Neighborhoods

Downtown, Gaslamp Quarter & Little Italy

You can grab breakfast at a quirky stalwart like Cafe 222, 222 Island Ave. (tel. 619/236-9902), or sit down to some gourmet pancakes at Richard Walker's Pancake House, 520 Front St. (tel. 619/231-7777); then have lunch with the artists and musicians at Pokez Mexican Restaurant, 947 E St. (tel. 619/702-7160), where they offer more than 30 vegetarian dishes. Come the evening, you can dine with the party crowd at sexy supper clubs like Stingaree, 454 Sixth Ave. (tel. 619/544-9500), and Confidential, 901 Fourth Ave. (tel. 619/696-8888). International choices include Thai at Rama, 327 Fourth Ave. (tel. 619/501-8424), tapas at Café Sevilla, 555 Fourth Ave. (tel. 619/233-5979), and Persian at Bandar, 825 Fourth Ave. (tel. 619/238-0101).

Downtown encompasses many more options beyond the 16 1/2-block Gaslamp Quarter, and hotel restaurants in the area make an especially strong showing. Highlights include the palatial Le Fontainebleau at the Westgate Hotel, 1055 Second Ave. (tel. 619/557-3655); Rice at the W Hotel, 421 B St. (tel. 619/398-3082); and two bayside choices -- Sally's at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, 1 Market Place (tel. 619/358-6740), and Molly's at the Marriott San Diego Hotel & Marina, 333 W. Harbor Dr. (tel. 619/230-8909). Also of special note is the U.S. Grant's reinvented Grant Grill, 326 Broadway (tel. 619/232-3121). Every Saturday the Grant's chefs create a special meal served in complete darkness, served by blind wait staff; check out www.darkdining.com for more information.

Little Italy is home to various eateries including, of course, fine Italians like Po Pazzo, 1917 India St. (tel. 619/238-1917), and Buon Appetito, 1609 India St. (tel. 619/238-9880). The owners of Buon Appetito also operate a sister property next door, the wine bar Sogno DiVino, 1607 India St. (tel. 619/531-8887).

A word on parking: On evenings when the Padres are playing or when a big convention fills area hotels, you'll compete for parking downtown. Fortunately, pedicabs -- three-wheeled bikes that carry two 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.

Hillcrest & Uptown

Whether it's ethnic food, bistro fare, retro comfort food, or specialty cafes and bakeries, Hillcrest and the other gentrified uptown neighborhoods to its west and east are jam-packed with great eateries catering to any palate and any wallet.

Hash House a Go Go, 3628 Fifth Ave. (tel. 619/298-4646), offers a menu of upscale comfort food; it serves three meals a day, but breakfast is the most popular choice. Whatever meal you're here for, though, you'd better be hungry, because portions are mountainous. Tip: Get one meal and pay $5 for a split order -- you'll probably still leave with leftovers. Nearby is the Hash House's sister restaurant, The Tractor Room, 3687 Fifth Ave. (tel. 619/543-1007; www.thetractorroom.com). Dark and woody, with a touch of industrial design, this place bills itself as a "hunting lodge on Fifth." It prominently features game meats like bison, rabbit, venison, and boar, as well as a huge selection of bourbon, rye, scotch, and whiskey.

Another spot favored by locals is Saffron, 3731 and 3737 India St. (tel. 619/574-0177 or 619/574-7737), two low-key storefront spaces on the west side of Mission Hills. One spot serves noodles and saté; the other specializes in Thai-style grilled chicken. Also note that the popular Whole Foods supermarket, 711 University Ave. (tel. 619/294-2800), has a mouthwatering deli and a robust salad bar -- you can pack for a picnic or eat at the tables up front.

Old Town & Mission Valley

Visitors usually have at least one meal in Old Town. Although this area is San Diego at its most touristy, I can't argue with the appeal of dining in California's charming original settlement. Mexican food and bathtub-size margaritas are the big draws. For a change of pace, stop by the hip sushi joint Harney Sushi, 3964 Harney St. (tel. 619/295-3272), or pop into Mrs. Burton's Tea Room in Heritage Park (tel. 619/294-4600) for a spot of tea in a Victorian setting, 10am to 4pm.

Old Town is the gateway to the decidedly less historic Mission Valley. There are plenty of chain eateries, both good and bad -- in the busy Fashion Valley Shopping Center complex, you'll find the Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen, and P.F. Chang's (expect waits for a table at each). In or near the Mission Valley Shopping Center, you'll find an Outback Steakhouse, Hooters, and Mimi's Cafe.

Mission Bay & the Beaches

Restaurants at the beach exist primarily to provide an excuse for sitting and gazing at the water. Because this activity is most commonly accompanied by steady drinking, it stands to reason the food often isn't remarkable. Happily, the past few years have seen an influx of places bucking the trend, or at least raising the level of sophistication.

The beautiful party people get their groove and their feed bag on in Pacific Beach at Jordan in the swank Tower 23 hotel, 723 Felspar St. (tel. 866/869-3723). The creator of The Mission is proprietor of hip Isabel's Cantina, 966 Felspar St. (tel. 858/272-8400), an Asian-Latino fusion cafe serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, in the remnants of an old bakery; while Costa Brava, 1653 Garnet Ave. (tel. 858/273-1218), serves traditional Spanish tapas. 3rd Corner, 2265 Bacon St., Ocean Beach (tel. 619/223-2700), is a wine shop and bistro focusing on small plates with a French-Mediterranean flair; there are also a half-dozen entrees, making it an excellent option for lunch or dinner. Seating for dining is limited, but there's a full bar, lounge, and patio. You can also browse the aisles of wines -- they're for sale. Best of all, 3rd Corner serves food and drinks late -- until 1am (except Mon).

Start your day at the beach at Kono's Surf Club Cafe, 704 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach (tel. 858/483-1669), a Hawaiian-themed boardwalk breakfast shack that's cheap and delicious. A plump Kono's breakfast burrito provides enough fuel for a day of surfing or sightseeing; a side order of savory "Kono Potatoes" is a meal in itself.

La Jolla

As befits an upscale community with time (and money) on its hands, La Jolla has more than its fair share of good restaurants, and thankfully not all of them are expensive. While many dining spots are clustered in the village, on Prospect Street and the few blocks directly east, you can also cruise down La Jolla Boulevard or up by the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club for additional choices.

There are old-school favorites that still impress, like the 12-table, utterly romantic Sky Room at the La Valencia Hotel, 1132 Prospect St. (tel. 858/454-0771), which features fabulous views and French-inspired cuisine. There are more Gallic goings-on at Michele Coulon Dessertier, 7556D Fay Ave. (tel. 858/456-5098). This small cafe and bakery specializes in decadent desserts, but also serves very good lunches and dinners. For traditional Mexican, head down La Jolla Boulevard to Su Casa, 6738 La Jolla Blvd. (tel. 858/454-0369), a family-friendly joint.

Coronado

Rather like the conservative aura that pervades the entire "island," Coronado's dining options are reliable, but the restaurants aren't exactly breaking new culinary ground. A couple exceptions are the resort dining rooms, which seem to be waging a rivalry over who can set the bar highest. If you're in the mood for a special-occasion meal that'll knock your socks off, consider Mistral (tel. 619/424-4000), at Loews Coronado Bay Resort. With its plushly upholstered, gilded, and view-endowed setting, this stylish dining room wins continual raves from deep-pocketed San Diego foodies willing to cross the bay for inventive and artistic California-Mediterranean creations. Meanwhile, the Hotel del Coronado unveiled its new signature restaurant, 1500 Ocean (tel. 619/522-8490), in 2006 to enthusiastic reviews. This smart, contemporary space eschews Victoriana for a stylish California Craftsman look. The menu is California-oriented as well, featuring a Southland coastal cuisine that draws inspiration -- and top-quality products -- from throughout the region. The fabulous patio dining offers views of the ocean and Point Loma in the distance.

Mexican fare (gringo-style, but well practiced) is served at popular Miguel's Cocina at El Cordova Hotel (tel. 619/437-4237), but if you seek ethnic food or designer spaces, head back across the bridge.

Off the (Tourist) Beaten Path

Don't limit your dining experience in San Diego to the main tourist zones outlined above. Five minutes north of Mission Valley is the mostly business neighborhood of Kearny Mesa, home to San Diego's best Asian venues. One to try is Jasmine, 4609 Convoy St. (tel. 858/268-0888), which, at lunch, showcases wonderful Hong Kong-style dumplings that are wheeled around the room on carts. Dinners are more elaborate -- seafood dishes and the Peking duck served two ways are good choices. Nearby is China Max, 4698 Convoy St. (tel. 858/650-3333), which occupies a nondescript building near the junction of the 805 and 163 freeways; the room is spare, but the kitchen exhibits finesse with southern Chinese delicacies and always has excellent (sometimes pricey) live fish specials. Another place easy to miss is Spicy City, 4690 Convoy St. (tel. 858/278-1818). This is Szechuan food, the real deal. Insiders claim it's best to order off the Chinese-language menu, as some dishes are left off the English menu, plus there are no descriptions of the food. With dishes like Husband, Wife, and Piece of Lung, you're going to want to know exactly what you're getting, so brush up on your Mandarin.

Just east of Hillcrest (south and parallel to Mission Valley) is Adams Avenue. Here you'll find the Kensington Grill, 4055 Adams Ave. (tel. 619/281-4014), next to the Ken Cinema. It's owned by the same crew in charge of dining hot spots Chive and Laurel and features contemporary American cuisine in a chic setting that draws lots of neighborhood types. In nearby Normal Heights, Jyoti Bihanga, 3351 Adams Ave. (tel. 619/282-4116), delivers a vegetarian menu of Indian-influenced salads, wraps, and curries; the "neatloaf," made with grains and tofu, is a winner. Entrees are priced under $11.

South of Adams Avenue, University Avenue runs through North Park. This working-class neighborhood has been infused with new life and new development, most notably the resurrected North Park Theatre, a performing arts venue originally built in 1928. Next door to the theater is Spread, 2879 University Ave. (tel. 619/543-0406), where the "nouveau comfort food" menu is vegetarian/vegan, relying on a daily influx of seasonal, organic products. Excellent health-conscious Mexican food (yes, it does exist) is found at Ranchos Cocina, 3910 30th St. (tel. 619/574-1288), just off University Avenue. This popular eatery will even prepare you something vegan -- try asking for that in Old Town.

Out in the far-flung 'burb of Rancho Bernardo awaits one of San Diego's most memorable dining experiences. El Bizcocho is the fine-dining restaurant at the golf and tennis resort Rancho Bernardo Inn, 17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr. (tel. 858/675-8550). It's one of the last of San Diego's formal, gourmet experiences, serving classic French dishes with a California twist.