Destination Dining Next Door: Eight Iconic San Diego restaurants to check out right now

After time in New York honing his skills under the legendary Daniel Boulud, Chef Travis Swikard returned to his hometown to give San Diego the benefit of his creativity and passion for every corner and cove of the Mediterranean. Applying those gifts to the wealth of SoCal’s farms, fields and waters, he created Callie, which in Greek means “the most beautiful.” Low-key and welcoming, the unfussy décor of this gem found in Downtown San Diego’s East Village is elegant enough for any date, but it still doesn’t prepare you for the sublime food you’ll encounter here. Inspirations range from Syria to Spain, with an acclaimed Aleppo Chicken with sumac pickles, yogurt and coriander honey mapping one end of the Mediterranean, to perfectly crispy patatas bravas at the other. Stops in between include Egypt, Greece and Italy, but it’s all perfectly fused with a fresh, sunny SoCal vibe. Not sure what to order? We suggest the Mediterranean Feast, which includes a five-course, family-style menu for just $75 per person. This is only available for parties of two or more and involves participation from everyone at the table, but it’s well worth the group effort to enjoy this curated menu. Add $40 per adult to add a wine pairing, and we’re talking heaven.

For a taste of the rich history and culture of San Diego, you can’t miss Barrio Logan, with Chicano Park as its literal and figurative heart. The oldest Mexican-American neighborhood in the city, Barrio Logan is one of California’s 14 Cultural Districts, with a booming grassroots art scene, galleries, brew houses and dazzling murals and street art everywhere you look. Possibly the most beloved eatery here is Salud Tacos. The menu celebrates the street food of Northern Mexico—with homemade tortillas, and classic asada, diabla and al pastor preparations—but Chicano culinary touches north of the border show up as well. Tattoo-inspired wall murals, outdoor seating, vegetarian options and fantastic mixed drinks make for a cool, casual, inexpensive feast.

Fifteen years ago, three families of San Diego fisherfolk got together to open Mitch’s, a casual restaurant perched right on the marina, dedicated to serving seafood caught for the most part by themselves or other fishermen they know. The crowd is largely local, as are the craft brews, and, most importantly, the sustainably-caught fish from waters off San Diego and the Baja Peninsula. On the working waterfront at Point Loma Sportfishing Dock, this is a proper fisherman’s shack with a chalkboard menu of the daily catch and specials, and frequently, a line out the door. But it moves fast, and the wait is so, so worth it.

Barely a year old, Marisi brings the Amalfi Coast to La Jolla, the picturesque seaside village within San Diego. It’s a perfect fit, with the two locales sharing blissful climates, rugged coastlines, sheltered coves and idyllic beaches. Marisi’s menu is dedicated to Italian hearth cooking, with a focus on handmade pastas, fresh seafood and a nose-to-tail ethos—at least where meat is involved. The dishes actually come from all over Italy, but the ambiance is pure Amalfi, with sunny pastel décor, colorful tiles, a vine-covered patio and even a “Lemon Room” festooned in a whimsical print of Amalfi’s famous fruit. Restrained? Nope, but certain to make even the crankiest diner grin. The citrus makes it onto the menu, too, in a phenomenal pappardelle with duck and preserved lemon, a Meyer Lemon dessert with salted pistachios and a perfectly tart/sweet homemade limoncello.

It’s pretty safe to say you have never experienced a restaurant/bar quite like Kindred. Close your eyes and imagine a goth Victorian death metal soda fountain (who hasn’t, right?), and you are only about halfway to picturing how weird, wild and wonderful this cocktail bar and vegan eatery is. The drink list is endlessly inventive, with names like the Gloom Coil and the Crimson Veil, and there are non-alcoholic concoctions that are just as loopy. Aside from these flourishes, diners travel from far afield to sample the genuinely creative vegan cuisine. Specialties like the eggroll burger, buffalo cauliflower and batter-fried mushrooms put to rest any fears of a plant-based menu being bland or anything shy of filling. And Kindred is all the more surprising for being located in South Park, a charming residential area right by Balboa Park.

San Diego’s first omakase sushi restaurant has made its mark. Found in the Convoy district, this beautiful minimalist (in design only) restaurant has a 12-seat sushi bar gallery where guests are treated to a 90-minute experience where the chef creates each incredible bite. The sushi is traditionally prepared using ingredients sourced from all over the world, with a rotating selection delivered directly from Japan’s Toyosu fish market. Because the meal is solely decided by the chef, you’re in for rare treats each time you visit. And, no worries if you want to choose your own menu; after the omakase experience, there’s an a la carte menu made available.

The fine dining experience that Chef William Bradley and the team at Addison have created is nothing short of art on a plate—or in a glass. It’s truly no wonder that it’s the first and only three-star Michelin restaurant in Southern California. From the exquisitely-presented dishes to creative twists using caviar, Addison’s 10-course tasting menu is the work of artists and visionaries in the culinary world. Experience a powerful blend of flavors with every bite, whether you’re savoring asparagus with pistachios, stinging nettle and caviar or a Californian take on a Thai curry. The drink list also lends its own impressive artistry with bright yet earthy tipples like a gin and matcha cocktail made with basil blossom and lemon.

If Marie Antoinette and your favorite L.A. psychic opened a restaurant it would be Seventh House. The enchanting dining lounge, located in San Diego’s North Park neighborhood, is known for its french-inspired apéritifs, mirror-adorned ceiling and tarot readings for any guest who wishes to know their fate. We don’t need a crystal ball to see that if you and your travel buddies order the Let Them Eat Cake Tower—three bottles of house champagne, vodka punch, fresh fruits, a whole cake and four chef-selected pastries—a buzz and a sugar high is in your future.

Funded in part with City of San Diego Tourism Marketing District Assessment Funds.