For a long time, the dominant mental image of San Diego’s food was chill dudes eating tacos and burritos. But nowadays the best restaurants in San Diego are now more diverse, and frankly, more delicious than ever—and that credit is overdue. The dining scene has grown over the past decade with the help of design-centric, farm-to-table spots, convivial pizza joints, and even award-winning sushi in a strip mall; but it’s really exploded since 2019. Several chic restaurants serving innovative cuisine have newly opened, and chefs who led kitchens at Michelin-starred restaurants moved here to set up shop. This list shows just how much San Diego’s culinary landscape has changed, and that the city is no longer the sleepy Navy town with a lackluster food scene it ocne was (but we do still have the best tacos and burritos). Get ready for a feast—these are the best restaurants in San Diego.
Read our complete San Diego travel guide here, which includes:
Every restaurant on this list has been selected independently by Condé Nast Traveler editors and reviewed by a local contributor who has visited that restaurant. Our editors consider both high-end and affordable eateries, and weigh stand-out dishes, location, and service—as well as inclusivity and sustainability credentials. We update this list as new restaurants open and existing ones evolve. This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
