Pizza Poll!

Welcome to SDM’s Guide to San Diego Food + Drink, our new video series dedicated to our favorite food and drink in the city. At the end of the summer, we’re bring many of these restaurants to the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival for a massive party. You should come. San Diego restaurants, local wineries, Food Network chefs… it’s our big dream for the city.

Check back each week to catch our newest video:

Herb & Sea

Encinitas

Ranch 45

Solana Beach

Ambrogio by Acquerello

La Jolla

Matsu

Oceanside

George’s at the Cove

La Jolla

Arlo

Mission Valley

Beeside Balcony

Del Mar

Crab Hut

Kearny Mesa, Downtown, Mira Mesa 

Tribute Pizza

North Park

Gwynn Foods

Catering

Civico 1845

Little Italy

Le Parfait Paris

Gaslamp, Point Loma, Mission Valley

Little Frenchie

Coronado

Mujer Divina

Barrio Logan

Nine-Ten

La Jolla

Jeune et Jolie

Carlsbad

Marisi

La Jolla

Rosemarie’s

Mission Beach

Avant

Rancho Bernardo

Cesarina

Point Loma

Aqui Es Texcoco

Chula Vista

Tunaville

Point Loma

Stella Jean’s

University Heights, Pacific Beach, Point Loma, Kensington, South Park, Costa Mesa, Carlsbad

Happy holidays! It’s the season of twinkling lights, warm mugs of hot chocolate, glistening snow (up in Julian, anyway), and… your great-aunt Sheila’s terrible “famous” cranberry sauce. While cheer is in plentiful supply this time of year, so is the stress that comes with it. From gift-giving and planning to in-laws and expenses, orchestrating a holiday dinner with picky eaters and demanding extended family members can be a daunting task. 

So why host? Take that turkey smoker out of your Amazon cart. Instead, book a table for 10 (or 20 or 30) at one of these crowd-friendly eateries. Whether you’re seeking an impromptu friendsgiving destination, a spacious spot for your family’s holiday dinner, or a dazzling venue fit for hosting a festive reception, here are the top restaurants in San Diego to accommodate large groups.

Casual Restaurants for Big Groups

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Viewpoint Brewing 

Overlooking the San Dieguito Lagoon, Viewpoint Brewing offers a laid-back gastropub setting perfect for sizable North County gatherings. Their roomy, dog-friendly patio is a great spot to enjoy a sunset while sipping local craft beers and munching on bar-food favorites like battered fish tacos and smoked gouda mac n’ cheese. Got all the in-laws coming? Book a private event for up to 60 people.

2201 San Dieguito Drive, Suite D, Del Mar

Stone Brewing  

Home to possibly the most expansive outdoor patio space in town, Stone Brewing’s Liberty Station is a haven for large groups and parties in San Diego. While they’re known for their comprehensive draft list (featuring the salt-and-lime Buenaveza and the beloved Delicious IPA), beer isn’t the only thing on the menu at Stone.

Food offerings include fish tacos, burgers, pizzas, and salads—nontraditional holiday eats, sure, but friendly to even the pickiest diners. With amenities like a bocce ball court, an outdoor movie courtyard, koi ponds, and fire pits, the property can accommodate groups ranging from 20 guests to a staggering 1,300 people. Better start sending invites!

2816 Historic Decatur Road, Suite 116, Point Loma

Punch Bowl Social

Located on the north end of East Village, Punch Bowl Social offers more than 24,500 square feet of space, making it a great spot for a holiday gathering. While reservations are available, they’re often not required, as this expansive space has plenty of nooks for large groups to gather across two floors. Highlights at this downtown watering hole include a 360-degree bar, their signature fishbowl cocktails ideal for sharing, and a large menu offering something for even the pickiest eaters. Think of Punch Bowl Social as a classier Dave & Buster’s with activities like bowling, darts, ping-pong, photo booths, shuffleboard, and private karaoke rooms.

1485 E St, East Village

Gravity Heights 

A hub for Sorrento Valley tech workers, Gravity Heights also suits large impromptu gatherings. The centrally located pub offers ample indoor and outdoor seating, locally brewed craft beer, and bites like wild mushroom pizza and falafel burgers. Plenty of fun and games await for groups that reserve the brewery’s private mezzanine, which is equipped with a private bar, an arcade machine, shuffleboard, a convertible pool table, and lounge seating for 18 guests (or 36 sans pool table). 

9920 Pacific Heights Boulevard, Sorrento Valley

Common Theory 

Navigating large dinners in the bustling Convoy District can be difficult, but Common Theory rises to the occasion. This Kearny Mesa brewhouse offers an Asian twist on bar cuisine with offerings like duck fat fries, sesame fried shishitos, and baked pork belly mac and cheese (plus plenty of local beer taps). A tasteful get-together spot with a parking lot, Common Theory accepts private event reservations for groups of 16 guests or more. 

4805 Convoy Street, Clairemont Mesa

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Check Out More in Our 2024 Private Dining Guide

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Fine Dining Restaurants with Private Rooms and Event Spaces

Bali Hai 

Nestled at the end of the Shelter Island peninsula, Bali Hai offers bay-front scenery and island vibes perfect for you and your closest 200 friends. If you’re a San Diego local, chances are you have attended a wedding reception or rehearsal dinner here (and had one too many of their famously potent mai tais). The 69-year-old establishment offers a diverse assortment of Hawaiian-inspired event spaces available for reservation, including the South Pacific Room (200 guests) featuring a bamboo dance floor, the Hawaiian Village with an outdoor pavilion and private bar (200 guests), or the more private Tiki Room (28 guests).

2230 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island

Cowboy Star  

San Diego boasts a diverse tea house scene, from trendy urban spots to elegant hotel lobbies. I can’t say no to a pastry or a good cup of tea, so I recently started exploring the popular spots around town. 

Whether you’re a tea aficionado or just looking to chill in a charming spot with a kettle and crumpets, our city’s tea culture has something for everyone. Nothing beats dressing up and feeling like the queen of England, so here’s our list of 13 must-try tea houses for a royally good time.

California English

Sorrento Valley

This restaurant in Sorrento Valley marries the tastes of London and California. Its tea time offers a great deal: $52 for two people gets you a scrumptious tea tower stacked with pastries and sandwiches, plus two pots of tea so you and your tablemate can sample different types. If you’re extra hungry, additional sandwiches can be added à la carte, but the tower should suffice, and you’ll likely take leftover pastries home. 

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The Grand Tea Room

Escondido

This charming and cozy space in downtown Escondido wins in the variety category, with an eclectic mix of more than 40 loose-leaf teas served in elegant teacups and lacy décor straight out of a Pinterest board. Get the Cream Tea with fruit, a lemon pastry, and freshly steeped tea, or the two-hour Grand Tea, which includes soup, sandwiches, pastries, and tea. Prices range from $17 to $42, so your tea party won’t break the bank, either. 

Coral Tree Tea House

Old Town

This quaint historic house in Balboa Park offers three fancy tea services: the Queen’s High Tea ($50) includes the most food, but the $40 Afternoon Tea will still set you up with sandwiches, desserts, and scones served with Devonshire cream and lemon curd. The $23 Princess and Prince Tea involves smaller portions for little ones ages 5 to 8.

Aubrey Rose Tea Room

La Mesa

Aubrey Rose’s fine china game is on point, turning your average tea time into an upscale affair without the pretentious price tag. Nestled in La Mesa, this quaint spot serves afternoon tea for $43 per person, including a seasonal soup, an accompanying savory, a three-tiered tray, and loose-leaf tea. Your pinky finger may lift itself out of sheer delight, and you’ll leave feeling fancy without your wallet shedding a tear.

Marlene’s Tea & Cakes

Black Mountain Ranch

The décor here resembles the home of your grandma’s chic, artsy friend—cozy yet strangely sophisticated. Bonus points, too, for the relaxing vibes and adorably Lilliputian portions. $35 per adult gets you savories, scones, fruit, and tea inspired by European tradition but fit for Southern Californians. 

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The Britannia Tea Rooms

Point Loma

The experiences seem endless at Britannia Tea Rooms. Available only to private parties, the colorful and fabulously eccentric Mad Hatter’s tea room is basically an Instagram filter brought to life. If you’re not looking to throw a full-scale tea party of your very own, book the afternoon tea for $53 per person and munch on a starter, sandwiches, and sweets. Also check out their rotating themed teas inspired by holidays and beloved movies, shows, and books.

PARU Tea

Point Loma

A departure from the British sipping experience, Paru offers Japanese tea services. The shop hosts tea sessions, or mini tea tastings, where you can sample the monthly rotating specialty teas, including loose leaf and matcha options, for only $20 per person. The shop is a digital-free zone, eliminating the temptation to let your phone drink first.

Morning Glory

Little Italy

A hidden gem at this maximalist brunch spot, the afternoon tea service is one of the best deals is town. Skip the two-hour brunch line in the morning and instead enjoy tea, deviled eggs, pastries, and finger sandwiches for only $15 per person.

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Extraordinary Desserts

Little Italy

Tea is best paired with desserts. This modern twist on tea time includes tantalizing toasts, decadent desserts, and the option to add a bubbly sidekick, making it the sweetest sip experience in town. Extrordinary Desserts’ high tea is available only on weekdays from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. for $45 per person. 

Westgate Hotel

Downtown

Afternoon tea at the Westgate Hotel is a timeless and elegant experience, complete with opulent surrounds that aren’t too far off from a castle. For $55 per person, you can nibble on finger sandwiches, pastries, and macarons. Get dressed up and spend your weekend living like a noble.

La Valencia

La Jolla

Our food landscape is exploding with plants. A veritable vegetable volcano flows through every corner of San Diego, with spices from all over the world seasoning our samosas and flavoring our phở. We’re lucky. Our veggie food scene is strong enough that we can skip meat without missing a beat (or a beet), which can be great for our bodies and our planet.People who eat a plant-based diet account for 75 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than those who eat meat. So whether you want to move in a more plant-forward direction for personal wellness or for planetary health, SD’s chefs have you covered. Throughout the county, meat-free dining is getting more delicious, more experimental, and more fun. It’s a great time to be eating plants.To celebrate, we scoured bars, restaurants, parking-lot food trucks, and strip malls to bring you our round-up of the best of plant-based dining in SD. They’re all vegan, except for a few marked (VG + VE) to indicate spots that use eggs or dairy. All you have to do is bring your appetite.

Vegan Restaurants in San Diego

Mothership

The public posed Kory Stetina with a lifetime’s worth of questions regarding his plans for a follow-up to Kindred. He answered with a self-described crashed starship, an otherworldly vessel containing reimagined vegan street food and memorable cocktails. Located in a nondescript building in South Park, Mothership is decked with all the whimsy expected in a spaceship-themed build-out: an original soundtrack pressed into vinyl, a mirrored bathroom bathed in red light, and a star-speckled ceiling.
2310 30th St, South Park

Underdog Food Truck

This vegan, fire-engine-red food truck is developing quite a reputation from its perch outside a North Park gas station. The name of the game is street food, and the rules don’t exist. Queue up and choose buttermilk-battered corn dogs, brown mustard– smeared NYC hot dogs, or a Beyond patty burger.2404 El Cajon Blvd, University Heights

El Veganito

Perpetual lines at the Sunset Market in Oceanside heralded El Veganito’s residency within the Grossmont Center food court. With vegan cheese that actually melts, burritos the size of a first-grader’s arm, and cilantro- and onion-topped street tacos, El Veganito swiftly became a cornerstone for those wanting to transition to a plant-based lifestyle without sacrificing their culture and the foods they love.
5500 Grossmont Center Dr, La Mesa

Donna Jean

Even more comforting than chef and owner Roy Elam’s cast-iron mac and cheese, his 72-hour fermented pizza doughs, and his seasonal selections of handmade pastas is the realization that he named his restaurant in homage to his late mother. Drop in for weekend brunch or daily lunch, or take a pizza-, pasta-, or vegan cheese–making class at the Banker’s Hill locale.
2949 Fifth Ave, Banker’s Hill

Eris Vegan Food Co.

After Eve Encinitas shuttered a few years ago, the staff took a brief hiatus, then reopened under the name Eris Vegan Food Co. They’re bringing the same upbeat and cheery hospitality in new Oceanside digs with similar bistro-inspired fare as Eve. Think sunflower mozzarella-loaded fries, cast iron-seared veggie patties, and cilantro-lime rice–filled veggie bowls.
302 Wisconsin Ave, Oceanside

Gorilla Eats Sushi

Had Gorilla Eats Sushi been in the Aztec Food Hub during my days as a plant-based but cash-strapped SDSU marketing student, my life would have included fewer instant noodle packets and a lot more shiitake-and tempura asparagus–stuffed specialty rolls. Located in a midnight-blue building with white trim, the eatery also showcases a selection of two-piece nigiri, hand rolls, and classic rolls.
6334 El Cajon Blvd, College Area

Evolution Fast Foods

If you pull up to your local drive-thru and request something plant-based, prepare to make a meal out of ice cubes, wilted trimmings from a head of iceberg, and the three french fries that took a swan-dive to the bottom of your brown paper bag. But why bother, when you could instead head to Evolution Fast Foods in Bankers Hill, San Diego’s first vegan drive-thru, and have your pick of burgers, fries, tacos, and burritos served with compostable packing and utensils.
2965 Fifth Ave, Banker’s Hill

Grains Cafe

A curry-scented plume embraces those opening the doors to Grains Cafe in University Heights. Inside, sibling co-owners Napatr Chayodom and Katiya Hendricks are serving reimagined versions of the aromatic Thai dishes that defined their upbringing. They’re pairing bites with a local draft beer selection, honoring our illustrious craft brew culture.
2201 Adams Ave, University Heights

Phatties Vegan Mexican Restaurant

Arlo

Dig into this restaurant’s stacked selection by choosing from the two prix-fixe menus they offer. The Valentine’s Special includes four courses with plenty of seafood like white fish, Dungeness crab, and Baja fried oysters, while the Greatest Hits menu offers lamb meatballs, beetroot, and maple halibut. $75 per person.

500 Hotel Circle North, Mission Valley

A.R. Valentien

One of San Diego’s signature dining rooms—overlooking that world-famous Torrey Pines golf course on the seaside cliffs—has a new woman in charge. Iconic executive chef Jeff Jackson has passed the torch to his longtime right-hand, Kelli Crosson. Her “Saint Valentine’s Day” dinner is a curated five-course feast with highlights like ahi belly crud, smoked beet soup, duck confit ravioli, butter-poached lobster, and ruby chocolate mousse. $145 per person, $195 with wine pairings.

11480 N Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla 

Avant

You’ll feel like you’re on vacation while dining at Avant’s green getaway. The fine dining restaurant at Rancho Bernardo Inn is offering a four-course dinner with options like smoked ricotta, charcoal lobster, wagyu strip loin, and a triple chocolate mousse to end the night on a sweet note. $150 per person.

17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive, Rancho Bernardo

Callie

Celebrate the love in your life all weekend long at Callie. The Mediterranean restaurant will be offering specials February 12–14. On the menu is a five-course family-style feast with red-wine-braised short rib, a Brie agnolotti, black cod tagine, and a labneh cheesecake. An à la carte menu will be available at the bar for walk-ins. $95 per person, $50 optional wine pairing.

1195 Island Avenue, East Village

Farmer & the Seahorse

Bring your special someone to this quaint farm-to-table eatery and enjoy specials from their prix-fixe menu that includes artichoke hearts, filet mignon, and creamy mushroom pasta with black truffle. Decadent dessert options include a caramel chocolate torte and a fig white chocolate pot de crème. $75 per person.

10996 Torreyana Road, Torrey Pines

Fifth & Rose

This elevated cocktail bar is serving up love potions! Sip some bubbly or the strawberry Queen of Hearts cocktail while you feast on pan-seared Dover sole, wagyu rib eye, and raspberry angel food cake. $150 per couple.

550 J Street, Gaslamp Quarter

The Grass Skirt

Make your Valentine’s Day a tiki-inspired night at The Grass Skirt. You and your SO can take your pick from two appetizers and an Urfa chicken or hanger steak entrée, and round out your meal with a creamy chocolate gelato. But first, two glasses of bubbly on arrival. Cheers! $100 per couple.

910 Grand Avenue, Pacific Beach

The Guild Bar

Looking for a fun couples’ outing? This decadent bar has that covered, along with the dinner plans. Head to their interactive cocktail pairing event, where you and your sweetheart will learn to mix your own rum daiquiris and whiskeys sour. As you shake and stir, you’ll be dining on tropical ceviche, New York strip steak, and crostini nduja. $85 per person.

500 West Broadway, Downtown

Herb & Sea

Make your way to Encinitas and take in the ambience at Herb & Sea. Start off with oysters, fish croquettes, and baked burrata before you dine on the peppercorn-crusted fillet, pomegranate-glazed lamb rack, or the ají verde halibut. $108 per person.

131 West D Street, Encinitas

Jeune et Jolie

Traditional French cuisine and modern California flavors blend together at this chic Carlsbad spot. This year, their Valentine’s Day menu is a seven-course, prix-fixe feast with wine pairings and a sweet treat to end. To start, look to their Fruits de la Passion cocktail, made with tequila, mezcal, passion fruit, coconut cream, ginger, and lime. The prix-fixe dinner is $165 per person.

2659 State Street, Carlsbad

Juniper and Ivy

Love, friendship, family—whatever you’re celebrating, Juniper and Ivy has the Valentine’s Day menu for you. Menu specials include oysters, beef tenderloin, egg yolk raviolo with short rib, and a dessert with strawberries and cream puff to end the night. Make it a night to remember with add-ons like specialty bubbles and wine pairings, a dozen roses at your table, and a box of chocolates from lead pastry chef Lindsay Sipress. $100 per person.

2228 Kettner Boulevard, Little Italy

Kettner Exchange

Take your special someone out for an evening at Kettner Exchange. The prix-fixe dinner comes with hot and spicy lobster noodles, New York strip loin, tuna tartare, and more. $95 per person.

2001 Kettner Boulevard, Little Italy

La Valencia

A four-course, prix-fixe dinner, panoramic ocean views, and optional wine pairings await at La Valencia’s The Med restaurant. Expect plates inspired by the Mediterranean coast and views that wow. $110 per person.

1132 Prospect Street, La Jolla

Little Italy Food Hall

Start your Valentine’s Day with some romantic sips. At Little Italy Food Hall, special cocktails include the Love Potion—made with gin, lemon, pomegranate, simple syrup, and an egg white foam—and the Flame of Love, made with berry vodka, raspberry puree, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Say cheers first, then dig into the many food offerings like Not Not Tacos, Graze by Sam, and Ambrogio15.

550 West Date Street, Little Italy

Madison

The University Heights eatery is opening its doors this Valentine’s Day with a special three-course menu from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. including tuna tartare, sea bass, filet mignon, and desserts. The restaurant will also be offering vegan and vegetarian options, and a wine and cocktail pairing. $69 per person.

4622 Park Boulevard, University Heights

The Marine Room

Nothing says “I love you” like an ocean view, and this iconic restaurant is serving up a four-course menu that includes salmon belly cornets with caviar, scallops with ibérico ham, and a wagyu beef rib eye with blackberry herb butter, all along an ocean backdrop. $150 per person.

2000 Spindrift Drive, La Jolla

Mille Fleurs

If you and your partner are searching for seafood, this French eatery will offer plenty of lobster, including a bisque, a strudel, and a butter-poached tail. Other menu highlights include a duck duo, wild Dover sole, and a mixed berry panna cotta. $165 per person.

6009 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe

Operacaffe

Treat your lover to a night out in the Gaslamp with the specials at this Italian spot. As you sip your prosecco-pear cocktail, you can admire the heart-shaped ravioli filled with salmon and spinach served in a saffron sauce with shrimp, scallops, and asparagus. That’s amore!

835 Fourth Avenue, Gaslamp Quarter

Piper

Head to this Oceanside spot for a romantic four-course dinner with your loved one. Herb gnocchi with squash blossoms, pickle-charred persimmons, and chocolate moullouex are just a few highlights to entice the palate.

105 Mission Avenue, Oceanside

The Plot

Plant-based diners can enjoy a gourmet evening at The Plot this Valentine’s Day. Their menu highlights include shroom and hearts of palm aguachile, sweet potato gnocchi, shepherd’s pie, and an indulgent dark chocolate torte or slice of their signature cake (Spanish olive oil, vanilla creme, and fruit).

1733 South Coast Highway, Oceanside

Provisional Kitchen

Follow Cupid to the Gaslamp and dine on Provisional’s prix-fixe meal that includes a Moroccan tomato soup with goat cheese, roasted chickpeas, and a flavorful rack of lamb, followed by a heart-shaped chocolate tart. $85 per person.

425 Fifth Avenue, Gaslamp Quarter

The Pony Room

Take your love to this eatery in Rancho Valencia for an unforgettable night. The two of you can dine on bluefin tuna aguachile, housemade ravioli, red curry squash bisque, and an herb-crusted Maine lobster tail. Chocophiles, save room—dessert includes a box of truffles, lava cake, dipped strawberries, and a fudge brownie. $130 per person.

5921 Valencia Circle, Rancho Santa Fe

Serẽa Coastal Cuisine

Hotel del Coronado’s patio restaurant offers a romantic view for two and a night full of cocktails on Valentine’s Day. The Jack & Rose his-and-hers cocktails pair with specials like tuna sashimi and a prime rib eye served with king crab and white asparagus.

1500 Orange Avenue, Coronado

Shake & Muddle

Make like you’re honeymooning and start the evening with a wine toast. After the complimentary glass, this cocktail bar will serve up a beet salad, prime surf-and-turf with rib eye and lobster tail, and potatoes au gratin. Care for a chocolate berry martini for dessert? $180 per couple.

303 H Street, Chula Vista

Vaga

Indulge in a special dining experience at Vaga, where couples can taste their way through four courses. Start with the tuna and caviar taco, followed by oyster and cactus salsa mignonette, smoked mushroom tostadas, sea bass gold beignets, and more. $125 per person.

2100 North Coast Highway 101, Encinitas

Valentina

This bistro is welcoming all the lovebirds for their dinner special from 4 to 10 p.m. Dine on Spanish sashimi, oysters on the half shell, and pepper-crusted carpaccio as you sip through your holiday Champagne flight. $70 per person.

810 North Coast Highway 101, Leucadia

Verbena Kitchen

Make your Valentine’s Day extra memorable at Verbena Kitchen. Alongside their special three-course menu (prime rib eye, crab spaghetti, parsnip ravioli, and seasonal fish round out your entrée choices), you can wow your loved one with a bottle of Champagne, a seasonal bouquet of flowers, to-go cocktails to enjoy at home after dinner, and more for an additional cost.

3043 University Avenue, North Park

Waverly

If you’re looking for a seaside dinner, head to Waverly for charming scenery and cuisine. The prix-fixe menu includes white bean hummus, short rib, an Australian lamb chop, and plenty of chocolate to end the night on a sweet note. Don’t forget to try one of their famous cocktails. $95 per person.

2005 San Elijo Avenue, Cardiff

Wolfie’s

Take a spin on the carousel inside Wolfie’s and toast to you and yours over a Champagne and caviar special. They’ve also got a full cocktail menu (valentine-inspired sips included!) and more filling menu items like wagyu tartare, steak frites, and oysters Rockefeller.

2401 Kettner Boulevard, Little Italy

Wormwood

San Diego’s first absinthe bar is celebrating on their outdoor garden patio with a six-course prix-fixe dinner that features Champagne and caviar oysters, Baja striped bass, and sole meunière with artichoke hearts. Save room for the absinthe flambéed baked Alaska at the end of your night. $100 per person.

4677 30th Street, North Park

20|Twenty

Celebrate your love with this scenic restaurant’s sweetheart special, with highlights like port-braised short rib with sweet potato bacon hash, or pan-seared sea bass with oyster mushrooms and sweet pea risotto. After dinner, get cozy by the fire pits with the s’mores takeaway kit. $85 per person.

5480 Grand Pacific Drive, Carlsbad