North County and Around Restaurants

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.

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  • 1. Addison

    $$$$

    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
    858-314–1900

    Known For

    • Decadent tasting menus
    • Impeccable service
    • San Diego’s first Michelin-starred restaurant

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
  • 2. Jeune et Jolie

    $$$

    Say "bonjour" to this delightful French restaurant with a Breakfast at Tiffany’s vibe, where pink velvet booths and a center bar with an absinthe tower will leave you thinking you’ve died and gone to Paris. The French-inspired, four-course menu changes with the season, but expect labor-of-love cuisine like veal tartare, rabbit with spring peas, or duck with fig and black truffle; embrace the moment with ibérico ham and caviar or fresh-shucked oysters. Add the wine pairing for $75 and savor your meal beneath olive trees and twinkling stars.

    2659 State St., Carlsbad, California, 92008, USA
    760-637–5266

    Known For

    • Cocktails inspired by the French Belle Epoque
    • Raw oyster bar
    • Four-course tasting menu

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
  • 3. Mille Fleurs

    $$$$

    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
    858-756–3085

    Known For

    • Fresh produce from neighboring Chino Farms
    • Authentic French desserts
    • Soft jazz in the piano bar Wednesday–Saturday

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch. Closed Mon., Reservations essential
  • 4. Pamplemousse Grille

    $$$

    One of North County's best restaurants, across the street from the Del Mar Fairgrounds and racetrack, offers French cuisine with California flare. Chef-proprietor Jeffrey Strauss brings a caterer's sensibilities to the details, like a mix-or-match selection of sauces—such as wild mushroom, béarnaise, au jus, grain mustard, or peppercorn—to complement the simple but absolutely top-quality grilled meats and seafood. Appetizers can be very clever, like the Kim Chee seafood martini. Whatever you do, save room for dessert; you can watch the pastry chef build it for you at the demonstration area in the dining room. Popular sweet endings include apple tart tatin and chocolate peanut-butter bombe. The comfortable rooms are painted with murals of bucolic country scenes, and the service is quiet and professional.

    514 Via de la Valle, Solana Beach, California, 92075, USA
    858-792–9090

    Known For

    • Exceptional service
    • Comprehensive wine list and great martinis
    • Traditional French sauces to accompany entrées

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
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