San Diego Neighborhood Guide: Carmel Valley

Amici’s Ristobar

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Formerly Dolce at the Highlands, this date-night spot got a 2018 makeover that brought a name change, Southern Italian fare, and fruit-forward cocktails like kiwi mojitos and citrus sangria. Dine on lasagna with Bolognese sauce, pink sauce gnocchi, and weekend brunch with a stuffed French toast and veggie frittata.amicisristobar

One Paseo

Reminiscent of the Malibu Country Mart, this mixed-use complex is made up of retail, restaurants, workspaces, and residences. Trendy tenants are opening on a rolling basis, such as Pigment (home decor) and Marrow Fine (jewelry), plus big names like SoulCycle, Salt & Straw, and Shake Shack. onepaseo

San Diego Neighborhood Guide: Carmel Valley

Copa Vida

Copa Vida

The coffee shop opened its fourth cafe in Carmel Valley, where their signature self-serve bar uses the honor system for payment and baristas make cortados and cappuccinos. copa_vida

CycleBar

This spin studio is bright, bold, and intense, but the community is welcoming. Their Performance classes include a leaderboard (you can opt out), while the monitor-free Connect classes are perfect for the competition-shy. Also, look for themed rides like Flashback Friday or Kanye West vs. Lady Gaga. cb_carmelvalley

San Diego Neighborhood Guide: Carmel Valley

Sidecar Doughnuts

Sidecar Doughnuts

The Costa Mesa–born café has unveiled a shiny new outpost with rotating monthly flavors, gluten-free options, and mainstays like huckleberry. sidecardoughnuts

San Diego Neighborhood Guide: Carmel Valley

The Barrel Room Wine Bar & Bistro

The Barrel Room Wine Bar & Bistro

This second location (the first debuted in Rancho Bernardo in 2007) offers elevated bar eats like Moroccan-spiced lamb chops, charcuterie boards, arugula-topped mushroom pizza, and Sunday brunch alongside vinos, barrel-aged cocktails, and draft beers. thebarrelroomcv

The Sky Deck

This summer, Del Mar Highlands Town Center will unveil the start of a 120,000-square-foot expansion, beginning with a larger Jimbo’s grocery store followed early next year by Sky Deck, a restaurant collective inspired by Barcelona’s El Nacional. The space will house 8–10 eateries, a cocktail bar, and an outdoor beer garden. delmarhighlands

San Diego Neighborhood Guide: Carmel Valley

Amici’s Ristobar | Photo by James Tran