Where to Eat in Encinitas | American Eats Restaurant Guide
If you’re visiting Encinitas soon, you’ll enjoy the great weather and beautiful beaches. There are also several places to shop and venues for enjoying the arts. But you don’t want to leave the area without trying some of the city’s best restaurants. Whether you prefer casual dining, want to try authentic cultural meals, or you’re in the mood for a fancy dinner, here are some Encinitas restaurants to try.
Fish 101
1468 N Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas, CA 92024
(760) 943-6221
Fish 101 is one of the best Encinitas restaurants to get fresh seafood. Specials include seafood curry with carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, and kale, or you can try the spicy Baja tuna tacos served with fresh lime. Fish 101 also offers veggie curry which is also gluten-free. Appetizer include poke dip served with tortilla chips, tomato coconut soup, clam chowder, and chips with salsa or guacamole. You can also choose from fresh salads such as the Farmer’s Market salad with shaved veggies and avocado or the house salad topped with grilled salad or mahi mahi. Fish 101 has tasty burritos as well, whether you prefer shrimp, mahi mahi, salmon, or veggies. The fish and chips are some of the best in town, and the grilled salmon tacos are a popular menu item as well. Fish 101 also offers a kids’ menu and you can complete your meal with a glass of house-made lemonade or kombucha.
Le Papagayo
1002 N Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas, CA 92024
(760) 944-8252
Whether you want to go out for drinks, enjoy lunch or dinner, or you’re looking for a great breakfast restaurant, Le Papagayo is the place to go when you’re in Encinitas. Breakfast options include the popular cinnamon roll pancakes, carne asada steak and eggs, paleo blueberry pancakes, or Grand Mariner French toast. Lunch favorites include the restaurant’s delicious lobster bisque, pear and brie flatbread, the bison burger with garlic aioli, or crab enchiladas. Le Papagayo offers an impressive dinner menu as well that includes prime rib slow-cooked with garlic and pepper, Kahlua pork, lobster rolls, and charbroiled filet mignon. The restaurant also has an impressive wine and scotch list, and desserts include butter cake and NY-style cheesecake.
UNION Kitchen & Tap
1108 S Coast Hwy 101 Encinitas, CA 92024
(760) 230-2337
UNION Kitchen & Tap is a trendy Encinitas restaurant that offers creative dishes and a relaxing atmosphere. If you’re visiting the restaurants for lunch, try the truffle fries, dry rub wings, or Ahi poke tacos. There are also several flatbreads to choose from including roasted mushrooms, bacon and tomato, or barbecue chicken. Try a salad made from organic local greens, or opt for the kale salad with avocado and poppy seed vinaigrette to go with your main course. Popular meals from the restaurant include Union gumbo with smoked chicken, andouille sausage, and jasmine rice, shrimp and grits with roasted tomatoes, steak frites, and blackened fish tacos. If you’d rather have a burger, try the Union burger with aged white cheddar, the Nashville hot chicken burger, or the veggie burger made with black beans and quinoa. Add a craft cocktail such as Strawberry Fields or Purple Haze to your meal for a tasty finishing touch. Sweet treats include the blackberry key lime pie, flourless chocolate cake, or peanut butter pie.
Fish Shop
1010 S Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas, CA 92024
(760) 436-4665
Enjoy a casual meal that includes flavorful seafood at Fish Shop. This seafood market allows you to choose the fish you’d like and choose how your entree will be prepared. Your choices include mahi mahi, yellowtail, swordfish, salmon, Ahi tuna, shrimp, red snapper, and lobster. You can choose from marinades such as chipotle glaze, garlic butter, teriyaki glaze, or lemon butter. You can also choose whether you want your fish in a taco, on a salad, in a sandwich or as a main course served with two sides. Fish Shop also has a kids menu so everyone in the family can enjoy a customized seafood dish.
3rd Corner Encinitas
897 S Coast Highway 101, Ste 104
(760) 942-2104
This restaurant offers delicious casual dining options and several meat-free and gluten-free options, which is perfect if you’re dining with a group of friends. Starters include the artisan cheese plate, shrimp scampi, or baked brie in a puff pastry. You can also try the soup of the day or the wild mushroom soup, which is vegetarian. If you’d like a sandwich for your meal, the short rib sliders are some of the best in the area, or you can try the grilled chicken breast sandwich with tomato tapenade. Main dishes include seafood risotto with scallops, shrimp, and mascarpone and day boat scallops with capers and green beans. If you prefer a pasta entree, you can’t go wrong with the chicken pasta with bacon and boursin cream sauce or the wild mushroom pasta with basil pesto and lemon zest.
Featured Blog Posts
The Best Rooftop Restaurants in San Diego, CA
There’s nothing like catching a SoCal breeze with some good food and cocktails on your table. With dreamlike year-round weather, San Diego is something of a “rooftop capital” when it comes to dining and drinking. Don’t stress if you’re running short on time to find a spot for a sky-high night out. These eight picks all make the cut in the search for the best rooftop in San Diego!
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!