San Diego Guide

3/22/2023

San Diego Guide

The #1 question I get on repeat in my DMs is from people coming to visit San Diego and wondering where to eat, where to stay, and what to do. I figured it was time to share a little guide with all of our favorite spots.  This list of restaurants will include all the local gems we love ranging from casual brunch spots to more special date nights. Most of the places we tend to go to are around North County San Diego since that's where we live (we need to get out of our bubble more to all the amazing spots further south!), but I do have a couple faves closer to downtown that we also really love. I'll make sure to keep this list current and updated as I continue discovering new and exciting spots, but definitely follow along on my instagram story highlights ("SD spots") too, so you can see the latest and greatest!  

Where to  Eat

Coffee Spots / Smoothie Bars:

• ​Lofty Coffee - my favorite casual spot for a quick and healthy brunch & matcha. I always  get their eggs and gluten-free toast (made in house!), Superfood Bowl, or Breakfast Sandwich. Cedros is a fun street to walk around after brunch,  too!
• Choice Juicery - love the Warrior Smoothie, PB & J Smoothie (add greens!), and Mint Chip
• Earthbar - Rockstar Smoothie  + greens and Mint Chip are my  faves
• Communal Coffee - a cute coffee shop & flower shop  in North Park
• Holy Matcha - very instagrammable matcha shop with  all the matcha lattes and matcha treats you're heart desires

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Brunch & Lunch:

• Parakeet Cafe - if  you follow my IG stories, you know I'm here way too often! It's a super cute and casual healthy spot with great brunch options, big beautiful salads, tons of gluten-free treats, and fun lattes. 
• Claire's on Cedros - green scramble and a multi-grain banana pancake every single time. Tip - put yourself on the waitlist on Yelp because it gets busy on the weekends!
• GoodOnYa - healthy, casual spot in Encinitas
• Board and Brew - best sandwiches in San Diego
• Nectarine Grove - everything here is gluten-free and there are tons of paleo options too. The Leucadia location has the delicious paleo pizzas and chicken tenders that I love and the Del Mar location has more simple brunch / lunch and tons of healthy baked goods 
• Thyme in the Ranch - a super charming local gem that looks like a little cottage that's surrounded by a beautiful garden. The best salads and treats!
• True Food Kitchen - a tried and true casual sit-down spot for a healthy meal (breakfast, lunch, or dinner!). Don't miss their gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.
• Flowerchild - cute, quick, casual, and healthy and love their healthy kids menu
• Fish Shop or Fish 101 - really casual beachy spots where you can order super fresh fish (just a grilled fillet, fish tacos, or ceviche) with any of your favorite sides
• George's at the Cove - this spot is right on the La Jolla cove and it's one of the best views you can find! Make sure to sit upstairs, outside. 
• Waverly - cute, trendy brunch spot with a fun vibe

​Dinner:

• Pony Room at Rancho Valencia - this is definitely one of the most beautiful, luxurious hotels in San Diego, and their restaurant is delicious and perfect for a date night
• Nick's Del Mar - love their cocktails,  ahi appetizer, thai chicken salad, and burgers
• Marisi  - a newer gem in La Jolla that has a beautiful ambiance and amazing Italian food. Our go-to date night spot lately!
• Buona Forchetta -  our favorite pizza spot and if you're gluten-free, their gluten-free crust is the best I've tried
• Herb & Sea - sister restaurant to  Herb & Wood (downtown) and a delicious spot for date night  or girls dinner
• Sky Deck - like a food court but cooler, lots of different options to choose from, and you can sit in the middle area and order from any of the restaurants so it's great for a group
• Fort Oak - amazing food and drinks in North Park. Everything is cooked over a wood-fire grill so all the food has this incredible smoky flavor.
• Trust -  same owner as Fort Oak and equally as amazing, I can't pick which I like better!
• Cucina Enoteca - mushroom pizza, giant meatball, and chopped salad every time
• Pacific Coast Grill - this restaurant is right ​on the beach so I'd definitely recommend going at sunset. 
• Birdseye Kitchen - super casual Thai restaurant with good-quality ingredients.
• Ken Sushi - our favorite sushi spot
• Juniper & Ivy - a great, trendy spot downtown with a fun vibe and great menu. I could eat a hundred of their halibut handrolls
• ​Eddie V's - the perfect spot for a special occasion or date night. Love their lobster tacos for an appetizer and the butter cake is definitely a  worth-it splurge
• Market - our go-to special date night spot. Since the dining room is fancier, we prefer to sit in the bar which has the same great menu + a sushi menu. The entrees are fabulous, but I always love their soups and the grapefruit and avocado salad.
• Piatti - sit outside on the patio under the tree and get their pizzas and cauliflower cakes
• Viewpoint Brewery - fun spot to go to with friends or with kids in Del Mar with communal tables, fire pits, and yummy food 
• Fidel's - super casual Mexican restaurant that we love to pick up from. My  favorites are their chicken and rice soup and chicken salad, and I always get their chicken burrito when I'm going for it :)​

Sweets

• Batch & Box - decadent and worth it cookies
• Pressed Juicery Freeze - I love this healthy take on "soft serve"
• Salt & Straw - their ice cream is my favorite and even the dairy-free flavors are amazing
• Healthy Creations Cafe / Nectarine Grove - I always love picking up paleo-friendly treats  from both of these spots (they use the same baker)​

Where to Stay

To be totally honest, since we live here, I've only stayed at two hotels in San Diego  (Park Hyatt Aviara (where we got married!) and Rancho Valencia), so I can't really share where to stay from personal experience, but here are some places that are always highly recommended. 

• Park Hyatt Aviara - we got married here so it holds a special place in my heart. It's newly renovated and they're reopening their spa as a mini Miraval spa which sounds lovely! It's also kid-friendly for a family trip.
• Rancho Valencia - the ultimate luxury! This hotel feels like a total escape and their spa is truly incredible. Even if you don't stay here, it's worth it just to book a spa day here and leave feeling totally zen. Definitely take their yoga classes if you're staying there! 
• L'Auberge - perfect location overlooking the beach in  Del Mar. Super walkable to restaurants and shops
• La Costa Resort - I haven't been but have heard this is super family-friendly and that they have a great spa 
• Alila Marea Resort - a newer hotel in Carlsbad right on the water. The views are beautiful and the restaurant, Vaga, is great for sunset drinks.

There are tons of other hotels and areas in San  Diego like La Jolla and Downtown that would be  fun for a vacation, but I just don't know the hotels well enough to recommend!

What to Do

• Places to take the kids:
  
  • Birch Aquarium
    
  • SeaWorld
  • Wild Animal Park
  • San Diego Zoo
  • Belmont Park
  • Air  & Space Museum
  • Children's Musem
  • Maritime Museum
  • Del Mar Fair (during summer)
  • Legoland
• Go to the beach! We love Solana Beach, Del Mar, Cardiff, and Moonlight. Del Mar also has an amazing Dog Beach.
  
• Eat and shop and walk around One Paseo in Del Mar
• Hike Torrey Pines - it's right along the coast and absolutely beautiful
• Coronado Island - spend the day there biking around the island, walking around the cute shops, and hanging at the beach