Each month, the San Diego Magazine staff heads out into the city to try new eats, revisit classic restaurants, and hit up a few hidden gems in search of the best foods in San Diego. In 2024, we visited classics like Tajima and Hodad’s, sipped on cocktails from esteemed bartenders like Beau du Bois at Roma Norte, and made our way through mom-and-pop shops just getting started like Muse Cheesecakes. When we looked back at the year, we chose 15 of our favorite eats that we still think about today. Here are our picks for the best foods to try in San Diego, according to our taste buds.
Tajima Ramen
Creamy Chicken Ramen
Cooler weather means one thing: ramen szn. Tajima on Adams Avenue is no-frills in the right ways—A solid joint to drop in for a quick hit of soup like you’d stop for a quick beer (they have both). Sit at the bar and watch the kitchen cranking out an impressive number of to-go tubs while sipping on creamy chicken broth that isn’t just rich, but wealthy. This ramen checks the boxes of being both affordable and memorable. Come on, thermostat, drop. –MH
Bincho Taco
Yakiniku California Burrito
Is it blasphemy to say this is the best California burrito in San Diego? And possibly the best breakfast burrito? Maybe, but I stand by it. The Yakiniku Cali from Bincho Taco, a Japanese-Mexican fusion spot, has me chasing its pop-up around the city each week. On Sundays, you’ll find it at Sherman Heights coffee shop Mixed Grounds, where you can order this masterpiece featuring tender Yakiniku beef, spicy avocado, roasted peppers, scrambled eggs, and hashbrowns. Add a touch of the tangy, housemade hot sauces for an extra kick. On Tuesdays at Thorn Brewing and Thursdays at Whistlestop, pair one of the pop-up’s dinner entrees with the drink of your choice. –CN
Hodad’s
Chicken Tenders
Chick-fil-a’s “irreverent” billboards of cows throwing cluckers under the bus disturb me, but I’m afraid the sentiment applies here. Branch out from Hodad’s famed burgers to try the sleeper hit: crispy chicken tenders with a potato-chip breading (and the same addictive potato wedge fries on the side). –AR
Roma Norte
Fig Leaf Old Fashioned
Whether it’s your first date or your hundredth, Roma Norte is made for eye contact, and the drinks are made for pleasure. The menu at this Seaport Village hotspot is encyclopedic, but ask the bartenders to bring you their favorite and you may get this ceramic teacup full of intrigue. You’ll need to leave the small talk at home—with butter-washed bourbon, fig leaf cordial, and cacao bitters, this slow sipper is made for deep conversation. Make sure you’ve done your reading. –MH
Muse Cheesecake
Ube Cheesecake
I pretty much fell in love with Muse Cheesecakes’ burnt Basque delicacies the second I tried them. Creamy, thick, and OMG good, these cheesecakes are made by local baker Lada Sadovnyk in seven flavors, several of which are gluten-free. The ube is just-the-right-amount-of-sweet, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. While orders can only be made via the company’s Instagram page currently, Sadovnyk is currently looking for their first brick-and-mortar. So keep your eyes peeled on their IG page for updates. —NM
John’s Market
Mini Burritos
The chile relleno burritos here are worth the trip alone. Hidden in the cuts of Solana Beach, John’s Market serves up some of the most soul-nourishing family-recipe Mexican this side of Tecate. The mini burritos ($2.75) with homemade refried beans taste like a morning in some small coastal town 3,000 miles south. Machaca, chorizo, you can’t miss. Simple, made with amore. A true Mexican market with handwritten prices, hidden in a residential neighborhood. Oro. Remember to get extra beans and extra house-made salsa to-go. –MH
Harry’s Coffee Shop
Eggs Benedict
Opened in 1960 by a former Los Angeles Dodgers batboy, Harry’s Coffee Shop is a living time capsule and proudly holds the title of La Jolla’s oldest diner. There’s nothing quite like starting your day to the tune of bottomless coffee, vinyl booths, and the buzz of café chatter in this spot brimming with nostalgia. I’m an unapologetic eggs benedict enthusiast, so Harry’s had my full attention—and it delivered. The classic egg dish comes topped with a velvety hollandaise; a side of crispy, golden hash browns; and a classic cup of joe. Harry’s isn’t just breakfast; it’s a mid-century diner experience that every San Diegan should try at least once. And, as at any self-respecting diner, breakfast is served all day. –CN
Échale
Mussels
Anchoring the plaza in the Encinitas Lumberyard, Échale has turned what was a sleepy and under-utilized primo location into a sexy and dark wine bar escape. The mussels, a smoky and luscious take, drown in mezcal fennel broth and are studded with crumbled chorizo. Soak it all up with cheesy garlic toast and pair with a glass of natural rosé. –SL
The Amalfi Llama
Beef Carpaccio
This year, Amalfi Llama opened at Westfield UTC in March featuring Patagonian live-fire cooking techniques mixed with Italian ingredients—one of the few places in San Diego using this method to cook meat. While all of the cuts are worth a try, be sure to throw in the beef carpaccio as an app. Its incredibly thin slices make you feel like you’re eating clouds. —NM
Kairoa Brewing Company
Citrus Otago Salad
University Heights’ Kairoa is a true California brewery: open-air rooftop seating, unbridled dog-friendliness, myriad vegan menu choices. I get the omnivorous version of the citrus otago salad (crunchy pancetta and creamy goat cheese, I love you). With berries, candied lemon peel, charred grapes, and kumquat-passion-fruit vinaigrette, though, the purely plant-based take isn’t short on joy, either. –AR
Animae
Tuna Crispy Rice
Who knew that a rice appetizer could steal the show at one of San Diego’s top restaurants? At first, my mind was fixated on the flashier entrees I had ordered, including the short rib kare kare and pork tomahawk tocino perfected by 2024 James Beard finalist Tara Monsod. Instead, the unassuming tuna crispy rice had me floored. It layers wakame and charred pepper ponzu with a side of spicy aioli. The presentation isn’t jaw-dropping, unlike most items on Animae’s menu, but the crunchy texture and rich tuna have me daydreaming about my next visit. –CN
Cake De Partie
Thai Tea Crepe Cake
There’s a jiggly, ice cream–topped soufflé pancake at every table at this Convoy bakery for a reason. However, if you’re short on time (the pancakes call for a half-hour-or-so wait), stick your fork into a slice of the crepe cake. The Cake De Partie team lays down dozens or perhaps thousands of alternating layers of paper-thin crepes and whipped cream, then glazes it all in flavors like ube, mocha, and, my favorite, Thai tea. –AR
The Space Pad
Spaceman’s Sour
Step outside the typical speakeasy aesthetic and trade your well-worn leather for chrome and neon at The Space Pad from Kilowatt Brewing in Oceanside. The “Rillisporian” side of the cocktail menu, named for the bar’s resident alien race, offers creative riffs on tiki classics. The Spaceman’s Sour pops with notes of passionfruit and sangria. Don’t forget to pop the bubble tower that strides atop the drink, and breathe in its cosmic mist. You’re a real Rillisporian now! –SL
The Marine Room
Japanese A5 Wagyu Strip Steak
I fully believe that there’s not a bad dish at The Marine Room. But the Wagyu strip steak may be my fave. The chef’s special comes with Oaxacan ancho creme, onion ash, arugula, bacon jam, and sweet drop pepper. Get it rare for a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth experience with a hint of charred goodness on the outside. –NM
Atelier Manna
Manna Porridge
I’m a porridge person. Wheat, corn, rice, doesn’t matter. It’s like a hug in bowl form. Manna’s buckwheat rendition, studded with mixed mushrooms, egg yolk, and seared scallop, cover my Sunday morning oxytocin needs. A hint of miso adds depth and umami to the warm grain embrace. –SL
Stratford at the Harbor
Cinnamon Bacon Pancakes
Pancake fans mount up. We ride for O’Side at dawn for one of the best ‘cakes this side of the moon. The earliest historical reference to pancakes dates back to Greece in the 5th century BC, but p-cakes probably began with our neolithic relatives, who ground plants, added water, and cooked the flattened batter on coals. If I could give those hairy cousins one pancake to show them how far we’ve developed as a species, this flapjack from this Oceanside gem might be the one. It also happens to be Jordan Howlett (@jordan_the_stallion8) approved. –MH
