This is a small guide to some of San Diego's best restaurants, diners, and coffeehouses. It's roughly organized by geography, starting with the places on, or close to, campus, and then progressing to some of the places a bit farther away. Not too surprisingly, we think you'll find the dining options to be much more interesting and varied (and expensive) the farther you stray from campus.

Nota Bene: Despite our efforts to keep this document up-to-date, it's possible that some of the restaurants mentioned here no longer exist. Be sure to check the phone book or http://www.signonsandiego.com before you head out. You'll also want to refer to the restaurant listings in the SanDiegoReader for more complete reviews.

For now I'm just dumping these all here. I hope to move them each to their own page or at least get them organized somehow.

Summary

Like most large cities, San Diego serves up a pretty eclectic palate: you'll find a lot of excellent Thai, Indian, Japanese, Italian, and traditional American restaurants. To a lesser extent, you might also find some decent German, Korean, and Greek cuisine.

One surprise worth mentioning is that San Diego doesn't have too many places to grab a late-night meal. This is especially true if you're on-campus, but even if you're not, you'll be hard-pressed to find something to eat after 10:00. Campus Eats

Several places on campus will keep you fed during the day. They're covered in OnCampusEateries.

Close To Campus

There are a few places to check for restaurants when you get hungry. The Guardian (campus newspaper) occasionally has food reviews, and often has coupons for things like pizza. The SanDiegoReader (city paper printed weekly on Thursday) always has reviews, and some pretty good two-for-one coupons which make a lot of the restaurants affordable on a grad student's salary.

La Jolla Village Square

For quick off campus food, you can go to La Jolla Village Square. Some of the options there include:

University Town Centre

UTC is the closest real mall, they have a couple real restaurants and a food court. Miami Grille is pretty good for Cuban/South Florida cuisine. Cozymel's is a nice place for Mexican (the atmosphere is slightly better than TGI Friday's but its not amazing). Across the street is a PF Chang's Chinese Bistro which is probably the best chinese food you will get in the area. The Food Court at UTC can supply decent food in a pinch; try the Greek place for cheap, but good, gyros.

Costa Verde

This is the mall across the street from UTC where Bristol Farms (formerly Albertson's) is now. It has one of the better bookstores near campus (Bookstar), Blockbuster Video, as well as a relatively-expensive-yet-very-good mexican fast food restaurant (La Salsa). There is a Greek Bistro there but the quality has yet to be verified. Sammy's Woodfired Grill is an excellent place to go for unique pizza. Roy's, a Hawaiian fusion restaurant, is also located here (but, again, I have not hard about the quality).

Renaissance Town Center

This is a smaller mall, located east of UTC, which seems to be ignored by a lot of grad students, but is actually pretty ok. Chicago on a Bun has incredibly delicious hotdogs (Chicago-style includes steamed poppy-seed bun, wedges of fresh tomato, lots of other veggies) that even those who aren't fans of hotdogs will probably still appreciate. They have a health food fast food place which is not very tasty, and a bit pricey (for fast food). There is also Sawaddy's, a good Thai place that does takeout, and a breakfast and lunch place called LePeep that has coupons in the Reader. Grillions (formerly Daily's) serves up "grilled food" (whatever that means) and is pretty good for the price.

Other close to Campus

There are also four Roberto's Taco Shops near campus. Roberto's is cheap, close, and often open late. They also supposedly use canned beef from Price Club, but it's tender enough so you don't care. Two are on Miramar Road in various strip malls (various people prefer one or the other, but their opinions never seem to correlate). Both are open 24 hours. One in Sorrento Valley just under the freeway. Take I-5 North and take the Sorrento Valley exit. Turn left at the end of the offramp, go straight under the freeway, and it'll be on your left. The best Roberto's near campus is on Carmel Valley Road between I-5 and Torrey Pines. It's got a view of the lagoon and beach, and supposedly tastes the best of any of the nearby stores.

Late Night

If it's late, and you're hungry, you can check the Reader for its list of Late Night Eats. The closest thing to campus is T.G.I. Friday's in the Ralph's shopping plaza, and they serve food until 1am. A little further away is Denny's on Miramar Road, or on Torrey Pines at La Jolla Shores, and a third near the entrance to the Del Mar Racetrack, open 24 hours.. Some people actually go to study there late at night. Keith's Family Restaurant on Miramar Road near I15 is another all night coffee shop to check out, the closest thing to a NY diner I've seen here.

Saska's down in PB is open til 3am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 2am other nights. They've got some good sea food or steaks, and also usually have coupons in the Reader. Paul Kube recommended Rudford's Restaurant, 29th and El Cajon. Like their sign says, Always Open, Always Good. A real slice of life, where the waitresses all call you honey and the busboys do their best to teach you Spanish. Don't miss the red jell-o with creamer for dessert.

If all this fails, stop off at the Ralph's in La Jolla Village Square and pick up food. It's the only nearby grocery store that's open all night. Watch out if you arrive between 4am and 5am; their computers are down to update the prices, and the computer-dependent checker has to ask you how much each item costs. Von's and Albertson's are open until midnight.

Coffee Shops

Most of the good coffee houses are located in Hillcrest (see below) but there are several coffeehouses near campus.

Starbucks (a Seattle chain) has three stores close to campus: one in the UTC mall with no seating, one normal sized one in the Costa Verde strip mall and another one across the street on Regents park row, next to the Einstein Bros' bagel store.

Peet's is a Bay Area chain that just opened near the Whole Foods grocery store and the Savon drug store (8843 Villa La Jolla Drive,Suite #C202).

Pannikin Coffee and Tea is one of the oldest local roasters in town. Pannikin has cafes in a number of locations around campus, including Old Town, La Jolla (on Girard), Brockton Villa (near La Jolla Cove), Del Mar (Flower Hill Mall on Via de la Valle), and Leucadia among others. The Leucadia outlet of Pannikin (on Old Highway 101 north of Encinitas Blvd.) is a good place to spend a Saturday morning - lots of outdoor seating. Watch the cars, bikes, and trains go by as you sip your espresso.

Further Away

Chinese Food

Chinese restaurants in San Diego aren't highly regarded; most recommend that you eat Thai food while in San Diego. However, there's a number of places that are recommended by various folk. Closest to campus are Panda Country , Shanghai in the Von's shopping center and Chang in Costa Verde. Panda Country is a little expensive but pretty good, Chang is just plain awful, Shanghai gets mixed reviews, but I'd also recommend their restaurant on Quivera Way (Quivera Basin on Mission Bay) which also serves Mongolian barbeque. It has a beautiful view and it's not too expensive, perfect for a first date. (They also have coupons in the Reader a lot.)

Other chinese restaurants that come recommended are Miss China (on Avenida de la Playa in La Jolla Shores) Mandarin House on La Jolla Blvd. (called a bit noisy), Double Happiness in Del Mar (not quite so impressive, and expensive), Tin Ching in Pacific Beach, and Chang Mai (50th and University). Peking Palace at UTC, and the Mandarin House downtown come with lesser recommendations. The Mandarin Garden in the Mira Mesa mall is a bit dirty, but their soups are supposed to be good.

Convoy Street in Kearney Mesa is home to a lot of ethnic food; there's at least three Japanese noodle houses, two Korean restaurants, one Chinese/Vietnamese place I know of (Savoy) and a few Chinese restaurants on the street, mainly concentrated around Convoy at Balboa.

Ba Ren is off Clairemont Mesa Blvd. The food is pretty authentic as far as Sichuan restaurants go. But the service is TERRIBLE (hopefully it'll improve). I have a friend who insists on making regular trips there despite the bad service. I tell him he's a glutton for punishment.

Dim Sum

Dim sum in San Diego used to be dismal. San Choy was the best known, and the Emperor's Palace, and Woo Chee Chong also supposedly do dim sum.

Vietnamese

Vietnamese restaurants are scattered around town, especially around El Cajon Blvd. and University Ave towards 40th St. (not the best neighborhoods, however.) Pho Pasteur in Linda Vista has been recommended. Also Le Bambou in Del Mar.

If you're willing to make a trip to Clairemont Mesa Blvd (east of I-805), then you'll find Pho Hoa Cali in the same plaza as the Ethan Allen. Service is fast and the pho is great---which might explain why they're always so busy.

Thai

The two best Thai restaurants in San Diego are Spice and Rice (downtown La Jolla on Girard) and Amarin Thai (Richmond street in Hillcrest). Also take a look at Siam (East part of University Avenue), Royal Thai on Pearl street, House of Bangkok on Garnet in Pacific Beach, Siamese Cuisine in Clairemont, and Bangkok Palace in Sierra Mesa, Saffron Chicken, on India Street (near El Indio) has Thai-style chicken and daily specials. It's a thai-fast-food place, but it's good. Spices Thai in the Vons Center at Carmel Valley Road and Carmel Creek Road also gets wonderful reviews, but runs $10-15/person for typical meals. Good reasonable priced Thai off of Convoy is at Chilies.

Japanese

Hillcrest is really the only place in San Diego one should purchase sushi. Hillcrest Sushi (6th and Richmond) is one of the best sushi places in San Diego, but one of the most expensive. Sadly, it may not be around too much longer due to poor management. At a very close second is Kazumi (3975 5th Ave Hillcrest), but be prepared to deal with some poor service. Nobu in Solana beach is also excellent, but a bit pricey.

For cheaper sushi head to Ni Ban on Clairemont mesa just off of 805.

Also go to Convoy between Clairemont Mesa and Balboa Aves. There are 3 decent Japanese noodle houses within a couple blocks of each other. Chopstix has the lowest prices; the restaurant across the street from it, The Noodle House has the largest portions, and a restaurant just north of Chopstix, Tajima (at the back of the strip mall with the Perrier French Bakery) supposedly has the best food. In the same complex is Nozomi (across from Noodle House), which serves both sushi and noodle dishes, as well as excellent bento, nice atmosphere and reasonable prices.

[ Sushi Ota || http://entertainment.signonsandiego.com/profile/87023 ] (off Mission Blvd in Pacific Beach, near the 7-Eleven) is really expensive, but VERY hardcore. The decor is unassuming, but the focus on perfecting the sashimi fundamentals (fresh seafood, creative selection of more eclectic items like monkfish liver) is quite apparent. IHMO, Ota sets the standard for quality sashimi in San Diego. In fact, an old-time Japanese film actor (I'll have to recall his name) goes to Ota on every visit to San Diego. However, it is always busy and very difficult to get a seat there without a reservation (unless you feel like having a 30-minute time quota on your meal at the bar).

Edo Sushi (in the same complex as Barolo Ristorante, Quiznos, Rubios east of UTC). It is high quality and expensive, but not as crowded as Ota. Their selection of eclectic items is also very good.

Sushi places to avoid: Samurai in UTC, and Yakimono in the Vons Shopping Center. Ichiban's in Pacific Beach.

Pizza

Did you know that there are neighborhoods in La Jolla where only Domino's delivers? A fate worse than death. Luckily, if you're on campus, there's others that deliver. BJ's sells Chicago style deep dish pizza. Their deep dish pizzas get a bit dry, so you may want to ask for extra sauce. They will deliver to AP&M, supposedly take credit cards, and always seem to have $2 off coupons in the Guardian. The pizza is okay; some people like it, some not. Papachino's in the Von's Shopping Center on Regents makes a better traditional pizza and is a good place for groups to sit and talk. Their beer selection is seriously lacking, and the dining room is pink and green with lots of mirrors. The Straw Hat Pizza (551-0125) in a hole in the wall just off Avenida de la Playa in La Jolla Shores make strange pizzas - Thai Chicken Pizza with peanut sauce, chicken pesto pizza, fresh tomato and basil pizza, and so on. They're also close to the beach.

If you're in Hillcrest, check out Bronx Pizza (Washington and 1st) and grab a slice of white stone and pepperoni.

Other people have mentioned Carino's on La Jolla Blvd. south of Pearl Street. Pizzeria Uno on Mission in PB has some exotic pizzas: seafood, broccoli and spinach, and a very good sausage, worth trying. There's also a deep-dish pizza place on Prospect near Hunter's books. Sammy's Wood-fired Pizza in La Jolla and Del Mar Heights has good yuppie-pizza. Goat cheese, mmmm! Pizza Nova in Costa Verde, and now in Hillcrest, has this same style of pizza, and also very good pasta and salads. So does the newly opened California Pizza Kitchen in La Jolla Square or in Solana Beach.

But none of these really compares to Pizza Port on the Pacific Coast Highway in Solana Beach. Great pizza and locally brewed beer.

Z-Pizza at La Jolla Village Square deserves special mention. Mouth-watering crusts, very novel toppings and prices that do not blow a hole in your pocket. Ideal for grad students!

Mexican

If there's one thing you'll always be able to find in San Diego, it's a cheap taco stand. Roberto's is the largest chain, though there's similar shops called Alberto's, Umberto's, Rodrigo's and the like around the area. Everyone seems to have their own favorite. One common favorite is El Cotixan near Genessee and Balboa. It's open 24-7 and has a great shrimp burrito. For more fresh/healthy Mexican fast food, try Wahoo's fish tacos on Pearl St. in downtown La Jolla.

There's Chevy's in Del Mar, just off 5, they make the chips and tortillas no more than 5 minutes before they serve them. Several people in the department like La Salsa, located in Costa Verde, which usually has pretty good, fresh food, although the chips always seem stale. El Indio's on India Street (take I5 south to the Sassafras exit, turn left on Sassafras and left again on India Street) is much less of a hole in the wall than those in the first paragraph and has a bigger menu. Alfonso's in La Jolla's a bit pricey, but it's gotten some good comments. The Aztec Cafe in Old Town also has been mentioned as a good place; they don't take plastic, possibly to discourage the tourists. Rubio's (in Pacific Beach and elsewhere, like in the Renaissance Town Center just east of UTC.) has fish tacos, but if you don't want your fish deep-fried, try Senior Pesca's inside/next to Anthony's Fish Grotto at La Jolla Village Dr. and Regents Rd. They grill their fish, making it a bit healthier. There's also Don Carlos on Pearl St. that has vegan/vegetarian equivalents to most types of meat.

Once you've tried the different Roberto's, try Alberto's, Cojita's, Don Pedro's, Juan Carlos', and Taco Salsa in Pacific Beach. Unfortunately, these places tend to have a hard time keeping the quality consistent.

Italian

Lorna's Italian Kitchen (noveau italian) near Vons at Governor at Genesee is a grad student favorite. Lots of food, interesting menu (that doesn't change much) and moderate prices. I've personally gotten tired of the stuffed feeling I have when leaving Lorna's, but it's still fun. Very crowded, expect to wait on weekends. More traditional italian food can be found on India Street in Little Italy. Filippi's Pizza Grotto seems to be really good, and has a full-on deli in the front. You have to walk through the deli to get to the restaurant There are other Italian suppliers in those two or three blocks of India street as well.

A good, but a tad pricey ($12-16), Italian restaurant in downtown La Jolla is La Taverna, 927 Silverado St.. Very good gnocchi.

For more high class, Tuscan cusine, Trattoria La Strada is one of the best Italian restaurants in San Diego. The entrees are $18-$30, but the caliber of service and food is the same as restaurants in the $50-$60 range. If you enjoy Italian food and have some money to spend, this is the place to spend it.

[ Barolo Ristorante || http://www.barolos.com ] (located in the little mall east of UTC alongside Quiznos and Rubios) is your typical hardcore Italian restaurant, except that the prices are very reasonable. It's a small place with an intimate atmosphere. They do a great job on dishes from simple pastas to the Vitello Cinque Terre (veal). Also, the chef comes out of the kitchen regularly to check up on customers. One time he met an Italian-speaking couple who was complimenting him on his cooking. After some minutes conversing in Italian, he replied in English (I guess so that other customers could hear) that he makes it a point to keep the prices low on his dishes. He was very sincere about that. The quality of the food has yet to disappoint.

Sophias is an up-scale place located near the Hilton. They chef does a great job preparing food, but the service is slow and not very attentive.

German

There's only one place worth going to: Kaiserhof (2253 Sunset Cliffs blvd in Ocean Beach).

French

The only good French restaurant we knew about seems to be gone now, but for pasteries (NOT dinner - do NOT eat dinner here) you can try the French Gourmet located on Pearl Street and Turquoise street. There's a great french restaurant in Sorrento Valley named Wine Seller's Brasserie, hidden in some office building east of 805. Very pricey, but gets wonderful reviews.

Indian

Ashoka the Great Far end of Miramar Road in a strip mall at 9474 Black Mtn Road, 695-9749 "An Indian food restaurant located near the intersection of Miramar Road and Black Mountain Road. They have a reasonably good lunch buffet for which you can sometimes get a discount coupon in the Reader. It shares its parking lot with an Indian food store for those interested in trying their hand at cooking." (Shirish, 1995) "When I first tried Ashoka the Great, I thought it was pretty good. However, the last couple of times I've been there, I've been disappointed. I think it's pretty up-and-down." (Mike C., 1995) "My wife and I just had a great dining experience here. Definite thumbs up for excellent food and good value." (Brent, 1996)

Punjabi Tandoor 9235 Activity Rd, (858) 695-0956. Small hole in the wall family-run restaurant with some outdoor seating, that has the best Indian food in San Diego. It's not a buffet...if you want that, go to Ashoka, which is just down the street. (Paul, 2005)

Star Of India 1000 Prospect Rd, Downtown La Jolla, 459-3355 "I've always found the service to be slow and the food to be mediocre. If you want good Indian food, make the trek to Ashoka the Great on Miramar Road." (Joe C., 1995) "I'll second the recommendation on Ashoka the Great (elsewhere in this listing)." (Brent, 1996)

Steak

Fleming's (part of the restaurant trio including Sophias and Cafe Japengo near the Hilton on La Jolla Village Drive) has very professional servers, and the dishes are excellent. However, it is super-expensive---in the $20-30's for some steaks. Not to worry: on Sundays they have a deal where you can get a prime rib, a salad, and a dessert for $25.

Misc. Food

Cafe on Park has a small menu of comfort foods - lasagna, chicken pot pie, steak and chips, etc - but they make them well.

If you want to go to a brew-pub, try the La Jolla Brewery near the corner of Fay and Pearl, in La Jolla. The Cheese Shop on Avenida de la Playa in La Jolla Shores gets good reviews for its sandwiches. If you like seafood, you want to get dressed up, and you have some money to spend, try Pacifica Del Mar in Del Mar Plaza, or (if you don't like seafood but have money to spend) try Il Fornaio in the same complex.

The Corvette Diner in Hillcrest on 5th is great for a flashback to the 60's - the waitresses wear poodle skirts, the music (and the corvette parked in the middle of the dining room) are authentic. They've got good burgers - even through we've never tried the one that comes with peanut butter on it.

For breakfasts, Paul Kube pointed me at the Big Kitchen, 30th and Grape, which has become the best breakfast joint in San Diego in my eyes. It'll make you think you're in Berkeley (or at least the 60's.) The help will quit as soon as they get their big break in show business; Whoopi Goldberg worked here and has a menu item named after her. Expect to wait an hour for a table on weekends (you can often be seated at the counter immediately), but Judy the Beauty on Duty will ply you with coffee meanwhile. Go there. Now.

Cafes in Hillcrest

Hillcrest is an area of San Diego not far from downtown which should appeal to die-hard cafe fans. To get to Hillcrest from UCSD, take 5 south to 8 east to 163 south and get off on University Avenue (This means don't change lanes after you make the exit from 8 east to 163 south). You will end up at 6th Avenue and University Avenue near the heart of Hillcrest. Hillcrest is situated north of downtown along the numbered streets; you can go all the way downtown on 4th or come all the way from downtown on 5th (both are one-way streets). Please note that a lot of this area has a lot of gay people - homophobes should stay home!

There are at least nine good or reasonable cafes in or around Hillcrest at any given time. There are also many good restaurants with a reasonable spread of prices. In addition, several of the Landmark Theatres (specializing mainly in "arts" films) are in Hillcrest and there are many used bookstores. Most of the interesting parts of Hillcrest occur in an area bounded by Washington Street to the North, Robinson to the South, 2nd Avenue to the West, and 7th Avenue to the East. There are other good areas int he vicinity, but the "walking diameter" becomes more like 10 blocks instead of three to five. For example, further east from 6th on University there are two more cafes on the south side of the street before you hit Park Blvd. (And heading South on Park takes you to the Zoo and to Balboa Park). Also, heading west on Washington to Goldfinch and turning right will get you to a few more restaurants and cafes.

One last word; parking is often a *major* problem in downtown Hillcrest. Check all signs carefully, and check whether the meter needs feeding! The police will "chalk-and-check" and write tickets in this area. If you don't mind paying, there's a pay lot at Robinson and 6th (straight-ahead from 6th and University as you get off of the freeway... but it's small). If you're careful, you can find street parking away from the business sector but beware... some of the *residential* parking in Hillcrest is handled by permit with the city! There's now some parking under the Hillcrest Theater - if you go to a movie it's for free. If you have a UCSD parking permit and don't mind a little bit of a walk, you can park in the Medical Center parking structure on Bachman.

Here's a list of some local cafes... (There are more... but these are the nine I usually rattle off for people) (Warning: some of these allow, and frequently contain, smokers):

  • *The Livingroom*: 1417 University Ave
  • *Espresso Roma*: University at 4th, not quite on the northeast corner
  • *Beignets*: 5th at University, not quite on the southeast corner (Yes, they have beignets)
  • *Quelle Fromage*: University betw. 5th and 6th
  • *The Study*: 4th and University (Nice, quiet atmosphere)
  • *Euphoria*: On university East of 163 (go east from 6th and university, across a bridge, and its on the right on the next block).
  • *SOHO*: About a block or two further up University from Euphoria on the same side.
  • *David's Place*: Along the west side of 5th behind the Brass rail at 5th and Robinson.

Vegetarian

For good vegetarian food, you can try Las Cuatro Milpas, the great beans and rice place in the Barrio Logan; and Vesuvio's on 30th above Upas, open for pizza and other Italian takeout until late, or dine in to really appreciate how much green neon they have. I've also been told that the Monsoon on 5th in Hillcrest near the Corvette and the Hillcrest Theater is pretty ok. Daily's in the Renaissance Town Center also has a number of veggie entres.

There is also Sipz Cafe, which serves various noodle dishes with fake meat. Be careful ordering the hot dishes- they're *very* spicy.

Vegan and Vegan-Friendly

In addition to Sipz, you can try Spread (in North Park), Ichiban, Stephanies Bakery (all vegan), Ranchos, Pokez (Downtown), Mandarin Dynasty, Veg-N-Out, Rice Jones (Hillcrest), Cafe Athena, Jhoti Biangas, Kung Food (all vegan), Harar (Ethiopean, on El Cajon), Bombay India (ask for no dairy).

Also try some of the Thai places, but tell them no fish sauce.

Assorted

Aesop's Tables 8650 Genessee Ave in the Costa Verde Shopping Center at the corner of Nobel and Genessee, 455-1535 "Fairly run of the mill food with a Mediterranean tilt. The best menu item (which was outstanding one time and merely good the other time I ordered it) is the salad with grilled Tuna and the bottles of Red Hook beer." (Brent, 1995)

Einstein's Bagels, formerly Baltimore Bagel 4150 Regents Road across from the UCSD Mesa Apartments, 587-1136 "I think these are the best bagels in the area. Many flavors are available as well as eggs and sandwiches on bagels. The service here is also better than the other local bagel shops." (Justin, 1995) "I absolutely agree that these are the best bagels! Try the seedy sticks too. Yumm!" (Brent, 1995)

B.J's Chicago Pizzeria 455-0662, La Jolla Village Center "Opinions are polarized about BJ's Pizza. The reason: they don't use a sauce. Instead of sauce you get stewed tomatoes added like a topping. Personally, I like their pizza. It's thick, tasty, and there's an abundance of toppings. I believe that your pizza can be made with sauce if you request it, but I've never seen reason to do so." (Brent, 1995) "I admit that it has been a while since I've gone there, but the reason I don't go there is because their pizzas have nothing on them. No sauce is no problem, no cheese is. For this style of pizza done right, go to Pizzeria Uno (9465 Mission Blvd, 483-4143, also in Fashion Valley). For a real Chicago pizzeria, go to Chicago." (Rick, 1995)

California Pizza Kitchen La Jolla, La Jolla Village Square, Corner of La Jolla Village Dr and Nobel, 457-4222 "Originally a high quality clone of the Wolfgang Puck style of California pizza, this chain restaurant has deteriorated in quality and service. For better California style pizzas I heartily recommend Pizza Nova." (Brent, 1995)

Carino's 7408 La Jolla Blvd, on the W. side as you head out of La Jolla into the Birdrock/Windansea area. "It's hard to find, but it's a small, dive-ish looking type place across the street and in the vicinity of Taco Bell. They eschew the California style of pizza, but do feature California-influenced ingredients: lots of veggies, marinated artichoke hearts, etc. One thing I like about the pizza and what distinguishes them from the competition, is the mixture of cheeses on it. I believe that they use a bit of cheddar, and one or two other types of cheese along with the traditional mozarella. The crust is medium weight, and the sauce is tasty. IMO, the best pizzas to order there are ones with no more than 2-4 ingredients, balanced between meat and veggies; too many veggies make it soggy and too much meat makes it heavy. Don't expect pizzas such as oriental chiken and arrugula and be prepared for a wait - maybe order a salad or wine - they tend to take a long time to cook the pizzas. This is not fancy pizza, just very satisfying Italian-American soul food. Go if you possibly can." (Brent, 1996)

Cafe Japengo The Aventine, 3787 La Jolla Village Drive, 450-3355 "This place serves great, but pricy Pacific Rim (Japanese/Thai/Hawaiian/Californian) cuisine. It also features the hippest sushi bar on San Diego. On Thursdays and Fridays, it is packed. Expect an hour and a half wait while you mingle in the bar with all of the hot secretaries from the local bank buildings. You should dress well and expect to spend about $20." (Joe C., 1995)

Chang Cuisine of China University City, Costa Verde Shopping Center, 8670 Genesee Ave. 558-2288, take out (min. $15) 558-2418 "Reputed to be good Chinese food, Chang serves lunch and dinner. Entrees range from $6.95 (Chow Mein) to $14.95 (Pungent shrimp, among others) Most regular entrees are $7.95." (Brent, 1996)

Daily's 8915 Towne Center Drive in the Renaissance Center behind UTC, 453-1112 "Low fat, healthful food at moderate prices. Some dishes are bland but other have quite interesting flavors. Cafeteria style service." (Justin, 1995) The Crab Catcher 1298 Prospect Ave, downtown La Jolla, 454-9587 "This is a nice place to take a date for decent food and a great ocean view. I recommend calling ahead and requesting table 7. You'll feel very secluded and have a wonderful oceanview all to yourselves. It'll cost about $12-$15/person." (Joe C., 1995)

Fins La Jolla Village Square, 270-FINS plus other San Diego locations "This Mexican fast food restaurant specializes in tasty shrimp and fish tacos and burritos. (Warning for the calorie conscious: the shrimp is deep fried here.) They also serve a small assortment of Mexican and microbrewed beers and have decorated with some Jimmy Buffett memorabilia to go with the Fins theme." (Joe C., 1995) "Inexpensive Mexican seafood, much better than Rubio's, shrimp burritos are a winner. On Sundays, shrimp items are discounted." (Mike C., 1995) "Combination plates are a good deal and include chips and refried beans. Combination prices range from $3.85 Dos Pescados (two fish tacos) to the La Jolla at $5.27 (shrimp burrito and shrimp taco - $4.75 on Sundays). Two other locations in San Diego; Mira Mesa at Westview Parkway and Rancho Bernardo on Camino Del Norte and Bernardo Center Drive." (Brent)

Hops 4853 La Jolla Village Dr. in UTC near Broadway, 587-6677 "Microbrewery and dining. I was unimpressed the first time I ate at Hops and sampled their brews. The second time showed some signs of improvement in the beers. That was over a year ago and I have to yet to make time to return. Hops offers a beer sampler which I recommend if it's your first time at the establishment. For convenience it can't be beat, but the prices may make you stay on campus at Porter's." (Brent, 1995)

Islands La Jolla Village Square, 3351 Nobel Drive, 619-455-9945 "This smoke-free restaurant and bar has a wide selection of large burgers and chicken sandwiches. Their basket of Island fries is great and the soft drinks are bottomless with purchase of an entree. Expect to spend about $7-$10. I love this place but Shirish always complains that it's too expensive." (Joe C., 1995) "Having eaten there several times and ordered a number of different items I can say that I definitely don't care for this restaurant. There's only so much I'm willing to pay for a burger, no matter how nice the surroundings are." (Brent, 1996)

Karinya Thai Cuisine 4475 Mission Blvd, but more visible from Garnet, Pacific Beach, 270-5050 "A great Thai food place." (Shirish, 1995) "I found this Thai restaurant a bit high in price and slow in service, but the food is undoubtedly tasty and the establishment is consistently rated at the top of its class in local polls. Perhaps I was spoiled by those two years in Los Angeles, but I think better value is to be had elsewhere." (Brent, 1995) "Although I like Karinya's, I prefer Thai House (4225 Convoy south of Balboa) or Sala Thai (6161 El Cajon Blvd at College (SDSU area)). For some dirt cheap Thai takeout that's more or less convenient to UCSD, try Thai Thai (315 S Highway 101 in Solana Beach, 755-2218). Some people I know like Spices Thai Cafe (3810 Valley Centre Dr in the shopping center just east of I5). I also like Royal Thai (737 Pearl Ave, 551-8428) in La Jolla, but it's a bit more expensive than the others mentioned and perhaps not quite as good." (Mike C., 1995)

Karl Strauss Brewery Gardens 9675 Scranton Rd. in Mira Mesa near 805, 587-2739 "Microbrewery and dining. Attractive restaurant if you don't mind the clash of German style brewhouse with Japanese architecture and gardens. A very popular drinking and dining establishment with reasonable prices for the locally brewed beers. The outdoor beer garden and open Japanese architecture make this a wonderful warm weather hangout. Also recommended is the Old Columbia Brewery/Bakery downtown if you like the beers here; it's owned by the same people, and I'm told the food is slightly better." (Brent, 1995)

Kono's 704 Garnet in Pacific Beach, 483-1669 "One of the better burgers in town and also good breakfasts. Portions are large and prices are inexpensive." (Mike C., 1995)

Le Bamboo Restaurant 2634 Del Mar Heights Rd (west of I5 in the Von's shopping center), 259-8138 "Upscale Vietnamese with French influence - servings are a bit small and it is a bit on the pricey side for ethnic, but the quality is there." (Mike C., 1995)

Lorna's Italian Kitchen South University City, 3945 Governor Dr. 452-0661 at the corner of Genessee and Governor in the Vons/Thrifty shopping center. "Excellent Italian food. No reservations - service is on a first come first served basis. Especially recommended for the hungry are the huge calzones which can be ordered with custom fillings. Also recommended are the vegetarian and chicken dishes." (Brent, 1995) "Lorna's offers good value and large portions. I wouldn't rate it among the top Italian restaurants in San Diego, but for price/performance it sits in the sweet spot for a Grad Student's budget." (Mike C., 1995) "Lorna's is now serving Sat. and Sun. breakfast (as of Mar 2, 1996) and features an early bird dinner menu (3:30 to 5:30) daily." (Brent, 1996)

Pick-Up Stix 8707 Villa La Jolla Dr. in La Jolla Village Square, 552-1566, plus other San Diego locations as well "A healthy Chinese restaurant that serves good food and has great priced lunch specials. I recommend the Szechuan shrimp." (Joe C., 1995)

Roberto's Ubiquitous except in La Jolla- also look for Royberto's, Alberto's, Aliberto's, etc, ad nauseum "San Diego's favorite and most wide spread Mexican fast food chains. Place your order for a carne asasda burrito or a chicken taco (my two favorites) and enjoy a savory, cheap treat. Especially recommended as a pre or post study session food. Many 'berto's are open 24 hours. The closest 24 H 'berto's to UCSD is located at 6780 Miramar Rd on the left behind Carl's Junior. There's two more 'berto's restaurants farther down Miramar as well." (Brent, 1995) "Roberto's on Carmel Valley Rd in Del Mar is probably closer. Just hop on Torrey Pines north and turn right at Carmel Valley Rd. And you're right, there is nothing like a Roberto's Carne Asada Burrito to keep you up all night... ;-)" (Mike C., 1995)

Rubios 2 nearby locations: 8935 Towne Center Drive in the Renaissance Center, 453-1666, and in La Jolla Village Center "The original San Diego fish taco chain. I love their fish taco especial which is served with guacamole and cheese. They also have a wide array of other tacos and burritos such as carne asada, shrimp, and carnitas and also serve beer. They recently introduced a Health Mex menu which includes grilled (instead of fried) fish and chicken tacos and burritos." (Joe C., 1995) "Rubio's is good, but definitely stick with the fish and beer, and then only if you're not closer to Fin's." (Brent, 1995)

Scotto's Pizza 3742 Mission Blvd at Santa Clara, 488-1656) "This place serves the best Philly cheesesteaks around. Just like the real thing. It's a great place to eat after windsurfing as it is very close to the Aquatic Center. They are usually open late but the hours can be erratic: Open: when we feel like it, Closed: when we get tired." (Joe C., 1995)

Starbucks 8657 Villa La Jolla Dr in La Jolla Village Square, 452-4205 "Just like every other Starbucks with an array of coffee drinks and pastries. Their coffee always seems to taste better than the UTC Starbucks though and their Frappuccino low-fat coffee milk-shakes are incredible." (Joe C., 1995)

TGI Friday's La Jolla, 8801 Villa La Jolla Dr. in La Jolla Village Center, 452-0880 "This chain restaurant serves up consistent but unexciting food. Burgers and salads are decent, but I recently sent one of their pizzas back twice." (Brent, 1995)

Yakimono 7728 Regents Rd in the Vons Shopping Center, La Jolla Colony 452-4255 "Pseudo-Japanese food. Not authentic but it's fast and they have daily specials which provide a lot of food for $4-$7. It's a small place with a patio. If you can get down to Pacific Beach or Hillcrest, Ichiban is a better, cheaper version of Japanese fast food." (Justin, 1995)

CSE Grad Student Wiki: OffCampusEateries (last edited 2009-09-15 01:53:53 by ip70-181-178-102)