Juicy burgers, handmade tortillas, slurp-worthy ramen, farmers market magic and more.
A Gastro Obscura Guide to Family-Friendly Dining in San Diego

Hodad’s Ocean Beach is all about two things: fun, and enormous burgers. Even before you walk in the door of this famous San Diego Burger spot, you’ll know it’s special, thanks to the sticker-covered VW bus outside and the mural of a surfing burger on the building's exterior. Inside, the walls are covered in license plates, surf boards hang from the ceiling, and burgers sizzle on the griddle all day long. The burgers are messy in the best way, most popular being the bacon cheeseburger, best paired with a basket of “frings” which is a mix of fries and onion rings. Set in Ocean Beach, a funky, laid-back neighborhood known for its ocean views, street art, and SoCal charm, Hodad’s is the perfect spot to wind down after a day by the water.

A couple minutes from the beach is Cesarina, where the white marble, open shelving lined with preserves, and leafy terrace will make you think you’ve wandered into a true trattoria Genovese. The airy dining room, accented with reclaimed wood and green tile, is breezy and welcoming. And the pasta-focused menu is all about choice: diners can pick their preferred pasta shape and sauce, customizing their dream dinner whether it’s pappardelle with mushroom sauce or seafood spaghetti. They have translated this strategy into a no-fail kids’ menu, as well, where “bambini” can choose rigatoni, spaghetti, or gnocchi in one of three sauces. Round it all out with an antipasti plate and a caprese salad, and be sure to save room for dessert. Cesarina offers tiramisu prepared tableside (with a vegan option!) and ricotta cheesecake.

Liberty Public Market is a delicious labyrinth of food stalls housed in an enormous building that was once a barracks used by San Diego’s Naval training camp. The building has now been transformed into a complex called Liberty Station, home to an arts district, picnic-friendly lawns, mini golf, and multiple theaters. The market is home to dozens of food vendors whose range shows off the extent of the city’s culinary influences. Under one roof, you can sample crab rangoon fried in flour tortillas; a box of mini donuts topped with fruit loops and candy; tender bao buns; and Taiyaki, ice cream served in a fish-shaped waffle cone. With such a wealth of options and a spacious outdoor patio, the market can easily turn a meal into an exciting family activity. Some stalls also sell local crafts, from jewelry to handmade soap, for those who want to engage in some post-prandial browsing.

On a bustling stretch of Old Town San Diego’s Historic Walking District, you’ll find Cafe Coyote, one of the city’s landmark Mexican restaurants. The district is a beautifully preserved celebration of the area’s Mexican heritage, with museums, shops, and historic buildings dating as far back as the early 19th Century. Cafe Coyote has been serving up freshly handmade tortillas alongside Mexican classics here for 30 years, in a breezy building with a beautiful courtyard. Kids will love watching the “tortilla ladies” press balls of doughy masa into tortillas and listening to the mariachi band that is often passing through the restaurant. An order of tortillas will arrive at the table warm, served with the rare but satisfying combination of salsa and butter. Kids will love the quesadillas and sizzling fajitas, while parents will love the selection of over 100 tequilas.

San Diego is ripe with farmers markets. And every Saturday morning, San Diego’s largest market stretches across six blocks of the Little Italy neighborhood downtown. This is the Little Italy Mercato, where you can browse the freshest local produce, eggs, poultry, meat, fish, and more from Southern California’s farmers and ranchers. It’s an ideal weekend activity for families, giving kids the opportunity to learn about the kaleidoscopic produce that California’s farms grow each year, and even taste samples of fruits and vegetables. The Market is also open on Wednesdays, at the same location, in a slightly smaller capacity. On both days, local artisans sell their wares, and you can snack on prepared foods like crepes, pastries, and sandwiches.

Don’t let the sign outside fool you: An’s Dry Cleaning in North Park is actually an exceptional ice cream shop. Tucked inside an old dry cleaner—whose sign they never changed—An’s makes unique gelato flavors with creative names inspired by the space’s past life in the fabrics business. “Velour” is a delicately salted caramel, and “crushed velvet” is a technicolor blend of rosewater and raspberries that packs over eight pounds of raspberries into every batch. If you can’t decide, don’t worry: the staff will happily taste you through all of their flavors before you make a decision.

Tajima Ramen is a San Diego institution, with locations across the city and multiple spots over the border in Tijuana. The original location is in the Convoy District, one of the largest Pan-Asian business districts in the United States, which is a vibrant food destination all its own. Ramen is, of course, the specialty at Tajima, thanks in part to the rich, well-balanced broth—whether that’s pork broth in a bowl of tonkotsu ramen, chicken broth in the chicken ramen (great for kids), or even their soy-based vegan broth. Extra special is their carnitas ramen, which tops a bowl of pork broth and egg noodles with tender, shredded carnitas. Each bowl is customizable. Don’t miss the perfectly crispy gyoza or chicken katsu buns, either.

In Pacific Beach, Oscar’s Mexican Seafood has the vibe of a surf shack: a small building with wood paneling on its outside and a groovy mural of a taco truck in the ocean, surrounded by a swirling school of fish. Inside, you’ll find a similar combination of simplicity and delight. Oscar’s serves Mexican food full of the city’s freshest fish tacos, shrimp tacos, and plastic cups brimming with ceviches of every stripe (ideal for on-the-go snacking). During happy hour (2:30 to 6:30 p.m., Monday to Friday), you can get fish tacos for two dollars each. Whatever time you get there, grab a cup or two of ceviche, a few tacos (don’t miss the specialty tuna al pastor), and whatever else strikes your fancy.

Puesto takes pride in their tortillas, freshly pressed and made with blue corn masa. That color on the plate is echoed by a colorful mural in the lush, wood-accented dining room, which balances upscale elegance and California cool. Located in La Jolla, a walkable coastal neighborhood known for its boutique-lined streets and dramatic shoreline where sea lions sunbathe, the restaurant’s vibrant, modern attitude makes its way onto the menu, where you’ll find contemporary spins on Mexican classics: spiced short ribs tucked into enchiladas, jalapeños zipping their way into a Caesar salad, and filet mignon tacos. And the whole family will want to dig into a bowl of their classic guacamole.

When it comes to great views, you can’t get much better than Jake's Del Mar. Set along the beach in Del Mar, Jake’s offers floor-to-ceiling windows that give diners an unfettered view of the beach and lets them dig into super-fresh seafood to the soundtrack of crashing waves. Fittingly, Jake’s specializes in seafood, with family-friendly favorites like super-crispy fried calamari, tender crab cakes, and lobster tails over creamy polenta. Of course, they’ve also got a bang-up burger (made with a flavorful mix of sirloin and brisket) for those who want to stay firmly in the “turf” category.