We eat. And drink. A lot. We’re constantly poking our heads into kitchens across the city. We tell the stories of the people in them. And along the way, we taste some pretty remarkable things. So we decided to create this two-page spread—a monthly hit list of dishes and drinks and places and things in the food and drink scene we think will bring you decent if not great amounts of joy. Turn it into a bingo card. Go nuts.
Rosemarie’s
We Have Eggplant
Next to Harland Brewing, a little orange trailer with a painting of chef Nick Balsamo’s Sicilian grandma (Rosemarie) has been slinging top-notch sliders (using things like Wagyu, Kewpie mayo, brioche, koji) since 2019. Get the classic burger, but also try the WHE—fried eggplant with Korean bbq sauce, house- pickled cabbage, and Kewpie. Nick’s opening a permanent spot on Mission Ave in PB. –TJ
Hernandez Produce
Ostrich Eggs
Hernandez Produce at the corner of Highway 78 and Pasqual Road in Escondido is one of those oft-overlooked roadside gems that make us swoon. Fruits and veggies, homemade treats, you know this song. Admittedly, I did not buy the $95 ostrich egg, but think of the absolute legendary Mother’s Day omelet you could make dear ol’ ma with a spare hundo. –MH
Pretzels and Pints
New York Pretzel
Slanted wood floors, bubble hockey, solid draft selection: This place is Philly to the core with a jawn to fit any mood (assuming your mood includes salty carbs and beer). Pretzels are served hot with cheesy sauce and horseradish-y mustard. The NY is soft with a near-perfect crust—think gourmet version of the jumbo pretzels served at your local rec center snack bar. P&P also dishes up Munich and Bavarian prezies, and of course fat, doughy Philly-style ones, too. –MH
Del’s Hideout
S.O.B. Salad
I know… at a BBQ joint, the salad menu might as well be the terms and conditions. But at Del’s, romaine is merely breathing room for all the decadence: fresh roasted corn, crunchy tortilla strips, pico and beans, chipotle ranch, and crispy, buttermilk-marinated chicken. Douse the whole deal with your table’s squeeze bottle of house BBQ sauce. –AR
North Park Produce Bakery and Grill
Chicken Curry
North Park Produce is a glory box of hard-to-find foods for both the city’s Middle Eastern community and lovers of dishes like sabzi chalau (or aush, one of the world’s greatest soups). At the Poway location, it’s got a thriving restaurant next door with kabobs, shawarma, curries, stews. But it’s the Indian chicken curry that gets me. The dish is a lava pit of spice but not too thick. –TJ
Lofty Coffee
Chocolate Chip Cookie
Three big chips, lots of salt. The choco-chip at Lofty in Little Italy floats into the mouth with a soft and chewy texture the way expensive cookies should. The proper chocolate-to-bite ratio takes some planning, but it’s overall a winner. Pair with house-made chai, also legit. –MH
Brother’s Mexican Restaurant
Mini Tacos
With a hopping North Park location next to bar crawl final destination Redwing, Brother’s street tacos are the rare post-night-out delicacy that taste just as good in the light of day. No gimmicks; merely perfect pollo asado. –AR
El Chingon
Cuban Sandwich
Honestly thought this was just a nightclub for thump-thump. But its Cubano with slow-roasted pork, deli ham, melted Swiss, pickles, and mustard on Cuban bread dispensed with my preconceived typecasting real quick. The key is the pork—tender-juicy, flavorful, almost like a porchetta. –TJ
Officine Buona Forchetta
Sergio Pizza
I will go to my grave declaring that this is the best gluten-free pizza in all of San Diego. The family-owned eatery has found a way to help us non-grain-eaters remember the good ol’ days. Fluffy, moist, raised (!!), beautiful—these crusts are perfection, and I will hear no other arguments. –NM
Furn Saj
Beef Shawarma
Furn is the name of the oven, and saj the name of the flatbread that’s common in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food. Furn Saj made its name in LA, opening its first San Diego spot in Hillcrest. The bread itself is chewy-char good, but for me it’s the shawarma beef (and the spiced lamb) I could eat like snack chips. –TJ
Wolf in the Woods
Winter Smoked Trout Roe
Good things come on toast. Those things might be pickled, smoked, creamy, eggy. I do not discriminate. If it’s this dish it’s all of the above; a trifle of sorts—layers of whipped goat cheese, cornichons, boiled egg, shallots, mascarpone, and of course that heavenly wild trout caviar, ready to be mixed and matched on a buttery brioche toast point. It’s a good thing. –SL
Sweet Craft Dolceria
Panna Cotta
The best sea salt caramel panna cotta in San Diego quite possibly comes sealed in glass. Sweet Craft serves up tiny desserts in tiny jars and perfects this delicate Italian dolce with salted caramel. It’s creamy and soft and fits in my purse. –CJ
Crudo Cevicheria & Oyster Bar
Tiradito Mixto
Head here with girlfriends after the Little Italy Farmers Market on a sunny Saturday afternoon. Order some bubbly and gossip over the Tiradito Mixto made with tuna, shrimp, callo de hacha, red onions, XO sauce, and greens. It’s a salty, crisp, and refreshing dish perfectly made for catching up on all the latest tea. –NM
Sugar and Scribe
Blazin’ Chilaquiles Skillet
After a dozen servers paraded through the Sugar and Scribe patio with chilaquiles, I took a cue from my fellow brunch-goers. The Blazin’ Chilaquiles are aptly named—pickled Fresnos and salsa roja pack a punch, while feta subdues the heat. (To mellow it out even further, add sliced avocado.) Notably, the chips strike that ideal balance between crunchy and salsa-softened. –EH
Various Locations
Hot Mama Jamz
Pepper jelly with no kick is like a year without rain: warm and disappointing. Hot Mama makes a pineapple-habanero with enough heat to keep you eating to curb the burn. My kind of torture. Made in a home kitchen, it’s available at very select markets and farm stands sprinkled through the county. Hot Mama makes REALLY spicy flavors, too. Here come the rain and the pain. –MH
Are you a restaurant or food- or drink-maker with something delicious that should be on SDM’s Hit List? Send the editors an email at [email protected] and tell us what you think we should try!
