Best Lunch Restaurants in Sand Hill

"Sugar and Scribe serves up freshly made pastries each day along with custom cakes, artisanal bread and more. Food Network Champion Chef Maeve launched the bakery to fame, going on to win awards like 2017 Best Bakery. Nibble on the scrumptious petit fours to feel like a certified Francophile."

"From biscuits and gravy to fresh Benedicts, this place has everything you could want to start your day off the right way."

"Lofty Coffee is a community hub for coffee in San Diego, which got its start as a small shop in 2011 on HWY 101 in Encinitas. Now they’ve expanded to four locations and a production facility where beans are roasted and pastries are homemade from scratch. Each location is massively important to its neighborhood, serving up sunny patios for conversation, healthy breakfast dishes, the delicious coffee they're known for and homemade pastries baked fresh daily."

"We are so excited to announce that our Little Italy and Solana Beach locations will be reopening on June 13th!. ⁠ We cannot wait to see and serve all of you at your favorite local locations again.❤️⁠ Mark your calendars!. 🎉⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in our bio to check out a description of all of our locations, and to get directions.⁠ -⁠ Pictured here: Lofty Little Italy"

"Someday we’ll be able to stop referring to time in pre-and post-pandemic terms, but for now, we’re just so incredibly grateful to our restaurant community for their steadfast dedication and for pressing ever forward when things seemed impossible to overcome. Even more incredible are the fearless entrepreneurs who forged ahead with new ventures despite the uncertainties of opening during an active pandemic. And so it’s with well-deserved thanks and high-fives that we proudly present our list of the most exciting new restaurant openings in San Diego:"

"What is it: The average gaslamp restaurant has nothing on Searsucker, where dramatic interiors, New American fare and a flirty bar scene are all on offer. Why go: An airy dining room with tufted leather banquettes and massive pendants sets the stage for proper sit-down dinners of tomahawk ribeyes and whole grilled branzino. A spirited after-work and weekend crowd clusters around plush couches in the expansive lounge for cocktails and noshable bites including duck fat fries and Philly meatballs."

"The pork belly is perfectly cooked, both crispy and melt in your mouth (can that be an adjective?), which is oftentimes difficult to find. They also serve shrimp and grits with a spicy kick, chilaquiles, crab cake bennie, steak and eggs and corned beef hash. Start your breakfast off with some banana bread - they make a pretty mean one."

"This charming, modest-sized, all-day bistro is big on authentic Parisian touches and flavors. Diners are immediately greeted at the entryway with France’s two major food groups: a French/California cheese “altar” and an over-sized ice bucket filled with chilled Champagne. The bright, beach-meets-Left-Bank dining room is lined with white marble tables, a red leather banquette and traditional wicker-style bistro chairs."

"No need to cross the Atlantic when you can stop into this casual Parisian-style cafe on Orange Avenue. They’re known for a wide selection of delectable cheese and classic dishes like escargots, steak frites, quiche, and croque monsieur. The menu features suggested pairings from their approachable list of French and California wines."

"The comfortable and creative Little Frenchie bistro and wine bar is an entertaining spot for some of the best cheap eats in San Diego. Head out to this Coronado favorite to enjoy t..."

"Ash St., Suite 100 (between India Street and Kettner Boulevard) in Little Italy, it's the highest-rated Italian restaurant in San Diego, boasting four stars out of 330 reviews on Yelp. Its offerings include pasta, pizza and desserts."

"8030 Girard Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037(858) 999-0034$ | Hidden Gem | Coffeehouse. This low-key spot has a cheery, comfortable yet funky vibe but serves up some rockin’ food suitable for every diet. Their menu is clearly marked so you don’t have to go through the trouble of reading through every single menu item until you see what you could have."

"Just stopped by for a beer on their patio with ocean views and it was wonderful. Friendly service and good beer that was reasonably priced."

"The Chinese Historical Museum displays Chinese-American art, culture and history. Housed in a restored mission-style building, exhibits include miniature models, historic photographs and rare artifacts related to the heritage of San Diego’s Chinese community. *Small donation requested."

"A sunken butterfly garden, the San Diego Zoo, museums, gardens, the California Tower – this 1,200-acre (486ha) park contains a slew of attractions. It was built in 1868 and hosted the Panama-California Exposition, which celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal, in 1915. Key museums include the San Diego Air & Space Museum, the Museum of Us (formerly the San Diego Museum of Man), the San Diego Museum of Art, the San Diego Natural History Museum, the Timken Art Museum and the San Diego Model Railroad Museum."

"Like no place else in the country, Balboa Park offers a magnificent combination of art, architecture, history and agriculture in one expansive park. Spanning approximately 1,200 acres, Balboa Park was once known as City Park and was founded more than 125 years ago. Today, the park is home to 15 museums, theaters, marvelous gardens, restaurants, shopping and the world-famous San Diego Zoo."

"For a complete change of scenery, Balboa Park is an unusual park right in the city center. It was actually built for one of those old-timey expositions but the city loved it so much they made it permanent. In addition to the museums, there’s also a Botanical Garden and several beautiful gardens, like this moorish styled one below."

"The Wells Fargo Museum, located inside the Colorado House, features one of the company’s original 1867 Concord stagecoaches. The recreated and historically-furnished former hotel also houses actual historic telegraph machines and a variety of other memorabilia related to the banking and transportation company. Photo Courtesy of Historic Old Town Community Foundation"

"For an interactive dining experience, snag a seat at j/wata Temaki Bar for made-to-order hand rolls filled with premium fish—best eaten immediately...Read More"

"Sushi might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a family restaurant. However, if you were to ask my daughter and her friends what their favorite spot is right now they would say Kura. It’s a gamified revolving sushi restaurant where the more plates you empty, the happier the “ninja” is."

"What to know: Prior to the pandemic, wait times were very long for Kura. Now, lines are very short if any as they have a large outdoor dining area!. Also, spaces between tables actually allow for a 6 foot distance between parties."

"A post shared by JSMedina (@kulokoy) on Mar 17, 2019 at 8:26pm PDT. At this all-you-can-eat buffet, your food choices are more than you can try in one outing (so come back soon!) Chow down on a large selection of seafood, including crab legs, shrimp and scallops and serve yourself a side of sushi to go with it. End your meal with a delightful dessert such as crème brûlée, cheesecake or perhaps some Italian gelato."