12 Finest Outdated City San Diego Eating places: Mexican Meals & Extra
An inventory of one of the best eating places in Outdated City San Diego appears lots completely different now than once I first began going there to eat (dare I say) a number of a long time in the past.
Certain, some are touristy, however that’s a part of their attraction. Individuals weave Mexican meals and maybe a fishbowl-sized margarita into their itinerary after sightseeing all through this historic neighborhood, often called the birthplace of California.
These days, you may go to Outdated City San Diego only for the meals. To provide you an concept, one of many Outdated City San Diego eating places we like has a Michelin Star. You’ll additionally uncover nice spots for sushi, pasta, seafood, vegetarian and even Venezuelan fare.
Have you ever ever dripped your personal bone marrow over a birria taco? I like to recommend you come to Outdated City to strive it. The fresh-off-the-grill tortillas with contemporary honey butter that you could find in a number of spots (together with primary under) are additionally private favorites.
1. Café Coyote
I really feel like a conventional Mexican restaurant must high the listing. Individuals search out Mexican meals in Outdated City San Diego. Café Coyote has been voted Finest Mexican by the California Restaurant Affiliation for twenty years.
It’s family-friendly and straightforward to seek out. As with another Outdated City San Diego Mexican eating places, you’ll need to strive the scrumptious handmade tortillas ready each day by pleasant tortilla makers — you and the youngsters can watch as they’re made.
The festive environment has strolling mariachis, effervescent water fountains, and pleasant employees. The colourful papel picado banners (cut-out paper sheets, a Mexican folks artwork traditional) adorning the outside patio eating space add to the jubilant temper and match the informal Outdated City vibe.
Café Coyote is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Home favorites embrace rolled tacos, albondigas soup, fajita veggie bowl, chimichanga, margarita shrimp tacos, chipotle camarones, and buñuelos for dessert.
2. Sushi Tadokoro
In case you’ve had a busy day of purchasing and sightseeing and need to wind down away from the exercise of the extra touristy Outdated City San Diego eating places, Sushi Tadokoro is a terrific selection.
Positioned simply south of the historic district, this one-Michelin-star venue prepares conventional Japanese-style sushi in an intimate setting that places you face-to-face along with your sushi cooks.
This mini sushi counter presents a rotating number of fish and infinite creations to maintain patrons blissful. Recent elements embrace California coast sea urchin, British Columbia oysters, and Hokkaido scallops.
Among the numerous sushi potentialities right here embrace grilled Chilean sea bass, saba salmon toro, omakase sashimi, and nigiri aji. Give the San Diego roll a strive—it comes with contemporary salsa and a lemon slice—and assist your self to some house-made gyoza, too. Sushi Tadokoro is THE place for seafood lovers and true sushi connoisseurs.
3. Outdated City City Market
- 2548 Congress St, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 995-5510
- oturbanmarket.com
- Closed Sundays
In case you’re a foodie who likes to strive a bit of this and a bit of that, you’ll love Outdated City City Market. It’s a . This vibrant meals corridor is a set of a number of counter-order eateries serving award-winning culinary creations, simply outdoors the state historic park.
Tuetano Taqueria serves birria tacos with spicy sauce and bone marrow — the final word consolation meals — and a number of other different objects, together with fish tacos and tortas. At Ruth’s No. 5, you may load up on specialty model salsas, similar to roasted salsa verde and spicy piña, and handmade tortilla chips, all vegan, gluten-free, and kosher (many are additionally halal and it’s also possible to discover them at a number of native farmer’s markets).
Elote serves tasty corn-centric creations—Mexican-style corn on the cob avenue meals—plus refreshing agua fresca. Mar Rustico presents plates and bowls with sea-inspired recipes. Strive their fish tacos, shrimp ceviche, or the tremendous decadent smoked marlin burrito (the letter is a specialty).
You possibly can sip wine from sustainable, family-owned wineries at The Wine Store. Test again sometimes as new eateries are set to open on this eclectic corridor (and a few have already rotated out).
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4. Tahona Bar
- 2414 San Diego Ave, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 255-2090
- tahonabar.com
- Open for dinner/blissful hour solely and closed Mondays
Tahona Bar is an Outdated City San Diego Mexican restaurant centered round a curated assortment of over 120 sorts of mezcal. The Baja California and Oaxaca-focused menu is excellent and a bit extra upscale Mexican than you’ll discover in different close by eating places.
Strive the corn croquetas, tempura squash blossom, carnitas bao bun, ahi tostada, or tempura nori tortilla taco. Take a look at their menu for different fusion creations, and save room for dessert—just like the chocolate plantain served over ice cream.
Completely satisfied hour (at present Wednesday—Friday) is a good time to strive what Tahona Bar is greatest recognized for: its mezcal. Order a mezcal flight along with your meal, or take part in a mezcal tasting (reservations are required for the tasting).
We’d place it greater on this listing, but it surely’s solely open from blissful hour onward, and most of the people go to the historic neighborhood in the course of the day.
5. Harney Sushi
Harney Sushi serves a wide array of sushi, sashimi, and different Japanese delicacies favorites, together with tempura and miso soup. Providing conventional and artistic fusion flavors, this place is good for date nights, or anytime you’re within the temper for superb sushi. It’s a favourite of locals.
The menu is intensive. Along with serving in style specialties—orange crush, lightning roll, Maui wowie, Bruce Lee, mellow yellow nigiri, moon dance, dragon roll, tuna maki, and extra—Harney Sushi presents cooked entrees, similar to katsu rooster, Mongolian beef stir fry, and even a bento field for the youngsters.
Add a conventional soup or salad—strive one among their specialty miso soups or the Chuka seaweed salad—or an appetizer, similar to oysters, traditional tempura, or specialty edamame.
Some vegetarian and vegan choices are listed on the menu, together with avocado maki, mushroom roll, vegetarian roll, vegan rainbow, and others. The beverage choice consists of alcoholic choices, together with beers, sake, wines, and cocktails, and non-alcoholic sodas, teas, and juices (strive the lychee juice).
6. Casa de Reyes
What makes Casa de Reyes probably the greatest Outdated City San Diego eating places is the festive backyard setting you’ll get pleasure from whereas eating right here. It’s only a good place to get pleasure from conventional Mexican favorites outdoors in good climate. It’s a straightforward cease whereas strolling across the Outdated City State Historic Park.
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free choices are marked on the menu for comfort. Vegan selections embrace delicate corn tacos and veggie enchiladas with plant-based cheese. Gluten-free objects embrace shrimp ceviche, enchiladas, tacos, and rooster mole poblano. On the drinks menu, you’ll discover many alternative specialty margaritas, which you may get for the desk by the pitcher. Horchata can be on the menu.
You’ll discover all of your favorites at Casa de Reyes: rooster rolled tacos, quesadillas, steak and shrimp burritos, chile rellenos, fajitas, and extra. On the weekend, you may order breakfast objects till midday. Strive the machaca burrito with scrambled egg or the egg, potato, and cheese — a well-liked breakfast burrito (or all-day burrito in my household).
7. Outdated City Tequila Manufacturing facility
Lots of first-timers come for the view—which is spectacular—but it surely’s the meals and heat hospitality that retains them coming again. (Okay, and the views.)
Perched excessive above the historic district, overlooking rooftops, metropolis lights, and a panoramic view stretching from Mission Valley to the airport, Outdated City Tequila Manufacturing facility is a good place to carry out-of-town visitors. It’s additionally a improbable selection for celebrations — or simply as a result of.
Regardless of the prime location, the restaurant just isn’t pretentious. It serves scrumptious Mexican fare in a colourful setting, together with indoor seating in ample eating rooms and wonderful outside patio areas. You possibly can sit in a comfortable, secluded nook or at a desk with views that make you say, wow! The lighting and décor add to the nice ambiance.
Menu objects embrace Mexican fiesta ensalada, carne asada Tampiqueña, rooster or beef tamale, enchiladas del mar, blackened Hawaiian mahi mahi, Baja fish tacos, and deep-fried ice cream sundae.
8. Outdated City Mexican Café
Serving Mexican fare since 1977, Outdated City Mexican Café is as genuine because it will get. Handmade tortillas are ready each day and are thought to be among the greatest on the town.
You possibly can watch them being produced from scratch. Every single day, groups of tortilla women put together over 3,000 corn and 5,600 flour tortillas the normal means.
However it’s not simply concerning the tortillas. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Outdated City Mexican Café serves numerous favorites, together with carnitas, avenue tacos, spicy tequila ribs, and shrimp tacos. Vegetarian burritos, tostadas, and fajitas are additionally on the menu.
This is likely one of the greatest eating places in Outdated City San Diego as a result of you may have brunch right here each day of the week till midday. That is the place to go for those who’re craving a breakfast torta, chorizo con huevos, or breakfast tacos.
9. Barra Barra Saloon
Lots of the greatest eating places in Outdated City San Diego supply good patio seating day and evening, however you might need to sit inside indoors at Barra Barra. It’s a interval saloon from the mid-1800s, a timeframe that noticed Mexican and American traditions mix, positioned inside Fiesta de Reyes on the north finish of the historic district.
The coated patio eating space consists of fireplace pits and neat hanging lighting fixtures, which is good, too. Go for the margaritas and tequila choice. Order from numerous specialties, together with queso fundido, vegetarian empanadas, Indian flatbread tacos, and Barra Barra seafood paella.
Quite a lot of the menu objects could be modified to make them vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free, so test along with your server beforehand for options. Children 10 and below eat free (one baby per paying grownup), making this restaurant an awesome selection for households.
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We put collectively an inventory of the place to seek out enjoyable items and souvenirs whilst you discover this historic neighborhood.
10. Casa Guadalajara
Casa Guadalajara is among the many greatest eating places in Outdated City San Diego due to the mix of festive decor and meals.
Whether or not you dine inside or outdoors on the patio, you’ll have a pleasant sensory expertise. The colours are brilliant and cheery but stress-free, with beautiful tile work, intricate wooden carvings, stained glass options, New Mexico shade combos, and Puebla-style furnishings.
The enclosed Backyard Room patio is charming, with its hanging ferns and delightful Mexican mosaic tables. The courtyard presents an equally beautiful setting, full with a 200-year-old shade tree.
The recipes pay tribute to the regional villages of Mexico. Strive the camaroncitos fritos, rooster tortilla soup, tostada de Jalisco, shrimp fajitas, steak ranchero, mango chipotle rooster, tostada vegetariana, or Guadalajara omelet. Vegetarian dishes are marked VG.
11. Jack & Giulio’s
- 2391 San Diego Ave, San Diego, CA 92110
- (619) 294-2074
- jackandgiulios.com
- Closed Monday and Tuesday
In case you’re hungry for excellent Italian meals, head to Jack & Giulio’s, one of many district’s eating places that doesn’t give attention to Mexican fare. This Italian restaurant presents every part from antipasto classico to rooster marsala.
With indoor and outside seating, this restaurant takes delight in delivering nice service. The vibe is pleasant, and the meals is improbable. Previously a well-liked restaurant in Pacific Seashore, this renamed and relocated eatery has been round in some incarnation since 1961.
At its present location, the family-owned and operated restaurant has been acknowledged as serving artisanal Italian cooking by pleasant employees in a welcoming environment.
Different menu objects embrace Brutus salad, tortelloni verdi, lasagne della casa, angel hair mediterraneo, scampi al pesto, spaghetti al burro, and rooster piccata. An intensive wine listing is accessible, together with different signature drinks (you may get a house-special margarita). Hand-rolled pasta is made contemporary each day onsite.
12. Congress Café
Rounding out this listing of greatest eating places in Outdated City San Diego is Congress Café, a Venezuelan restaurant behind The Whaley Home Museum providing Latin American fusion creations.
Open for breakfast and lunch, the café focuses on conventional Venezuelan cooking, sandwiches, salads, and farmers’ breakfasts.
You possibly can dine in or take your meal to go. Choices embrace Venezuelan starters—mini empanadas, tequeños (cheese sticks), fried plantains, and cachapas (corn pancakes). Principal plates include scrambled eggs, arepa, grilled tomatoes and onions, avocado, latin cream, and your selection of shredded beef, black beans, or seasoned fish.
Strive a grilled arepa—an artisanal dish good for brunch, fabricated from corn flour and crammed along with your selection of elements, together with ham, chorizo, avocado, or salmon. The Platanera arepa has Venezuelan cheese and fried plantains, whereas La Vegana has black beans, avocado, and fried plantains.
Specialty drinks embrace Mexican spiced mocha and chai tea latte, amongst different selections, or get pleasure from a refreshing pure juice produced from mango, pineapple, or ardour fruit.
What are your favourite Outdated City San Diego eating places?
