By Anna Buckley and NABJ Journalism Workshop staff
SAN DIEGO RESTAURANTS
The city of San Diego is a wonderful city to explore – it has 70 miles of beach to enjoy, it’s full of historic places to tour and has parks such as Sea World to visit. And what better way to refuel after a long day than to eat at the best restaurants in town?
Having lived in and near San Diego themselves, NABJ Journalism Workshop students can tell you where to find the best places to eat. Whether you’re in the mood to dress up and sit down at an elegant restaurant or you want to grab a quick bite that both satisfies your hunger and your wallet, we’ve come up with a list of restaurants that are as must-see as the city itself.
CHINESE GARDEN
Price Range: $6.00 -$9.00 per person
Type: Chinese
Popular dish: Sweet and Sour Chicken
Location:
Website: http://www.chinesegardencuisine.com
Contact:
Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. everyday
Chinese food is a good choice when you’re tired from cooking all day or if you just want to go out. If this is you, head down to the Chinese Garden, which has a fancy yet homey feel to it. The chef, Kwong Tom, has been working there for over 20 years and the restaurant is family owned and operated.
Chinese Garden serves signature and popular dishes every day. Popular dishes include Cashew Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Sze-chuan Beef, Orange Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Shrimp Chow Mein and the Shrimp Chop Suey. My personal favorites are the Sweet and Sour Chicken and the Kung Pao Chicken.
This establishment offers good quality but low prices. Chinese Garden is a great place to bond with your family and to have an all-around great time.
-Alexandria Smith
FELIPPI’S PIZZA GROTTO
Price Range: Varies from about $8.00 – $20.00
Type: Italian
Popular dish: Pizza
Location:
Website: www.realcheesepizza.com
Contact: (619)232-5094
Hours: Open from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Filippi’s Pizza Grotto is a signature pizzeria for San Diego with a history dating back 60 years. Vincent DePhilippis and Madeleine Stefani migrated from Italy to Philadelphia in 1922 and moved their family to San Diego. There, they opened a deli grocery on 1747 India St. This was later turned into 12 pizzerias called Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, which are now run by family members of the original founders. The first 60-year-old Deli Grocery/ Pizza Grotto is still here, where you can purchase the cheese and meat that are used on the pizzas, as well as orders from the menu, such as a variety of pizzas, soups, pastas and other Italian dishes.
Filippi’s Pizza Grotto has an authentic Italian restaurant atmosphere, with checkered vinyl tablecloths and Chianti bottles hanging from the ceiling. This makes it a place where you can enjoy a candlelit pizza meal with a special someone, or a party of more than 15. Filippi’s Pizza Grotto “takes the slice” in providing a quality meal, good service and a unique setting.
- Alejandro Gonzalez
SAFFRON
Price Range: $2.00 -$12.00
Type: Thai Food
Popular dishes: Mango sticky-rice, spicy drunken noodles with chicken, Jasmine Rice and Vegetables, Sticky Rice with banana wrapped in banana leaf, Yellow curry, Chu-chi
Location:
Website: http://www.saffronsandiego.com
Contact:
Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. most days
Award winning Saffron is my all-time favorite restaurant. San Diego’s first authentic Thai food establishment is fresh and healthy. The recipes are unique. I also love how there is more than one vegetarian dish to choose from. Saffron’s dishes have a spicy taste like Indian food although they are not. The restaurant also has take out, delivery, catering and daily specials. According to the restaurant’s website, all of the recipes were created by one woman named Su-Mei Yu. To me there is no restaurant like saffron and food experts seem to agree. San Diego critics’ poll awards Saffron, “The Best Thai Restaurant.”
-Ziyadah Holmes
JAKES IN DEL MAR
Price Range: $7.00 -$18.00 for lunch, $7.00 – $35.00 for dinner
Type: Seafood
Popular dishes: Dungeness & King Crab cakes, Mixed Seafood Pot
Location:
Website: www.jakesdelmar.com/
Contact:
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. most days
Jakes at Del Mar is located among a seaside town filled with unique shopping boutiques that is bordered by one of the best beaches in the county. My favorite part of the restaurant is the view, which gives you a front row seat to the white sand and the blue expanse of ocean, complete with surfers walking right past the restaurant’s window. There is nowhere else that you can sit literally right on the beach and enjoy the sunset while dining on some of the best seafood in San Diego. There’s something about eating seafood while watching the waves break right in front of you that makes your food taste that much fresher. The atmosphere is peaceful, while the service is top-notch, and the somewhat expensive price is well worth the full experience.
-Anna Buckley
EL INDIO
Price Range: $2.00 – $8.00
Type of food: Mexican Cuisine
Popular dishes: Taquitos, California burritos, Fish tacos
Location:
Website: www.el-indio.com
Phone number:
Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Being less than 20 miles from the Mexican border, people come to San Diego expecting to taste true Mexican cuisine. El Indio, a family-owned Mexican restaurant, was founded in 1940 by Ralph Pesqueira Sr. and has been dedicated to serving the finest Mexican food in the world ever since. In 1981, his son, Ralph Jr., took over the business and is now training his daughters to follow in the family business.
El Indio is the birthplace of the “Taquito,” coined by Ralph Sr. during World War Two, and has since lived up to the precedent it set early on. Its impressive menu has been featured on the Food Network and the restaurant received the Gold Medallion for Best Mexican Casual Dining from the California Restaurant Association. The restaurant is also well-known for providing “El Indio Care Packages” to American soldiers.
But more than awards and services, El Indio is known for its original, traditional and delectable food. With an expansive menu ranging from breakfast burritos, to the “build your own” plate and to their famous taquitos, their dishes are very accommodating for all tastes, even vegetarians. Each of their plates are authentic and have a little extra spice, making El Indio one of San Diego’s best Mexican restaurants.
-Andra Kovacs
CANADA STEAK BURGER
Price Range: $3.00 -$15.00
Type of food: Canadian, Greek, Seafood
Popular dishes: Charbroiled Steakburgers, Sandwiches, Salads, Buffalo Wings, Shrimp, Fish, Chilli Cheese Fries, seafood, Greek specialties and more
Location:
Website: www.canadasteakburger.com/menu.htm
Phone number:
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. most days
Canada steak burger is a popular restaurant in San Diego. They’re known for some of the best burgers and fries. The first time I ever went to this restaurant and tried their food I was amazed how delicious the food was. I like their fries because they’re seasoned and it makes them taste much better than salted fries.
-Mary Cruz
PIZZA NOVA
Price Range: $7.25 – $12.95 for individual portions
Type of food: Pizza, Pasta, Salads and Sandwiches
Popular dish: Pepperoni Pizza and Chicken Tequila Fettuccine
Location:
Website: www.pizzanova.net/
Phone number:
Hours: Contact individual restaurant for hours
Pizza Nova, located at North Harbor Drive, is my favorite restaurant because not only is the pizza delicious, it also has appetizing pasta and garlic bread. Pizza Nova has a beautiful view of the harbor and is a great place to go for an affordable meal and amazing food.
-Zion Daniel
CHEESECAKE FACTORY
Prices Range from $5.95 to $27.95
Type: American Cuisine, Cheesecakes
Popular Dish: Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake
Location:
Website: www.thecheesecakefactory.com
Phone number:
Hours: Contact individual restaurant for hours
The restaurant in the Fashion Valley Westfield Mall is famous for baking over fifty cheesecakes including Stefanie’s Ultimate Red Velvet, Fresh Banana Cream and Chocolate Cake Cheesecakes. The “Fresh Strawberry” cheesecake has been the most popular dessert for the last 30 years because the cheesecake is made from scratch. In addition to its fine deserts, the establishment has a variety of delicious salads, pastas, seafood, steaks and burgers.
-Adrianna Espinoza
FRED’S MEXICAN CAFÉ
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. most days
Price Range: $10.00 – $25.00
Type of food: Mexican
Popular dishes: Tacos, Beer, Freshly made tortillas, Margaritas
Locations:
Website: www.fredsmexicancafe.com
Phone:
Fred’s Mexican Café is a casual dining restaurant that is both fun and filling. My favorite dish, the bean and cheese burrito, will easily fill you up along with a side of rice and amazing black beans. Fred’s is commonly known for their “Kiss my Taco” Tuesday, where all of the tacos range from $2.00 – $3.00. The atmosphere at Fred’s is upbeat because music and energy fill the air and their decorations are bright and exciting. Happy Hour is also a big event at Fred’s because it has great deals on beer, margaritas and various beverages. Located in both Old Town and Gaslamp Fred’s is sure to be a fun and popular place to eat.
- Bailey Loughran
GHIRADELLI ICE CREAM AND CHOCOLATE SHOP
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m. most days
Price Range: varies on dessert
Type of food: Dessert
Popular dishes: The Gold Rush (peanut butter hot fudge sundae), Milk and dark chocolate bars, hot cocoa
Locations:
Website: www.ghirardelli.com
Phone:
Domingo Ghirardelli, the founder of Ghirardelli chocolate brand, immigrated to America in hopes of striking it rich in the California Gold Rush. In 1852 he created the new confectionary company that soon became The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, which is a manufacturer and marketer of premium chocolate products.
Now the chocolate shop hand-selects the world’s finest cocoa beans to create its proprietary bean blend and roasts them to perfection. Ghirardelli premium chocolate is available at your local grocery store, drug store, specialty store, department store, and Ghirardelli shops.
The San Diego Ghirardelli location serves an assortment of chocolate products and a variety of flavored ice cream. The Earthquake is a popular dish and a family favorite!
– Alyssa Litlefield
