San Diego is home to some excellent dining, and I’m sure I’m only scraping at the surface with this run down. On your trip, you owe it to yourself to take in some Baja-style fish tacos, sushi, and seafood. Here are our favorite spots.

[Your best bet for food is to get out of downtown San Diego and head to the neighborhoods, just an easy streetcar or bus ride away. We had a truly disastrous meal downtown (and definitely the worst meal we’d ever had at that price range, hint hint), at a spot that was highly recommended. SO, as a warning: avoid downtown. I mean it.]

1. The Oyster Bar at Top of the Market — $$/Waterfront

An old school style oyster bar right on San Diego Bay. Step up to the marble counter, grab a stool and order some oysters or cioppino. Then watch as the host/waiter/cook manages the bar, gossips with the regulars, and makes sure everyone’s glasses are filled, all while methodically preparing everyone’s meal. My oyster sampler was sparkling fresh, and my locally-smoked sampler of trout, salmon, and albacore tuna was delicious and hearty. It was just slightly too bad that Grand Central Oyster Bar’s Pan Roast hasn’t made it to Southern California. A must-go after your trip to the USS Midway.

 

2. Mariscos German/Mariscos Alex Taco Truck — $/University Ave & 35th Street in Normal Heights, Multiple Locations

Ok, some confusion lies whether this fish taco truck is still German Mariscos or has become Mariscos Alex after a transfer of ownership and a grace period where the new owners had license to use the German Mariscos name. Regardless, on a trip where we ate fish tacos daily, these were Dave’s favorite. The fish was freshly fried, crispy, and flaked apart like butter. The flour tortillas were soft and melted in your hands. The cabbage slaw was just the right amount of tangy, and there were no additional or cute flavors to get in the way of an honest-to-God Baja-style fish taco. Bonus: they cost $1.25.

 

3. El Pescador Fish Market — $/La Jolla

On the opposite spectrum of things, this fish market in ritzy La Jolla knows how to play up fish market kitsch perfectly. A popular place for hungry locals of all ages, a team of hunky fishmongers run the place like a Manhattan deli, yelling across the counter to be heard and pausing to laugh at private jokes. Expect there to be a bit of a wait and superb people watching.

The mahi mahi only comes grilled, so don’t expect a fryer to touch your fish here. Each taco was served on a corn tortilla, with vinegary spiced salsa, crunchy cabbage slaw, and copious amounts of avocado. Where the Mariscos Alex went down easy, these tacos require a lot of chomping on super fresh vegetables and grilled fish. I’m not saying whether they are better or worse; they are just different.

 

4. Super Cocina — $/Normal Heights

This Mexican home-cooked darling of the San Diego foodie world didn’t knock our socks off, but then again, we already live in California; this is the quality we expect. If you’re headed to San Diego and want to try good, slow-cooked carnitas, chicken mole, or pork, you should give it a whirl. It’ll probably be revelatory and you’ll never be able to chug down a margarita at Chili’s ever again. Order your three meats/proteins at the counter then nab a table. (It was surprisingly vegetarian friendly too.)

 

5. Nine-Ten — $$$/ La Jolla

This is my only high-end pick, and I might offer another one someday if you can convince me to eat elsewhere. We’ve had two meals here, and both were superb. Nine Ten’s cuisine blends the farm-to-table fad going on everywhere with Southern California cuisine. The ingredients — whether proteins or produce — are so fresh that they nearly jump off the table. The ambiance on the back patio is fantastic, with colonial columns looking out on a glowing turquoise pool.

The food, though, steals the show. The hamachi sashimi was a delightful punch to the taste buds, combining savory oils with tart, pickled baby shiitake mushrooms. My Alaska Halibut was buttery and pan-seared, mixing perfectly with super sweet crunchy fresh peas and hearty cardoon puree.  Chef Jason Knibb throws in some molecular gastronomy touches, but only to subtly enhance the excellent vegetables and meats that are the star of the show.

 

6. The Cottage — $$/La Jolla

Our household rule is that we don’t wait for brunch — we’d rather be eating. The Cottage made us break our rule and made it almost delightful to do so. Shaded benches out front give you a place to hang out, and the outdoor coffee and snack bar ensures that you get your caffeine and food fix pronto. Inside or out on the front patio, the restaurant is casual, seaside chic. Their brunch menu is standard brunch fare with a California/Mexican twist. Their French toast was thick and crunchy (soggy French toast is a buzzkill for me). It’s kind of the perfect way to start another blue skied, sunny day in La Jolla –in a pretty restaurant surrounded by delicious food and beautiful people. Because, as we’ve said, life is just better in La Jolla.

 

7. Zenbu Sushi Bar and Restaurant — $$/La Jolla

I didn’t expect this spot to make it to the list – it’s a hip sushi place with creative rolls, and there’s nothing Dave and I avoid more than hip sushi places with creative rolls. Usually, the degree of creativity is inversely proportionate to the quality of the fish — that spicy sriracha does wonders to mask flavorless tuna — but this place was the exception.

Fish is king in San Diego, and Zenbu has some excellent seafood going through their kitchen. It almost seems to be a shame to layer it under garlic ponzu and jalapenos. Get there early before the doodge doodge doodge party gets started.

 

8. Bahia Don Bravo — $/Bird Rock

The closest we got to a fish taco shack on the beach, this ramshackle taco shop in the precious (and pricey) Bird Rock neighborhood is positioned three blocks from the beach. If you sit outback, in the right corner, you can eat while gazing at the ocean.

These tacos bridged the gap between El Pescador and Mariscos Alex. Corn tortillas, steamy hot fried fish, tangy cabbage slaw, and pico de gallo. (You can also get grilled mahi if that’s your preference.) We were fans.

This was the destination for our La Jolla hike, and if you can’t get an ocean view table, I recommend taking your food to-go and walking down to Calumet Park, a grassy seaside cliff just down the street.