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Dining in the North County tends to reflect the land where the restaurant is located. Along the coast, for example, there is one luxury fine-dining spot after another. Most have dramatic water views and offer platters of exquisite fare created by graduates of the best culinary schools. Right next door you can wander into a typic
Dining in the North County tends to reflect the land where the restaurant is located. Along the coast, for example, there is one luxury fine-dining spot after another. Most have dramatic water views and offer platters of exquisite fare created by graduates of the best c
Dining in the North County tends to reflect the land where the restaurant is located. Along the coast, for example, ther
Dining in the North County tends to reflect the land where the restaurant is located. Along the coast, for example, there is one luxury fine-dining spot after another. Most have dramatic water views and offer platters of exquisite fare created by graduates of the best culinary schools. Right next door you can wander into a typical beach shack or diner for the juiciest hamburger you’ve ever tasted. Locally sourced food can be found at restaurants throughout the area, although a few chefs have adopted molecular gastronomic techniques. Backcountry cuisine is generally served in huge portions and tends toward home-style cooking, steak and potatoes, burgers, and anything fried.
Indulge in the finer things in life at this AAA 5-Diamond, three-star Michelin restaurant by acclaimed chef William Bradley who serves up haute French flavors in his 10-course prix-fixe dinners that feature dishes like Kumamoto oysters or Osetra caviar with gold leaf, coffee-roasted duck or tender calotte de boeuf with escargot. Beyond the swanky bar and wine cave is a sophisticated Tuscan-style dining room with intricately carved dark woods, marble pillars, and arched windows draped in red velvet. While the menu changes seasonally, count on impressive presentation and a first-class dining experience that comes with a heavy price tag (10 courses, $355; with wine pairing $710). Addison delights wine lovers with more than 3,500 varietals from around the world.
5200 Grand Del Mar Way, Del Mar, California, 92130, USA
Valle de Guadalupe has arrived in Oceanside thanks to executive chef Roberto Alcocer who brings the flavors of Baja directly to the beach. This Michelin-star chef prepares four- and eight-course tasting menus paired with the best of Valle’s robust wines. Since every dish is dialed in, you won’t find salt on the table, nor will substitutes be considered. This culinary experience is worth every bite—and dollar—for an unforgettable evening that will likely last three hours. The seasonal menu may feature lobster tacos, crab on tostada, Baja raised quail, and tiger shrimp with serrano remoulade. For next-level dining, request the 12-course Chef’s Table dining experience on Friday and Saturday evening.
222 N. Pacific St., Oceanside, California, 92054, USA
Directly across from Oceanside Pier, Oceanside’s most upscale restaurant specializes in seafood dishes and upscale comfort food in an elegant, art-deco setting; it’s worth visiting for the ocean views and appetizers and sides like charred Brussels sprouts and lamb lollipops. If you're thirsty, start with a drink from the menu of more than 120 vodkas that make up exotic cocktails like the Spicy Pineapple, Pear Blossom, and Cali Mango. Sweet tooths should save room for the New York cheesecake with bourbon cherry glaze.
It's best to make a reservation since this place can get busy, especially during weekly promotions and happy hour.
The appropriately named AVANT—meaning stylistically advanced and original—delivers contemporary California cuisine—duck, lobster, lamb, fish, or the pride of AVANT, Wagyu beef—in an upscale setting. Dark woods, leather chairs, and pillar-candle chandeliers adorn the mission-style dining room, and the upper-level bar shakes up handcrafted cocktails with their own double-barrel reposado tequila. Start with the artisanal cheese platter with a side or Parker rolls sprinkled with sea salt and rosemary. The crudo bar draws a crowd with fresh oysters and ceviche. For a VIP experience, reserve AVANT Table 65 where chefs prepare dinner in a private demonstration kitchen for up to 12 guests.
17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr., Rancho Bernardo, California, 92128, USA
Live piano music, crystal chandeliers, and leather tufted chairs set the stage at this fine-dining restaurant for a delectable menu that includes market oysters, scallops with squash blossoms, free-range chicken with bourbon glaze, and braised beef short ribs. For a sweet conclusion, try the warm butter cake or the decadent chocolate torte.
417 W. Grand Ave., Escondido, California, 92025, USA
Carl Schroeder, one of California's hottest young chefs, draws well-heeled foodies to his creative and locally sourced California fare, much of it with an Asian influence from his time in Japan. The three-course tasting menu changes regularly depending upon what's fresh, but Schroeder's seasonally inspired dishes have a playful spirit, whether it's a gorgonzola soufflé with strawberry-rhubarb compote, a grapefruit-avocado salad, or miso-glazed cod with ramen noodles and snap pea tempura. A well-edited wine list offers food-friendly wines by the best and brightest winemakers around the world. Desserts change monthly, if you're in luck, they'll be serving the strawberry crepes or the chocolate butterscotch tasting.
3702 Via de la Valle, Del Mar, California, 92014, USA
Wealthy regulars who have dined at this elegant Rancho Santa Fe eatery since 1985 got a pleasant surprise when chef Brandon Jennings took over the kitchen in 2022, bringing a sophisticated take on their favorite comfort classics. Devotees can still enjoy Mille Fleurs favorites like Wiener schnitzel and lobster salad, but new highlights include seasonal dishes prepared with ingredients from neighboring Chino Farms like roasted dover sole with potato fondant, or veal porterhouse with roasted mushrooms. The quiet dining rooms are decorated like a French villa, and several servers will present your dish in flawless French. Save room for desserts by Executive pastry chef, Papa Moussa, which might include chocolate fondant, apple crumble tart, or homemade mini-pastries.
6009 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe, California, 92067, USA
Across the street from the Del Mar racetrack, this classic old-fashioned, family-owned, steak and seafood house is a high-roller's heaven and a perennial favorite with jockeys celebrating their wins. The food is simple but good, and the menu highlights roasted prime rib in addition to filet mignon, pan-fried scallops, and such starters as lobster bisque and jumbo shrimp on ice. Everyone from the pianist to the waitresses is well aware that smiles and prompt service can result in tips as generously sized as the gigantic Australian lobster tails that the menu demurely lists at "market price."
550 Via de la Valle, Solana Beach, California, 92075, USA
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