We’ve never seen a “US states with the best food” list that didn’t place California in the top three. Why? Well, our produce is fresher than 1991 Will Smith, thanks to the 400-plus crops grown on our soil. More than 10 million immigrants call California home, bringing oodles of cultural cuisines. Oh, and we’re the home state of one of the nation’s finest food scenes: San Diego. We’re not saying we could carry CA to the number-one spot on the strength of these 15 dishes and drinks alone, but we’re also not not saying it. Go get some.
Abuelita’s Waffles
Casa Gabriela
A little more than a year in, chef Gabriela Lopez’s large-patioed spot in La Mesa is a hit. The art is rife with her family history, and so is the menu. Don’t miss the crispy carnitas. But the moaner is her grandmother’s waffles with chocolate, macerated berries, mascarpone cream, and maple syrup. Your will
has no power in the presence of her Mexican chocolate. —TJ
Banana Bread Cold Brew
Holsem Coffee
As someone who essentially has coffee on an IV drip, I feel it’s my obligation to share my latest cure-all from North Park’s Holesem Coffee. This banana bread cold brew might be my new guardian angel. I get the skepticism-banana flavoring can get a little weird. This is more reminiscent of the cinnamon-y, homemade banana bread that you only really devour on holidays, but with the caffeine necessary to fuel you toward your next day off. —ID
Mac & Cheese
Parkhouse Eatery
A loaded macaroni and cheese is many things (that’s sort of the point), but “elegant” is rarely one of them. Parkhouse’s take is a stacked mac for pinky-up types in University Heights. No bacon in sight, just grilled scallops; asparagus; creamy, surprisingly mild gorgonzola and mascarpone; and a crispy Parmesan frill perched atop it all like a fascinator on a Derby-goer. —AR
Blackbeard’s Delight
Miss B’s Coconut Club
I’ll follow a tiki drink anywhere… even PB. Plunked a block from the beach, Ms. B‘s serves excellent people-watching, brunch and bar bites, and cocktails in giant, flamingo-shaped vessels. Don’t be daunted by the proliferation of Red Bull-based bevs on the menu. The Blackbeard’s Delight (two gins; pom, grapefruit, and lemon juices; ginger; angostura bitters) is true tiki: balanced, fun, deceptively boozy. —AR
Polipo Alla Griglia
Roman Wolves
Always one to order the octopus, I went for it again at this newish concept in Little Italy (it opened in February). Resting on a bed of hummus, topped with sautéed chickpeas, and seasoned with fresh herbs, the seafood was perfectly cooked. Try the dirty martini, too, which comes in its own miniature shaker and has enough bite to put hair on your chest. —NM
Crispy Cacio E Pepe Gnocchi
Basta
Restaurant dishes fall into two decision-making categories: health or hedonism. At Sam the Cooking Guy‘s new Italian spot in Little Italy, the gnocchi are the latter. Bone-coatingly delicious and, if over-indulged in, a sure way to clog and perish. Instead of traditional potato, the team uses pâte à choux (cream puff pastry, fluffier than purebred puppies), deep-fries it, dusts it with pecorino, and serves it with cacio e pepe aioli. Glow elsewhere, wellness influencer—I need this. —TJ
Chicken Shawerma Pizza
Alladin Cafe
Sometimes, the best pizza isn’t really a pizza at all. This pie from Claremont’s Aladdin Cafe comes topped with roasted roma tomatoes, stringy cheese, red onions and herbed tomato sauce, all compressed beneath a mountain of seasoned chicken. It’s like the chef dropped a shawarma wrap onto a bed of mozzarella and naan and rolled with it. Well-worth the wait and strip-mall parking woes. —CN
Thai Tea Crepe Cake
Cake De Partie
A time crunch kept me from ordering this Convoy bakery‘s famed soufflé pancakes (you can’t rush the fluff, which takes 25 minutes or more to prepare), but, sometimes, being forced to branch out is a blessing. After all, it led me to the crepe cake, a dreamy stack of paper-thin pancakes layered with light-handed swipes of whipped cream. A Thai tea glaze goes over it all. Magical. —AR
Salatim Platter
Leila
Get the Salatim Platter at the brand-new Leila in North Park, CH Projects‘ latest fever dream come to life. A tribute to owner Arsalun Tafazoli’s childhood spent eating in Iran and other countries throughout the Middle East, the restaurant offers this dip platter dripping with hummus, muhammara, cucumber yogurt, green tahini, shallot yogurt, pickles, grilled olives, and dukkah, plus naan, roasted garlic fry bread, and pita. —JB
Yakiniku Cali Burrito
Bincho Taco
This burrito from Japanese fusion spot Bincho has me chasing their pop-up around the city. On Sundays at Mixed Grounds in Sherman Heights, try this creative take on a breakfast burrito featuring Yakiniku beef, avocado, roasted peppers, scrambled eggs, and hashbrowns, which come alive with tangy, housemade hot sauces. The pop-up stops by Thorn Brewing on Tuesdays and Whistlestop on Fridays. Looks like my plans for the week are all set. —CN
Espresso Old Fashioned
Freddy’s Chophouse
I’ve mostly aged out of the Gaslamp, but recently I checked out the new Freddy’s Chophouse on 4th Avenue. It has all the best downtown vibes: a moody interior, neon signs, leather booths, unique cocktails, and, of course, a disco ball. The espresso old fashioned is exactly what it sounds like, with a hint of caffeinated bliss as its endnote. It’s subtle, but nowadays, I’ll take anything in my drinks that keeps me awake past 9 p.m. —NM
Sushi Kaidan
Chef Jun
In an unsuspecting strip-mall in Bay Park lies criminally underrated sushi. At Chef Jun, order the Kaidan sushi platter for an hour-long seafood jaunt down a 12-inch staircase. My partner and I hopscotched from step to step, indulging in fresh cuts of bluefin, yellowtail, salmon, and tuna. At the base sit sashimi, prawns, and uni. No, unfortunately, you cannot take the adorable miniature stairs home. —CN
Spaceman’s Sour
The Space Pad
If you’re looking for a fun diversion from the hustle and bustle of Oceanside’s downtown scene, duck into The Space Pad, Kilowatt Brewing’s galactic-themed speakeasy. The “Rillisporian” side of the cocktail menu, named for the bar’s own race of made-up aliens, offers zany riffs on tiki classics. Try the Spaceman’s Sour, with notes of passionfruit and sangria, complete with towering smoke bubble that pops gently into a spooky cosmic mist. —SL
Strawberry Roll Cake
Кіосі X Home Ec
Few things are powerful enough to transform a mindless Saturday Instagram scroll into a purposeful outing, but one photo of this cream roll cake-stuffed with Chino Farm strawberries, passionfruit curd, and mochi-was enough to send me running to local mochi purveyor Kimochi and cute Little Italy home goods shop Home Ec‘s collaborative, last-minute pop-up. It’s San Diego summer in one tidy roll. —JB
