NEIGHBORHOODS
Downtown
Public parks, pulsing bars, live music and a booming dining
scene have infused the city with endless energy and fun.
PUBLIC PARKS
The newly renovated Horton Plaza Park
(900 Fourth Ave.) sports a modern
amphitheater, historic fountain and trellis-covered patios for outdoor dining and
entertainment. The 12-acre Waterfront Park
(1600 Pacific Highway) overlooks the yacht-filled
bay and has giant grassy lawns for picnicking,
playgrounds, water jets and spray fountains.
The East Village’s Quartyard (1102 Market St.) is
a funky outdoor container park with craft beer,
coffee, food trucks, live music and a dog park.
Embarcadero Marina Park North (400 Kettner
Blvd.) is a nice spot for walking, biking and
fishing.
EAST
VILLAGE SCENE
Euro-style Bottega
Americano
(1195 Island Ave.) has a
raw bar, salumi station,
fresh pasta, pizzas,
brunch and a gourmet
marketplace. Stella Public House (1429 Island
Ave.) fires up artisanal pizzas with farm-fresh
ingredients, while next door Halcyon Coffee
calls for lattes or coffee-inspired cocktails. Find
beers, burgers and bowling at Tavern + Bowl
(930 Market St.), the city’s best wings at Bub’s @
the Ballpark (715 J St.), and steaks butchered
in-house at Cowboy Star (640 10th Ave.). For
creative craft cocktails, The Nolen (453 Sixth
Ave.) wows as a rooftop bar with fire pits and
epic city views, Fairweather (795 J St.) serves up
tropical drinks overlooking Petco Park, and
sprawling Basic (410 10th Ave.) calls for late-night revelry.
LITTLE ITALY
San Diego’s hottest neighborhood is now
home to “Top Chef Row” on Kettner Street,
(see page 58) with Brian Malarkey’s Herb &
Wood, Richard Blais’s Juniper & Ivy and The
Crack Shack, Javier Plascencia’s Bracero, and
Giselle Wellman’s Pacific Standard. Other
noteworthy dining spots include the vegan-chic Café Gratitude (1980 Kettner Blvd.), party
palace Kettner Exchange (2001 Kettner Blvd.),
known for its rooftop cabanas and progressive
cuisine, and seafood-centric Ironside Fish &
Oyster (1654 India St.). Newly opened Pan Bon
(1450 Kettner Blvd.) is an Italian food hall with
a restaurant, deli, salad bar and café rolled
into one. Enjoy a tasting flight at Ballast Point
Tasting Room + Kitchen (2215 India St.), eclectic
beers at Bottlecraft (2252 India St.) or boutique
wines at Vino Carta (2161 India St.).
NIGHT OWL ALERT
The heart of downtown is a
fun-filled urban playground for
good eats, drinks and dancing.
Dining
There’s Spanish tapas and
flamenco dancing at Cafe
Sevilla, an endless flow
of mesquite-grilled
meat at Rei do
Gado Brazilian,
24-hour comfort
grub at Brian’s
24, Neapolitan
pizzas at Biga and
dynamic American cuisine
and timeless cocktails on the
rooftop of Rustic Root.
Watering Holes
Discover craft beers and fine
bourbons at Barleymash,
frozen slushy drinks at Blush
Ice Bar, Irish beers, single
malts and music at The
Field and a great happy hour
at neighborhood haunt The
Commons Bar.
Nightlife
Florent Restaurant &
Lounge has superb DJs,
megaclub Omnia throws
Vegas-style dance parties,
while both Rooftop600 at
Andaz and Altitude Sky
Lounge at the Marriott
Gaslamp Quarter have bottle
service and great cityscape
views. Analog feels like a
1970s recording studio with a
disco ball, while Vin de Syrah
offers an underground Alice
in Wonderland experience.
GASLAMP
DISTRICT
Don’t miss the Carnitas’ Snack Shack
Embarcadero (1004 N. Harbor Drive)
for pulled pork sandwiches, burritos,
beers and live music.
Horton
Plaza Park
Stella Public
House
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