How to eat your way through San Diego like a local

National Geographic

21-04-2025

Mexican food and seafood are the obvious choices when visiting San Diego. The culinary scene capitalizes on year-round perfect weather with rooftop terraces and oceanfront dining views. But the diversity of food options doesn't stop at tacos.
One neighborhood honors its historical heritage with authentic Italian restaurants, while another dedicates itself to representing the many cultures and flavors of Asian cuisine. Local craft beer is omnipresent, too. At local farmers' markets and restaurants, seasonal ingredients are showcased and usually plucked straight from one of the county's 5,000 farms during peak ripeness.
Travelers looking to whet their palate with the best food in Southern California should fill their itinerary with these essential dishes and culinary experiences for a true taste of San Diego culture.
(Related: The essential guide to visiting San Diego.) 1. Seek out the best fish taco
There's a friendly, longtime competition between restaurants about who makes the best fish taco in town. The most traditional order is Baja-style fish tacos made with flaky, battered and fried white fish, topped with cabbage, crema, and salsa—plus a squeeze of lime inside corn tortillas. A true San Diego culinary icon, fish tacos are on menus everywhere from upscale places like George's at the Cove to humble mariscos (Mexican seafood) mobile trucks such as Kiko's Place Seafood. Founder of Rubio's Coastal Grill, Ralph Rubio is credited with popularizing fish tacos in the U.S. when he brought back a recipe from Baja California, Mexico to San Diego more than 40 years ago. Koelsch Style Ale is poured into a glass in the tasting room of the Ballast Point Brewing Company, a microbrewery in San Diego. Photograph by Dünzl, ullstein bild/Getty Image Foodies can't leave San Diego without trying fish tacos served at several restaurants and food trucks throughout the city. Photograph by Hannah Rushton, Alamy Stock Photo 2. Add fries to your burrito
A familiar sight on local taco shop menus, the legendary California burrito originated in San Diego. A flour tortilla is filled with carne asada, French fries, and cheddar cheese, and typically topped with sour cream and salsa. Surfers in particular laud this hefty handheld meal as the perfect way to refuel after a long session on the water. The California burrito's exact birthplace is unclear, but many credit Roberto's Taco Shop with being the first. Roberto's began as a tortilla factory more than 60 years ago and remains the gold standard today. For more of a plated dish, carne asada fries are an equally popular variation of the same ingredients, sans tortilla.
(Related: 10 experiences families shouldn't miss in San Diego.) 3. Get hooked on fresh sushi
Once known as the 'Tuna Capital of the World' with canneries lining the waterfront, San Diego still has an abundance of the popular sushi-grade fish. Fresh catches are hauled straight to oceanfront marketplaces like Tuna Harbor Dockside Market where fishermen sell directly to the public, including eager chefs who take it back to their restaurants. Consequently, the sushi scene lives up to the hype at local spots like the renowned Sushi Ota, where it's a rite of passage for chefs to say they've trained under owner Yukito Ota. This no-frills sushi standout is often used as a measuring stick against other restaurants. Reservations are tough to score at Michelin-starred Soichi Sushi, a family-run, omakase-style (chef's choice) restaurant with thoughtfully prepared eight-course and nigiri-only menu options. Seafood lovers will spot various species of rockfish when visiting the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market, near Seaport Village in downtown San Diego, Calif. Photograph by Jason Houston, Redux 4. Sip craft beer at a taproom
San Diego's nickname as the 'Capital of Craft' comes from the proliferation of more than 150 independent craft breweries throughout the county. To brewery hop, head to the neighborhood of Miramar—also known as 'Beeramar'—or 30th Street in North Park, dubbed 'Beer Boulevard,' where there's a concentration of taprooms. Hoppy India Pale Ales (IPA) like Ballast Point's Sculpin IPA may be the unofficial local beer style of choice, but there's no shortage of other good options to pick from including Societe Brewing Company's The Harlot blonde ale. 5. Sample Asian Cuisine in Convoy District
San Diego's Convoy District is one of the largest Pan-Asian business districts in the country. It's chock-full of restaurants and grocery stores representing a multitude of Asian countries and cultures. Made up of unassuming strip malls, Convoy has Japanese ramen and sushi, Korean barbecue and fried chicken, Vietnamese pho and banh mi, Chinese dumplings and dim sum, and Thai noodles and curries. Interactive dining experiences are normal practice at places like Kura Revolving Sushi Bar, Liuyishou Hot Pot, and Song Hak Korean BBQ, but visiting Asian speakeasy bar Realm of the 52 Remedies for multi-sensory cocktails is an unexpected adventure. For the ultimate fine dining experience, foodies should make reservations at Addison—Southern California's only Five Diamond and Five-Star restaurant—known for its delicious dishes like Regiis Ova Reserve Caviar with Koshihikari rice. Photograph by Eric Wolfinger 6. Enjoy fine dining at its best
Addison is San Diego's first and only restaurant to be awarded three Michelin stars. Chef William Bradley's name is synonymous with exceptional food and French technique. His 10-course tasting menu changes seasonally, highlighting the region's many bountiful ingredients. Spring for the optional wine pairings to sip vino hand-selected by Addison's sommelier. The waitstaff's reputation for service here is second to none.
(Related: An neighborhood guide to San Diego.) 7. Eat your way through Little Italy
The charming, walkable neighborhood of Little Italy is easily one of San Diego's buzziest neighborhoods. The open-air Piazza della Famiglia plaza is at the center of this urban gathering place filled with all-day eateries and bars. Each restaurant has its own piece de resistance including Bencotto, known for its cheese wheel experience where pasta is tossed tableside in a 60-pound wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano. If you're looking for authentic Italian food in San Diego, you should consider dining at one of several restaurants located in Little Italy, a neighborhood in San Diego. Photograph by Mindy_Nicole_Photography, Getty Images 8. Try Tijuana-style tacos
Sharing an international border with Mexico has many advantages, not the least of which is the adoption of Tijuana-style tacos. Filled with grilled meat, such as carne asada or pork adobada, cooked over mesquite wood for a smoky char, this style has minimal toppings, so they do not compete with the meat. Some of the best in town are served at Tacos El Gordo and The Taco Stand.
(Related: Don't leave San Diego without trying these 9 experiences.) 9. Visit a farmers' market
Head to one of more than 30 farmers' markets taking place around the county for a taste of what's in season. Beyond fresh produce, there are specialty food items like dips and dressings, bread, pasture-raised eggs, and local honey. The Little Italy Mercato is the largest market, taking over six city blocks with live music and prepared food vendors. Non-food vendors are also on-site selling items like clothing, flowers, and handmade crafts. Check the San Diego County Farm Bureau website for a full list of locations and times. False Idol is a trendy tiki bar that serves everything from classic cocktails, such as the mai tai, to punch bowls, like Alkala the Fierce, Mango Sticky Rice, and the Haleakala. Photograph by Zack Benson 10. Relax with a tiki cocktail
San Diego's beach culture couples nicely with tropical tiki bars serving umbrella drinks. Bali Hai Restaurant has sold more than 3 million of its signature mai tai cocktails, which are undoubtedly the strongest in town with no juice added. In recent years, several speakeasy-style tiki bars have popped up with excessive kitsch, Polynesian-themed mugs, and every type of rum. The Grass Skirt and False Idol both have shareable punch bowls and special effects that are triggered when guests order specific drinks. Extraordinary Desserts in San Diego is a must-stop spot if you enjoy sweet treats. Photograph Courtesy Extraordinary Desserts Roasted coconut cream cake, anyone? It's just one of several tasty reasons why the after-dinner crowd goes to Extraordinary Desserts Photograph Courtesy Extraordinary Desserts 11. Have a piece of cake
Sweet treats like gourmet cookies, donuts, and ice cream are sprinkled into neighborhoods throughout San Diego, but there's one shop that's the undisputed cake czar: Extraordinary Desserts. True to its name, their beautiful, layered cakes attract a large after-dinner crowd with decadent ingredients like Valrhona French chocolate and Plugra European-style butter. Garnishes like fresh flower petals and gold flakes make for a plate that's as gorgeous as it is delicious.
(Related: How families, culture hounds, and adventurers can spend the perfect day in San Diego.) Kai Oliver-Kurtin is a San Diego-based freelance writer who has written about travel, dining, and lifestyle topics for more than a decade.