1
JILL AND HANK CHAMBERS’ SAN DIEGO FAVORITES
We’ve personally eaten at all of these restaurants and recommend them to
you. We’ve left off countless ones that weren’t so great and may not have
visited some new great ones.
There is a great map of San Diego in the Restaurant section of the Yellow
Pages. Of course there is Google and Yahoo as well. Also there is a map and
itinerary at the end of this list. (The numbers next to the restaurants refer to
that map)
Most of these will require reservations at least a few days in advance.
However, if you use www.opentable.com, there are often reservations
available even when the restaurant says that they don’t have any.
Another great website for restaurants and other activities with review is:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g60750-San_Diego_California-
Vacations.html
Pick up the ―Reader‖ at any supermarket or convenience store. It has the best
list of what’s happening in San Diego or go online to
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/home/
By the way an 858 prefix usually means north of the I-8, 619 south of the I-8
and 760 is North County
Our City San Diego Magazine Favorites June 2009
Best Place to find your inner solitude: Mount Soledad
Best Bookstore for Hour Long Lounging: Upstart Crow in Horton Plaza
Best Place to Buy Healthy Food: Whole Foods
Best Place to See the Sunset: La Jolla Shores Beach
Best Place for a Solo Meal: Zenbu in LaJolla and Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Best Healthy Restaurant: Tender Greens in Point Loma Liberty Station
Best Place to Pamper Yourself: The Spa at Rancho Bernardo Inn
Best Salon: MODA Hair Design 3754 Sixth Ave. 619-299-MODA
Best Gym: The Sporting Club 8930 University Center Lane 858-202-7320
Best Beach for Relaxation: Coronado Beach
Best Romantic Drive: Coast Highway 101
Best Place for a Romantic Candlelit Dinner: Bertrand at Mr A’s 2550 Fifth
Best Place for Antiquing: Downtown La Mesa
Best Pier for a Stroll: Ocean Beach Municipal Pier
Best Library for Kids: Central Library 820 E Street
2
Best Beach for Kids: La Jolla Shores or Mission Bay
Best Spot for a Picnic: Balboa Park under the Fig Tree. By Natural History
Museum
Best Place to Fly a Kite: Mission Bay Park
Best Places to eat for Kids and Parents Together: Hodads 5010 Newport
Ave.
Best Place to shop with Kids: University Town Center
Best Place for Kids to Experience Nature: Torrey Pines State Park
Best Place to hear good Jazz Music: Anthology
Best Shopping Mall to Spend a Day at: Fashion Valley
Best Place to Watch a Game with your Buddies: PB Bar and Grill and Seau’s
Best Place for a Picnic with Friends: La Jolla Shores
Best Restaurants
* Nine-Ten Restaurant
910 Prospect Street, La Jolla (858-964-5400)
Comment: Our favorite when we’re feeling rich.
Get the ―Mercy of the Chef‖ with wine pairings ($100/person).
Very Expensive, but well worth an entire evening (Area 1)
* Market Restaurant and Bar
3702 Via de la Valle, Del Mar, CA (858) 523-0007
A mile or so east of the I-5
One of the best restaurants in San Diego, organic food. Menu
changes daily depending on what is fresh.
* Urban Solace
3823 30th Street, San Diego 92104 619-295-6464
www.urbansolace.net
In North Park. Fantastic eclectic menu. Small restaurant. Need
reservations. Our new favorite (9/2009)
* JRDN
723 Felspar Street 858-270-5736 (Area 2)
Located on Pacific Beach with a view of Crystal Pier
Excellent but very expensive food. Very loud with all of the
concrete and contemporary design, but the best place to see the
beautiful people of San Diego. This seems to be the place where
all of those swimsuit models (men and women) go.
3
Jack’s Restaurant
7863 Girard Ave (Corner of Wall St and Girard)
858-456-8111
Three different restaurants, five lounges. Very hip. Great décor,
Fantastic, but expensive food. Go for a special occasion.
Island Prime
880 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego, CA 619-298-6802
Great Food, One of the best views of the city possible!
Seafood and Steak. Upscale comfort food
Near the Airport on Harbor Island
Barbarella’s
In the LaJolla Shores area
2171 Avenida de la Playa
La Jolla, CA 92037
(858) 454-7373
Great local restaurant. Get the mushroom-truffle oil pizza at
least. (Area 1)
Laurel’s
505 Laurel Street (619-239-2222)
Recently listed as a Mobil 4 Star restaurant (only one in San
Diego (get their wine pairings menu!!!)
Excellent food and wine list (Area 8)
Arterra
11966 El Camino Real (in the Mariott Hotel)
858-369-6032 (Area 16)
Excellent California Cuisine. The chef was rated as the best
chef in California by James Beard Society.
Blue Point Coastal Cuisine
565 Fifth Avenue (619-233-6623), Downtown
Romantic dining with great food, service and martini bar. Great
seafood and lobster
(Area 8)
The Oceanaire Sea Food Room
400 J Street (619)858-BASS
Great downtown sea food. Most flown in or caught fresh daily.
It’s a very upscale chain restaurant. More food than you can eat
with great waitstaff (Area 8)
4
Roppongi
875 Prospect Street, La Jolla (858) 551-5252
Great Sushi Happy Hour
Asian Fusion Cuisine. Exquisite décor (Area 1)
Mille Fleurs
6009 Paseo Delicias, Inland North County (858-756-3085)
Very good and very expensive (Area 16)
WineSellar and Brasserie
9550 Waples Drive (in a Strip Mall off of Mira Mesa Road)
(858-450-9576)
Comment: Elegant restaurant with most extensive wine list in
town in surprising locale One of Scott Mubarak’s favorites (Area
16)
Parallel 33
Hillcrest
Restaurant with interesting combinations from cultures along
the 33rd parallel San Diego, India, Morocco, etc (Area 6)
Indigo Grill
1536 India St (Old Italy area) 619-234-6802
Very interesting décor and food spanning the Pacific Coast of
North America (from Alaska to Mexico) Highly recommended
(Area 5 or close to it)
Tupelos
340 5th Ave, Gaslamp 619-231-3140
Great food, especially the fish. Great Martini Bar (Area 9)
AR Valentien
The Lodge at Torrey Pines
11480 N Torrey Pines Rd. La Jolla 858-777-6635
Craftsman restaurant at Torrey Pines Lodge and Golf Course
Classic California Cuisine, organic food, Great View
Best Outdoor Dining in San Diego
*The Prado in Balboa Park
Great Restaurant right in the Park in the Museum area.
Excellent food and wine selection. Great ambiance.
One of Jill’s favorites. In an historic building.
5
Pamplemousse Grille
Across the street from the Del Mar Racetrack
514 Via de la Valle (858-792-9090)
Great menu, very pricey but great dining experience
Wine Vault and Bistro
http://www.winevaultbistro.com/
3731-A India Street (619) 295-3939
Great local food menu with wine parings. Usually the wines are
accompanied by the distributor or the vintner, so it’s educational
as well. Great deals on Fridays.
Great prices. A very nice evening. In Little Italy area (Area
5 but closer to downtown)
Best View with Great Food
* Trattoria Acqua
1298 Prospect St, La Jolla (858-454-0709) (Area 1)
* Island Prime/C Level Lounge
880 Harbor Island Drive (858-298-6802) (Harbor Island
near Lindberg Airport
Top of the Market
750 North Harbor Drive (619) 232-3474 (Area 10)
The Sky Room at the Hotel Valencia
1132 Prospect St, La Jolla (858-454-0771) (Area 1)
* Crab Catcher
1260 Prospect St, La Jolla (858-454-3031) (Area 1)
George’s at The Cove
1250 Prospect St, La Jolla (858-454-4244) (Area 1)
Peohe’s
1201 First St, Coronado Island (619-437-4474) (Area 11)
The Marine Room
2000 Spindrift Dr, La Jolla (858-459-7222) (Area 1)
Very expensive but fantastic dining
Go for brunch and watch the kayakers through a gigantic
window to the ocean
Il Fornaio Cucina Italiana
1333 First St, Coronado (619-437-4911) (Area 11)
Comment: View of Downtown San Diego across the Bay
6
and
Del Mar Plaza, 1555 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar (858-755-8876)
(Area 16)
Comment: View of Del Mar and Great Sunsets
Pacifica Del Mar
1555 Camino del Mar (858)792-0476 (Area 16)
Comment: Great view of Del Mar. Outdoor eating with excellent
lunch menu
Brockton Villa
1235 Coast Blvd (858)454-7393 (Area 1)
Comment: Great view of La Jolla Cove and sunset
* JRDN
723 Felspar Street 858-270-5736 (Area 2)
Located on Pacific Beach with a view of Crystal Pier
Excellent but very expensive food. Very loud with all of the
concrete and contemporary design, but the best place to see the
beautiful people of San Diego. This seems to be the place where
all of those swimsuit models (men and women) go.
AR Valentien (see comments above)
Roys at the Marriott: See comments in Seafood.
Mexican
* El Agave
2304 San Diego Ave Old Town (619-220-0692)
Not your typical chips and salsa place. Real Mexican food
Several hundred different tequilas ( Area 5)
Alfonso’s
1251 Prospect St, La Jolla (858-454-2232) (Area 1)
Old Town Mexican Café
2489 San Diego Ave Old Town (619-297-4330)
Comment: Traditional American-Mexican food (Area 5)
7
Italian
* Il Fornaio (See above under Best Views…)
Asti
728 Fifth Ave Downtown (619-232-8844) (Area 8)
Arrivederci
3rd Ave Hillcrest (619-299-6282)
Comment: Best Italian food by reader poll in San Diego
Magazine, 2000
Real Italians run this place and the food is outstanding!
(Area 6)
Trattoria Positanos
142 University Ave Hillcrest (619-294-6995)
Comment: Also excellent food, down the street from Arrivederci
(Area 6)
Piatti
2182 Avenida de la Playa ,La Jolla Shores (858-454-1589)
(Area 1)
Barolo
8953 Towne Center Dr (Golden Triangle Renaissance
Center. (858-622-1202)
Small Restaurant in UTC area.(East of Area 1) Excellent food
Sante
7811 Herschel Ave, La Jolla 858-454-1315 (Area 1)
Comment: Northern Italian Cuisine. Very small and elegant
Prego
Hazard Center (163 and Friar’s Road) 619-294-4700
Comment: Nice central location. Good food. (Area 15)
Vigilucci’s
All over North County. Our favorite is in Encinitas.(Area 16)
Pizza
* Embers
3824 W Point Loma Blvd (619-222-6877)
Comment: Great pizza, pasta, and family dining. Voted Best
Neighborhood Dining in San Diego. (Area 4)
Pizzeria Uno Chicago Bar & Grill
356 Fashion Valley (619-298-1866) (Area 15)
Chain, but good pizza
8
California Pizza Kitchen
La Jolla Village Square, 3363 Nobel Dr (858-457-4222) (Area 1
And 16)
Sammy’s California Woodfired Pizza
702 Pearl St, La Jolla (858-456-5222) (Area 1)
770 4th Ave, Gaslamp District (619-230-8888) (Area 9)
Bronx Pizza
111 Washington Ave Hillcrest 619-291-3341
Comment: Most authentic NY pizza by reader poll, San Diego
Magazine 2000
Expatriate NewYorkers run this place and make the pizza!
(Area 6)
Round Table Pizza
All over town. Great gourmet pizzas.
Leucadia Pizza
All over town. Delivery. Choice of other Italian Food as well.
Thai
* Royal Thai
467 Fifth Ave (619-230-THAI) (Area 7)
737 Pearl St, La Jolla (858-551-THAI)
Comment: Best Thai in town! (Area 1)
Rama
327 Fourth Ave (619-501-8424)
San Diego Magazine rates it the best in town as well
California Style
Dakotas
901 Fifth Ave (619-238-5554)
Comment: Excellent food. Nice Atmosphere
(Area 9)
Kemo Sabe
3958 Fifth Ave (619-220-6802)
Comment: Southwestern-oriental food?
(Area 6)
Farmhouse Café
2121 Adams Ave (619-269-9662) (Area 7)
Supposedly French, but varied menu. Small but filling size
entrees. Quaint. Highly recommended.
9
Adams Avenue Grill
2201 Adams Ave 619-298-8440 (Area 7)
Comment: Excellent comfort food: soups, meat loaf, barbecue,etc
Come On In!
1030-B Torry Pines Road (858)551-1863
Great sandwiches and salads but excellent entrees as well
(Area 1)
Natural Food
Kung Food
2949 Fifth Ave (619-298-7302
Comment: Gourmet vegetarian and vegan food
(Area 6)
Sipz Vegetarian Fuzion Cafe
5501 Clairemont Mesa Blvd 858-279-3747
Great rice bowls and noodles
(Just south of Golden Triangle (52 between I-5 and 805))
Jyoti Bihanga Restaurant
3351 Adams Ave 619-282-4116 (Area 13)
operated by followers of Sri Chimnoy
Get the ―Neat Loaf‖
The Linkery
3794 30th St at North Park Way
619-255-8778 (Area 7)
Located in a funky neighborhood of North Park
Farm-to-Table Restaurant with homemade sausage and
fantastic beer list.
Relatively inexpensive. Go to Ray Street before dinner for
Interesting art galleries.
Henry’s Marketplaces and Whole Foods Supermarkets all have great
delis inside their stores
10
Family Dining
Ember’s
See above in Pizza section
Corvette Grill
Liberty Station on the Harbour.
Comment: 50’s style diner with fries, shakes and fun-time
waiters (Area 6)
Fast Food
Rubio’s Baja Grill throughout the town. Famous for Fish Tacos
Seafood
Fish Market Restaurant and Top of the Market
750 North Harbor Drive
(619) 234-4867
Comment: Voted Best Seafood Restaurant by reader poll (San
Diego Magazine(Area 10, sort of)
* Blue Point Coastal Cuisine
565 5th Ave (619-233-6623 (Area 9)
* The Oceannaire Sea Food Room
400 J Street (619)858-BASS
Great downtown sea food. Most flown in fresh daily. It’s a very
Upscale chain restaurant. More food than you can eat
With great waitstaff
(Area 8)
McCormick and Schmicks Seafood Restaurant
675 L St (in the Omni Hotel attached to Petco Park)
619-645-6545
Chain restaurant with good food. Great to go there before a
Padres game
Roys
8670 Genesee Avenue, UTC area
Great fresh Hawaiian seafood. Way Overpriced wines! Bring
your own and pay a corkage fee
(Area 1, Golden Triangle)
and
Marriott Towers
Downtown.
Great View of the harbor and all of the saleboats. Great
food. Outside bar.
Star of the Sea
1360 North Harbor Dr (619-232-7408)
Comment: Very romantic. Great view and ambience. Great
Food (Area 9, sort of)
11
Tutto Mare Ristorante
4365 Executive Dr University Towne Centre (858-597-1188)
(Area 1, Golden Triangle)
Harbor House
831 Harbor Drive Seaport Village (Area 10)
Chart House
La Jolla 858-459-8201
San Diego 619-233-7391
Anthony’s Fish Grottos
All over San Diego. There is one on the waterfront next door to
Star of the Sea (See above)
Comment: Locally owned, very good food and service. Similar to
Red Lobster in ambience. Very good for family and guests
Steak
Rainwater
1202 Kettner Blvd, Downtown (619-233-5757) (Downtown)
Morton’s of Chicago, Downtown
285 J St (619-696-3369)
Flemings
8970 University Center Lane (858-535-0078)
(Area 1, Golden Triangle)
Donovans
4340 La Jolla Village Drive (858) 450-6666
Typical Chop House. Great décor. Pricey. Attractive young
people hanging out
Indian
Star of India
1492 North Harbor Dr (619-234-9153) (Area 10, sort of)
1000 Prospect St, La Jolla (858-459-9620) (Area 1)
Bombay
3975 Fifth Ave, Hillcrest (619-298-3155) (Area 6)
Chinese
PF Chang’s China Bistro
4540 La Jolla Village Drive (858-458-9007) (Area 1, Golden
Triangle)
Fashion Valley (Area 15)
Emerald
3709 Convoy St. Kearney Mesa 858-565-6888
12
Comment: Traditional Large Chinese place with thousands of
things on the menu.(a few miles north of #15)
Jasmine
4609 Convoy St. Kearney Mesa (858-268-0888)
Barbeque
Phil’s Barbecue
3750 Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego 619-226-6333
Point Loma/Sports Arena Area
Best BBQ in city. Get there early, or easier, call ahead, place
order, go to the left hand side of the entrance and walk to the
front. Just take the food home. (Towards Area 4 on map)
Brewery
** Stone Brewing Company
1999 Citracado Parkway Escondido
(760) 471-4999 (Area 16 about 25 miles north of downtown)
Great organic food. Excellent beer. Try the ―Arrogant Bastard
Ale‖
Karl Strauss
1157 Columbia Street (619) 234-2739 (Area 9)
1044 Wall St, La Jolla (858-551-2739) (Area 1)
Sports City
In UTC area 8657 Villa La Jolla Dr 858-450-3463
(Area 1, Golden Triangle)
Hops Bistro & Brewery
4353 La Jolla Village Dr, La Jolla (858-587-6677)
(Area 1, Golden Triangle)
Gordon Biersch
In Mission Valley
(Near #15)
Coronado Brewery (Area 11)
170 Orange Avenue Coronado, CA (619-437-4452)
Food and Entertainment
Croce’s
802 Fifth Ave, Downtown (619-233-4355)
Comment: Jazz and good food
(Area 9)
13
Dick’s Last Resort
345 Fourth Ave Gaslamp (619-231-9100) and in Pacific Beach by
Crystal Pier
Comment: Purposely rude waiters, party atmosphere
(Area 9)
Seau’s Sports Bar
1640 Camino Del Rio North (619-291-7328)
Best Place to see a game. Surprisingly good food
(Near area 15)
Bars and Nightclubs
Altitude Skybar
Beach/Living Veranda
Belly Up Tavern
The Bitter End
Croce’s Jazz Bar
Envy/Eden
House of Blues
J6 Bar
Ocean House
On Broadway
Onyx/Thin
Stingaree
Universal
Can’t say I’ve been to all of these, but got these from the young
hipsters who go to these things. As many of these come and go, go to their
websites and see if they’re still open. (June 2009)
Breakfast
Original Pancake House
3906 Convoy St, Clairemont (858-565-1740)
Hash House a Go Go
3628 5th Avenue, San Diego in the Park Area
(619) 298 4646
Great food, great atmosphere. Very busy place
Café 222
222 Island Ave Downtown near Convention Center
(858-794-6838)
Get Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast
Crest Cafe
425 Robinson Avenue, 619-295-2510
Richard Walker’s Pancake House
14
520 Front Street, Downtown near convention center
619-231-7777
Sunday Brunch
Hotel Del Coronado (619-435-6611) (Area 11)
La Valencia Hotel(858-454-071) (Area 1)
Roppongi (see under Best Restaurants)
Desserts
Extraordinary Desserts (2929 Fifth Avenue, 619-294-7001)
(Area 6)
Gambling
Viejas
On I-8 east of Alpine (about 45 minutes east of Downtown)
A few good restaurants, great outlet mall and gambling
Barona Casino
Bit of a drive, but very good restaurants and golf course
Shopping
Downtown La Jolla, Prospect Street and environs
Upscale shopping and strolling through the village. Great views
of the ocean with good restaurants near by. Spend an afternoon
here. (Area 1)
Horton Plaza – Westfield Shoppingtown
4th and Broadway,Downtown
Great shopping in an architectural award winning mall. Easy
access downtown, adjacent to the Gaslamp District for great
restaurants and night life (Area 9)
Seaport Village
North Harbor Blvd
Comment: Quaint shops on the waterfront, o.k. restaurants
(Area 10)
Fashion Valley- Westfield Shoppingtown
6899 Friars Road
Upscale shopping area with Nordstroms, Saks, etc
(Area15)
Mission Valley Center – Westfield Shoppingtown
1640 Camino Del Rio North(Near Area 15)
University Towne Centre – Westfield Shoppingtown
La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla)
Upscale shopping with Nordstroms, Macy’s, Robinson’s May, etc
(Area 1, Golden Triangle)
Books: Barnes and Nobles, Borders
15
View of the City
Top of Mount Soledad
Top of Hyatt Grand Manchester or Marriott , Downtown
Coronado Island at the Ferry Landing
Point Loma at the Lighthouse and State Park
Beaches
La Jolla Shores
Comment: Great family beach
Pacific & Mission Beaches
Comment: Younger, Generation X crowd, (ergo Great Body
Watching)
Take a walk on the Crystal Pier (historical landmark)
La Jolla Cove
Bird Rock (Between La Jolla & Pacific Beach)
WindAnSea near Bird Rock
Ocean Beach Fishing Pier
Torrey Pines State Beach
Del Mar
Things To Do, Places To See
San Diego Zoo
Wild Animal Park – Outside San Diego, up highway 15 North
Sea World – 500 Sea World Drive
Balboa Park – Museums, see a play at the Old Globe Theatre,
Botanical Gardens, free concerts at the Organ Pavilion,
IMAX and Space Museum– Balboa Park
Point Loma Light House and Tidal Pool at Bottom of the Road
Great views of the city and Coronado. Hiking for the kids
Walk out on Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach. For more of a hippie and
maybe biker experience, walk on the pier on Ocean Beach
Sunset Cliffs
Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park
Hotel Del Coronado
Just walk around the grounds
Coronado Ferry Landing
Small stores, a few good restaurants
Sea Port Village
Gaslamp District downtown
San Diego Padres – Downtown Petco Stadium
16
San Diego Chargers – Qualcomm Stadium in Mission Valley
La Jolla Village: art galleries, upscale clothes, restaurants and views
Contemporary Art Museum in La Jolla
Lego Land in Carlsbad
*Hike in Torrey Pines State Park
San Diego Botanical Gardens in North County
Cedros Street Design District in Solana Beach
http://www.cedrosdesigndistrict.net/
Old Globe Theater in Balboa Park for great plays and ambience
Tickets
Ticketmaster all around town or online
17
Downtown Hotels
18
March 5, 2004
36 HOURS
In San Diego
By FELICIA PAIK
WITH 70 miles of sandy beaches matched by postcard-perfect weather and a
laid-back atmosphere, San Diego is a destination for sun seekers the world
over. But this Southern California city is not that one-dimensional: it also
has history. Spanish explorers noted its natural harbor in 1542; in 1602
another expedition named it San Diego. It was finally colonized in the mid
1700's, making it the oldest port on the West Coast. In 1769, the Mission San
Diego de Alcalá was the first of the 21 missions built by Spanish friars
throughout the state. In modern times, the city has become closely associated
with its naval station and home to such famous attractions as the San Diego
Zoo and SeaWorld. It also has a cultural centerpiece in Balboa Park, one of
the country's best urban parks. The city, however, may be most famous for its
glorious sunsets over the Pacific.
Friday
5 p.m.
1) Sunset at the Del
Fans of Billy Wilder's "Some Like It Hot," which has been designated as the
funniest movie of all time by the American Film Institute, may be surprised
to learn that although the story was set in Miami, the beach that Marilyn
Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon actually frolicked on was San
Diego's, at the Hotel del Coronado (1500 Orange Avenue, Coronado, 619-
435-6611). This Victorian-era hotel, with its tall cupolas and red turrets,
remains one of the best places in town at which to view the setting sun. Have
a cocktail at the Palm Court and imagine what it was like when Charles
Lindbergh and Greta Garbo frequented the Del.
6:30 p.m.
2) On the Waterfront
Star of the Sea (1360 North Harbor Drive, 619-232-7408), a San Diego
bastion built on a pier, offers diners floor-to-ceiling windows with views of
San Diego Harbor. Known for decades as Anthony's Star of the Sea Room, a
wood-paneled, old-guard establishment, it has been revitalized with a new
look and a new chef. Now one of the city's most fashionable dining rooms, it is
decorated in muted tones and with light fixtures that resemble sails floating
19
above the tables and contemporary-style banquettes. Try the Pacific lobster
tempura ($16), diver scallops ($28) or Stars of the Sea ($20), a platter of fresh
oysters, clams, shrimp, crab and mussels.
Saturday
8 a.m.
3) Breakfast at a Diner
Grab a hearty breakfast at the Crest Cafe (425 Robinson Avenue, 619-295-
2510) in the newly sleek Hillcrest neighborhood. With booth-style seating
and meals served on Fiestaware, this old-fashioned diner serves bacon and
eggs, pancakes, omelets and the like. Try the chicken hash ($6.95).
8:30 a.m.
4) Do the Zoo
It is almost impossible to not visit the 100-acre San Diego Zoo (2920 Zoo
Drive, 619-231-1515), home to more than 4,000 creatures in habitats ranging
from a showcase for Indonesian orangutans and siamangs (the first time
these two apes are living together at the zoo), to the polar bear plunge.
Mornings, when it's still cool, are far preferable to afternoons. The zoo doesn't
open till 9 a.m., but get to the parking lot a half hour early to minimize the
walk to the entrance. Consider taking the 40-minute bus tour first: It covers
75 percent of the zoo, and you can always go back to visit favorite animals. If
you're planning on seeing the zoo's pair of giant pandas and their 6-month-
old cub, Mei Sheng, call the hotline first (888-697-2632) because the animals
aren't always on display. Admission is $32 for adults, $19.75 for ages 3 to 11
and includes the bus tour.
1 p.m.
5)Lunch with Jim
The street lights are now electric, but the Gaslamp Quarter, a 16-block
national historic district, remains the city's historic and entertainment hub.
In the heart of the quarter, Croce's Restaurant and Bars (802 Fifth
Avenue, 619-233-4355), opened by Ingrid Croce in memory of her late
husband, the singer-songwriter Jim Croce, features contemporary American
cuisine like sesame seared sashimi ahi ($29.95) and tournado of grilled
salmon with mango-walnut chutney ($24.95). As background music, of
course, are Croce hits like "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and "Time in a Bottle."
20
3 p.m.
6) A Little Dickens?
Several blocks from the Gaslamp Quarter, Wahrenbrock's Book House
(726 Broadway, 619-232-0132) has more than 250,000 rare, used and
antiquarian books on three floors. In business since 1935, it has a section
devoted to first editions, including Winston Churchill's "Arms of the
Covenant" for $25,000 and "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens for $5,000.
There are also deeply stocked sections devoted to California history.
7 p.m.
7) Just North of the Border
Since San Diego is just 16 miles from Mexico, it makes sense that the city's
signature fare, after seafood, is Mexican. El Agave Tequileria (2304 San
Diego Avenue, 619-220-0692) boasts more than 1,000 different kinds of
tequila. Though the menu is full of familiar dishes (like an appetizer
assortment of quesadillas, empanadas and taquitos, $19.75), there are also
more unusual choices like the Nopalli Nopal, a cactus-leaf salad ($9.25), or
sea bass tenochtitlan, a marinated fillet surrounded with chile pasilla-prune
sauce ($26.25).
9:30 p.m.
8) A Sweet Wait
On Saturday nights, the line outside Extraordinary Desserts (2929 Fifth
Avenue, 619-294-7001) can extend onto the sidewalk. But once you've tasted
Karen Krasne's creations, you'll forget about the wait. There is inside seating
at about a dozen tables, plus about twice that on the heated patio. Or if you
can't get a seat, you can always enjoy the torta misu, roasted coconut cream
torte or toasted macadamia caramel cheesecake ($7 to $10 a slice) in the
comfort of your own hotel room. The Viking, a chocolate crème brulee cake
with caramel, milk chocolate whipped cream and crushed chocolate almond
pralines, is particularly decadent.
Sunday
10 a.m.
9) Sunday in the Park
Balboa Park, a 1,200-acre urban oasis, is San Diego's answer to New York's
Central Park. Created in 1868, it is the city's cultural centerpiece with
extensive gardens and playgrounds, and more than 10 museums, many of
them housed in Spanish-Colonial style buildings originally constructed for
21
the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition. Highlights include the San Diego
Museum of Art's collection of Spanish Baroque paintings as well as works by
American artists like Georgia O'Keeffe and Thomas Eakins. This summer the
museum will host "St. Peter and the Vatican: The Legacy of the Popes," the
largest collection of objects from the Vatican ever to tour North America. The
San Diego Model Railroad Museum has six permanent scale-model railroads,
while the San Diego Aerospace Museum focuses on local aviation history,
including Charles Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis," which was built in San
Diego.
2 p.m.
10) Spreckels Organ Pavilion
One of the biggest sensations at the 1915 exposition, was a massive pipe
organ donated by the sugar magnates John D. and Adolph B. Spreckels. With
its 73 ranks of 4,518 individual pipes ranging in size from one quarter of an
inch to 32 feet, it is still the world's largest outdoor pipe organ. Hour-long free
concerts are held every Sunday afternoon at 2 at the Spreckels Organ
Pavilion (619-702-8138), an open-air 2,500-seat amphitheater just south of
museum row. (Take a hat or umbrella for sun protection.) Carol Williams, the
pavilion's artistic director, performs classical or popular works every week.
Try to fit a drive to the top of Mt Soledad in La Jolla and a visit to
the beach.
January 20, 2006 36 Hours
Downtown San Diego
By JANELLE BROWN
UNTIL the mid-1970's, San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter was a seedy red-light
district habituated almost exclusively by sailors on leave from local military
installations. But a huge development project has turned the zone into a
buzzing center for night life, and surrounding downtown neighborhoods like
East Village, Hillcrest and Little Italy are now peppered with cranes putting
up new loft buildings, destination restaurants and high-end boutiques. All of
which is to say that it has become easy for the culturati and the hip to spend
a weekend totally free of the city's more vanilla family-friendly
entertainments. San Diego isn't just about Shamu the whale and the Wild
Animal Park anymore.
22
Friday 3 p.m. 1) High Art
Start your weekend with a survey of the art scene. The stunning location of
San Diego's Museum of Contemporary Art - perched on a cliff overlooking the
ocean in La Jolla - is strong competition for the art inside. Besides housing a
collection of pieces from Robert Irwin, Ed Ruscha, Robert Therrien and Bill
Viola, the museum also showcases emerging artists and special exhibitions
by pioneers like Andy Goldsworthy. At the museum's downtown outpost, a
loft space that shows more avant-garde pieces, you can see its Cerca Series,
dedicated to the art and artists of Los Angeles, San Diego and Baja
California. Admission is $6 in La Jolla; free downtown. (700 Prospect Street,
La Jolla; 858-454-3541; and 1001 Kettner Boulevard, downtown; 619-234-
1001.)
5 p.m. 2) Sunset on Roof Beach
The only beach in downtown San Diego is actually on a roof at the W Hotel
(421 West B Street, 619-231-8220). When happy hour starts on Fridays, the
pretty young things shed their stilettos and nab cabanas inside the hotel's
Beach bar for cocktails in plastic cups. Watch the sun set over the
skyscrapers with your feet planted in three tons of heated (yes, heated) sand,
warmed by the fire pit and the sounds of lounge music. It's easy to forget that
the ocean is actually nowhere in sight.
8 p.m. 3) Wine or Lemonade
Settle in with a glass of Côtes du Rhône and a bowl of mussels ($14.50) at
Cafe Chloe (721 Ninth Avenue, 619-232-3242), a cozy bistro tucked on a
corner in East Village, a few blocks east of the Gaslamp Quarter. The sign
over the door is a cameo portrait of an owner's daughter, and the atmosphere
is homey, despite the chic European décor. Open from 7 a.m. till 10 p.m. most
days (and slightly later on weekends), the bistro multitasks as a cafe, a wine
bar and a full-fledged restaurant for lunch and dinner. Don't miss the tasty
lavender lemonade ($3.50) or the steak frites ($18).
Saturday
9 a.m. 4) Harborside Morning
23
The busy harbor off San Diego's downtown is lined with miles of paths, which
make for a picturesque morning stroll. Start out by the cruise ship terminal
(Broadway and Harbor Drive) and wander south along the waterfront toward
touristy Seaport Village, checking out the trawlers, aircraft carriers and, in
the marina, enormous private yachts. The paths belong to the morning
joggers and dog-walkers, the skies to the helicopters that occasionally buzz
overhead.
10:30 a.m. 5) San Diego Recharger
The Mission restaurant is a San Diego institution, serving Mexican-inspired
breakfasts and lunches at three outposts. The branch (1250 J Street, 619-
232-7662) in SOMA (for South of Market, but no one calls it that), in an old
plantation-style building that sits in the shadow of the Petco Park baseball
stadium, is light, airy and filled with young hipsters from the surrounding
lofts. Try a breakfast quesadilla ($6.50) or a Mission croissant stuffed with
eggs and cheese ($6.95).
Noon 6) From Red-Light to Gaslamp
Look up. Those modern storefronts in the Gaslamp Quarter are actually part
of some of San Diego's most historic architecture: multistory Victorian
commercial buildings from the 1870's and 80's, put up by developers from
San Francisco after the start of the Gold Rush. The neighborhood
subsequently endured more than a century of booms and busts - including
grim periods when it was called Rabbitville, Flea Town and Stingaree - and
was a red-light district from the late 1880's through the early 1970's. But the
neighborhood somehow avoided the urban redevelopment blight of the mid-
20th century, and today, nearly 100 buildings have been meticulously
restored. Pick up an architectural walking-tour map ($2) at the Gaslamp
Quarter Historical Foundation in the William Heath Davis House (410 Island
Avenue, 619-233-4692), the area's oldest building (it was built in Portland,
Me., shipped around Cape Horn and reassembled in 1850). Or join the two-
hour guided tour that begins there every Saturday at 11 a.m. ($10).
3 p.m. 7) Art, Design, Commerce
San Diego's answer to SoHo is the emerging neighborhood of Little Italy,
where boutiques and galleries have banded together to form the Art & Design
District. Don't miss Cathedral Home (611 West Fir Street), for Jonathan
Adler textiles, or Niche Boutique (621 West Fir Street), for Marc Jacobs
shoes. Both are in the colorful strip of boutiques known as the Fir Street
Cottage Shops. Nearby, you'll find home design stores like Vetro (1760
Kettner Boulevard), which sells colorful vintage handblown glass; Disegno
24
Italiano (1605 India Street), for Alessi accessories; and Mixture (2210 Kettner
Boulevard), for contemporary furniture. Check taddsd.com to find out about
Kettner Nights, a sporadic Friday night block party.
8 p.m. 8) Chive Talking
The Gaslamp Quarter is lined with restaurants, many of which are drowning
in neon and sardined full of rowdy tourists and college students. For a more
refined dining experience, go to Chive (558 Fourth Avenue, 619-232-4483),
one of three chic restaurants, including Laurel and Kensington Grill, owned
by the locally renowned Tracy Borkum. Inside this minimal gray room, Chive
serves warm edamame instead of a bread basket, and dishes like Hawaiian
sunfish with wild mushroom egg rolls ($26) or savory pork chops with white
cheddar and pancetta bread pudding ($24). Not so hungry? There's also a
grazing menu with snacks like feta fries ($5) and duck nachos ($8).
9:30 p.m. 9) All Night Long
If your feet still have it in them, take your pick of the Gaslamp Quarter's
countless bars and clubs. The newest and trendiest club is Stingaree (454
Sixth Avenue, 619-544-9500), a three-story turquoise-and-orange warren of
rooms that resembles something from "A Clockwork Orange." Twenty dollars
and snappy clothes will get you in the door to dance beside San Diego's
designer-clad night-crawling set. Get there early to avoid lines, or, if you're
really committed, dine at Stingaree's restaurant before 8:30 to guarantee
admittance.
Sunday
9 a.m. 10) Breakfast Challenge
O.K., so maybe you overdid it last night. Hash House A Go Go (3628 Fifth
Avenue, 619-298-4646), a farm-equipment-themed diner in the stylish
Hillcrest neighborhood, has the cure for you: O'Hare of the Dog, a 24-ounce
Budweiser with a side of bacon ($6.95). Or maybe you'd prefer Snickers
flapjacks with whipped cream ($6.95), meatloaf hash tossed with crispy
potatoes, topped with two eggs and served in a cast-iron skillet ($11.95) or
the more traditional eggs Benedict ($10.95). Regardless, portions are
enormous and guaranteed to put you in a food coma.
10:30 a.m. 11) Beneath the California Sun
Maybe you're not feeling much like a bikini by this point, but no trip to San
25
Diego is complete without a visit to one or another of the city's 70 miles of
beaches. Bohemian Pacific Beach, above (near the intersection of Grand
Avenue and Mission Boulevard), is San Diego's version of Venice Beach - a
two-mile stretch of sand populated by the eternal young, lined with crab
shacks and modest cottages. Watch the surfers from the end of the
picturesque Crystal Pier, if you're not brave enough to test the waves
yourself.
The Basics
The San Diego International Airport is just minutes from downtown (the
approach brings planes alarmingly low over the neighborhood). A rental car
is useful if you're headed to the beaches or outer neighborhoods. The Flyer
Route 992 bus (619-685-4900, www.sdcommute.com) offers service between
the airport and downtown ($2.25); other buses and the local trolley
thoroughly cover the downtown neighborhoods.
Although the Gaslamp Quarter has plenty of generic chain hotels - including
an enormous Marriott, a Hyatt and a Hilton - it also recently gained two
designer hotels. Hotel Solamar (435 Sixth Avenue, 877-230-0300;
www.hotelsolamar.com), from the Kimpton Hotel group, has 235 spacious
rooms decorated in a curious
Op Art/Arabian Nights/beach motif, and a pleasant rooftop pool and bar.
Standard rooms start at $249.
San Diego's W Hotel (421 West B Street, 619-231-8220;
www.whotels.com/sandiego) is done in a colorful California-beach-meets-
urban-chic décor, and its three bars and its restaurant are popular
destinations for a fashionable local set. The 259 standard rooms and suites
start at $239 a night.
September 7, 2008
36 Hours in San Diego
By BROOKS BARNES
IF San Diego feels half empty, that's because it is. At any given time, swarms
of residents have decamped a few miles south to Mexico or a few miles north
to upscale resort towns. Also, the Navy is the area's largest employer, so a
sizable chunk is presumably floating around on aircraft carriers somewhere.
Is it any wonder, then, that the town leans so heavily on big tourist
attractions (Shamu, the zoo)? A deeper look, however, will reveal more
personality than you think. A necklace of quirky, sun-kissed neighborhoods
rings downtown, from surfer hangouts like Pacific Beach to gentrifying
26
neighborhoods like University Heights. Restaurants are flourishing, too.
There is even an emphasis on preserving history, which, for Southern
California, is a headline in itself.
Friday
5 p.m.
1) EASE ON DOWN
There's no better indoctrination to San Diego's laid-back style than a stroll
along the Embarcadero, a two-mile stretch of downtown waterfront where a
gentle sea breeze will lull you into a zombie-like state in no time. The
decommissioned aircraft carrier Midway sits nearby and can be admired from
Tuna Harbor Park, a shady nook next to the touristy but tasty Fish Market
(750 North Harbor Drive; 619-232-3474; www.thefishmarket.com). Warning:
Skip Seaport Village, a shopping plaza on the boardwalk, unless you're into
pushy pedicab drivers and shops that sell obnoxious T-shirts.
7:30 p.m.
2) GASLAMP GLAMOUR
Much energy and money have been spent gussying up the Gaslamp Quarter,
a 16-block downtown neighborhood that was once an archetype of urban
blight. The jumble of frat bars is still rather depressing, but several boutique
hotels have opened attractive lounges and restaurants. Avoid the W with its
hipper-than-thou staff and head to the sleek but comfy Ivy (600 F Street; 619-
814-1000; www.ivyhotel.com). Hollywood bigwigs roost there when attending
Comic-Con, the annual comic-book convention and movie marketing
extravaganza in July. The Ivy's restaurant, Quarter Kitchen, tries a little
hard — the hostesses are hilariously outfitted in full-length shimmery gowns
— but the menu (by Damon Gordon, formerly head chef for Ian Schrager's
constellation of hotels) and modern décor have A-list locals practically moving
in. The caviar tacos with horseradish cream ($26) are a favorite but don't
overlook the Code 7 ($10), a trio of chocolate glazed, jelly and cinnamon-
sugared doughnuts.
10 p.m.
3) CULTURE CLASH
How adventurous are you feeling? If the answer is not very, then perhaps top
off the night with a sashay through the Ivy's multilevel nightclub, Envy. For
the stronger at heart, there is the Casbah, as in ―Rock the ...‖ Conjuring the
1982 hit from the English punk rockers Clash, the Casbah (2501 Kettner
Boulevard; 619-232-4355; www.casbahmusic.com) is a venerable, if a tad
27
dingy, music club where Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins and the
Lemonheads cultivated an audience. Don't be frightened by the scull-and-
cross-guitars logo; the club also features more mainstream acts à la Alanis
Morissette.
Saturday
8:30 a.m.
4) GREENSWARD GIANT
No visit to San Diego is complete without taking in Balboa Park (1549 El
Prado; 619-239-0512; www.balboapark.org), the 1,200-acre public park that is
home to the Old Globe theater, a gargantuan outdoor pipe organ and a half-
dozen major museums. A morning walk or jog along the park's central
thoroughfare is a perfect way to experience it. If some of those Spanish
Baroque Revival buildings look familiar, it's because they starred as Xanadu,
the over-the-top estate in ―Citizen Kane.‖
10 a.m.
5) CALIFORNIA PAST
Tucked in an easy-to-miss enclave just north of downtown, Old Town
(www.oldtownsandiego.org) offers a peek into what life was like in San Diego
when agave plants still outnumbered people. Start at the Old Town Mexican
Café (2489 San Diego Avenue; 619-297-4330; www.oldtownmexcafe.com),
where the ―tortilla ladies,‖ visible through giant windows, can be seen
frantically hand-rolling corn and flour tortillas, some 7,000 on a busy day, the
restaurant says. Don't stop to eat: those tortillas are better seen than tasted.
Rather, wander into the Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
(www.parks.ca.gov/?page_ID=663) to explore exhibitions like the 143-year-old
Mason Street School, a one-room shack decorated with pictures of
schoolmarms past. Shops scattered around the Old Town grounds sell the
wares of local crafts makers. Large glazed ceramic tiles ($120 to $200) are big
sellers.
Noon
6) TACO TREAT
This is a desert, after all, and the sun can be exhausting. Recharge at Casa
de Reyes, a traditional Mexican restaurant at the Plaza del Pasado (2754
Calhoun Street; 619-220-5040; www.plazadelpasado.com). Tucked behind a
luscious flower garden, the open-air but breezy restaurant provides a festive
atmosphere with folkloric dancers and a mariachi band. Sit by the burbling
28
fountain and try the tacos, preferably stuffed with crispy-edged carnitas
($9.95.).
1:30 p.m.
7) BEACH BOUND
There are dozens of beaches, but none are more authentic than Ocean Beach,
a funky surfers' haven that has stayed frozen in time because of strict zoning
rules from the 1970s. Wander through the stuffed-to-the-rafters Ocean Beach
Antique Mall (4926 Newport Avenue; 619-223-6170;
www.obantiquedistrict.com). The sidewalk along Newport Avenue, the main
drag, is an attraction in itself. As part of a business district improvement
effort, the community sells inscribed sidewalk tiles to anybody with $125 and
a printable message. The results are oddly touching. (―Jeff Loves Rosie.‖) O.B.
is a locals' favorite, so you might feel conspicuous without a surfboard or bare
feet. Just call everyone dude and you'll be fine.
4 p.m.
8) SALTY SEA AIR
Just to the south of the Ocean Beach Pier is a newly constructed concrete
path that leads to one of Southern California's most spectacular stretches of
shoreline. Sunset Cliffs (www.sandiego.gov/park-and-
recreation/parks/shoreline/sunset.shtml) spans 68 acres. Stretch out on the
grass, fly a kite (as many locals do) or explore the bluffs and tidal pools.
6:30 p.m.
9) DINNER AT A DINER
You've sampled one of San Diego's new haute restaurants, now go the other
way and check out one of the diners that locals gush over. Hash House a Go
Go (3628 Fifth Avenue; 619-298-4646; www.hashhouseagogo.com), promises
―twisted farm food.‖ It's mobbed at breakfast and lunch but more manageable
at dinner. Try the griddled chili crusted Indiana maple duck breasts ($24).
Little ones in tow? Then the ticket is the tricked-out Corvette (3946 Fifth
Avenue; 619-542-1476; www.cohnrestaurants.com), where beehive-coiffed
waitresses hand out square pieces of Bazooka Bubble Gum to ease the wait
for a table.
9 p.m.
10) THE FOX ROCKS
If the Regal Beagle, the pub from the 1970s TV sitcom ―Three's Company‖
ever had a twin, this would be it. Except that the Red Fox Steak House (2223
29
El Cajon Boulevard; 619-297-1313) is also a piano bar. Dimly lighted with red
Naugahyde booths, the lounge at the Red Fox attracts a diverse crowd from
hipsters to elderly couples. Everybody sings along after a couple of drinks.
Give the adjacent dining room a peek; the room was originally built in 1642
in England but was dismantled and shipped to California in 1926 by the
actress Marion Davies, who used it as part of a summer home.
Sunday
10 a.m.
11) IF THEY BUILD IT
Tour the hot San Diego Zoo if you must. The preferable option, especially for
families with younger children, is Legoland (1 Legoland Drive; Carlsbad; 760-
918-5346; www.legoland.com). No lines, immaculate grounds and a
surprising lack of pressure to buy souvenirs. This is an amusement park?
Come before the masses discover it (annual attendance is about a million
compared with nearly four million for the zoo). The 128-acre park focuses on
interactive, educational attractions like the new Lost Kingdom Adventure, a
ride themed around recovering hidden treasure in 1920s Egypt. For Lego
fans — admit it, they're not just for kids — the park features a cavernous
store that sells hard-to-find sets as well as little colored bricks in bulk ($7.99
for a quarter pound).
All of these articles from
30
Golf In San Diego
31
32
Top Related