San Diego is Southern California’s city of pristine beaches and gorgeous sunshine. With the salt air, cool breeze, and unrivaled sunsets, you can’t help but fall in love with San Diego. But America’s Finest City is also making its name in the food scene. So, watch out New York and Chicago!
When visiting San Diego, setting sail is the picture-perfect way to introduce you to its culinary treats and sights. An evening spent on a San Diego Bay dinner cruise will coast you out to the views of the city’s magical skyline, while serving you some of the incredible dishes San Diego has to offer.
Meeting San Diego through its unique local and seasonal ingredients while under the stars of the San Diego Bay creates a special connection—one that that will have you eager to discover the city’s many other culinary treasures.
So, let’s dig into some of the fun places to eat in San Diego that will have you falling in love with not just the views but all the gastronomical gems.
Breakfast Republic
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so make it an egg-cellent good time at Breakfast Republic.
Making the San Diego Magazine’s Reader’s Choice Best Breakfast and California Reader’s Association Best Breakfast, one should listen to the locals; they always know best.
Sample the shrimp & grits breakfast soaked in gouda for a southern craving, or chilaquiles for some Mexican morning spice, the Mr. Presley French toast for a sweet treat, or veggie & pesto frittata off the vegan menu. Omelets, benedicts, scrambles, and sides like Jurassic pork bacon and maple sage sausage make up their clucking good breakfast, as they like to say.
With a menu so mouth-watering, Breakfast Republic is one fun place to eat in San Diego—so much so that it will probably become one of your staples.
Location: Throughout San Diego
Mothership
Everyone loves to feel like a kid again! Well, climb aboard the Mothership and let all those nostalgic memories light you up. Serving up “interplanetary vegan fusion,” you only need to reach San Diego’s South Park neighborhood to take this tropical space adventure.
While the theme of the restaurant is decidedly retro sci-fi, the food and drinks are out of this world. With creative combinations, the Earth food’s menu is an exploratory journey.
Try, for example, the Mothership donut, which is made up of delicate squash in a tempura batter and a burnt orange glaze with herb sprinkles. Or the scallion pancake with an okonomi sauce layered with flavors. The bread, cabbage, rice, tofu, salad, noodles, and potato dishes are ingeniously combined to deliver exotic flavors.
Don’t disembark without gravitating to the bar to enjoy your Self-Destruct Sequence cocktail served up in a beaker glass. The elaborately mixed and designed beverages of gin, rums, and liqueurs are reason enough for a night out at the Mothership.
Location: 2310 30th St, San Diego, CA 92104
The Melting Pot
Located in Gaslamp Plaza Suites in downtown San Diego, The Melting Pot is a tasty recipe for fun. With sweet and savory dishes, not one craving is left out.
Wednesday brings “Friendsday,” with their Best Fondue Friends Forever. Enjoy a cheese fondue of BFFF Dippers, salad, and chocolate fondue course, or upgrade to a 4-course meal.
Romantic nights arrive on The Melting Pot’s “Thursdate” menu, with sparkling chocolate fondue and the adornment of rose petals and candles. 4-course dinners are intimately shared amongst the Lover’s Lane tables to set the mood.
Cheese fondues to sink your teeth into include Wisconsin cheddars, spinach artichoke, fiesta flavors, and Quattro Formaggio. The chocolate menu boasts something for everyone’s sweet tooth. It’s ooey gooey chocolatey goodness to melt your heart one chocolate at a time.
Location: 901 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101
Wolfie’s Carousal Bar
Through years of inspiration and design, Wolfie’s Carousal Bar was inspired by its namesake in New Orleans.
It is one of the most unique and cool places to eat in San Diego where dining becomes a whimsical and fantasy-like experience. At least 400 light bulbs illuminate a slow-moving carousel bar that rotates, with birdcage booths and carousel horses above.
The French bistro-like cuisine includes beignets, oysters, smoked salmon tartine, and brulé French toast.
The succulent menu also offers Parisian gnocchi, coq au vin, and Wagyu tartare. You can also have a caviar grilled cheese sandwich. The restaurant setting is picture-perfect for an evening of drinks and great food.
Location: 2401 Kettner Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101
Pop Pie Co.
Sometimes we just need that quick little treat to indulge in. If you are looking for fast and casual, Pop Pie Co. is where you want to go. Located not far from the San Diego Zoo it is a great place to unwind and regain those calories.
Be it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there is scrumptious pie available all day long at Pop Pie Co. An artisanal bakery with a casual communal dining atmosphere, it’s a place of pastry perfection. Picture savory pies of mushroom ricotta pizza pot pie and steak and ale. Then there are breakfast pies with sausage roll and applewood smoked bacon.
It will be love at first bite once you revel in the sweet pies by the slice. Their salted caramel apple pie slice, which sports a house-made salted caramel sauce, is a big favorite. But it may be the key lime that quenches your craving.
Location: 4404 Park Blvd Suite A, San Diego, CA 92116 and 4195 Voltaire Street San Diego, CA 92117