11 Foods and Drinks You Absolutely Have to Try When Visiting San Diego

Until recently, San Diego's most sought-after culinary offerings were, simply, whatever you could eat on a patio overlooking the Pacific. Nothing against an oceanside table for two, but the city has quietly grown into a food destination befitting its location: a huge metropolis that mashes up the best of Mexican flavors, Californian experimentation, Pacific Rim seafood culture, beer mad-science, stuck-in-the-'60s post-war Americana, and the surfer's inclination for simple pleasures.

The result is a city whose food and drink, imitated elsewhere, have become a reason to visit San Diego in their own right. We've rounded up San Diego's signature cuisines and libations for you to explore for yourself.

You're at the beach! Or at least close to it. Nothing screams being near the ocean quite like Tiki does, and thankfully San Diego has that in spades. San Diego's unpretentious style embraces Tiki, the laid-back yang to the yin of a naval base from which generations of American sailors have imported bits of Pacific island culture. Consider Tiki an ethos, if a kitschy one: Relax, imagine yourself in an undefined island locale, and listen to your whims.

San Diego's Tiki revival comes at the perfect time: Rum is the new hot liquor, following in the footsteps of mezcal and bourbon. More flexible than those other spirits, rum need only be distilled from sugar cane -- an ideal complement to tropical flavors of all sorts. It's game on.

Simply put, this is the quintessential San Diego meal. It's understood that the fish taco originated about 90 minutes south, in the Mexican port city of Ensenada, where you may find it made with shark meat. In the United States, the protein is usually some kind of mild whitefish -- snapper, cod, halibut, flounder, or mahi-mahi -- battered and fried, then married to a tangy slaw, a creamy salsa, and a squeezed lime on, typically, a flour tortilla. Many fish taco joints also offer a grilled option, to give some variety. Knowing San Diego's relationship with the border, it's no surprise that the city is the fish taco's hometown outside of Mexico.

On the other end of the taco spectrum are Tijuana-style street tacos, generally consisting of a doubled-up palm-sized corn tortilla and freshly grilled red or white meat. San Diego and Tijuana are siblings separated by some fences and a giant traffic jam. It was only a matter of time before street tacos made the leap over the border and were adopted as a proper hometown cuisine by San Diegans.

San Diego County is home to more craft breweries -- north of 130 and counting -- than the entire United States had in the mid-'80s. Some, like Ballast Point and Stone, have found national and international fame and recognition. Others, you really have to discover while you're there.

The Pacific is half (or all) of the reason people visit San Diego. But until recently, the pickings for real dining were admittedly slim -- you had a lot of phoned-in effort because beachside restaurateurs knew the sunsets would draw the crowds. Thankfully, San Diegans have begun to demand better, and the quality and creativity of waterfront dining has caught up with the rest of the city.

Any coastal city worth its salt should offer some damn good sushi options. San Diego, while perhaps a rung below San Francisco or Los Angeles, can stack its sushi against pretty much any other city in North America. Further, San Diego chefs have built a culture of creativity and commitment to the environment. Several work with only sustainably caught fish, which means you may not get that bluefin tuna you were hoping for, but you can expect something just as (if not more) delicious and 100% better for enjoying the future bounty of our oceans. If you're looking for creativity in your raw fish, you've come to the right place.

San Diego comes right up to the ocean, and world cultures likewise funnel into San Diego. You can get the seasoned tuna that Hawaiians call poke (pronounced PO-kay), ceviche, tiraditos, and aguachile. Most likely, most of what you're eating is from just off the coast or a little further south from Baja California.

You don’t need to surf to enjoy this delicious monstrosity, but it’ll certainly help if you want to burn off its calories. The true version has grilled carne asada, salsa, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, and French fries. That’s right. Unsurprisingly, it's also a late-night post-drinking fave, but every San Diegan knows the craving strikes at random. One more tip: Don't ever tell a San Diegan that beans or rice belong in a burrito, or they’ll give you what's coming to you.

San Diego has a lot of, generously speaking, throwback architecture that hasn't been updated in a few decades. Driving around the city, you'll notice a lot of old-school donut joints that might even appear to be a bit janky. That's just time, telling you what's good. San Diego is known for having incredible donuts, with classic options and updated versions for every type of pastry hound. You may even spot a donut egg sandwich floating around town.

Besides the Cali burrito, there's one other iconic San Diego surf snack: the acai bowl. There isn't a beachfront in this town that isn't littered with them -- but some are better than others. It's basically a smoothie bowl, with blended acai as the base, and a range of toppings that can include any kind of berry, bananas, honey, peanut butter, granola, or anything else you can think of. Think tropical drinks without all the booze.

The huge Somali, Eritrean, and Ethiopian communities in San Diego cook up a mean dinner, favored by vegetarian gourmands and anyone who dislikes utensils. A large round of injera -- a tangy, spongy, thin bread that soaks up all it touches -- comes heaped with various spiced, stewed meats and vegetables. You rip off a section of bread, use it to pinch-scoop a proper bite, and tuck it all into your mouth. It gets messy, which is half the fun.

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