THE SAN DIEGO MASTER LIST IS OFFICIALLY LIVE!!

I first came up with the idea to write this post because of the amount of messages I get asking for San Diego pouring in & it’s really an IMPOSSIBLE thing to answer. I have lived in San Diego since I was 6 years old & have lived all over the place: Del Mar, Solana Beach, Cardiff, North Park, South Park, & NOW- LA MESA. When you say “San Diego”, technically you’re referring to downtown- but there is SO much more to San Diego that is WORTH seeing!!

When I think San Diego, I think anywhere from Downtown to Oceanside & I just really wanted to cover all the bases.

I started the list with just my favorites & as I was done, I realized this was kinda weak. I haven’t been everywhere, haven’t lived in North County in years (so I don’t know all the new hot spots), & I also am not the one to ask when it comes to NIGHTLIFE- so I polled my audience.

& HOLY SHIT- DID THEY COME THROUGH!!! I got so many great recommendations of new places I want to try & little gems I forgot I loved. I sifted through every single one of them, eliminating the places I personally don’t think need to be on the list, making sure this was only repping the CREME DE LA CREME of San Diego (very few were eliminated, FYI!).

ALSO- v proud of the organization of this post!! To make sure it’s easy to read/reference- I created different categories & under those categories are drop-downs based on location. The beauty & wellness category is an exception as I organized this by service since most people would travel for a game changing beauty service! You can also click on most of these restaurants/stores/salons/etc to check out there Instagram!

NOTE: anything with a * indicated something I personally recommend, things I like to do in SD, & all of my past & present SD faves! IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO THIS MASTER LIST, PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!!

The Fashionlush Guide to San Diego (Master List)

CUTEST NEIGHBORHOODS

Downtown San Diego

If you're coming to San Diego for the nightlife & tourist attractions, Downtown is the place to stay!

Little Italy

Little Italy is close to down, a bit more tamer (although parking is a bitch!) & the spot to go if you're a foodie.

North Park | South Park | Hillcrest | Barrio Logan

THE HIPSTER HOOD:

+ North Park: great food, shopping, hip brunch spots, trendy bars, & tons of instagrammable spots!
+ South Park: also hip, but a bit smaller then North Park! A great place to live.
+ Hillcrest: home to all the best gay bars in San Diego & just a really fun vibe! Going out in Hillcrest is always a good time.
+ Barrio Logan: if you love ART, culture, Mexican street corn (my fave!), & eclectic shopping- Barrio Logan is the spot!

La Jolla | Pacific Beach | Ocean Beach

BEACH VIBES!

+ La Jolla: if you're looking for something a little beachy, a little bougie- you will love La Jolla!
+ Pacific Beach: think college kids by the beach & lots of partying!!
+ Ocean Beach: think hippies by the beach & lots of weed smoking ;).

Del Mar | Rancho Santa Fe

FOR MORE OF A FAMILY VIBE:

+ Del Mar: a great spot for a family vacay by the beach! Cute restaurants, fun bars, & chic hotels.
+ Rancho Santa Fe: where all the fancy people live with some HUGE houses & a few relaxing resorts to check out.

Cardiff | Encinitas | Carlsbad | Oceanside

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THAT "ANIMAL KINGDOM" EXPERIENCE... KEEP IT COASTAL:

+ Cardiff: the dreamiest little beach town & my personal fave!
+ Encinitas: the mecca of North County & home to all the hippest bars/shopping in that area!
+ Carlsbad & Oceanside: in the past these haven't always been the "hot spots" but SO many cute restaurants & shops are opening up here. Also- Animal Kingdom was actually filmed in Oceanside!

+ *Better Buzz Hillcrest
+ *Holsem Coffee North Park
+ Deja Brew North Park
+ Holy Matcha North Park
+ *Coffee + Tea Collective North Park
+ *Communal Coffee North Park & South Park
+ *Cafe Madeline South Park
+ *Cafe Motto Barrio Logan
+ *Por Vida Barrio Logan

Downtown | Little Italy

+ Coava Coffee Downtown
+ Holy Matcha East Village
+ *Coffee & Tea Collective East Village
+ *Copa Vida East Village & Little Italy
+ *James Coffee Co Little Italy
+ *Lofty Coffee Little Italy

Other Hidden Gems

+ *SquareBar Kearny Mesa
+ *Public Square Coffee House La Mesa
+ *S3 Coffee Bar Mission Gorge

+ Hundred Proof North Park
+ The Mission North Park
+ *Breakfast Republic North Park
+ *Trust North Park
+ *Kindred South Park
+ *The Rose South Park
+ Fig Tree Cafe Hillcrest
+ Breakfast Bitch Hillcrest
+ *The Great Maple Hillcrest
+ *Madison on Park University Heights

Downtown | Little Italy

+ *Luca Downtown
+ Searsucker Downtown
+ Tom Ham's Lighthouse Downtown
+ *Breakfast Republic East Village
+ *Morning Glory Little Italy
+ *Farmers Table Little Italy
+ Nolita Hall Little Italy
+ *Herb & Wood Little Italy

Other Hidden Gems

+ *Farmers Table La Mesa
+ The Waffle Spot Mission Valley
+ *The Yellow Deli Vista

+ *Jakes Del Mar
+ Sbicca Del Mar
+ *Board & Brew (grab a sandwich & go to the beach!) Del Mar
+ North Italia One Paseo in Del Mar
+ Cucina Enoteca Del Mar
+ *Flower Child Solana Beach
+ *The Crack Shack Encinitas
+ *Buono Forchetta Encinitas
+ The Taco Stand Encinitas
+ Death By Tequila Encinitas
+ *Jeune Et Jolie Carlsbad
+ *Harumama Carlsbad
+ Blackrail Kitchen + Bar Carlsbad
+ *Campfire Oceanside
+ *Wrench & Rodent Oceanside
+ *Felix's Barbeque Oceanside
+ *Harney Sushi Oceanside

North Park | South Park | Hillcrest | Mission Hills

+ *Poke One Half North Park
+ Mama's Bakery North Park
+ *Underbelly North Park
+ *El Zarape North Park
+ *Alexanders on 30th North Park
+ The Taco Stand North Park
+ *Soda & Swine North park
+ *55 Thai South Park
+ *Buono Forchetta South Park
+ *Tajima Ramen Hillcrest
+ *Karinas Mexican Seafood Mission Hills

Little Italy

+ *Barbusa Little Italy
+ Cucina Urbana Little Italy
+ The Lions Share Little Italy
+ *Monello (order anything in the parm wheel!) Little Italy
+ Born & Raised Little Italy
+ *Harumama Little Italy
+ *Cafe Gratitude Little Italy
+ Isola Pizza Bar Little Italy
+ Starlite Little Italy
+ Juniper and Ivy Little Italy
+ *The Crack Shack Little Italy
+ Kettner Exchange Little Italy
+ Cloak & Petal Little Italy

Downtown San Diego

+ Lola 55 East Village
+ The Taco Stand Downtown
+ Cowboy Star Downtown
+ Eddy V's Downtown
+ Coasterra Downtown
+ Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant Bankers Hill
+ Volcano Rabbit Downtown

Other Hidden Gems

+ *Banbu La Mesa
+ Serea Coastal Cuisine @ the Hotel Del in Coronado
+ Donburi Kitchen Clairemont
+ J Wata Clairemont

+ *The Sugar Factory Downtown
+ *Ghiradelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop Downtown
+ *Extraordinary Deserts Little Italy & Bankers Hill
+ Salt + Straw Little Italy
+ iDessert by Jean Philippe Little Italy
+ Frost Me Gourmet Little Italy
+ Le Parfait Paris Liberty Station in Point Loma
+ *Hammond's Ice Cream Point Loma

Clairemont

+ *BingHaus
+ Somi Somi Soft Serve
+ MNGO Cafe
+ Cake de Partie
+ Cauldron Ice Cream

WHERE TO SHOP

La Jolla | Pacific Beach | Ocean Beach

+ *Mimi & Red La Jolla
+ UTC Mall La Jolla
+ *LF La Jolla
+ Propsect Ave (window shopping at it's finest! La Jolla
+ Trendy & Tipsy Pacific Beach
+ Dreamgirls Ocean Beach

Del Mar | Solana Beach | Encinitas | Oceanside

+ *Pigment Del Mar
+ One Paseo Del mar
+ *Van De Vort Solana Beach
+ *Cedros Design District a street of shopping in Solana Beach
+ Swirl Boutique Encinitas & Carlsbad
+ *The Forum Carlsbad
+ Studio 1220 Carlsbad
+ *Captains Helm vintage Oceanside
+ *Sea Hive Marketplace (antique/vintage mall!) Oceanside

North Park | South Park | University Heights

+ *Pigment North Park
+ *Love & Aesthetics North Park
+ *Mimi & Red North Park
+ *Hunt & Gather North Park
+ *Grafitti Beach South Park
+ *Vinyl Junkies South Park