The city of San Marcos, nestled along Highway 78 between Escondido and Vista, has an agricultural heritage dating back to the 1850s centered around wine, honey, poultry and dairy production. While San Marcos still has remnants of those roots (such as the family-run Hollandia Dairy), it has now evolved into the educational hub of San Diego’s North County. It’s not only home to California State University San Marcos and Palomar College, but it also has an award-winning K-12 school district. Combine that with its extensive trails and parks (the city is nicknamed “San Parkos”) and its variety of job opportunities, and San Marcos has grown into a popular location for families, outdoor lovers and professionals.
Here’s where to eat, explore and shop next time you’re passing through this North County town.
San Marcos Restaurants and Bars
Eugenio Italian Ristorante
Tucked in a strip mall between a taco shop and boba restaurant, you’ll find the surprisingly authentic Italian restaurant Eugenio. The chef—Eugenio himself—was born in Treviso, Italy, and brings decades of experience from LA, Orange County, Honolulu and Carlsbad restaurants. His menu includes such mouth-watering delights as Wagyu beef carpaccio, lobster bisque, and a long list of fresh pastas and pizzas. Don’t miss the osso buco served over saffron risotto, or the short-rib pasta.
679 South Rancho Santa Fe Road
Brickmans Restaurant & Bar
Overlooking the putting green at Lakehouse Resort on Lake San Marcos you’ll find Brickmans, a relaxed resort eatery that offers elevated cuisine and locally sourced beer and wine. You can start the day with breakfast here—try the steak and egg smash, made with a Brandt beef ribeye, avocado salsa and cotija cheese, or the short rib breakfast tacos. For lunch and dinner, try their signature “steak bombs” or buttermilk-fried calamari before a main meal of a stacked burger or fish and chips. Pair it with a local craft brew or signature cocktail.
1025 La Bonita Drive
Churchill’s Pub & Grille
When you walk into the divey San Marcos mainstay Churchill’s, you can expect more than typical pub food. The English pub-style restaurant offers not only arguably the most extensive beer list in town (250+ bottled beers from all over the world, 20 draft beers), but also a full menu of English and American fare made well. For starters, their dry rub chicken wings have their own cult following. Other popular dishes are the cottage pie, the beer-battered fish, shrimp and chips, and the sticky toffee pudding.
887 West San Marcos Blvd.
Craft Coast Brewery & Taco Stand
Like so many San Diego breweries, Craft Coast’s San Marcos location is in an industrial park, but don’t let that fool you. The second location of the Oceanside-based restaurant pairs a large craft beer list (usually pretty IPA heavy) with authentic Baja-style tacos, which are so good they might be a bigger draw than the beer. Try the birria or al pastor tacos, or the carne asada nachos, and don’t skip the salsa bar.
1325 Grand Avenue, Unit 100
Sushi On
This unassuming little spot attached to a Walmart parking lot delivers fresh sushi, high-value lunch specials, and excellent customer service. Sushi On’s specialty rolls are reasonably priced—try the Nordahl Roll, Lemon Wave or El Fuego—and the premium rolls give some unique options (Truffle Lover Roll). The menu has something for everyone: Sushi skeptics can order from a long list of hot plates (e.g., bulgogi, pork katsu), ramen, and bowls, and children can order a kid-size portion of bulgogi or teriyaki.
751 Center Drive, Unit 110
San Elijo Vine & Tap
Inside the charming downtown of the master-planned San Elijo Hills community, you’ll find San Elijo Vine & Tap. This cozy little establishment offers inventive twists on classic foods to pair with your wine and beer. The build-your-own cheese boards are a popular pick, as is the baked brie appetizer and warm loaf of bread served with olive oil and house-made balsamic glaze. You can also try an elevated mac and cheese (like prosciutto bleu cheese) or a buffalo chicken dip. Patrons also love the specials—happy hour, taco Tuesdays and trivia nights.
1231 Elfin Forest Road West, Suite 110
Manna Heaven BBQ
A spin-off location from the original Manna Heaven BBQ on Convoy Street, this all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue eatery is a popular destination among meat lovers. You simply choose from two menu options, one with several more premium cuts of meat, and they’ll keep bringing marinated meat (like bulgogi), non-marinated meat and seafood as long as you’re cooking and eating it. All the food is served with house-made banchan (Korean side dishes), including kimchi, and you can request sides like dumplings and corn cheese to round out your meal.
740 Nordahl Road
Fish House Vera Cruz
Open since 1979 in what was once Old California Restaurant Row, Fish House Vera Cruz has been a San Marcos icon for decades. Inside the adobe brick walls among the many fish tanks, you’ll enjoy a rustic dining and fish market experience. With a daily selection of fresh seafood options, dependent on weather and fisherman’s luck, all the catches are grilled over mesquite wood to bring out the flavor of each fillet.
360 Via Vera Cruz
Curry Craft
If you’re craving Indian food, look no further than the two San Marcos locations of Curry Craft. The casual restaurant offers an extensive menu, ranging from multiple types of samosas to chicken, lamb, veggie and seafood entrees, to tandoori chicken and goat biryani. If you’re having trouble deciding, opt for the lunch and dinner buffet options.
689 South Rancho Santa Fe Road; 763 Center Drive, Suite 101
Amalfi Marina Bar
Along Lake San Marcos, you’ll find the open-air Amalfi Marina Bar. The loosely Italian menu includes outstanding pizzas and bruschetta with fresh Stracciatella cheese alongside options like burgers, battered fish tacos and poppy seed–crusted seared ahi tuna. The outdoor eatery is great for families (it offers a reasonable kids menu), and the boat rentals going out on the lake offer easy entertainment. Thursday through Saturday evenings, you can also enjoy live music while you dine.
1035 La Bonita Drive
Blue Fire Brewery & Tasting Room
The 78 freeway running through San Marcos has been dubbed Hops Highway thanks to all the craft breweries popping up in close proximity to each other. Blue Fire is one of the newer breweries (opened in 2021), and it’s owned and run by a family who’s passionate about brewing beer and seltzers in small batches. Their herb-infused White Sage IPA is helping Blue Fire make a name for themselves. Food trucks are on site three nights a week, but customers are always welcome to bring their own food.
2892 South Santa Fe Avenue, Suite 107
Buona Forchetta
In North City you’ll find one of the county’s locations of the popular Italian eatery Buona Forchetta. This location serves up a classy date-night atmosphere with its award-winning Neapolitan-style pizzas, fried pizzas, calzones and hand-made pastas. Enjoy a soju-based craft cocktail on the large, shaded patio as you people-watch.
250 North City Drive, Suite 3
Meadiocrity Mead
Run by four San Diego natives who are passionate about beekeeping, Meadiocrity Mead brought a new type of craft brew to Highway 78. Mead, aka “honey wine,” is an ancient style of alcoholic drink, and Meadiocrity brews it using a “bee-to-bottle” approach with the honey from their own million bees. They partner with local farmers, ranchers, and beekeepers, and offer a constantly rotating tap list.
1365 Grand Avenue, Suite 100
Banh Mi San Marcos
If you’re looking to grab a quick bite, head to Banh Mi San Marcos for some Vietnamese food. The casual mom-and-pop shop specializes in not only banh mi (a type of sandwich), but also egg rolls (pork, chicken, shrimp), pate chaud (a savory pastry pie), and Vietnamese iced coffee and Thai tea. Try the grilled pork sandwich or, for a meatless option, the fried tofu sandwich.
706 South Rancho Santa Fe Road
Copper Kings Burgers
Founded by two out-of-work restaurant guys in 2020, Copper Kings Burgers has grown from mobile kitchen trailers parked outside of wineries and breweries to opening their own brick-and-mortar in San Marcos. While their two trailers still tour around SoCal, you can now have their signature smashburger anytime. They source as many ingredients locally as possible, and make eight tasty sauces in-house. You can even let your dog partake in the burger goodness—they offer a 3-ounce unseasoned “puppy patty.”
926 West San Marcos Blvd., Suite B
Things to Do in San Marcos
Hiking Double Peak & Discovery Lake
For one of the best views (and most challenging hikes) in North County start from Discovery Lake and head straight up to the top of Double Peak. Set aside a couple of hours and bring plenty of water for the 4-mile round-trip loop, which is considered moderately challenging, has rocky sections, and is about 5–8% grade. But the 360-degree views—reaching as far as downtown San Diego and La Jolla—are worth the trek. If you’re not up for quite that exertion level, you can walk the 0.8-mile flat loop around Discovery Lake, then drive to the top.
650 Foxhall Drive
Rent a boat in Lake San Marcos
Motor around Lake San Marcos on your own rented duffy or pontoon from Lakehouse Resort. You can rent by the hour, and bring along a cooler, some sun protection, and hook up your phone to the speakers to enjoy some music as you putt around. Bring your rod and reel to try to catch a largemouth bass, bluegill or yellow bullhead.
1025 La Bonita Drive
Palomar College Planetarium
Run by the community college’s astronomy department, the Palomar College Planetarium does open its doors to the public on Friday nights for usually two shows a night. Outside the planetarium, you’re invited to view the night sky through the telescopes on the planetarium patio (weather permitting).
1140 West Mission Road
Draft Republic
The massive space at Draft Republic—28,000 square feet—is part brewery, part restaurant, and part entertainment. While you enjoy your selection from 40+ beers on tap, you can play a game in the eight-lane boutique bowling alley, swing a club at the state-of-the-art golf simulator, play games in the arcade, or simply watch your favorite sports on the LED video wall. Or head outside for a game of shuffleboard or cornhole while you listen to live music.
255 Redel Road
Tour North City
While San Marcos has no formal “downtown” like other cities in North County, North City is trying to become that type of destination for local residents. Across the street from Cal State San Marcos, the master-planned urban center has a collection of great restaurants, a bowling alley at Draft Republic, a climbing gym, and plenty of spots to stop in for a treat—try the gourmet vegan cookies at the Black-owned Maya’s Cookies, the alfajores (Argentinian dulce de leche shortbread cookies) at Milonga Empanadas or a scoop of Wynston’s Ice Cream. It also hosts community movie nights in the summer and a weekly farmers market.
250 North City Drive
Ride a Black Swan Gondola
In Lake San Marcos, you can experience an authentic gondola ride with Black Swan Gondolas. While Lake San Marcos is no Venice, the classically trained gondoliers provide as much Venetian charm as possible. You can take a romantic cruise around in the afternoon, at sunset, or even after hours and get the lake to yourself.
1035 La Bonita Drive
Jack’s Pond Nature Center
If you need some child-friendly entertainment, take them to Jack’s Pond Nature Center, which is open to the public on Sundays. While most days of the week it’s used for local school field trips, anyone can enjoy it for its hands-on nature exhibits in the barn, picnic areas, playground and its interpretive hikes through the 23-acre property to the pond.
986 La Moree Road
San Marcos Shops & Boutiques
Golden Door Country Store
While you might never get a chance to stay at the exclusive luxury spa that has drawn the likes of Nicole Kidman, Elizabeth Taylor and Martha Stewart to San Marcos, it does share its fruits and vegetables at its own Golden Door Country Store. The spa has introduced bio-intensive farming methods to its own kitchen garden and groves, and then shares their bounty with the public.
314 Deer Springs Road
San Marcos Farmers Market
You can plan to get in a little grocery shopping and dinner in on Tuesday nights at the San Marcos Farmers Market. The community event showcases live music from local artists and offers fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers from local farms. You’ll also find a selection of baked breads, seafood, dairy, nuts, and handcrafted gifts. Grab a hot meal from vendors like House of Bao or Dropouts Pizza.
251 North City Drive
Antique Village
Browse for antique and vintage treasures among 60 booths inside of Antique Village. In the 10,000-square-foot mall, you’ll find furniture, china, collectibles, glass, pottery and more. Or stop by on the first Sunday of the month for an outdoor flea market and more selection.
850 Los Vallecitos Blvd.
