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Where to Eat Near Downtown During Comic-Con 2025

Food critic Troy Johnson shares his favorite spots for visitors and locals heading to the city center this July
Downtown San Diego restaurant Juniper & Ivy
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos

Over 17 years of eating through the city, I’ve kept a list of the dishes and drinks and places that floored me—the ones I yammer on about to strangers. For Comic-Con, I thought I’d share nearly 50 of my favorites within striking distance of the comic core: Gaslamp, Barrio Logan, Little Italy, Mission Hills, and one wild place in North Park. Remember, even if you just ate and you’re a little full, the week is about role playing. Here are the best restaurants near downtown San Diego.

Downtown San Diego restaurant Callie
Photo Credit: James Tran

Callie

What to Order: Aleppo Chicken

Callie will bring home San Diego’s next Michelin star, or I will lose all faith in the system. The fermented and pickled carrots with dukkah. The Aleppo chicken. The everything. Chef Travis Swikard is on another level. 

1195 Island Ave, East Village

2025 Best Restaurants San Diego Magazine list featuring local restaurant Campfire in Carlsbad

Wolf in the Woods

What to Order: Sweet Corn & Piñon Soup

So charming it hurts. If an alpaca were a restaurant. Like you’re dining in an ADU built for someone who is loved. Wolf in the Woods is a passion project for Johnny Rivera (Hash House A Go Go) and chef Carmine Lopez, and you can feel that passion. It snuggles you with Spanish wine. The sweet corn and piñon soup might be the best bowl of hot liquid in the city.

1920 Fort Stockton Dr Suite C, Mission Hills

Downtown San Diego restaurant Kingfisher in Golden Hill
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos

Kingfisher

What to Order: Wild Mushrooms and Chino Farms Corn Congee

This is where you want to go for a Vietnamese-centric but pan-Asian exploration of fish sauce. Get the beef tartare, the whole fried rockfish in ginger sweet-and-sour sauce, and the congee with wild mushrooms.

2469 Broadway, Golden Hill

Top of the Hyatt

What to Order: Cocktails

It’s the view from the top and edge of our world—a glass box of emotion, 40 floors up, looking down on all that water and sunset. Pick a cocktail, any cocktail.

1 Market Pl, Embarcadero

Downtown San Diego restaurant Mister A's in Bankers Hill
Courtesy of Mister A’s Restaurant

Mister A’s

What to Order: Maple Leaf Farm Duck Breast

Mister A’s started as a Scorsese-type place where people enjoyed the fruits of some gray-area capitalism with a holy **** view of the entire urban core. Wave at planes as they land at eye-level and the sun sets over the watery cliff in the distance. Two years ago, longtime owner Bertrand Hug handed the reins to longtime GM (and damn good human) Ryan Thorsen. He’s breathed new life into the place with some key renovations. It’s a bucket worthy of the list. The duck with huckleberry gastrique is chef Stephane Voitzwinkler’s specialty. 

2550 Fifth Ave 12th floor, Bankers Hill

San Diego cocktail bartender Rex Yuasa at Grants Grill in downtown

Born + Raised

What to Order: Burgundy Snails 

An F.-Scott-Fitzgerald-meets-Busta-Rhymes steakhouse from the weirdos of CH Projects. A magic room that feels both alive and haunted. Bone marrow’s a pretty fantastic fat, but it needs flavor. B&R serves it with Burgundy escargot on toasted bread, and the garlic is fantastic.

1909 India St, Little Italy

Downtown San Diego restaurant El Sueño in Old Town
Courtesy of Old Town San Diego

El Sueño

What to Order: Elote & Cocktails

A hell of a patio in Old Town, run by Pietro Busalacchi, one of the better drinks people in San Diego. The elote is fantastic—half a corn cob grilled; soaked in veggie broth; and seasoned with mayo, melted butter, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, a touch of sugar, garlic and onion powder, Cotija cheese, and chives. Every drink here is good. 

2836 Juan St, Old Town

Cowboy Star

What to Order: A5 Japanese Omi Gyu 

There are three main names when it comes to the best Japanese Wagyu. Most people who love the melting beef know two of them (Kobe and Matsusaka). The third type is omi gyu, the original Wagyu that was served to shoguns 400-plus years ago. Compared to the other two, it’s still got that high fat content that makes the Wagyu magic, but it’s lighter, more delicate, cleaner tasting. And Cowboy Star—the beloved local steakhouse run by chef/partner Victor Jimenez—is the only place I know of in San Diego that serves it. You’re not coming to Comic-Con looking for small experiences. 

640 Tenth Ave, East Village

Downtown San Diego restaurant Las Cuatros Milpas in Barrio Logan
Courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Las Cuatros Milpas

What to Order: Tacos

Yes, there are designer-ier tacos. But this family’s been serving homemade tacos with fried-before-your-eyes tortillas since the dawn of time. It is the best taco. Cash only.

1857 Logan Ave, Barrio Logan

J & Tony’s Discount Cured Meats and Negroni Warehouse

What to Order: Negroni

There’s a massive Godzilla made of sticky notes (that doesn’t sound very impressive written out, but it’s kind of dazzling). There’s Ronald McDonald, arm outstretched, inviting friends and lawsuits. And J + Tony’s has the best damn Negronis and streetside Adirondack sunbathing area. This is where CH Projects dreams.

631 Ninth Ave, East Village

Downtown San Diego restaurant Kindred in South Park
Courtesy of OpenTable

Kindred

What to Order: Vegan Snacks

While everyone was trying to cast vegan food in ultra-pure white halos and rooms with hemp furniture and virtue signals, longtime vegan and metal fan Kory Stetina went and built a vegan restaurant that felt like sin. The absolute best spot.

1503 30th St, South Park

Lia’s Lumpia

What to Order: Ribeye Bistec

Of course, you should get the lumpia—the traditional one, and then whatever creative concoction they’re filling it with that day. But the humble mother-and-son Filipino restaurant in an old house (the duo are pure joy, and they finished second on The Great Food Truck Race) serves a 12-ounce boneless ribeye with caramelized onions in calamansi soy for dinner that knocks socks.

2219 Logan Ave, Barrio Logan

Downtown San Diego restaurant Fort Oak in Mission Hills
Courtesy of Fort Oak

Fort Oak

What to Order: Hearth Roasted Carrots

Fort Oak turned an old Ford dealership into one of the best restaurants in SD, piling firewood where the old Furlaines used to be. Brad Wise and his team sit over the burning embers and smoke and char various things into submission. Get the roasted carrots with smoked yogurt.

1011 Fort Stockton Dr, Mission Hills

Puesto

What to Order: Filet Mignon Taco

Group restaurants don’t often get better as they grow—scaling an operation usually means quality dips or even tanks. Not so with San Diego’s family-run Mexican empire Puesto. The last time I had this taco, I had to recognize that it’s one of the best in the city. It’s made with an organic corn tortilla, crispy melted cheese, slices of filet, avocado, and spicy pistachio-serrano salsa.

789 W Harbor Dr Unit 155, Seaport Village

Downtown San Diego restaurant Kinme and Azuki Sushi
Photo Credit: James Tran

Kinme/Azuki Sushi

What to Order: Omakase 

Kinme is my sushi restaurant of the year. A 10-seat omakase-only spot in Bankers Hill from the people who’ve long run one of the most beloved (and high-quality) sushi spots (Azuki Sushi). Kinme’s gonna be booked, but Azuki’s a couple doors down.

Kinme – 2505 Fifth Ave, Bankers Hill | Azuki Sushi – 2321 Fifth Ave, Bankers Hill

Fish Guts

What to Order: De Espada

Pablo Becker’s fish shop. Pablo was born and raised here, and he traveled across the world opening restaurants for his cousin, famed Mexican chef Richard Sandoval. He opened his own in San Diego, and lost it about six years ago. Lowest point of his life. So he went to Chicago and spent five years as a line cook, then came back to open this. They’ve got tacos, yeah, but it’s 90 percent sustainable seafood from fishermen down the street, cooked to order. Get the De Espada, blackened swordfish with jalapeño slaw and spicy aioli.

2222 Logan Ave, Barrio Logan

Downtown San Diego restaurant The Lion's Share
Courtesy of The Lion’s Share

The Lion’s Share

What to Order: Salt & Pepper Frog Legs + Federal Buffalo Stamp 

There’s an instinct to call it a hidden gem because it’s tucked behind a railroad on a little condo street. But The Lion’s Share is a local legend. A dark hobbit hole of world-class cocktails and a hell of a chef in Dante Romero (ex-Wormwood) for a menu that revolves around indie food animals (frog, bison, venison, liver, elk, boar). The tempura-battered frog legs with fried garlic in a chili sauce are yes.

629 Kettner Blvd, Embarcadero

Juniper & Ivy

What to Order: Gnocco Frito 

All due respect for Italian tradition and the entire Emilia-Romagna people, but this is the best damn chef version of two latchkey kid classics: Tostino’s pizza rolls and Hot Pockets. Go to Juniper & Ivy (one of the city’s best). Sit at the bar at exactly 5 p.m. This is its new concept—a bar lounge area called Juni with five-star chef snacks, priced like inflation hasn’t been invented yet. The gnocco frito is the famed Italian puffed fry bread that chef Alex Penkin stuffs with a mousse of goat cheese-ricotta-nduja (Calabria’s addictive, spreadable pork sausage), tops with a paper-thin, spicy Calabrese salami, adds a little lemon zest, light Parmesan snow, and then the kicker–EVOO spiced with oregano and peppers for that pizza-joint perfume. 

2228 Kettner Blvd, Little Italy

Downtown San Diego restaurant The Lion's Share at Seaport Village
Courtesy of OpenTable

Roma Norte

What to Order: Tamarind Old Fashioned 

This year’s “Bar of the Year” for our 2025 Best Restaurants issue. Two of the city’s top drinksmen got a dark, cozy room of their own: the former beverage director for three-star Michelin The Restaurant at Meadowood (Beau DuBois) and a guy (Derek Cram) whose track record went from NYC’s famed Momofuku and PDT (Please Don’t Tell). The Tamarind Old Fashioned show off how extreme they calibrate what goes into your mouth: Buffalo Trace bourbon, Mars Iwai Japanese whisky, tamarind justino (tamarind blended with Buffalo Trace, then centrifuged to clarify), touch of cane sugar, two types of bitters, and exactly six drops of Lagavulin 16-Year Single Malt Scotch. 

789 W Harbor Dr Unit 155, Seaport Village

Ciccia Osteria

What to Order: Mushroom Flan

This dish is why I could go vegetarian, but never vegan. Because cheese and cream are capable of unsurmountable joys. Chef Mario Cassineri soaks porcini mushrooms in milk for 24 hours to make the base for a mornay sauce. It’s solidified into a custard-like texture, given a pecorino butter crust, baked to order, and then—delicious, in a nihilistic way—placed in a small pool of gorgonzola cheese fonduta with a single mint leaf up top (which makes it a salad in creative circles).

2233 Logan Ave, Barrio Logan

Downtown San Diego restaurant Beginner's Diner at the Lafayette Hotel in North Park
Courtesy of Post Company

The LaFayette Hotel

What to Order: The Teeming Humanity + Patty Melt

You gotta see it—if you can get in, that is. It’s one of the greatest hotels in the country, an orgy of designs and patterns and vignettes with a bowling alley, a pool, a ridiculously dark gothic restaurant, and a 24-hour diner that sells a billion patty melts every week.

2223 El Cajon Blvd, North Park

Lionfish

What to Order: “Angry” Whole Grilled Fish

San Diego chef JoJo Ruiz got a James Beard nod for being one of the most sustainable seafood chefs in the country. There are two things you should get here: The king salmon sashimi with white truffle honey ponzu, chili garlic, and Japanese rice crackers, and the whole grilled snapper with Thai Basil, fermented chili, garlic butter sauce, and bread.

435 Fifth Ave, Gaslamp Quarter

Downtown San Diego restaurant The Kebab Shop in East Village
Courtesy of The Kebab Shop

The Kebab Shop

What to Order: Lamb and Rice Plate

A grab-and-go spot for those who’re tired of pizza, burgers, and fried chicken sammies. The döner (lathered in all the sauces) is great for a walk-and-chew. But I’m starting to prefer just ordering the lamb kebab meat with saffron rice and then mixing all the sauces in there. You won’t smell right for days, but happiness has a cost.

630 Ninth Ave, East Village

Civico 1845

What to Order: Vegan Italian 

Italian brothers moved here a decade ago and opened this little trattoria. The brown butter ravioli are always dangerous, but it was one of the first Italian restaurants in California to have an all-vegan menu.

1845 India St, Little Italy

Downtown San Diego restaurant Animae
Courtesy of Animae

Animae

What to Order: Shrimp Toast 

Chef Tara Monsod and her staff are apexing Filipino food right now (it’s her roots, but not the only part of Asia she explores here). A heavy-curtained, big-dollar spot with soft surfaces that make insider trading secrets disappear. Order pretty much anything, but especially the Baja Asian street corn with kimchee aioli, cotija, and togarashi.

969 Pacific Hwy, Embarcadero

Herb & Wood

What to Order: Gnocchi 

Gnocchi has been on the menu here since day one, because if you took it off, the people would revolt. Oxtail is the MSG of the butcher shop.

2210 Kettner Blvd, Little Italy

Downtown San Diego restaurant Pali Wine Co. in Little Italy
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos

Pali Wine Co.

What to Order: Natty Wines & Smoked Jr. Farms Squash

Sit in the back—it’s a massive shaded patio with more laidback barnyard chill than the average Little Italy spot. Pali’s a family-run winery out of Lompoc (Pinot land) specializing in low-intervention and natural wines. Chef Logan Kendall is a farms-spices-fat whiz. Case in point is the smoked burrata with sun gold vinegar, sorrel, and salsa macha.

2130 India St, Little Italy

Morning Glory

What to Order: Souffle Pancakes

The epicenter of all things brunch in Little Italy. Yes, they’re worth the wait. Ask your server if the bartender has any special syrups to put on ’em (the team has been known to send out a ramekin of coconut syrup that is incredible).

550 W Date St Suite #C, Little Italy

Downtown San Diego restaurant Ironside in Little Italy
Courtesy of Ironside

Ironside

What to Order: Lobster Roll

Gloopy lobster rolls are a leading cause of not liking lobster rolls. Ironside treats its knuckle meat with respect, lightly tossing in brown butter mayo, crispy shallots, and chives. One of the best in the city.

1654 India St, Little Italy

Craft & Commerce

What to Order: Fried Chicken in a Bucket

In all of us, there is a part that loves fried chicken in a bucket and there is a part that loves caviar. Old jeans and silk. United these warring factions of yourself with this platter at the place that kicked off Little Italy’s craft cocktail scene. A Champagne bucket is brimmed with craggy fried poultry, served with pickled beech mushrooms, fermented cucumbers, broccoli slaw, sauces, and trout roe, creme fraiche. Upgrade to caviar. It’s like KFC of the Colonel had some silver polish and Negronis on his breath.

675 W Beech St, Little Italy

Downtown San Diego restaurant Sushi Gaga in East Village
Courtesy of Sushi Gaga

Sushi Gaga

What to Order: Hot-Cold Omakase

Beshock Ramen owner Ayaka Ito has three sister concepts a block away: Asa, an Asian bakery, Bar Kamon, and Sushi Gaga, an omakase-only sushi experience hidden behind a clandestine door among the breads. Gaga’s the real deal, with chef Shinnosuke Otsuka having worked at Michelins in Osaka. Ten seats only. 2-3 hours, twelve or so courses, starting with zensai (apps), warm dishes like sukiyaki (hot pot) and chuwanmashi (mind blowing egg custard), nigiri, sushi, maybe some ramen. Changes all the time. Find the door and trust.

634 14th St #110, East Village

Cafe Sevilla

What to Order: Spicy Octopus + Sangria Royal

Few things on the planet get you even the most dance-averse ass moving as live Latin music. Almost 40 years now, Cafe Sevilla has been the open-late spot for it in San Diego with tapas and sangrias. When a restaurant that long, you get a great mix of musicians, longtime regulars, newbies, rituals, traditions. Order the Sangria Royal (traditional red sangria with Licor 43 and orange brandy) and get the spicy octopus ceviche with mango and habañero. Let loose.

353 Fifth Ave, Gaslamp Quarter

Downtown San Diego restaurant Cocina 35 in Coronado
Courtesy of Cocina 35

Cocina 35

What to Order: La Bomba Chilaquiles

Welcome to San Diego, where chilaquiles are our “all-American breakfast” (due respect to the burrito). The reigning champs of chilaquiles (call them “breakfast nachos” if you’d like to have a strongly-worded internet exchange with purists) are the brother and sister Paulia and Cesar Chaidez who own Cocina 35. Close your eyes and point, they’re all pretty great, though the La Bomba especially with creamy habañero salsa, cochinita pibil and pickled onions. There are few locations near city center, but take the ferry over to its Coronado location, rent some bikes, and toodle around our idyllic Smallville beach island with its wide, smooth streets and the smell of successful IPOs.

1201 1st St, Coronado

Choi’s

What to Order: Octopus + Hotteak

This is what happens when a kid grows up on home-cooked Korean food from his parents and San Diego’s taco shop culture in the streets. Chef-owner Jiwoo Choi’s octopus is a perfect expression of that hybrid—charred-and-tender, over a pretty killer gochujang crema. The dessert here is a rare taste of a South Korean street-food staple, hotteak—a dead-delicious sweet pancake made with wheat flour, makgeolli (Korean rice wine), brown sugar, demerara, and cinnamon. It’s a warm, gooey-centered cake with vanilla ice cream and berry compote.

100 Park Plz #161, East Village

Downtown San Diego restaurant STK Steakhouse in the Gaslamp Quarter
Courtesy of STK Steakhouse

STK

What to Order: Spicy Yellowtail Crispy Rice Cakes

STK is the steakhouse that slid into America’s DMs 21 years ago and took its sweet-ass time to make it here but that’s OK. It’s here now and brought its DJs and nightlife feels to the big-night-out carnivore experience. Obviously get the prime cuts (order all the sauces), but also the spicy yellowtail crispy rice is a fantastic riff on the raw-and-fried standard, served with unagi sauce.

600 F St, Gaslamp Quarter

Sushi Maru

What to Order: Omakase

Sushi Maru is my “Sushi of the Year.” For years, Tsuyoshi “Maru” Maruyama was the chef behind the counter at the top sushi spot in downtown (Taka). After leaving to take care of family in Japan for a while, he returned to open this 20-seat, 20-course, omakase-only experience last year. Fantastic, tiny, Jiro Dreams-minimalist, the fish on the plate, the chef, and the company you brought the only place you need to put your attention.

1345 Third Ave, Downtown

Downtown San Diego restaurant Meze Greek Fusion in the Gaslamp Quarter
Courtesy of Meze Greek Fusion

Meze Greek Fusion

What to Order: Lamb Chops

Meze is what happens when Greek food meets the well-lit sins of nightclub life. If you’re choosing Greek food and you don’t choose lamb, grandmas in Crete weep. Don’t make grandmas cry. Chef Aleko Achtipes’ chops are a star here, mostly because they obey all the spiritual laws of chops and lean heavy on the lemon sauce. While you’re there, keep in mind a watermelon feta salad never ruined a summer, either.

345 Sixth Ave, Gaslamp Quarter

BeShock Ramen

What to Order: Spicy Miso Ramen

Unless you’re one of those weirdos who only eat gazpachos and smoothies in the summer, BeShock is one of the best ramen shops in the city. Its spicy miso, especially. Sad that the U.S. market first experienced miso as the watery commercial afterthoughts in sushi soups; but now the good miso has arrived at places like BeShock. Also be sure to try its sake—owner Ayaka Ito is a sake master (essentially a top sommelier, but of sake) and her junmais are unmatched.

1288 Market St, Gaslamp Quarter

Downtown San Diego restaurant in the Gaslamp Quarter
Courtesy of Pendry Hotels

Nason’s Beer Hall

What to Order: Birria Grilled Cheese

Didn’t expect this one. Nason’s Beer Hall is a sports bar with roll-up walls to watch the Gaslamp’s uniquely human parade strut and fumble. But it just went under the hood of its food menu and it paid off, in a real sinful way. My wife’ll tell you the star is the Wagyu beef corn dog with miso mustard. Wives are often correct. But the birria grilled cheese really picks the lock on the storage closet of endorphins inside of me: a layer of cheese griddled brown and crispy on the outside of the bread, gooey layer inside, tufts of birria, pickled onions, and a pepper-heavy consommé to dunk. Due respect to the French Dip. This is the San Diego Dip. And it’s better.

570 J St, Gaslamp Quarter

Hotel Del

What to Order: Miso Black Cod

The Del is our Statue of Liberty, our Hearst Castle. The iconic, historic thing. And with the original blueprints and an in-house historian, it just finished one of the largest restoration projects of a hotel ever done in the U.S. Six years, $550 million. Gotta see it. The hotel sanded the ornate wood down to the studs, restained it the same deep hue it was when it opened in 1888. Among its renovations are its famed porch, a new lobby, stained glass that was there when it opened, and recovered art that had been lost along the way. And, Nobu just opened overlooking the lawn which overlooks the sand which overlooks the water which overlooks thoughts of Hawaii out there somewhere. Sure, most of the food world has been there, eaten that. But at a recent tasting, dear god, that miso black cod still tastes like it could start the legend of chef Nobu Matsuhisa all over again. Get the spicy tuna crispy rice and the Matsuhisa Martini (vodka, sake, ginger).

1500 Orange Ave, Coronado

Downtown San Diego restaurant Little Frenchie in Coronado
Courtesy of Coronado Visitor Center

Little Frenchie

What to Order: Cassoulet w/ Duck Confit

Little Frenchie is a charming as heck sidewalk French bistro. For the cassoulet, exec chef Matt Sramek cures duck legs overnight, slow cooks it in its own fat, and sears it for a crispy bite. The restaurant makes stock from the leftover bones, then uses that to simmer the white beans with pork belly, Toulouse sausage, thyme, and citrus. Its topped with breadcrumbs (made from leftover baguettes) and persillade (an herby-acid legend with garlic and cornichons and parsley).

1166 Orange Ave, Coronado

Provisional Kitchen

What to Order: Hamachi Crudo

Pendry is one of the most solid restaurant options in downtown hotel/resort world. Provisional is its all-day joint with huge, airy, central train station vibes and chef Brandon Sloan. His team’s squid ink fettuccini with sungold sauce is excellent, as is the yellowtail crudo with pickled fennel, sungolds, citrus vinaigrette, green onion, and chile oil.

425 Fifth Ave, Gaslamp Quarter

Downtown San Diego restaurant The Crack Shack in Little Italy
Courtesy of The Crack Shack

Crack Shack

What to Order: Señor Croque

The fried chicken sandwich wars in San Diego were hard-fought. Everyone with access to a sack of flour and an Instgram account was scrapping for some of that fried chicken power. Crack Shack won—no surprise. It’s in the parking lot of one of the top restaurants in the city (Juniper & Ivy), designed by its exec chef Jon Sloan. It serves Jidori chicken, properly brined with sauces scratch-made daily (sriracha thousand island, ranch, kimchi bbq, Baja hot sauce, etc.). The Croque is fried Jidori breast, bacon, fried egg, cheddar, miso-maple butter and brioche. Breakfast is served all day. 

2266 Kettner Blvd, Little Italy

The Henry

What to Order: Short Rib Potstickers

Sam Fox is the Danny Meyer of the West, or maybe at this point, Danny Meyer is the Sam Fox of the East. Either way, both have been wildly successful because no matter how many restaurants they build (and it’s a shit ton), they’re consistently good. At The Henry in Coronado, the dish is those potstickers. Dumplings made fresh daily, stuffed with braised short rib, swimming in aged soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, garlic, ginger, scallions.

1031 Orange Ave, Coronado

Downtown San Diego restaurant Grant Gill in the Gaslamp Quarter
Photo Credit: Rex Yuasa

Grant Grill

What to Order: La Traviata Cocktail

The classic hotel, stately and grand. Ghosts of mock turtle soup and diamond heists. The bar has always been a star, where some of the city’s top drinks people have started citywide trends (the first barrel-aged cocktail) and taken on wildly ambitious projects (making its own chartreuse, etc.). So it makes sense that head drinksman Rex Yuasa’s favorite creation is a glass-based adaptation of Verdi’s most famous opera. The spirit is Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto (bergamot liqueur), with chianti (Verdi’s favorite drink) and hard apple cider. He even drowns a flower to represent the opera’s tragic lead, Violetta. Get front row seats.

326 Broadway, Gaslamp Quarter

Lola 55

What to Order: Fish Taco

Coming to San Diego and not getting a fish taco is some real disrespecting-ancestors behavior. You wouldn’t go pizza-sober in the Bronx. And Lola55 is the place for them downtown. A Michelin Bib joint. Its crispy Baja-style battered fish taco gets a remoulade, a killer chorizo vinaigrette, and pickled serranos.

1290 F St, East Village

Downtown San Diego restaurant TNT Pizza in East Village
Courtesy of Door Dash

TNT Pizza

What to Order: House Classic Detroit-Style

TNT’s the call for pizza in downtown. It does just about everything right. TNT uses the sauce made by famed James Beard pizzaiola Chris Bianco (who uses organic California tomatoes) and ferments its dough for four-ish days. The restaurant can also make anything vegan, veg, gluten-free, or create around whatever food thing haunts or hurts. The Detroit style—rectangle-thick, crispy frico of cheese on the outside and chewy dough on the inside, a real loaf of pizza—has pinched fennel sausage, roasted peppers, onion, and pepperoncinis. It’s fantastic. (People also adore the pickle pizza; I’m just not those people and I feel somehow culturally less relevant due to this).

550 14th St #116, Gaslamp Quarter

Parfait Paris

What to Order: Macarons

A husband and wife from Paris run this real-deal French bakery with a fantastic almond croissant. Parfait Paris made its name with macarons, and it hasn’t crimped ingredients or quality (in fact, it went the opposite way and signed a pastry chef who worked at a Michelin star place and baked for the royal family).

555 G St, Gaslamp Quarter

By Troy Johnson

Troy Johnson is the magazine’s award-winning food writer and humorist, and a long-standing expert on Food Network. His work has been featured on NatGeo, Travel Channel, NPR, and in Food Matters, a textbook of the best American food writing.

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