San Diego restaurants are some of the best in California, and several are fine gourmet dining spots with national reputations. The finest San Diego dining experiences can be found in the most upscale neighborhoods, with La Jolla restaurants at the top of the list. There are fine Michelin star quality restaurants that rival the best from Paris and New York City. This is where you would come if you are craving the best elegant French food and cost is no object.

Just about every type of cuisine you might desire is available somewhere in the city, with Asia fusion high on the list of most popular styles of cooking. You can find great sushi from Japan as well as superb Chinese food. In fact, some of the best restaurants in San Diego are its ethnic ones, and they can also provide you with a taste of the city's history. One of the most fascinating neighborhoods in the city is Little Italy, located just north of the downtown area and next to the attractions found in Balboa Park. This is a vibrant neighborhood that began in the early 1900s when Italian fishermen moved from a devastated San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. Here, they grew the tuna fishing industry into one of the largest in the country. Here, you will find everything from authentic pizza to classic Italian. You will definitely want to check out the Italian San Diego restaurants on historic India Street in Little Italy, which boasts some of the oldlest buildings in the city. You will find more than one classic San Diego dining spot in this area.

If you've come for vacations on the city's famous beaches, you may find yourself staying at the historic Hotel del Coronado. As with many similar beach hotels, this boasts what is widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in San Diego for Sunday brunch. This sprawling Victorian hotel has several other spots for San Diego dining in addition to their lavish Sunday brunch served in their famous Crown Room. You will also find great Sunday brunch at the Hard Rock in the Gaslamp Quarter, the Westgate Hotel in the downtown area, and the famous Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla.

San Diego Map

Some of the best restaurants in San Diego specialize in seafood in this city that was and still is a major center for commercial, deep sea, and sport fishing. Some of the best of these will be found in the popular Gaslamp Quarter just a couple blocks from the scenic bay. There are also San Diego restaurants that are part of the area's thriving microbrewery industry that is as important to San Diego as wineries are to the Napa Valley in Northern California. The famous Karl Strauss Brewing Company is located here, and was begun by the German immigrant of the same name who founded the microbrewery when he "retired" after 44 years with the Pabst company of Milwaukee. The Strauss Brewery is located in La Jolla, and its lovely gardens are available for weddings and other special events. Other microbrewery eateries are the Coronado Brewing Company, Alesmith, and the upstart Stone Brewing Company. There are more than 30 craft brewing companies in the area, and it's possible to book tours that visit many of them.