baklava, stuffed grape leaves and gyro sandwiches. The views of the harbour are great, and the whole experience is a little bit like being transported to a local eatery on some Greek island in the Mediterranean.
879 West Harbor Drive
Tel: (619) 239 5216.
Website: www.greekislandscafe.com
Price: $
Personal Recommendations
Corvette Diner
A true San Diego landmark and one of the best 1950s style diners in the US, Corvette Diner is a fun place to visit. The music is great, and the waitresses in their poodle skirts and bouffant hairdos know how to create a good party atmosphere. And then there's the food: a huge menu and massive portions. There are some vegetarian dishes, but the focus is on traditional American diner fare like burgers, chicken sandwiches and meat loaf. The dessert menu is absolutely enormous!
3946 Fifth Avenue
Tel: (619) 542 1476.
Website: www.cohnrestaurants.com
Price: $
Hash House a Go Go
Hash House a Go Go in Hillcrest lives up to its mission statement of keeping the fun in food and maintaining a level of excitement and entertainment during the dining experience. Huge portions of innovative and utterly delicious versions of classic American dishes and a friendly, bustling atmosphere ensure that visitors take enjoyment both from the food and the ambience. Long queues on weekends is proof of the enduring charm of this modern-day diner.
3628 Fifth Avenue
Tel: (619) 298 4646.
Website: www.hashhouseagogo.com
Price: $$
Region
Opened in 2003 in Hillcrest, Region is a restaurant with the overriding philosophy of making sure that guests can enjoy food in its original, pure and delicious simplicity. The chef has a very close relationship with local farmers, and the menu is written each morning pending his foray to the farms. This is simple yet sophisticated food, as it is prepared with the aim of bringing out the natural flavours and textures of the fresh ingredients. Reasonably priced.
3671 Fifth Avenue
Tel: (619) 299 6499.
Price: $$
The restaurants below have been classified into four different pricing categories:
$$$$ (over US$80)
$$$ (US$60 to US$80)
$$ (US$40 to US$60)
$ (up to US$40)
The prices quoted below are for an average three-course meal for one person and half a bottle of house wine or cheapest equivalent.
Gastronomic
George's at the Cove
Spectacular coastal scenery and terrific contemporary Californian haute cuisine. The combination is likely to make any visit to George's at the Cove in La Jolla a memorable experience. The elegant fine dining restaurant is located on the main floor, and the menu is seasonal with a strong emphasis on fresh ingredients and a creative approach to regional cuisine. Upstairs, the Pacific View Bar and rooftop Ocean Terrace Bistro offer a more casual menu and breathtaking views of La Jolla Cove.
1250 Prospect Street, La Jolla
Tel: (858) 454 4244.
Website: www.georgesatthecove.com
Price: $$$$
The Marine Room
Right on the beach at La Jolla Shores, The Marine Room blends an incredible location with expertly prepared French, Mediterranean and Californian cuisine. Famous for the dramatic displays of the pounding surf right outside its windows, the restaurant also deserves its reputation as a great place to experience culinary excellence. During the winter, the restaurant hosts special 'High Tide Breakfasts', with the waves pounding right against the windows.
2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla
Tel: (858) 459 7222.
Website: www.marineroom.com
Price: $$$$
Mille Fleurs
Ensconced in the highly exclusive enclave of Rancho Santa Fe, Mille Fleurs is one of the San Diego region's very best French restaurants, boasting haute cuisine, elegant décor, top-notch service and an intimate hacienda setting. On offer is an exclusive culinary experience - the food served at Mille Fleurs is classically continental, but with a contemporary style and innovative touch.
6009 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe
Tel: (858) 756 3085.
Website: www.millefleurs.com
Price: $$$$
Star of the Sea
With its wonderful location on San Diego Bay, literally over the water, Star of the Sea is a San Diego landmark that has few problems attracting visitors. This elegant, artfully decorated dining room and bar has a nice ambience and an impressive seasonal menu with seafood as the speciality - ranging from fresh oysters and Dover sole to Alaskan halibut and Copper River salmon. A fantastic Lobster Degustation set menu is also available.
1360 North Harbor Drive (on San Diego Bay at Ash Street)
Tel: (619) 232 7408.
Website: www.starofthesea.com
Price: $$$
Business
El Agave Tequileria
There are many good Mexican restaurants in San Diego, and among the very best is El Agave Tequileria in Old Town. This Mexican nouvelle cuisine restaurant serves a wide range of authentic dishes from various Mexican regions while also giving many of them a modern twist. In addition to the top-notch food on offer, El Agave has an impressive tequila selection; more than 100 brands are served by the shot.
2304 San Diego Avenue, Old Town
Tel: (619) 220 0692.
Website: www.elagave.com
Price: $$
The Fish Market
The Fish Market and its upstairs, the more upscale Top of the Market, are a fish lover's paradise. The casual, busy and bustling downstairs offers an enormous selection of totally fresh seafood, while the Top of the Market is more formal and serves fish and seafood dishes in more elegant presentations. Both levels offer remarkable views of the harbour and the Coronado Bridge. Downstairs there is a retail seafood market.
750 North Harbor Drive
Tel: (619) 232 3474.
Website: www.thefishmarket.com
Price: $$
Sally's Restaurant
Located right on the waterfront in Seaport Village, Sally's Restaurant is a friendly place with lively atmosphere and excellent food. The main focus of the cooking is fresh seafood, and the restaurant's exhibition kitchen allows guests to see the chef in action working his magic with the ingredients. Sally's is famous for its generous portions and for serving the best crab cakes in town.
1 Market Place
Tel: (619) 358 6740.
Website: www.dinehyatt.com
Price: $$
Trendy
Bertrand at Mister A's
The 12th-floor panoramic views of Downtown, San Diego Bay, Balboa Park, Coronado, Point Loma (the entire city) are unbeatable, and the cuisine (a contemporary combination of French and Californian influences) and wine list are top notch. Casual elegance characterises both clientele and ambience at Bertrand at Mister A's, where guests can enjoy patio dining at eye level with the planes heading for the nearby airport.
2550 Fifth Avenue
Tel: (619) 239 1377.
Website: www.bertrandatmisteras.com
Price: $$$
Laurel Restaurant & Bar
Laurel Restaurant & Bar in Banker's Hill near Balboa Park is a landmark San Diego dining destination that reopened in July 2005 under new ownership. The restaurant's stunning new glamorous interiors perfectly match the chef's creative interpretations of traditional French and Mediterranean cuisine with Asian accents. The menu is a fascinating list of innovative
and flavoursome dishes, and the extensive wine list has already won the acclaim of critics.
505 Laurel Street
Tel: (619) 239 2222.
Website: www.sdurbankitchen.com
Price: $$$
Budget
Café Chloe
A charming café, wine bar and bistro in one, the elegant, European style Café Chloe in Downtown's up-and-coming East Village is a chic and friendly place with award-winning French-inspired dishes on offer. The food is fabulous, from the steak frites to the chicken and wild mushroom vol au vent, and the prices are very reasonable.
721 Ninth Avenue
Tel: (619) 232 3242.
Website: www.cafechloe.com
Price: $$
El Indio
A San Diego culinary institution since the 1940s, El Indio in Little Italy/Middletown not far from the airport is probably San Diego's most famous Mexican restaurant. It is rumoured that three US presidents have ordered food from El Indio to be sent to Washington DC! Abundant portions of fresh, high-quality sonora-style Mexican food await visitors to this popular restaurant. The vegetarian menu is highly recommended.
3695 India Street
Tel: (619) 299 0333.
Website: www.el-indio.com
Price: $
Greek Islands Café
Very relaxed and casual, as well as thoroughly authentic, Greek Islands Café on the waterfront in Seaport Village is a charming place with a personality of its own. Proper Greek home-cooked food is on offer - Greek lasagne, baklava, stuffed grape leaves and gyro sandwiches. The views of the harbour are great, and the whole experience is a little bit like being transported to a local eatery on some Greek island in the Mediterranean.
879 West Harbor Drive
Tel: (619) 239 5216.
Website: www.greekislandscafe.com
Price: $
Personal Recommendations
Corvette Diner
A true San Diego landmark and one of the best 1950s style diners in the US, Corvette Diner is a fun place to visit. The music is great, and the waitresses in their poodle skirts and bouffant hairdos know how to create a good party atmosphere. And then there's the food: a huge menu and massive portions. There are some vegetarian dishes, but the focus is on traditional American diner fare like burgers, chicken sandwiches and meat loaf. The dessert menu is absolutely enormous!
3946 Fifth Avenue
Tel: (619) 542 1476.
Website: www.cohnrestaurants.com
Price: $
Hash House a Go Go
Hash House a Go Go in Hillcrest lives up to its mission statement of keeping the fun in food and maintaining a level of excitement and entertainment during the dining experience. Huge portions of innovative and utterly delicious versions of classic American dishes and a friendly, bustling atmosphere ensure that visitors take enjoyment both from the food and the ambience. Long queues on weekends is proof of the enduring charm of this modern-day diner.
3628 Fifth Avenue
Tel: (619) 298 4646.
Website: www.hashhouseagogo.com
Price: $$
Region
Opened in 2003 in Hillcrest, Region is a restaurant with the overriding philosophy of making sure that guests can enjoy food in its original, pure and delicious simplicity. The chef has a very close relationship with local farmers, and the menu is written each morning pending his foray to the farms. This is simple yet sophisticated food, as it is prepared with the aim of bringing out the natural flavours and textures of the fresh ingredients. Reasonably priced.
3671 Fifth Avenue
Tel: (619) 299 6499.
Price: $$
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