North Park is one of San Diego’s best neighborhoods for foodies, coffee lovers, and craft beer enthusiasts. With so many options in a compact area, we’ve made it easy to plan your next visit to North Park with our top picks for restaurants, coffee shops, and lively bars to satisfy every craving.
Restaurants | Bars & Breweries | Coffee Shops & Desserts
North Park Restaurants
Mabel’s Gone Fishing
True to its name, this Michelin Bib Gourmand spot serves seafood-focused tapas—including oysters, mussels, and octopus carpaccio—in a cozy, European-inspired space. Order shellfish, obviously, but don’t miss the Spanish tortilla and one (or all) of the restaurant’s three different gin and tonics.
Address: 3770 30th Street
Hours: Monday–Saturday, 4 p.m.–11 p.m.
The Friendly
With a menu that combines two American favorites—cheeseburgers and New York–style pizza—this low-key neighborhood spot is a North Park staple. No modifications allowed on the restaurant’s “dirty flag top cheeseburger,” but for $8, who could complain?
Address: 4592 30th Street
Hours: Sunday–Thursday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–12 a.m.
Cantina Mayahuel
Cantina Mayahuel is known for its extensive tequila collection and cocktail menu, which includes weekly drink specials (did someone say $5 shots?). Pair your margarita with a taco or torta, including several vegan options.
Address: 2934 Adams Avenue
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 12 p.m.–10 p.m.; closed Monday
Trattoria Cori Pastificio
Carb lovers come here to linger over glasses of hard-to-find Sicilian wine and plates of cannoli. The pastificio (Italian for “pasta factory”) churns out housemade fresh pasta and signature dishes like the “fritelle”—savory donuts with cacio e pepe foam.
Address: 2977 Upas Street
Hours: Monday–Tuesday, 5 p.m.–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 5 p.m.–9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 4:30p.m.–9 p.m.; closed Wednesday
Shank & Bône
Simmered for hours with quadruple the typical amount of bones, Shank & Bône’s rich and flavorful phô broth is the base for comforting soups featuring a variety of proteins, including a beef-forward option with shank, flank, eye of round steak, oxtail, and bone marrow.
Address: 2930 University Avenue
Hours: Sunday–Tuesday, 12 p.m.–9 p.m.; Wednesday–Saturday, 12 p.m.–10 p.m.
Black Radish
In this tiny, bustling bistro, Tijuanese chef Itze Behar draws upon her Mexican heritage, California produce, and French techniques to deliver shareable small plates. Order the four-course tasting menu to sample a range of bites.
Address: 2591 University Avenue
Hours: Wednesday–Saturday, 5–10 p.m.; closed Sunday–Tuesday
The Wise Ox
Date night at home? Hit this Jersey-style butcher shop from chef Brad Wise of Trust Restaurant Group for a steak sure to impress your sweetie—or grab one of seven reasonably priced sandos with a side of beef fat fries for an easy park picnic.
Address: 2855 El Cajon Boulevard, Suite 1
Hours: Sunday–Monday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Wormwood
Meet the green fairy (and a menu of French-inspired bites like a foie macaron, a French onion tart, and steak with bourdelaise) at Wormwood, an absinthe bar laying down approachable and innovative cocktails featuring the anise-flavored spirit.
Address: 4677 30th Street
Hours: Wednesday–Thursday, 5 p.m.–9:30 p.m.; Friday, 5–10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5–10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 5–9:30 p.m.; closed Monday and Tuesday
Louisiana Purchase
Wrangling in southern hospitality and damn-good drinks, Louisiana Purchase has brought New Orleans to North Park. Step into this upscale indoor-outdoor restaurant that mirrors the enchantment of the Bayou to try traditional dishes like gumbo and alligator andouille cheesecake.
Address: 2305 University Avenue
Hours: Monday–Thursday, 3–9 p.m.; Friday, 3–10 p.m.; Saturday, 12–10 p.m.; Sunday, 12–8 p.m.
Siamo Napoli
Siamo Napoli boasts Southern Italian cuisine specializing in handmade pastas, traditional Napoli food, and Neapolitan-style pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven. The Michelin-recommended locale is helmed by Flavio Piromallo who helped open Buon Appetito and Sogno di Vino in Little Italy. Try the pappardelle con il ragù d’agnello with cabernet-infused pasta and slow braised lamb ragù.
Address: 3959 30th Street, Suite 105
Hours: Sunday and Tuesday–Wednesday, 4–8:30 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 4–9:30 p.m.
Hannah’s Gourmet
On Sundays only, Hannah’s Gourmet opens for brunch from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. With a rotating menu each week, the restaurant serves dishes like eggs a la Marrakesh alongside chilaquiles and classic American breakfasts. If you can’t wait until Sunday, you can opt for Hannah’s delicious ready-made dinners or catering options available for pre-order by Thursday each week.
Address: 2864 Adams Avenue
Hours: Sunday, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.; closed for dine-in Monday–Saturday
Falafel Heights
Falafel Heights is located inside a small storefront on 30th Ave. in North Park. After years of hosting pop-ups, owner and founder Lialie Ibrahim opened her first brick-and-mortar in 2023. Stop by the unassuming storefront to try Ibrahim’s Palestinian-style falafels, chicken or beef bowl or wrap, generously drizzled in different sauce options from classic hummus to spicy Iraqi mango amba.
Address: 4118 30th Street
Hours: Daily, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
Underbelly
The line between dining in and dining out is blurred at Underbelly, a funky ramen spot that has windows that flip all the way open to invite in that San Diego sun. Chow down on any of the ramens—including one with lobster red curry and a version with oxtail dumplings on top—under the glow of neon lights.
Address: 3000 Upas Street
Hours: Daily, 11:30 a.m.–11:30 p.m.
Chicken Pie Shop
Established in 1938, the Chicken Pie Shop has been serving comfort food to locals for nearly 90 years. Step inside the retro red and white storefront and into a place frozen in time, where you can still get a chicken pie, veggie, coleslaw, a house roll and dessert for $18.
Address: 2633 El Cajon Boulevard
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; closed Monday
The Smoking Goat
The Smoking Goat‘s rustic interior paired with its delicious French and California cuisine make it a must-stop on your North Park foodie stamp card.
Address: 3408 30th Street
Hours: Sunday–Thursday, 5–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 5–10 p.m.
Tribute Pizza
Sporting a creative menu in both names and tastes, Tribute Pizza is a local favorite paying homage to the greatest pizzas and pizza-makers in the world. The restaurant calls its style “Neo-Neapolitan,” because it features a hybrid of New York and Neapolitan techniques.
Address: 3077 North Park Way
Hours: Sunday, 3–9 p.m.; Tuesday–Wednesday, 4–9 p.m.; Thursday–Saturday, 4–10 p.m.
Flora
Start your day with brunch at Flora. This playfully decorated spot offers twists to your favorite brunch staples with dishes like peach compote waffles, breakfast carbonara, and a zucchini blossom frittata.
Address: 3021 University Avenue
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Cocina De Barrio
Cocina De Barrio offers a vast menu of brunch, lunch, and dinner options, along with vegan alternatives to some of its staple dishes, such as a plant-based albondigas soup and tetelas stuffed with beans and cashew-based “cheese.”
Address: 2884 University Avenue
Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–9:30 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Leila
We hesitate to call Mediterranean restaurant Leila unmissable—only because it might be nigh-impossible to get a reservation. A critic’s pick for 2025’s best restaurants of the year, Leila serves breads, dips, fire-kissed meats, and cocktails in a dimly lit space styled like a maximalist night market.
Address: 3956 30th Street
Hours: Sunday–Thursday, 5–11 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 5 p.m.–12 a.m.
31ThirtyOne
Baja icon Drew Deckman brings his sustainable, Michelin-starred cooking to North Park with 31ThirtyOne. Driven by a commitment to local sourcing, the menu leans seafood- and produce-heavy (with some really good steaks, too).
Address: 3131 University Avenue
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 5–9 p.m.; Sunday, 4–7:30 p.m.; closed Monday
Birria Enriquez
Birria tacos, birria fries, birria tortas, birria everything (including ramen!). Birria Enriquez specializes in its namesake meat, of course, but the Mexican restaurant also offers a variety of other menu options and taco meats like shrimp, chicken, and steak.
Address: 2041 University Avenue
Hours: Tuesday–Thursday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; Friday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–9 p.m.; closed Monday
Lou’s Deli
Get your New York bodega fix at Lou’s Deli, where sandwiches—chopped cheese, hot pastrami, turkey club, and more—are king. Each comes with a complimentary side of the shop’s housemade pickle popcorn, like a new-school salt-and-vinegar chip.
Address: 2940 Lincoln Avenue
Hours: Daily, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Finca
North Park Bars & Breweries
Bivouac Ciderworks
Post-hike, hit Bivouac for a rotating list of brewed-onsite tap ciders, an extensive cocktail menu, and an elevated bar food selection with items like cider-braised carnitas tacos and steak frites. The mural-adorned Adventure Lodge next door offers a coffee bar, a boutique, board games, and an artsy vending machine slinging goodies from local makers.
Address: 3986 30th Street
Hours: Sunday and Tuesday–Thursday, 12 p.m.–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 12 p.m.–12 a.m.; closed Monday
Finca
If California and Spain had children, Finca would be the favorite. This tapas-style restaurant combines the two cultures with dishes like patatas bravas and swordfish steak al pastor, plus a wine list packed with pours from both countries.
Address: 3066 North Park Way
Hours: Tuesday–Thursday, 5–9 p.m.; Friday, 5–10 p.m.; Saturday, 3–10 p.m.; Sunday, 3–9 p.m.; closed Monday
Polite Provisions
Styled like an old-fashioned pharmacy, this dimly lit cocktail bar is a James Beard Award semifinalist slinging thoughtful sips made with housemade sodas, syrups, and bitters. While it’s worth visiting year-round, stopping by at Christmastime for seasonal drinks is a holiday tradition for many San Diegans.
Address: 4696 30th Street
Hours: Monday–Thursday, 5 p.m.–2 a.m.; Friday–Sunday, 3 p.m.–2 a.m.
Swan Bar
A local haunt, Swan Bar on Adams Ave. is known for its unique cocktails such as the Mahogany & Leather made with gin, vermouth, chili oil, and kimchi onions or the Strawbery Milk Punch Horchata mixed with strawberry rum, overproof white rum, and horchata mix. Inside, a backlit golden bar is surrounded by leather sofa seating and bar stools while outside, guests can enjoy an enclosed patio with wooden slats and green foliage.
Address: 2933 Adams Avenue
Hours: Tuesday–Friday, 4 p.m.–12 a.m.; Saturday, 3 p.m.–12 a.m.; closed Sunday and Monday
Fall Brewing Company
Fall Brewing’s North Park outpost is the flagship location of one of San Diego’s most popular breweries. The tasting room’s punk-rock theme extends to many of its on-tap beers, including the Goo Goo Muck IPA.
Address: 4542 30th Street
Hours: Sunday–Thursday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–midnight
Redwing
When the inevitable hunger hits after hours of karaoke singing, Redwing is ready for you. This seven-day-a-week karaoke dive bar and trivia hotspot is the perfect happy-hour destination for a friend group who thinks they’re Fifth Harmony. Enjoy its elevated bar food with items like a spicy Thai pork sandwich and a spiced Paloma on its outdoor patio or next to a microphone, whatever you choose.
Address: 4012 30th Street
Hours: Tuesday–Thursday and Sunday, 11 a.m.–1 a.m.; Friday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–2 a.m.; Monday, 4 p.m.–1 a.m.
Modern Times Beer
Local craft brewery Modern Times is a staple in the city, with two locations including its North Park residence. Stop in for a cold one and browse the 20-plus taps, enjoy some local merchandise, and peek at the Yoda made of floppy disks. And, don’t worry, your furry family members are welcome on the patio.
Address: 3000 Upas Street
Hours: Sunday–Thursday, 12–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday, 12–11 p.m.
Pretzels & Pints
This Philadelphia-loving bar is the perfect neighborhood spot to watch sports and have a cold one. However, for those who couldn’t care less about the game, Pretzels & Pints specializes in the art of the soft pretzel, cooking up several different options from the Philly Soft (duh) to the Jumbo Bavarian, all of which are served with beer cheese and mustard.
Address: 3812 Ray Street
Hours: Monday–Friday, 12 p.m.–10 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
Botanica
Botanica is your friendly neighborhood gin joint fused with experiential art, a creative concept dreamt up by Be Saha Hospitality. Indulge in pintxos with bar bites that can be paired with flights of gin or artisanal spirits and cocktails. Like the art on its walls? Guests can take home their favorite pieces or purchase an NFT (with donations to the nonprofit Create Purpose).
Address: 3139 University Avenue
Hours: Tuesday–Thursday and Sunday, 5–10 p.m. ; Friday–Saturday, 5 p.m.–12 a.m.; closed Monday
Part Time Lover
Influenced by Japanese listening bars, Part Time Lover‘s unassuming façade hides a moody, art deco–inspired ambiance with DJs spinning vinyl on a hi-fi sound system and bartenders shaking up craft cocktails.
Address: 3829 30th Street
Hours: Daily, 4 p.m.–2 a.m.
Original 40 Brewing Company
The Original 40 Brewing Company is a beautifully decorated space where you can settle into the comfy seating with one of the 14 house beers on tap and enjoy atypical brewpub eats like baby back adobo ribs, mussels, and strawberry-sage wontons for dessert. Cheers!
Address: 3117 University Avenue
Hours: Monday–Wednesday, 12–10 p.m.; Thursday–Friday, 12 p.m.–12 a.m.; Saturday, 11:30 a.m.–12 a.m.; Sunday, 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.
Happy Medium
San Diego bar industry veterans Eric Johnson and Chris Siglin launched Happy Medium in 2024, slinging creative cocktails and bites both indulgent (fried cheese curds) and angelic (spicy broccolini) in a friendly, laidback space.
Address: 4002 30th Street
Hours: Monday–Thursday, 4 p.m.–12 a.m.; Friday, 12:30 p.m.–12 a.m.; Saturday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–midnight
North Park Coffee Shops & Desserts
Saigon Coffee
Saigon Coffee has mastered the art of slow and steady, thanks to its use of Vietnamese phin filters, which produce a highly concentrated and strong brew over a longer period of time. The menu features classic Vietnamese java and creative specialty drinks like iced coffee topped with egg cream.
Address: 3994 30th Street
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
An’s Dry Cleaning
Named Best Ice Cream Shop in America by USA Today’s 10Best, An’s Dry Cleaning is a charming dessert destination located inside of a former laundry mat. The flagship location features a rotating selection of ice cream flavors named after things you’d find in a dry cleaner’s shop such as vicuna wool, full grain leather, canvas, sandal. Many flavors are also gluten-free and vegan options are available as well.
Address: 3017 Adams Avenue
Hours: Daily, 12–11 p.m.
Coffee & Tea Collective
Coffee & Tea Collective opened in 2010 and features a minimalist design aesthetic inside, making its beverages the star of the show with unique flavor profiles and made-in-house cold brews. Seasonally, the shop also boasts exclusive menu items like a strawberry rose matcha, apricot sage tonic, or the watermelon dill cooler.
Address: 2911 El Cajon Boulevard
Hours: Daily, 7 a.m.–4 p.m.
Blackmarket Bakery
This women-owned bakery uses simple, whole ingredients and classic baking techniques to produce a deliciously-impressive lineup of breakfast and lunch options like sandwiches, cookies, and cakes. Stop in for a morning cup of coffee with a hot potato eggwich or a cinnamon pillow pastry.
Address: 4686 30th Street
Hours: Wednesday–Monday, 7 a.m.–4 p.m; closed Tuesday
Communal Coffee
Perched in the center of University Avenue, Communal Coffee shop offers a variety of caffeine- or booze-boosted drinks for whatever kind of buzz you’re looking for. Enjoy specialty latte flights, summery cocktails, and light bites—or simply snap a pic by the outdoor mural wall for a quick Insta post. You can also buy local goods, merch, or flower arrangements in the onsite shop.
Address: 2335 University Avenue
Hours: Daily, 6:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
Dark Horse Coffee Roasters
Dark Horse Coffee Roasters is another local favorite for getting your caffeine fix while in North Park. The shop’s coffee beverages boast a darker, bolder flavor, and the team sources direct-trade coffees from around the world. Psst—it also serves incredibly tasty vegan donuts to pair with your cup of joe.
Address: 3794 30th Street
Hours: Daily, 6:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Caffe Calabria
Stop in to Caffe Calabria for some coffee with house-roasted beans, tea, and fresh pastries by morning and Neopolitan-style pizza, craft cocktails (including several with espresso, naturally), and antipasti by night.
Address: 3933 30th Street
Hours: Monday–Tuesday, 7 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Wednesday–Sunday, 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
Moniker General Outpost
Moniker Group is a multi-hyphenate force in San Diego, known best for its massive café slash bar slash event space slash store in Liberty Station. The hospitality company launched its a more low-key rendition of its signature coffee and retail shop in North Park in February of 2025.
Address: 3140 University Avenue
Hours: Daily, 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
PARTNER CONTENT
James Coffee
This family-owned business features small-batch, handmade coffees, offering its own exclusive blends as well as single-origin coffee. James Coffee is also dedicated to prioritizing sustainability and ethical sourcing and offers a jar exchange program so that guests can drop off their used drink jars to be cleaned and sanitized for the next customer.
Address: 4379 30th Street
Hours: Daily, 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
