San Diego is a tourists paradise with its near perfect weather and miles of stunning beaches. Even if you’re living the San Diego paradise, I have my pick of top 10 restaurants you must visit. These mouth watering eateries are positively the best restaurants in all of San Diego.
Best Restaurant in San Diego #1: Wine Vault and Bistro
Location: 3731-A India Street
The Wine Vault and Bistro is #1 in San Diego, hands down! Tucked neatly into a cozy locale above Saffron Restaurant on India Street. You arrive at the restaurant by following a winding set of stairs to the entrance. You can also use the handicap accessible entrance available from the Shakespeare’s Pub just two doors away. If you want a romantic setting or just a place to go with some friends, The Wine Vault and Bistro has it. Their courteous staff are always on top of things and work hard to make sure you have the best experience.
While the menu is always changing, it is announced through their email newsletter. Their menu is served in courses and paired with the best tasting wine for each dish. Meals can run $20 and up per person while just ordering the wine flight will cost around $15 per person. You can see samples of their menu at their calendar by clicking on any event.
Best Restaurant in San Diego #2: Anthony’s Fish Grotto
Location: 1360 North Harbor Drive
Anthony’s Fish Grotto is a landmark restaurant in San Diego along the North Harbor Drive pier. It’s view of the Harbor, great menu and indoor/ outdoor seating make it the best waterfront restaurant for any tourist in San Diego. They also have a pier if you wish to complete the experience by sailing to the restaurant.
Meal prices run $8.95 and up. Their selection of appetizers, soups, salads, fresh fish, steak, chicken and pasta while have something for everyone in your group. I highly recommend the calamari.
Best Restaurant in San Diego #3: Pacific Fish Company
Location: 601 Pacific Highway
This restaurant is located inside the Embassy Suites Hotel in Downtown San Diego across from the Embarcadero, the Pacific Fish Company’s casual atmosphere and delicious menu plant it firmly on my top 10 list. Their sushi bar is the best I have found in San Diego and variety of beer always brings me back. They serve fresh seafood but also have burgers in a generous portions with an array of cheeses. The fries were just the way I liked them; crispy. And if you want, you can watch one of their 10 (or so) TV’s while you eat the best sushi in San Diego… or anywhere!
Best Restaurant in San Diego #4: Hodad’s
Location: 5010 Newport Avenue
CNN voted that Hodad’s in San Diego is one of the top 5 burger joints in the country! Still need more reasons to go there? There more than casual atmosphere of “No shirt, No shoes, No problem” resonates through the entire restaurant which is only a 2 minute walk to the beach. The entire place is covered with license plates from floor to ceiling. Their long tables down the center of the restaurant are surfboards or you can choose to sit at the waist high tables near the walls. If you really want to set the mood you can choose a booth that is built into the front cab of VW bug van.
The prices are very decent starting at $5.25 for a burger and fries. I skip the fries and order the onion rings. They are huge and the best ever. My first thought when the waiter brought my plate was, “Oh man… that’s a LOT of food!” But if your appetites bigger than mine, for $100 you can have all-you-can-eat.
Best Restaurant in San Diego #5: Filippi’s Pizza Grotto
Location: 1747 India Street
Walk through Little Italy in San Diego and your sure to find a plethora of Italian restaurants. But, Filippi’s Pizza Grotto is the best of them all. When you enter you actually walk through a small store with a Deli. The times I have gone there the line was out the door but it was very much worth the wait. While you eat the best food there you can admire the Chianti bottles that hang from the ceiling that have been signed by previous diners. The price range is higher than Hodad’s but the portion of food is worth it. My spouse and I split a dish and both walked away full. I can see why they have been in business so long and it brings them to my top 10 list.
Best Restaurant in San Diego #6: Phil’s BBQ
Location: 4030 Goldfinch Street
Having lived in Tennessee for a decade, I am picky about my BBQ. I searched for a decent BBQ ever since I moved to San Diego. My husband insisted that I try Phil’s BBQ and I finally gave in and went. I am so happy I did! I had the Broham (Pulled Pork) sandwich and a side of onion rings. The onion rings were okay. Nothing to write home about. But the Pulled Pork was downright delicious. It was the BBQ I have been searching for! Their prices are pretty good too. I can’t remember exactly how much everything was but I remember sticking to a meal around $10 when I went in. Regardless of the price, you must try the BBQ that put Phil’s BBQ on my top 10 list.
Best Restaurant in San Diego #7: Beach and Diner
Location: 1015 Orange Avenue
Step back into the 50’s! This restaurant located across the bay in Coronado serves breakfast, lunch and diner. While a little on the pricey side I love bringing my children to the restaurant because of their assortment of good food. They have appetizers, burgers, salads, sandwiches and specialty plates. I absolutely love the hippie burger and the bleus (as in bleu cheese) burger. And their breakfasts are the best. All while seated in a diner set to a 1950’s theme. If you’re having trouble finding it, walk north on Orange Avenue and look for the Elvis and cow statues. They are in front of the MooTime Creamery, the place Beach and Diner gets their divine deserts. Try the two tone toffee, it is really the best desert there!
Best Restaurant in San Diego #8: Buster’s Beach House
Location: 807 W Harbor Dr (in Seaport Village)
For great food and a great view Buster’s is the place to go. All their staff wear Hawaiian shirts and are very friendly. They serve the best seafood, pizza, burgers and more. Their surfboard shaped pizzas are sure to make you smile and fill you with their beachy atmosphere. You’ll not only have a great food and service but you’ll also have an awesome view of the harbor and the Coronado Bridge. If your looking for something that is elegant and casual, that would be how Buster’s Beach House made it to my top 10 list.
Best Restaurant in San Diego #9: Miguel’s Cocina
Location: 2912 Shelter Island Drive
You can dine in a fiesta inspired artsy dining room or eat on their patio with a great marina view. I always prefer the patio but inside is still brings out the best in this restaurant. The combination plates are the best deal on the menu but I really love their their Shrimp Burritos. The best sauce to try there is the Jalapeno cream sauce. Make sure you ask for it.
Best Restaurant in San Diego #10: Adalberto’s
Location: 1868 Rosecrans St
This is best restaurant for great food at the best price of all my top 10 list. An average looking taco shop on Rosecrans St in the Pt Loma area, really isn’t average at all when it comes to their food. They have the best carne asada chips (ordered “with everything”) that I have ever tried. My only problem is I always run out of chips before the topping is gone and I have to go to the free chip and salsa bar for chips to finish it off. Their salsa is the best. Their rolled tacos and carne asada burritos are also a big hit with my family of four. We can easily eat at this San Diego Restaurant for under $25. You can follow them on Facebook or Myspace but I haven’t found an actual website yet. And if you want to try something different when go, get the carne asada fries. They are the best, out of this world, greatest fries ever… and kicking Adalberto’s onto my top 10 list!
