The Best Restaurants to Try in Del Mar

Whether looking for oysters, tacos, Peruvian plates, or sushi, here are the best restaurants in the beachfront neighborhood of Del Mar.

New this update: The Cottage Del Mar, Harry’s Coffee Shop Del Mar, and Salt & Lime have been added, while Bushfire Kitchen, En Fuego, and Aqua Del Mare have been removed.

MARKET Restaurant + Bar

Market’s executive chef and proprietor, Carl Schroeder sets the standard for seasonal, farm-to-table cuisine, even picking out the produce himself at the famed nearby Chino Farms. His extensive culinary experience includes working with renowned chefs Michael Mina and Bradley Ogden, and he remains faithful to a hyper-seasonal cooking style. Across the street from Surf Sports Park, the suburban restaurant oozing with sophisticated ambiance draws a loyal crowd. The restaurant offers a three-course tasting menu in the dining room, while a la carte service is available in the bar and lounge. A full sushi menu is a standout offering in the lounge. Don’t skip the wine and cocktails from the robust drinks menu.

CUCINA enoteca Del Mar

Close to the Del Mar Fairgrounds, Cucina Enoteca Del Bar is a bustling restaurant from the Cucina restaurant collective that combines Italian flavors with the hyper-seasonality of Southern California. Many of the dishes are served family style here. Popular plates include the sweet pea cappelletti and ricotta, and half chicken fra Diavolo. Be sure to try starters like the fried stuffed squash blossoms stuffed with goat cheese and topped with pistou and orange blossom honey, as well as Cucine meatballs over mascarpone polenta. The $40 combination deal includes a bottle of the week’s featured red or white wine plus a choice of pepperoni or Margherita pizza. It’s also a terrific spot for a weekday happy hour.

Viewpoint Brewing Company

Viewpoint Brewery Company, the first brewery to set up digs in Del Mar, has been a local favorite since it opened its doors in 2017. A short walk or drive from the Del Mar Fairgrounds, the family-friendly, open-air restaurant offers a bird’s-eye view of the San Dieguito Lagoon, replete with wildlife and wildflowers. There’s a short nature trail at the back of the restaurant, perfect for a post-meal meander. The only brick-and-mortar location for Viewpoint also features standout eats, including the backyard burger, fish and chips, and a kids’ menu. Don’t skip on the personal banana pie. Pair with a pint from its wide selection of fantastic beers, or try the custom beer flights where diners can customize or choose the light, hoppy, or brewer’s flight.

Jake’s Del Mar

Part of the Hawaii-based restaurant group that includes Duke’s in Hawaii and California, Jake’s is located practically right on the Del Mar Beach. The enclosed patio terrace gives guests a front-row seat to the Pacific Ocean and Del Mar Beach. Guests enjoy the seaside scenery while diving into dishes like lemon garlic, roasted fish, double lobster tail, or the chef’s burger, paired with Duke’s mai tai or a guava daiquiri. The restaurant is vegetarian-friendly too, with vegan options including trumpet mushrooms on an ancient grain salad. Finish off with the famous decadent hula pie. Look for specials like Mediterranean Mondays, taco Tuesdays, and Waikiki Wednesdays for themed deals.

Shimbashi Izakaya

Tucked in the corner on the second floor of the Del Mar Plaza, quaint Japanese restaurant Shimbashi Izakaya offers a sushi bar and outdoor patio space. Lunchtime bento box specials are a wallet-friendly deal. The two-layer bento box features cold items, such as sashimi and salad, on the bottom, while the cooked plates, like karaage, tempura, or pork cutlets, stay warm on top. The sashimi is delightful, along with hot dishes like grilled yellowtail collar. Happy hour specials run Monday to Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. with deals on sushi rolls and Japanese draft beer.

Paris En Rose Bakery & Cafe

The Del Mar outpost of Paris En Rose from owner Annie Benaroch, who started Parisien Gourmandises in La Jolla, has brought her excellent croissants to North County. The mother bakery remains in La Jolla, and the pastries and cakes are baked and delivered daily. The chocolates, flour, butter, and fruit purees are flown in from Europe. Even the pistachios for the popular nutty croissant come directly from Sicily to maintain the European flavor. Other must-try croissants are the almond and raspberry rose flavors, though the rolled croissants are the viral darlings. Consider the French cakes in the display case, which are also available for pre-orders.

The Cottage Del Mar

Anchoring the Del Mar Plaza, Cottage Del Mar is a brightly lit restaurant with Victorian decor that overlooks Highway 101, making it an ideal spot for people-watching over breakfast or lunch. Over 30 years ago, the Cottage got its start in La Jolla and it added its third location in Del Mar. On the menu is the popular house granola, a vegan, gluten-free mix that is shipped all over the country. Coffees are roasted at the Encinitas store and shipped directly to the Del Mar restaurant. Stuffed French toast, chilaquiles, and morning glory sandwiches, made with fried eggs, bacon, and smoked Gouda on sourdough, are also popular items. Don’t skip the cold-pressed juices, such as tangerine or watermelon.

Adelaide

Anchoring L’Auberge Del Mar Hotel, seafood-forward restaurant Adelaide boasts stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, complemented by outdoor dining. Located in the center of Del Mar, Adelaide recently revamped its dinner menus with more shareable seafood plates. The seafood tower features Pacific oysters, hand-cut tuna tartare, Baja prawns, and local ceviche. Splurge on the caviar experience with a choice of Supreme or Osetra caviar with smoked salmon and horseradish citrus crème fraiche. Don’t skip the lobster curry pumpkin soup or hamachi crudo. For entrees, try the miso-glazed Chilean sea bass or seared jumbo scallops. In time for summer, daily brunch is back on, featuring smoked lox bagels and crispy fish tacos.

Monarch Ocean Pub

With sweeping views of the sea from the floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap around three sides of the lively restaurant, guests can toast the sunset at Monarch Ocean Pub with a cool grapefruit frosé while the bartender shares a daily poem. Try the scallop and pork belly chowder, Monarch bowl with quinoa and chickpeas, or lobster and shrimp sliders with house-made potato chips. There’s also a rooftop bar one floor up with ping pong and cornholes, which is a great place to wait for a table since waits can be long at times. Monarch Ocean Pub doesn’t take reservations, but diners can pop by earlier in the day to request a table for their party at a preferred time.

An's Hatmakers

An’s expanded from North Park into Del Mar, Petco Park, and recently Ocean Beach, offering its rich gelato flavors throughout the county. Each location honors the location’s history, and the Del Mar location pays homage to the venerable Del Mar Racetrack situated a few miles away. With a staple menu of favorites and a rotation of creative flavors, embark on the Flavor Tour to sample all the ice cream varieties. Each month, the display freezer features rotating flavors, many of which are themed around hats. Popular ones include the Coppola flavor, chocolate cookies with Nutella, and the Visor, a pistachio ice cream made with nine pounds of pistachios in each batch. An’s doesn’t cheat on its raw ingredients, so the flavors explode with each spoonful.

Tamarindo Del Mar

Mexican Tamardino Del Mar sits next to the sidewalk on the corner of Highway 101 and 15th Street, a perfect perch for people-watching. Try the short rib tamarindo with braised meat and baby kale, along with a wide array of tacos with filling choices like standby carnitas or octopus and mahi. New additions include a robust vegan and vegetarian menu featuring options such as vegan burritos and vegan rejas enchiladas. For the canines, there’s an entire dog menu, so four-legged friends are welcome too. Don’t skip the drinks, which include cold-pressed skinny margaritas and non-alcoholic beverages.

Harry’s Coffee Shop Del Mar

Sitting on the corner of 15th Street and Camino Del Mar, Harry’s Del Mar is an extension of Harry’s Coffee Shop, one of San Diego’s essential diners and a fixture in La Jolla for decades. Owners Liz Rudolph-Gotfredson and her brother John Rudolph grew up helping their parents, Harry and Catherine, who opened the original Harry’s Coffee Shop in the 1960s when they moved from Brooklyn to follow their beloved Dodgers. Now, the second generation of restaurateurs is serving popular items like the BW Benny, which features a bacon-studded waffle topped with ham and poached eggs. Open daily for breakfast and lunch, the family-friendly restaurant switches to bistro dining on Friday and Saturday evenings, accompanied by wine and cocktails.

Sbicca

Del Mar darling Sbicca has been a local favorite for over 26 years, situated in its prime location, a short walk to Sea Grove Park with its grassy lawn and stunning views of the coastal trains and breathtaking sunsets. The restaurant is cozy and always buzzing with a lively bar. Try the blackened wild dynamite salmon, buttermilk-fried chicken, or coffee-rubbed short ribs to pair with a favorite bottle from their extensive wine list. Make sure to try Sbicca’s cocktails, like the spicy passionfruit margarita or hot and dirty martini. When seated, ask for a view of the ocean from the patio.

Salt + Lime

Salt + Lime owner Alan Efter got his culinary start from a food truck he operated in North Park, serving Mexican street food specialties he grew up around. At his first brick-and-mortar restaurant, Efter is bringing his street food specialties to North County and has since opened a second location in Costa Mesa. Located on Highway 101, the casual open-air restaurant serves favorites like Baja fish tacos, sweet and sour popcorn shrimp, steak chicharron huarache, and white mole with mushrooms. Daily happy hour operates from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. with a weekend late-night happy hour from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Beeside Balcony

Overlooking the Pacific Coast Highway, coastal Del Mar restaurant Beeside Balcony offers both indoor and outdoor seating at its second-floor perch. The owners have since expanded to a second La Jolla location with a speakeasy called Honey Pot Lounge. Mediterranean dishes shine here, like Spanish octopus, whole branzino, pork osso bucco, and whole grilled fish of the day. Grazing boards with house-made dips, meats, and cheeses pair nicely with their wines and cocktails. Happy hour runs from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m., featuring $9 cocktails like Lavender Bee’s Knees with honey from the chef’s very own beehives.

Coya Peruvian Secret

Enveloped in a large overarching tree, the front door to Coya Peruvian Secret is almost hidden away. The kitchen specializes in fusion and contemporary Peruvian cuisine, like ceviche and empanadas. Popular entrees include specialties like lomo saltado, octopus, spinach ravioli, and pork belly. Pair meals here with a sangria, Peruvian beer, and the recommended chicha morada, an Andean drink made from purple corn, fruits, and spices. Don’t skip on the quatres leches cake, a variation of the tres leches dessert with an added fourth layer of creamy coconut milk.

Boto Sushi Del Mar

Strip mall sushi spot Boto Sushi Del Mar punches well above its weight. The chef selects fish imported from the Toyosu Market in Tokyo and prepares it using the edomae style, employing specific techniques to draw out the umami flavors. Depending on the season, the chef will also use fish from Mexico and California. Along with the top-notch sashimi, guests can try the live octopus carpaccio, sake-steamed abalone, or lobster pasta. Sit at the sushi counter that runs the length of the restaurant and reserve seats with a view of the sushi-making process. The lunch and dinner box specials are especially wallet-friendly, with miso, rice, and a colorful salad coated with sesame ginger dressing.

Le Bambou

Located in the Beachside Del Mar shopping complex, strip mall restaurant Le Bambou punches above its weight. This family-owned French-inflected Vietnamese restaurant focuses on grilled, roasted, steamed, and stir-fried plates. The menu has expanded to include a wide selection of soups, featuring several versions of pho, as well as a hot and spicy chicken rice noodle soup. They also offer crispy chicken and vegetable Imperial rolls, as well as entrees like shaking beef and sauteed chicken with lemongrass and hot peppers. Try the specialty dishes, such as Cornish game hen Le Bambou, stewed in a sweet and savory sauce, or salmon or white fish simmered in a clay pot.

Seasurf

At Seasurf, seafood is the star, served in its many glorious ways. Fish tacos, seafood cioppino, poke bowls, grilled salmon, and seafood platters are menu highlights. Pair with a beer from the restaurant’s wide selection of drafts. Seasurf has expanded to add three more locations in Orange County since it first opened more than six years ago in the Beachside Del Mar Plaza. Available from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., happy hour features $1 oysters, ceviche mixto, poke nachos, calamari, and drink specials. (There’s also a happy hour to-go menu, which isn’t very common.)

Buonasera New York Pizzeria

Overlooking the Los Penasquitos Lagoon, casual New York-style pizza joint Buonasera offers a spectacular view of the historic Torrey Pines Road Bridge and the ocean beyond. It’s impossible to get a view like that in the Big Apple. The kitchen serves fresh slices from the oven, along with old-school meatball sandwiches, calzones, and scratch-made garlic knots that get sold out as soon as they come out of the oven. Don’t skip the buttery garlic knots, even if the order is already looking full. Gather the slices, grab a beer at the outdoor bar, and enjoy the view, which shines at golden hour.