Restaurants

San Diego's dining scene, once a culinary backwater, has come into its own during the past decade. This new spirit of experimentation and style is fueled by the city's cultural diversification and by an explosion in the transplant population -- which includes hot young chefs looking to make their mark. But other factors are at play as well. A bustling economy helps, motivating folks to step out and exercise their palates. Seasoned and novice foodies alike have developed a healthy respect for the seasonality of vegetables, and chefs revel in the bounteous agriculture of San Diego County.

As you can imagine, San Diego also offers terrific seafood -- the ocean's bounty is everywhere. California cuisine and Italian fare still dominate the scene, but eclectic fusion food has carved out a substantial niche here as well. Of course, San Diego still has plenty of clubby steak-and-potato stalwarts, and we're loaded with the chain restaurants you'll probably recognize from home.

But number one on most visitor's list of culinary priorities is Mexican food -- a logical choice given the city's history and location. You'll find lots of highly Americanized, fairly satisfying interpretations of Mexican fare (that is, combo plates heaped with melted cheddar cheese) along with a few hidden gems, like El Agave and Escondido's Hacienda de Vega, which serve true south-of-the-border cuisine. And don't miss our humble fish taco, perhaps the city's favorite fast food.

San Diego's multicultural fabric ensures that ethnic foods are a good option when you want something more exotic than Mexican or Italian fare. A drive through the heart of Kearny Mesa reveals a panoply of Asian eateries at all prices, along with vast grocery stores brimming with quirky delicacies. Hillcrest, meanwhile, has seen a recent influx of quality choices for Middle Eastern fare.

In this section, restaurants in San Diego proper are indexed by location and price category. Note, however, that some of San Diego's best dining venues lie 30 to 40 minutes to the north, in the communities of Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar, and Carlsbad. These are found in chapter 11, as are dining options for the Disneyland area and south of the border.

In keeping with our beach culture, even in the more pricey places, dress tends to be casual. There are some exceptions downtown, at La Jolla's more expensive restaurants, and at a few of the high-end hotel dining rooms.

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. Worthwhile discount coupons are found in the San Diego Weekly Reader, available free on Thursdays (and known as the Weekly in an edited version distributed at local hotels). And quite a few restaurants, like Laurel, Chez Loma, and Cafe Pacifica, offer "early bird" specials -- discounted dining for those who don't mind being seated by 6pm or so.

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 means a meal averages $50 per person and up; Expensive means it costs $30 to $50; Moderate means it's $15 to $30; and Inexpensive means it's less than $15.

A note on parking: Unless a listing specifies otherwise, drivers can expect to park within 2 or 3 blocks of the restaurants listed. If you can't find a free or metered space on the street, you can seek out a garage or lot; most Gaslamp Quarter and La Jolla venues offer valet parking.

Wood-Fired Pizza -- For a whole generation of Californians, pizza means barbecued chicken, tomato-basil, or goat cheese and sun-dried tomato, and kitchens all over San Diego stoke their wood-fired ovens to keep up with the demand. Two locally based chains deserve special note, and despite being alike, each chain thrives by covering neighborhoods the other doesn't. Prices are inexpensive to moderate.

Always a favorite in San Diego polls is Sammy's California Woodfired Pizza at 770 Fourth Ave., at F Street, in the Gaslamp Quarter (tel. 619/230-8888); 1620 Camino de la Reina in Mission Valley (tel. 619/298-8222); 702 Pearl St., at Draper Street, La Jolla (tel. 858/456-5222); and 12925 El Camino Real, at Del Mar Heights Road, Del Mar (tel. 858/259-6600). Sammy's serves creations like duck sausage, potato garlic, or Jamaican jerk shrimp atop 10-inch rounds. It also excels at enormous salads, making it easy to share a meal and save a bundle.

A similar menu is available at Pizza Nova, a local minichain with a vibrant atmosphere. You'll find them at 3955 Fifth Ave., north of University Avenue in Hillcrest (tel. 619/296-6682); 5120 N. Harbor Dr., west of Nimitz Boulevard in Point Loma (tel. 619/226-0268); and 945 Loma Santa Fe Dr., near I-5 in Solana Beach (tel. 858/259-0666).

Baja Fish Tacos -- One of San Diego's culinary ironies is that despite its rich Hispanic heritage and proximity to the Mexican border, it's hard to find anything other than gringo-ized combo plates in many local Mexican restaurants. But one item you'll see on plenty of menus here is the fish taco -- a native of Baja California. Consisting of batter-dipped, deep-fried filets wrapped in a corn tortilla with shredded cabbage, salsa, and a tangy sauce, fish tacos were popularized in San Diego by Rubio's Baja Grill in the early 1980s. Rubio's has since grown into a sizable chain, and it's a good option if you're on the go -- the original stand is still operating at the east end of Pacific Beach, 4504 E. Mission Bay Dr., at Bunker Hill Street (tel. 858/272-2801).

Fish tacos are a casual food, served in casual settings. Here are some of the best places to taste one: Bay Park Fish Co. 4121 Ashton St., Bay Park (tel. 619/276-3474); Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill, 3667 India St., Mission Hills (tel. 619/497-0914); The Brigantine; The Fishery; Mamá Testa, 1417A University Ave., Hillcrest (tel. 619/298-8226); Point Loma Seafoods, 2805 Emerson St., Point Loma (tel. 619/223-1109); South Beach Bar & Grill, 5059 Newport Ave., Ocean Beach (tel. 619/226-4577); Wahoo's Fish Taco, 639 Pearl St., La Jolla (tel. 858/459-0027), and 2195 Station Village Way, Mission Valley (tel. 619/299-4550); and El Zarape, 4642 Park Blvd., University Heights (tel. 619/692-1652).