Best New Star
Lilo
Some restaurants toil for years on the path to a Michelin star. But not Lilo. The 22-seat, tasting-menu-only concept opened in Carlsbad in April. Two months later, it had secured one of the most coveted culinary honors on the planet. (Not to say its chef, Eric Bost, hadn’t paid his dues—he spent over 20 years in the world’s best kitchens before making waves at the also-starred Jeune et Jolie.) Three other SD County spots found a place in the Michelin Guide: Encinitas brunch temple Atelier Manna; Tanner’s Prime Burgers of Oceanside; and 24 Suns, a former pop-up that put down roots in O’side, too.
Best Cocktail With an Ingredient We Had To Google
The Stache at Bar Kamon
Hidden behind the matcha-maximizing Asa Bakery in East Village, Bar Kamon is a speakeasy inspired by Japan’s 1920s Taishō era of bold transformation. Owned by cousins Ayaka Ito and Masaki Yamauchi, who hail from Nagoya—Japan’s fourth-largest metropolis—this intimate spot crafts cocktails that are imaginative and daring without losing their balance (and, at $16, are not overpriced.) The Stache stuns with rum, apricot liqueur, pistachio orgeat, honey, lime, and cheese foam and is brightly garnished with kinome—a numbing Japanese herb from the prickly ash tree that we definitely had to look up.
Best Fun-to-Say Sauce
Tlaquepaque Sauce at Jimmy Carter’s Mexican Café
It’s not often that food is almost as delightful to pronounce as it is to eat. But Jimmy Carter’s Mexican Café in Bankers Hill—which is named for its owner, not the peanut-farmer-turned-president—is full of the unexpected. Carter’s trademark tlaquepaque sauce (say it with us: tlah-ke-pah-ke) is delicioso. Made from roasted jalapeños and cilantro, it’s creamy, verdant, and just a bit spicy. Try it over carnitas, carne or pollo asado, calamari, or shrimp.
Best Retro-Inspired Reimagining
The Admiral
As new owner (but longtime team member) at Mister A’s in 2022, Ryan Thorsen gave the iconic restaurant a respectful refresh. Now, Thorsen is utilizing those instincts to transform a much large—yet equally legendary—area: seven acres and five military buildings in Liberty Station. Planned in partnership with OBR Architecture, the $15 million development, dubbed The Admiral, will include
a cocktail bar, canteen, game room, restaurant, and event venue inspired by the aesthetics of the early-to-mid-20th century. Expect to get your Gatsby on starting sometime next year.
Best Dive Bar Evolution
Lancers
Since Lancers opened in 1963, we’ve walked on the moon, freed Nelson Mandela, and survived Y2K. But in all that time, one thing remained the same—Lancers refused anything but cold hard cash for a beer and a shot. But a few months after Chelsea Roop, Tom Logsdon, and Lisa Johnson assumed ownership of the iconic University Heights watering hole, they brought it into the 21st century and started taking credit cards. (Don’t worry, the retro jukebox will still happily gobble your spare change.) It may be the end of the cash-only era, but it marks a bright future for the dimly lit dive.
Best Bakery to Induce FOMO
Michi Michi
You’re not gatekeeping—it’s just not available at the moment. Woman-owned bakery collective Michi Michi showcases a variety of goodies from a rotating cast of guest bakers, who bring in everything from flavorful cream puffs to flaky, melt-in-your-mouth croissants. Head pastry chef Arely Chavez handles the in-house favorites like a guava cream cheese danish, which is basically a bite of pure sunshine. It’s a one-stop shop for inspiring major Instagram envy.
Best Sugar Rush with a Side of Nostalgia
An’s Electronics Repair
Nope, that line around the block isn’t actually for a laundromat. When An’s launched its dry-cleaning-shop-themed gelato joint in 2018, customers were charmed by the gimmick and, more importantly, the creative, mix-in-laden ice cream. The team expanded to a “millinery” in Del Mar, “athletic field services” in Petco Park, and, as of April 2025, an “electronics repair shop” in Ocean Beach. Queueing alongside the racks of retro VHS tapes is worth it for a free tour of all the flavors, including “Walkman” (strawberry matcha) and “Riquimbili” (pistachio with passion fruit and raspberry caramel), displayed on the old TVs overhead.
Best Uni Plug
North County Fishermen’s Market
A few years ago, if you were hunting for ultra-fresh sardine or mackerel, you might’ve been out of luck—most stockists avoid carrying them because they’re so perishable. Then along came the North County Fishermen’s Market, which set up shop in the Oceanside Harbor parking lot in April of last year. Fishermen gather to sling their catch direct to hungry consumers, and a dedicated inspector ensures that everything sold was swimming in the sea no more than 72 hours before reaching your hands.
Best New Bar (That’s Definitely Not The Old Bar)
Bock
Hamilton’s Tavern was an institution in San Diego’s beer scene for years—no one can deny that. But it’s time to start appreciating its successor, Bock, for the beer bar it is today, and not what’s been gone since 2020. It took owner Brian Jensen (of Bottlecraft and Vino Carta) way longer than he’d hoped to refurbish the burnt-out South Park space, but it was worth the wait. The interior, once worn and gloomy, now features warm wood, beautiful tilework, and a wizened goat head triumphantly mounted above rows of taps split between New World–and Old World–style beers. Frankly, it’s never been better.
Best Spots For a Booze-Free Buzz
Monday Morning Bottle Shop & Good News Bar
Skipping mezcal-fueled nights out in favor of early-morning marathon training more often than not? You’re not alone—49 percent of surveyed Americans reported a desire to cut back on alcohol in 2025. Luckily, SD is increasingly offering spots for sober socialization. Monday Morning Bottle Shop recently opened in Pacific Beach, hosting events and vending zero-proof beer, wine, spirits, and canned drinks. And Good News Bar in University Heights provides coffee and pastries by morning, then becomes a spirits-free cocktail lounge in the evening. There’s nothing to mock (pun intended) about these locales—they’re creating craft beverages for an increasingly sober era.
Best Inca Kola Hook-Up
Andres Latin Market
Gathering ingredients to make your mom’s pandebono recipe? Hunting for loose-leaf yerba mate after kicking your coffee (but not your caffeine) habit? Head to Andres Latin Market in Linda Vista. Since its opening in 1982, the market has been the place to go for hard-to-find snacks, staples, and delicacies from Latin American countries including Peru, Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia.
Best Place To Mind Your Hamantaschen
D.Z. Akin’s
Jewish deli and bakery D.Z. Akin’s has been a College Area institution since Zvika and Debbie Akins opened the restaurant way back in 1980. While the prices can be on the high side, the portions are humongous, and the service is among the friendliest in town. The menu offers more than 100 different sandwiches, including the Ted Leitner Special (corned beef, pastrami, and American cheese on rye). Make sure to look up at the autographed headshots of dozens of celebrity patrons, from Madeleine Albright to Abe Vigoda.
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