THE STARS ALIGN FOR SAN DIEGO’S DINING
San Diego’s rising restaurant scene is reaching for the stars these days — and it has brought home a fistful of them. More specifically, Michelin stars, which are coveted honors bestowed ultra-selectively on top restaurants worldwide. San Diego previously had only one Michelin-star establishment — Addison by William Bradley at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in Carmel Valley. Now it has five. On top of that, Addison was bumped up from two stars to three in 2022, making it one of eight restaurants with three Michelin Stars in California.
Addison by William Bradley is Chef William Bradley’s epicurean juggernaut at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, which reached heights hardly dreamed of in 2022 with its promotion to three Michelin stars. In describing Bradley’s approach to “California gastronomy,” Michelin notes that “no dish captures this better than sesame-seasoned Koshihikari rice finished with applewood-smoked sabayon and crowned with Regiis Ova reserve caviar,” adding that “dishes are playful yet polished.”
Jeune et Jolie (French for “young and beautiful”) has made a big splash since its 2018 founding. Michelin credits owner John Resnick (who also owns the nearby Campfire) and Executive Chef Eric Bost for delivering what it calls top-notch food with a playful twist and “solid ingredients, unique combinations and beautiful presentations that are ‘almost’ too pretty to eat.”
Lilo is John Resnick’s and Chef Eric Bost’s second fine-dining endeavor in Carlsbad, and the restaurant earned a Michelin star in 2025 shortly after its highly anticipated opening. Guests are treated to what Michelin calls a “moveable feast” of amuse-bouche and a welcome drink in the restaurant’s scenic patio before settling into a 22-seat dining room that offers a look into the inner workings of the kitchen. Michelin praised the tasting menu, noting Chef Bost and team “take clear pride in providing an extra level of care in their dishes,” and says the course of orgeat ice cream with dried and cured celery root and topped with ossetra caviar is a standout.
At Soichi, the namesake chef behind this intimate Japanese restaurant in University Heights, Soichi Kadoya, serves sushi that Michelin says “leans straightforward, but it flaunts a great deal of skill.” Soichi is centered on a chef-driven experience characterized by the Japanese term omakase, which translates as “I leave it up to you,” that’s enhanced by Chef Soichi’s personable service. The full omakase dinner is the best way to savour the breadth of the fresh seafood selections, which could include sea bass, Hokkaido mackerel and bluefin tuna.
Chef Roberto Alcocer's much-buzzed restaurant Valle, near the Oceanside Pier, pays tribute to Baja California's vineyard-studded Valle de Guadalupe, “the source of a plethora of interesting options on the wine list” and serves as inspiration for Chef Alcocer’s modern expression of Mexican cuisine, Michelin inspectors said. They praised the eight-course prix fixe meal: “Dishes strike a winning balance between tradition and creativity, as in a tetela made with heirloom corn masa and hoja santa, filled with juicy chanterelle mushrooms and creamy goat cheese, and paired with a complex salsa of morita chiles — at once earthy and bright.” The recognition is a major coup for Alcocer, who moved to San Diego County from Baja in 2021 with the express purpose of earning a Michelin star. Today, Valle remains the only Mexican restaurant in San Diego County to achieve the accolade.
Michelin honored nine San Diego restaurants with its Bib Gourmand designation, accorded to restaurants that are more affordable but still offer exceptional dining. They are: Atelier Manna, Morning Glory, Lola 55, Callie, Cucina Urbana, Ciccia Osteria, Dija Mara, Mabel’s Gone Fishing and Cesarina. In addition to its starred and Bib Gourmand selections, Michelin adds new restaurants every year to its California Guide, which recently included Tanner’s Prime Burgers and 24 Suns in San Diego County.
Other San Diego restaurants included in the Michelin Guide California are Kingfisher, a modern Vietnamese restaurant led by Chef David Sim; Juniper & Ivy, which has been a fine dining stalwart in Little Italy for over 10 years; Menya Ultra Ramen, known for its rich tonkotsu paitan broth; and Paradisaea, a tropical-themed restaurant in La Jolla (named after a bird of paradise).
Another shining example of the city’s elevated dining scene is Animae, where Chef Tara Monsod incorporates the flavors and cooking traditions from her Filipino heritage into the menu. She was honored twice by the James Beard Foundation as a finalist for the Best Chef: California award in recognition of her innovative fusion dishes, such as tuna kinilaw with coconut and calamansi (a citrus fruit found in the Philippines). Another highlight is the short rib kare-kare — tender beef in a savory peanut sauce with a dash of bagoong (shrimp paste) oil. Monsod also leads the kitchen at Le Coq, a refined yet playful French-inspired steakhouse in La Jolla (try the baguette with chicken skin bu'tter).
Lucien has been making a buzz since it opened in La Jolla, as it solely offers a ten-course tasting menu by Chef Elijah Arizmendi, whose culinary pedigree includes Michelin-starred establishments Per Se and l’abeille. The intimate dining room houses just 30 seats, and the meal starts in the courtyard with canapes and sips before the main seating. Arizmendi’s menu is hyper-seasonal and emphasizes California seafood, produce and wine, and could feature a rich egg custard presented in the shell and topped with oscietra caviar, a medley of shellfish served with oyster ice cream and Masami Ranch wagyu ribeye.
Recently opened is Fleurette, the second act for Chef Travis Swikward, whose Mediterranean restaurant Callie has been praised since it debuted in 2021. Swikard brought a taste of the South of France to an office park near Westfield UTC, turning the area into a new dining destination.
For a fine-dining experience that is tried and true, look no further than Mister A’s. Crowning the 12th floor of a high-rise in Bankers Hill, Mister A’s has been a landmark for 60 years and is a go-to for special occasions — the view of the skyline and airplanes landing at San Diego International Airport is breaktaking. The seasonal menu from Chef Stephane Voitzwinkler features a blend of California and French influences, and the bar debuted a new happy hour experience. The Marine Room is another gold standard for fine dining in San Diego, as the seaside restaurant has one of the best views around. Perched right on La Jolla Shores, diners can admire sweeping beach scenes from their table and waves may crash against the restaurant’s panoramic glass windows during high tide. The King Tide Brunch and High Tide Dinner, which happens seasonally on select dates, is a celebrated tradition. The standard dinner menu features a raw bar, traditional caviar service and cuts of premium beef from Creekstone Farms.
TOP-TIER FOOD FESTIVALS
San Diego’s perfect weather and culinary clout makes it an ideal location for foodie festivals. The annual San Diego Food + Wine Festival takes over the Embarcadero every November for an entire weekend, and features endless wine tastings from vineyards around the world and bites prepared by the region’s top chefs. The Del Mar Wine and Food Festival at the end of September is a fun-filled series of events complete with celebrity sightings. While the main tasting takes place at the Surf Sports Park, the festival also includes the Drew Brees Celebrity Pickleball Tournament, hosted by the former NFL star to raise funds for charity, alongside appearances from headlining chefs like Jet Tila and Michael Voltaggio.
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