The Ultimate Guide to San Diego’s East Village Restaurant Scene
Looking for good eats in the East Village? San Diego’s East Village offers a lively culinary scene that provides a true taste of the world. Restaurants in this neighborhood pull out all the stops when it comes to highly shareable appetizers, artisan cocktails, and creative desserts. Take a look at eight of the best places to eat in San Diego’s East Village.
photo credit: sandiegouniontribune.com
Neighborhood
777 G St San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 446-0002
You haven’t experienced the East Village neighborhood until you’ve eaten at Neighborhood. The vibe at Neighborhood is both hip and casual. The menu offers some pretty hot takes on traditional fare. The blooming onion, crispy potato, steak tartare, and burrata are all fun to share with friends. Burgers, mac and cheese, and other favorites never disappoint. Guests will find a superstar beer list here. Neighborhood is also famous for its caviar bumps. Fancy!
photo credit: Yelp
Werewolf
627 Fourth Ave San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 234-0094
There’s no better place to slide up to the bar to order a Double Dickel Rye in San Diego’s East Village. The cocktails and appetizers at Werewolf are more than enough to create the perfect evening out. Grilled garlic ginger wings, pork belly BBQ nachos, and pretzels and queso are the standout appetizers. The dinner menu keeps things classic by sticking with burritos, burgers, sliders, salads, and chicken sandwiches. The brunch and lunch menus are also phenomenal for those getting an early start to dining in the city.
photo credit: takeaway.com
Breakfast Republic
707 G St San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 501-8280
Breakfast Republic is considered by many to be the best breakfast spot in San Diego. Yes, the banana-split French toast is worth the wait if you happen to show up when there’s a line to get inside. The list of hits served here also includes the shrimp and grits breakfast, peaches and cream vegan pancakes, and prosciutto bennie bowl. The drink menu is just as exciting as the roster of breakfast superstars offered at Breakfast Republic. Choose between booze and brews when kicking off your day! Breakfast Republic’s drink menu delights with the melon ball smash, morning mule, iced coconut caramel latte, boozy brew shots, mimosa, and more.
photo credit: watergrill.com
Water Grill
615 J St San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 717-6992
There’s nothing better than watching a thick, steaming bowl of clam chowder being set down in front of you at San Diego’s Water Grill. This is a top spot for lobster rolls, Chilean sea bass, crab cake, black cod, oyster, sea urchin, and king crab legs. The seafood tower is the pick when you’re in the mood to be shamelessly decadent. There’s also a 12-page drink menu full of the best of the best to help you wash it all down. Don’t forget to check out the dessert menu to discover a velvety wonderland of caramel bread pudding, maple cheesecake, key lime pie, and daily homemade sorbets.
photo credit: usarestaurants.info
Lola 55
1290 F St San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 542-9155
Lola is a great place for Mexican food and cocktails in San Diego’s East Village. This fun, intimate setting is the perfect place for digging into some steak tacos, fish tacos, and Oaxaca quesadillas! The mole is truly out of this world. Of course, no meal at Lola 55 is complete without an order of churros.
photo credit: cocina35.com
Cocina 35
1435 6th Ave San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 431-5611
Cocina 35 is known for serving up the best chilaquiles in San Diego! This “build your plate” restaurant allows you to enjoy all the authentic flavors of Mexico. Every classic Mexican dish is represented on the menu. All chilaquiles are garnished with red onions, cilantro, oaxaqueña cream, cotija cheese, and avocado before being served up over a bed of beans. Don’t forget to look for churros, flan, and a French toast concha filled with strawberries and horchata whipped cream!
photo credit: Twitter
The Mission
1250 J St San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 232-7662
The Mission is best known as a breakfast spot that offers sensational French toast. However, people from all over San Diego actually come here for amazing vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free breakfast options. The menu’s fluffy buttermilk pancakes, chicken apple sausage frittata, soy chorizo with egg scramble, and avocado toast are all crowd-pleasing favorites. In addition, a robust list of salads and sandwiches takes care of you if you’re a little late for breakfast!
photo credit: bringfido.com
The Smoking Gun
555 Market St San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 233-3836
Show up for the pulled pork, smoked brisket, and other slow-cooked delights! The mezcal cocktails at the Smoking Gun are truly second to none in San Diego. While this eatery boasts a serious menu, it offers a very laid-back vibe. A gaming area with arcade favorites keeps the ambiance at this popular eatery fun and fresh.
Featured Blog Posts
The Coolest Christmas Bars & Pop-ups in San Diego, CA
Welcome to the season of peppermint shots and parties! While San Diego may not be the place to see snow at Christmas, the fun piles up with help from San Diego’s collection of Christmas bars and holiday pop-up bars. While some of the best Christmas bars in the city simply “pop up” overnight with help from elves, other top spots for holiday libations are actually existing bars that transform into holiday havens for the season. Are you feeling festive? Don’t miss this list of the best Christmas bars and holiday pop-up bars in San Diego, CA!
12 Michelin Star Restaurants That Are Actually Worth The Hype in San Diego, CA
There’s no mincing words when you’re putting in the time and money to visit a Michelin restaurant. 9 times out of 10, you’re going to be spending a pretty penny, so you want to make sure everything about the experience is impeccable. So which prestigious San Diego eateries are actually worth it? Get your money’s worth on the SoCal dining scene with these 12 Michelin star restaurants that are splurge worthy in San Diego, CA!
The Best Restaurants in Downtown San Diego
Downtown San Diego is a location for a constantly evolving and suddenly very lively food scene with options for all. Let’s take a look at just some of what Downtown San Diego has to offer!
12 Incredibly Fun Restaurants in San Diego, CA
San Diego has so many fun restaurants! In a choosey city like this one, no restaurant can get by on gimmicks alone. That’s why these lively restaurants also offer premium food, drinks, and ambiance. Why let dinner be dull? Check out these 12 fun San Diego restaurants for an epic meal out on the town.