There’s only one thing better than a home-cooked holiday meal with the family—and that’s a dinner that didn’t require you to turn the stove on, without the pressure to respond to queries like “When are you having kids?” and “What is ‘rizz?’” When you need to escape the holly jolly drama, these San Diego restaurants are here, offering fancy tater tots, spicy soup, and some fantastic steak.
The Marine Room
Japanese A5 Wagyu Strip Steak
Most dishes at The Marine Room have my vote for some of the top bites in SD. But the Wagyu strip steak may take the cake. Offered with Oaxacan ancho creme, onion ash, arugula, bacon jam, and sweet drop pepper, the steak is best served rare for a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth experience with a hint of charred goodness on the outside. –NM
Échale Wine Bar & Kitchen
Elote
I feel lightly sedated here. I am a mellow vibe with flammable secrets. That feeling is why Échale is Encinitas’ low-lit, lowkey hidden gem. The menu, made partially of family recipes from co-owner Jon Rhinerson, is mostly share plates. The street corn doesn’t have any alien whoa ingredients—your usual chili powder, chipotle aioli, cotija cheese, and cilantro—but sometimes classic notes, played at right volumes, are everything you need. –TJ
Madison on Park
Watermelon Stack
Halloumi is God’s grilling cheese—so sturdy it’s almost the steak of dairy. And sweet, juicy watermelon loves a grill mark. This share plate at Madison in University Heights puts both those facts to fantastic use. With fresh watermelon; grilled halloumi; creamy fat from avocado; the good, light pain of jalapeño; radish; mint; lime; and Aleppo pepper oil, it’s one of the best salads in town. –TJ
Ki’s Restaurant
Harvest Cobb Salad
My response to the old “If you could eat only one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?” thought experiment is always salad—a cheater answer, as the dish is as transformational as Willem Defoe. At Ki’s, it looks like romaine, chicken, bacon, roasted butternut squash, avocado, egg, and spicy candied pecans with a creamy corn-poblano dressing. Bonus: ocean views (in idyllic Cardiff-by-the-Sea, no less) at Sweetgreen prices. –AR
Surf Me a Taco
The “Beef”
Sometimes, a delicious taco is the difference between a good day and a great one. Every week, a side street by SDM‘s homebase fills up with food trucks for us in-office 9-to-5ers. Recently, Surf Me A Taco pulled up with one of the best tacos I’ve had in a while. Made with steak, grilled cheese, grilled onion, cilantro, and a spicy guacamole cream sauce that steals the show, this mouth party had me forgetting that I was on deadline for just about everything. –NM
Selva Coffee House
Mothertrucker
Located inside Terra Bella Nursery (which itself is perched in the deadly Frogger-game-come-to-life area underneath where the 5 and 8 interstates meet), Selva is a refuge for those who prefer the company of plants. A giant fan succulent dominates the room, while walls of greenery surround. The place is alive with conversation and happy little pothos. The Mothertrucker is a blooming pistachio and white mocha flower, a caffeinated Middle Eastern dessert in a glass. Mulch for the mind. –MH
Soi OB Thai Street Food
Tom Yum Soup
There are two types of people in this world: hardcore soup fanatics and the rest of us. Because I’m in the latter camp, on the rare occasion that I do order a bowl, it has to be pretty damn good. Soi OB‘S tom yum does not disappoint. It’s full of lemongrass, cilantro, green onions, kaffir lime leaves, and pork belly. The only issue is that my spice-sensitive self couldn’t finish it (if you’re like me, medium spicy will make your nose and eyes water). –NM
Frosty Burger
Ortega Chile Cheeseburger
Recently, I stopped at this roadside burger shack in Pine Valley during an aimless road trip through East County. Founded in 1980, the retro-fabulous outpost with a killer classic rock playlist was bought by a mom-and-daughter duo a year ago. “You can make anything a smash burger,” Mom told me, but I opted for the piled-high Ortega chile burger with pepper jack cheese instead, and washed it down with a vanilla soft-serve cone. It’s a burger joint time machine. –JB
Pho Duyên Mai
Egg Rolls & Grilled Chicken Vermicelli Noodles
Just across the 163 from Convoy’s buzz is a Vietnamese joint giving the beloved district’s eateries a run for their money. While phö is the star here, there are plenty of options for the soup-averse, including toasted banh mi, fluffy buns, and noodle dishes galore. This vermicelli bowl is a favorite, loaded with grilled chicken, crunchy cucumbers, pickled carrots, bean sprouts, daikon, and egg rolls topped with a splash of tangy fish sauce. –CN
Il Cannoli Bar
Chocolate-Dipped Cannoli
Carbs and cheese are winners anytime, but they’re underrated as a dessert, especially since cheese plates made the leap to the appetizer section of menus. Enter the sylphlike cannoli, which is fully customizable at the Little Italy Food Hall’s II Cannoli Bar. I went with the classic ricotta-filled, dipped in crushed pistachios on one end and strawberry dust on the other. –AR
Las Cuatro Milpas
The Full Spread
The menu at Barrio Logan’s Las Cuatro Milpas, touted by many as the oldest continually running Mexican restaurant in San Diego, is simple. If you order five rolled tacos; a couple of crispy pork tacos with shredded lettuce and cotija; a steaming bowl of rice, beans, and eggs; a knotted plastic bag of freshly made flour tortillas; and an orange Fanta, you’ll get to try almost everything on offer, but you might not be able to move for several hours afterward. With all of the rumors swirling around about whether it will close soon, I’d say it’s worth going for the full haul, just in case. –JB
Meraki
Aguachile Steak
When it’s not hosting weddings and parties, newish South Park restaurant and event space Meraki (from the team behind Buona Forchetta) is laying down plates like the aguachile steak: tender, grilled meat tossed in a smoky burnt tortilla sauce with a bold blend of serrano chili, cilantro, lime, and olive oil, complemented by cool cucumber, crisp red onion, cilantro, and a touch of aji-mirin. When my plate was suddenly empty, I assumed my partner snuck a bite, only to realize I’d devoured it all myself in record time. –AN
Il Fornaio
Casarecce Al Pesto E Pollo
Coronado isn’t typically a foodie hot spot, but Il Fornaio is a big exception—a gem amongst tourist traps, offering truly great food, speedy service, and a prime waterfront view that’s a steal for the price. This pasta stands out, featuring sundried tomatoes and a rich pesto. Pro tip: Enjoy dinner and wine here before catching the ferry to a concert at the Rady Shell for a traffic- and hassle-free evening. –CN
Shakespeare Pub
Bangers & Mash
Peas don’t get a lot of love these days—at least, not like in the early ’90s, when meals were served on top of wooden TV trays in the living room. Thankfully, this British pub in Old Town plates up a killer bangers and mash that’ll have you missing your daily helping of Nick at Nite. Be sure to load up your fork with a bite of sausage and grilled onions, a mountain of mash and gravy, and a sprinkling of those little green bulbs for the perfect helping of good ol’ days nostalgia. –NM
Lobby Lounge
Potato Croquette
Let’s call them what they are: tater tots, the great fried olive branch of humanity. Only these tots are light, crispy-fluffy wonders made by Roman Garcia, who was the chef de cuisine at Selby’s when it got its Michelin star and is currently leading the kitchen at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar’s Amaya. They’re topped with Iberico ham (think of it as the world’s greatest, silkiest bacon bits), garlic aioli, and chili thread and served at the Fairmont’s all-new Lobby Lounge. –TJ
