The 38 Best Restaurants in San Diego

This standout group of 38 restaurants reflects the best of San Diego’s diverse dining culture — covering cities across the county while spanning a range of price points, cuisines, approaches, and neighborhoods. With every update, Eater San Diego adds a few restaurants that have become newly eligible or have stepped up their game. As such, a few restaurants are retired from the map each quarter — not necessarily forever — to make room. For hot new restaurants, check out our monthly Eater heatmap.

In the latest update, we’ve added insider tips to each write-up, including what the must-try dish is, how to avoid a nightmare parking situation, and what occasion each restaurant is best known for. Also, watch out for our new price categories, ranging from $ for an affordable meal under $25 a person to $$$$, which indicates a splurge that may be a better fit for a special occasion.

New this update: Fleurette, Chick and Hawk, and Kinme join the list, while Matsu, Deckman’s North at 3131 (which have both closed), and Callie leave.