Best Local Restaurants in Downtown San Diego | Best Restaurants

11 Best Local Restaurants in Downtown San Diego

As a local moving company in San Diego, we’re often asked where the good restaurants are in downtown San Diego after all the work is completed. After all, moving is exhausting and the last thing anyone wants to do is use more physical and mental energy preparing a meal for their family. This is a time where many people, especially those new to the area, are itching to go out and explore their new city and be served a delicious bite. This has inspired us to create a list of the best local restaurants in downtown San Diego.

With a population over 1.4 million, there’s plenty of mouths to feed and it’s not stopping anytime soon either. According to World Population Review, “America’s Finest City” is expected to hit a population of 1.9 million people by 2050. Right now it holds the title of being California’s second largest city and the eighth in the country. It’s also one of the wealthiest cities in the country with a median household income of around $83,000.  

People have money to spend here, not to mention the billions of dollars it makes off of tourism every year. Therefore, catering towards the residents and visitors is essential to maintain San Diego’s high status. Good food and entertainment gets people out and spend money. This then fuels the economy and strengthens the community, which continues to make San Diego one the best places to live and visit in California and the country.

Therefore, there’s no trouble finding a local restaurant that serves delights that’ll awaken your senses, not to mention the diverse fare you’ll find around every corner. As a matter of fact, U.S. News & World Report and Insider ranked San Diego in the top 15 cities for foodies. The following 11 best local restaurants in downtown San Diego are part of the reason why.

11 Best Local Restaurants in Downtown San Diego

In 2016, there were 7,000 restaurants in San Diego. Although the pandemic put a strain on the restaurant industry, closing over 100 in San Diego alone, it’s starting to make a comeback as people are starting to dine out again. In fact, over 50 new eateries have opened since. Take a look at our compilation of the best local restaurants in downtown San Diego from least expensive to most expensive based on a Google rating of 4.7 or higher

1. Al Treato

Located in the Civic Center Plaza, this hole-in-the-wall has a huge selection of handcrafted sandwiches, paninis, wraps, and more all created with fresh high-quality ingredients directly from farmers.

Cuisine: European

Price: $

Serves: Breakfast and lunch

Address: 1254 3rd Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

2. Las Cuatro Milpas

Opened since 1933, the Mexican favorite has built a loyal customer base having over 15,000 followers on Facebook and over 3,000 Google reviews earning them a 4.7 rating. The homemade tortillas and authentic Mexican dishes made with love make this San Diego restaurant irresistible – be aware, there’s usually a line out the door. 

Cuisine: Mexican 

Price: $

Serves: Breakfast and lunch

Address: 1857 Logan Ave, San Diego, CA 92113

3. Lefty’s Cheesesteaks

Strapped on time and cash? Grab a to-go hoagie loaded with fresh corned beef marinated in their famous signature sauce and fresh cut veggies. While this fast food restaurant is in abundance in Detroit, MI, there’s only one in California (for now) so it’s a special treat.

Cuisine: American

Price: $

Serves: Lunch, dinner, and late night

Address: 528 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

4. The Lion’s Share

Was that a roar or just your stomach rumbling? If you’re a true foodie in San Diego then take a seat in this intimate setting and try a juicy bite from the wild side. No really! Exotic meats, like frog legs, elk, and boar, are on the menu.

Cuisine: American

Price: $$

Serves: Dinner

Address: 629 Kettner Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101

5. The Shout! House

Be entertained while you eat and drink as the dueling piano bar gets you off your seat, singing and dancing to your favorite Rock ‘N’ Roll classics. Not suitable for low-energy individuals or those under 21. 

Cuisine: American

Price: $$

Serves: Dinner

Address: 655 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

6. Hidden Craft

Brunch and beer? Yes, please! Don’t hide away from this casual eatery in San Diego, located just 2 blocks away from Broadway Pier. It’s a self-serve craft beer gem serving big portions of all your favorite pub foods including tacos, flatbreads, sandwiches, burgers, and more. 

Cuisine: Pub Grub

Price: $$

Serves: Brunch, lunch, and dinner

Address: 600 W Broadway Ste 130, San Diego, CA 92101

7. Bud & Rob’s New Orleans Bistro

Bud Deslatte, owner and chef, is passionate about food and his hometown of New Orleans and he’s graced San Diego with a zesty bistro with Louisiana flavors, including customer favorites crawfish etouffee and shrimp and grits. Don’t forget to save room for beignets! 

Cuisine: Creole

Price: $$

Serves: Dinner Wed.-Sat.; Lunch is also served on Fri. & Sat.

Address: 815 F St, San Diego, CA 92101

8. Callie

Right around the corner from Petco Park, Callie, Callie, which translates to “The Most Beautiful”, blends locally sourced ingredients to create masterful and flavorful Mediterranean dishes in a contemporary setting. 

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Price: $$$

Serves: Dinner

Address: 1195 Island Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

9. The Westgate Room

Located in The Westgate Hotel, start your morning with an upscale dining experience where California flavors fuse with classic French dishes to create a delightful twist to French cuisine. 

Cuisine: French

Price: $$$

Serves: Breakfast

Address: 1055 2nd Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

10. The Prestige

A unique dining experience in San Diego like no other. While tickets (yes, you need to purchase a ticket) cost $100-$125, you must consider all that’s included – a 3-course meal, soda, and a 45-minute magic show with world-renowned magicians! Plus, plenty to explore beforehand.

Cuisine: American

Price: $$$$

Serves: Dinner

Address: 827 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

11. Eddie V’s Prime Seafood

Make it a special night with succulent prime seafood and steaks served with a mastery presentation. Pair it with one of their signature drinks and top it off with a decadent freshly made dessert. 

Cuisine: Seafood

Price: $$$$

Serves: Dinner

Address: 789 W Harbor Dr Suite 158, San Diego, CA 92101

Are you hungry yet? This list is only a small fraction of the food joints in this coastal town but considering every one has earned a 4.7 Google star rating or higher with hundreds, if not thousands, of reviews, they’ve made our list of best local restaurants in downtown San Diego.

Start your foodie venture here. Try them out more than once and change up your order every time you go to try something new. You’ll definitely want to re-explore these best local restaurants in downtown San Diego during different seasons as many have seasonal offerings that are just as good as their static menu.

Best Local Restaurants in Downtown San Diego – Honorable Mentions

After you tap out the list above, you may want to tap into some of these local favorites as well. They don’t quite reach the ratings as the above list of restaurants in San Diego but they do  deserve an honorable mention. Plus, although high rated reviews are very important and often reliable, they aren’t everything. As they say, you can’t make everyone happy and a 4.5 Google star rated restaurant may become your favorite in the entire metropolitan area.

So meander out and immerse your taste buds in even more restaurant cuisines who have earned a 4.5 or 4.6 Google star rating listed below with over 1,000 reviews.

1. Hodad’s

Cuisine: American

Price:

Serves: Lunch and dinner

Address: 945 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101

2. The Taco Stand

Cuisine: Mexican

Price: $

Serves: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Address: 645 B St, San Diego, CA 92101

3. Pappalecco

Cuisine: Italian

Price: $

Serves: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner 

Address: 1602 State St, San Diego, CA 92101

4. Waterfront Bar & Grill

Cuisine: American

Price: $

Serves: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late night

Address: 2044 Kettner Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101

5. Donut Bar

Cuisine: American

Price: $$

Serves: Breakfast

Address: 631 B St, San Diego, CA 92101

6. Werewolf

Cuisine: American

Price: $$

Serves: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Address: 627 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

7. La Puerta

Cuisine: Mexican

Price: $$

Serves: Lunch and dinner; Brunch is also served on Sat. & Sun.

Address: 560 Fourth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

8. Meze Greek Fusion

Cuisine: Greek

Price: $$

Serves: Lunch and dinner; Brunch is also served on Sat. & Sun.

Address: 345 Sixth Ave, San Diego, CA 9210

9. Queenstown Public House

Cuisine: American

Price: $$

Serves: Brunch, lunch, and dinner

Address: 1557 Columbia St, San Diego, CA 92101

10. Richard Walker’s Pancake House

Cuisine: American

Price: $$

Serves: Breakfast and lunch

Address: 520 Front St, San Diego, CA 92101

11. The Crack Shack

Cuisine: American

Price: $$

Serves: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Address: 2266 Kettner Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101

12. Civico 1845

Cuisine: Italian

Price: $$

Serves: Lunch and dinner; No lunch on Tues. & Wed.

Address: ​​845 India St, San Diego, CA 92101

13. Buon Appetito

Cuisine: Italian

Price: $$

Serves: Lunch and dinner

Address: 1609 India St, San Diego, CA 92101

14. Basic Bar & Pizza

Cuisine: Italian

Price: $$

Serves: Lunch and dinner

Address: 410 Tenth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101

16. Filippi’s 

Cuisine: Italian

Price: $$

Serves: Lunch and dinner

Address: 1747 India St, San Diego, CA 92101

17. The Mission

Cuisine: Asian-Latin

Price: $$

Serves: Breakfast and lunch

Address: 1250 J St, San Diego, CA 92101

18. Mona Lisa

Price: $$

Cuisine: Italian 

Serves: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Address: 2061 India St, San Diego, CA 92101

19. Underbelly

Cuisine: Japanese

Price: $$

Serves: Lunch and dinner

Address: 750 W Fir St #101, San Diego, CA 92101

20. Ballast Point Brewing

Cuisine: American

Price: $$

Serves: Lunch and dinner

Address: 2215 India St, San Diego, CA 92101

21. Craft & Commerce

Cuisine: American

Price: $$

Serves: Dinner; Brunch and lunch is also served on sat. & Sun.

Address: 675 W Beech St, San Diego, CA 92101

22. Karl Strauss Brewing Company

Cuisine: American

Price: $$

Serves: Lunch and dinner

Address: 1157 Columbia St, San Diego, CA 92101

23. Ironside

Cuisine: Seafood

Price: $$$

Serves: Lunch and dinner

Address: 1654 India St, San Diego, CA 92101

24. Juniper & Ivy

Cuisine: American

Price: $$$ 

Serves: Dinner

Address: 2228 Kettner Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101

25. Kettner Exchange

Cuisine: American

Price: $$$

Serves: Dinner

Address: 2001 Kettner Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101

26. Herb & Wood

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Price: $$$

Serves: Dinner; Brunch is also served on Sunday

Address: 2210 Kettner Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101

27. Bencotto

Cuisine: Italian

Price: $$$

Serves: lunch and dinner

Address: 750 W Fir St #103, San Diego, CA 92101

28. Music Box

Cuisine: American

Price: $$$

Serves: Dinner and late night

Address: 1337 India St, San Diego, CA 92101

29. Born and Raised

Cuisine: American

Price: $$$$

Serves: Dinner

Address: 1909 India St, San Diego, CA 92101

30. Morton’s Steakhouse

Cuisine: American

Price: $$$$

Serves: Dinner

Address: 285 J St, San Diego, CA 92101

31. Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Cuisine: American

Price: $$$$

Serves: Dinner

Address: 1355 N Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101

About Move Central

We’re a local San Diego moving company with a full-range of moving services, including a clean climate-controlled storage facility, to help residents and businesses relocate with ease. With over 10 years of experience and an average 4.7 Google star rating from thousands of reviews, you can count on us to show up on time and handle your items with the utmost care. 

So, the next time you need moving services from a reliable moving company in San Diego, call us at 619-558-3891 to book an appointment.

Stan Caramalac

Stan Caramalac started his moving company because he truly believed that moving could be simple as long as it was done efficiently. He wanted to help people make their moves smoother and less stressful. Stan and his team proudly serve San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles and the Bay Area. If you are looking for professional commercial or residential movers then Move Central is the perfect company for you.

Author: Stan Caramalac

Stan Caramalac started his moving company because he truly believed that moving could be simple as long as it was done efficiently. He wanted to help people make their moves smoother and less stressful. Stan and his team proudly serve San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles and the Bay Area. If you are looking for professional commercial or residential movers then Move Central is the perfect company for you.

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