Fun for Foodies in San Diego — San Diego’s dining scene is cooking on all burners these days, serving up a wide range of cuisine, often highlighted by the region’s local bounty. A great way to experience the city’s best eateries is timing your visit with the biannual San Diego Restaurant Week, held mid-September and mid-January. More than 160 restaurants participate — everything from casual bistros to high-end steakhouses — offering 3-course, prix fixe meals for $20, $30 or $40.

You might also consider the 5-day San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, held in mid-November. Southern California’s largest food and wine event, it features a cornucopia of celebrity chefs, classes, auctions, parties, and dinners. And of course there are plenty of food, wine, spirits, and craft beers on hand for sampling.

Practical Information

While San Diego hasn’t quite achieved top-tier foodie status, its culinary profile is at an all-time high. The city still clings to conservative tastes and service can sometimes be casual to the point of indifference, but the pieces are in place and San Diego’s dining renaissance is well underway.

Number one on most visitors’ list of culinary priorities is Mexican food — a logical choice given the city’s history and location. You’ll find lots of Americanized, fairly satisfying interpretations of Mexican fare (that is, combo plates heaped with melted cheddar cheese) along with a few hidden gems.

For diners on a budget, the more expensive San Diego restaurants are usually accommodating if you prefer to order a few appetizers instead of a main course, and many offer reasonably priced lunch menus. Some also feature modestly priced bar and lounge menus; and just about every bar will offer food and/or drink bargains at happy hour. Worthwhile discount coupons are found in the San Diego Weekly Reader, available free on Thursdays, and quite a few restaurants offer “early bird” specials — discounted dining for those who don’t mind being seated by 6pm or so.

Drivers can expect to park within 2 or 3 blocks of a restaurant. If you can’t find a free or metered space on the street, you can seek out a garage or lot; many restaurants also offer valet parking. On evenings when the Padres are playing (April-September) or when a big convention fills area hotels, you’ll compete for parking downtown. Fortunately, pedicabs — three-wheeled bikes that carry two or three passengers each — are easy to hire. But if you take a taxi or the trolley downtown on game nights, you’ll find most restaurants easy to get into once the baseball crowd has made its way into the ballpark and the first pitch is thrown.

Price Categories — Restaurants are categorized by price, which includes the average cost of one entree, an appetizer (if the entree does not come with a side dish or appetizer), one nonalcoholic drink, tax, and tip.

Very Expensive $50 per person

Expensive $30-$50

Moderate $15-$30

Inexpensive Less than $15.