BEST PLACES TO EAT DURING SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON

These are the top restaurants near the convention center where locals eat, according to The Sun’s Downtown Dining Readers Poll

By Ron Donoho ● News ● July 2, 2024

Barleymash in Gaslamp Quarter. (Courtesy photo)

Calling all cosplayers: You’ve got to eat during Comic-Con International San Diego. Even a Mandalorian has to remove their helmet to take in sustenance. Set your phasers on yum and check out The San Diego Sun’s Downtown Dining Readers Poll for the best restaurants near the San Diego Convention Center.

The following results are based on a recent polling of downtown residents. The Sun asked readers for their favorite overall spots, plus places with the best breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts.

Other categories include Best Italian, Steakhouse, Pizza, Seafood, Mexican and Sushi.

Looking for vibe? This list incudes Best Date Night/Romantic, Best View and Best Food/Music Combo.

Every restaurant listed here is in the downtown San Diego 92101 ZIP Code. Even in Stormtrooper boots, you could walk from the convention center to each spot.

If you find yourself in uncharted urban territory, this list also names the best eateries in each of downtown’s neighborhoods: Gaslamp Quarter, Marina District, Little Italy, Core-Columbia, Cortez Hill and East Village.

Fare thee well!

Callie in East Village. (Courtesy photo)

BEST OVERALL

1. Callie 1195 Island Avenue (East Village)

2. Cowboy Star Restaurant & Butcher Shop 6410 Tenth Avenue (East Village)

3. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse 901 Bayfront Court, Suite 105 (Core Columbia)

Honorable mention: Animae, Barleymash

BEST VIEW

1. Portside Pier 1360 North Harbor Drive (Core Columbia)

2. Mister A’s 2550 Fifth Avenue (Banker’s Hill, just outside 92101)

3. Seneca 901 Bayfront Court, Level 19 (Core Columbia)

Honorable mention: Techo Beso, The Nolen

Spill the Beans in Seaport Village. (Courtesy photo)

COFFEE HOUSE

1. Spill the Beans 555 Market Street (Gaslamp Quarter) and 813 West Harbor Drive (Seaport Village)

2. Bird Rock Coffee Roasters 2295 Kettner Boulevard and 1420 Kettner Boulevard (East Village)

3. Copa Vida 905 J Street (East Village)

Honorable mention: Achilles, Caffe Italia

BEST BREAKFAST

1. Breakfast Republic 707 G Street (East Village)

2. The Mission 1250 J Street (East Village)

3. Baked 1000 Island Avenue (East Village)

Honorable mention: Fig Tree, Morning Glory

Gaslamp Breakfast Company in East Village. (Courtesy photo)

BEST BRUNCH

1. Gaslamp Breakfast Company 551 J Street (East Village)

2. Barleymash 600 Fifth Avenue (Gaslamp Quarter)

3. Fig Tree Cafe 695 Sixth Avenue (East Village)

Honorable mention: Morning Glory, The Mission (East Village)

BEST LUNCH

1. Barleymash 600 Fifth Avenue (Gaslamp Quarter)

2. City Tacos 327 Seventh Avenue (East Village)

3. Knotty Barrel 844 Market Street (East Village)

Del Frisco’s in Core-Columbia, near Marina District. (Courtesy photo)

BEST DINNER

1. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse 901 Bayfront Court, Suite 105 (Core Columbia)

2. Barleymash 600 Fifth Avenue (Gaslamp Quarter)

3. Animae 969 Pacific Highway (Marina District)

Honorable mention: Callie, Juniper & Ivy

BEST DESSERT

1. Extraordinary Desserts 1430 Union Street (Little Italy)

2. Hinar Dessert Bar & Cafe 454 Thirteenth Street (East Village)

3. Parfait Paris 555 G Street (Gaslamp Quarter)

Honorable mention: Cali Cream Homemade Ice Cream, Cafe de l’Opera

Cloak & Petal in Little Italy. (Courtesy photo)

BEST DATE NIGHT/ROMANTIC

1. Cloak & Petal 1953 India Street (Little Italy)

2. Seneca 901 Bayfront Court, Level 19 (Core Columbia)

3. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse 901 Bayfront Court, Suite 105 (Core Columbia)

Honorable mention: Callie, Animae, Born & Raised, Cowboy Star, Mister A’s

BEST FINE DINING

1. Callie 1195 Island Avenue (East Village)

2. Born & Raised 1909 India Street (Little Italy)

3. Cowboy Star Restaurant & Butcher Shop 6410 Tenth Avenue (East Village)

Honorable mention: Del Frisco’s, Animae, Juniper & Ivy

Cafe Sevilla in Gaslamp Quarter. (Courtesy photo)

BEST FOOD/MUSIC COMBO

1. Cafe Sevilla 353 Fifth Avenue (Gaslamp Quarter)

2. The Smoking Gun 555 Market Street (Gaslamp Quarter)

3. House of Blues 1055 Fifth Avenue (East Village)

Honorable mention: Madame Bonnie’s, Moonshine Flats, Quartyard

BEST CHEAP EATS

1. The Smoking Gun 555 Market Street (Gaslamp Quarter)

2. Mr. Moto Pizza 1702 India Street (Little Italy) and 879 W. Harbor Drive (Seaport Village)

3. Tacos El Gordo 511 F Street (Gaslamp Quarter)

Honorable mention: Doggos Gus, City Tacos

Cowboy Star in East Village. (Courtesy photo)

BEST STEAKHOUSE

1. Cowboy Star Restaurant & Butcher Shop 6410 Tenth Avenue (East Village)

2. Born & Raised 1909 India Street (Little Italy)

3. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse 901 Bayfront Court, Suite 105 (Core Columbia)

Honorable mention: Morton’s, Ruth’s Chris, Huntress

BEST ITALIAN

1. Barbusa 1970 India Street (Little Italy)

2. Bencotto 750 West Fir Street (Little Italy)

3. Civico 1845 India Street (Little Italy)

Honorable mention: Filippi’s, Monello, Osteria Panevino

Water Grill in East Village. (Courtesy photo)

BEST SEAFOOD

1. Water Grill 615 J Street (East Village)

2. Fisher’s 555 West Beech Street (Little Italy)

3. Ironside Fish & Oyster 1654 India Street (Little Italy)

Honorable mention: Top of the Market, Lumi, Callie

BEST PIZZA

1. TNT Pizza 550 Fourteenth Street (East Village)

2. Basic Bar/Pizza 410 Tenth Avenue (East Village)

3. Prince Street Pizza 415 South Market Street (Gaslamp Quarter)

Honorable mention: Mr. Moto, Isola, Filippi’s

Lola 55 in East Village. (Courtesy photo)

BEST MEXICAN

1. Lola 55 1290 F Street (East Village)

2. La Puerta 560 Fourth Avenue (Gaslamp Quarter)

3. Papasotes 550 Park Boulevard (East Village)

Honorable mention: Miguel’s, Puesto, City Tacos

BEST SUSHI

1. Lumi 366 Fifth Avenue (Gaslamp Quarter)

2. Beshock 1288 Market Street (East Village)

3. Cloak & Petal 1953 India Street (Little Italy)

BEST BY NEIGHBORHOOD

Adore Coffee House in Cortez Hill. (Courtesy photo)

BEST IN CORTEZ HILL

1. Cocina 35 1435 Sixth Avenue

2. Adore Coffee House 550 Cedar Street

3. Timmy’s Place 1404 Fifth Avenue

Honorable mention: Flamin’ Pho & Sushi Bar

BEST IN EAST VILLAGE

1. Callie 1195 Island Avenue

2. Cowboy Star Restaurant & Butcher Shop 640 Tenth Avenue

3. Beshock Ramen 1288 Market Street

Honorable mention: Knotty Barrel

BEST IN LITTLE ITALY

1. Herb & Wood 2210 Kettner Boulevard

2. Civico 1845 1845 India Street

3. Filippi’s Pizza Grotto 1747 India Street

Honorable mention: Fisher’s, Barbusa, Bencotto, Davanti Enoteca

BEST IN GASLAMP QUARTER

1. Barleymash 600 Fifth Avenue

2. Smokin J’s BBQ 751 Fourth Avenue

3. The Smoking Gun 529 Market Street

Honorable mention: Lou & Mickey’s, Meze, Prince Street Pizza, Royal India, Water Grill

BEST IN MARINA DISTRICT

1. The Lion’s Share 629 Kettner Boulevard

2. Animae 969 Pacific Highway

3. Puesto 789 West Harbor Drive

Honorable mention: Roy’s

BEST IN CORE COLUMBIA

1. Seneca (Hotel InterContinental) 901 Bayfront Court, Level 19

2. Garibaldi (Hotel InterContinental) 901 Bayfront Court, Suite 1

3. Karl Strauss 1157 Columbia Street SDSun

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Author

Ron Donoho

Ron Donoho lives and breathes the content on the San Diego Sun. He has more than two decades of local, regional and national media experience, built on a foundation of strong research, writing and editing, and crafting reported features. His broad background is hyper-locally channeled into the reporting done here on his own downtown San Diego neighborhood.