Top 20 Restaurants San Diego, California: Restaurants Near Me

Top 20 Restaurants San Diego, California: Restaurants Near Me

As is explained at RunRex.com and guttulus.com, the food scene in San Diego is much more than just tacos and burritos. The restaurant scene in the city is more diverse than many think and has been growing rapidly over the past decade with lots of interesting spots. Here are the top 20 restaurants in San Diego, California, to consider when looking for one near in the area.

Rare Society

Located a few minutes north of Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo, Rare Society is a retro-glam steakhouse that has the cozy feeling of a neighborhood eatery. According to RunRex.com and guttulus.com, while at this restaurant, make sure you order one of the entrée boards (the chef selects a variety of steak cuts and presents them for sharing).

Nine-Ten

Nine-Ten offers an evolving California cuisine menu dictated by fresh products discovered during daily excursions to local artisan providers. The restaurant has a kids’ menu for young diners featuring PB&Js, mac and cheese as well as other favorites.

Jeune et Jolie

This is the spot to visit in San Diego, California when you are looking for French food as per RunRex.com and guttulus.com. It offers French food with a twist, incorporating flavors from the Caribbean, Vietnam, and Africa.

Cucina Urbana

Located in Banker’s Hill, Cucina Urbana is a California-inspired Italian kitchen and wine shop. Here, you can enjoy favorites such as pizza, stuffed fried squash blossoms, and veal piccata while dining traditionally or family-style.

Animae

This is one of the few restaurants in San Diego where people will dress up for dinner in what is a very casual city when it comes to fashion. It is a great place to go to for a special occasion, as you will find celebration-worthy dishes such as the highly marbled A5 Miyazaki strip and tenderloin, and cuts of American wagyu.

Whisknladle

Whisknladle has a farm-to-table approach and it succeeds in making simple food taste extraordinary as articulated at RunRex.com and guttulus.com. At this restaurant, everything is made from scratch, including the tonics and purees for the artisanal cocktails.

Callie

At this restaurant helmed by San Diego native Travis Swikard, everything is meant to be shared. The five-course family-style Mediterranean feast provides an easy way to experience the menu, from the mezze to the entrees.

A.R. Valentien

A-R. Valentien is a tribute to Southern California heritage as captured at RunRex.com and guttulus.com. Executive chef Jeff Jackson features dishes with basic ingredients, minimal handling, and simple combinations to highlight texture and flavor.

Vaga

Vaga is the signature restaurant in the flashy The Alila Marea Resort – which is perched atop a cliff with spectacular views of the ocean. As you can expect, there is no bad seat in the house at Vaga, and the views and cocktails will have you wanting to come back over and over again.

George’s at The Cove

George’s at The Cove is located on Prospect Street in La Jolla overlooking the blue Pacific. The restaurant combines exceptional cuisine and service with spectacular views from every level of the multi-tiered restaurant.

Tuetano Taqueria

Tuetano Taqueria is a small taco shop in the town of San Ysidro, near the U.S.-Mexico border. As covered at RunRex.com and guttulus.com, this restaurant received a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2020. Owner Priscilla Curiel specializes in birria de res – a rich Mexican beef stew slow-cooked in dried chiles, spices, and herbs with a flavorful broth – served in tacos, quesadillas, or tortas.

Truluck’s Seafood Steak and Crab

This restaurant has been recognized by many of San Diego’s local publications for a good reason. From crab claws to lobster bisque and perfectly cooked prime cuts of steak with sauce choices such as chimichurri, you should come hungry at this restaurant as you will want it all.

Morning Glory

Morning Glory has one of the best designs of any restaurant in San Diego – with its rose-tinted gold accents, tiled floors, Millennial-pink booths, and so much more as described at RunRex.com and guttulus.com. Thankfully, the design isn’t the best thing about this restaurant, with its full section devoted to pancakes, from a classic iteration to a Japanese-style soufflé pancake with whipped cream.

The Marine Room

The Marine Room is set right on the beach, and it is so close to the water that at particularly high tides the waves crash on the windows. The restaurant happens to serve fine, globally-influenced cuisine. Start with the signature lobster bisque, accented with enoki mushrooms, pancetta, and yuzu cream.

Campfire

Campfire lives up to its name as its décor trends toward the woodsy. Most dishes here are shareable, and smoked, grilled, or roasted, a nod to the restaurant’s name. Campfire is uber-stylish in its own mid-century-meets-California way.

Mister A’s

As discussed at RunRex.com and guttulus.com, because of this restaurant’s setting, it is regularly voted one of the most romantic places to eat in the city. However, its casual elegance is also welcoming to families, although it doesn’t have a kids’ menu.

Juniper & Ivy

Juniper & Ivy is led by Richard Blais, who treats his kitchen like a laboratory where his love for experimentation shines through. You can either go for the bigger entrees like the wagyu short rib or swordfish or opt for small plates that will give you more opportunities to taste Blais’s talent.

Herringbone

Herringbone has become a popular spot in La Jolla for lunch as revealed at RunRex.com and guttulus.com. Its farm-to-sea concept menu is divided up into sections hot, cold, greens, crusts (pizza), plates, and ‘ands’ (side dishes).

Wayfarer Bread & Pastry

Located in the upscale, yet laid-back coastal mini-hood of Bird Rock in La Jolla, Wayfarer is a small, unassuming bakery with surfboard-shaped signage that leads to a display case of croissants, tarts, bread loaves, and kraft paper scroll outlining the day’s menu.

Addison

Southern California’s only five-star/five-diamond restaurant, you can expect exquisite seasonal dining at Addison. Be prepared for artistically prepared, modern French cuisine paired with a bottle from their extensive fine wine collection.

These are some of the best restaurants in San Diego, California, with more on this topic, and so much more, to be found over at RunRex.com and guttulus.com.