10 Restaurants That Prove San Diego Is One Tasty City

San Diego‘s food scene is seriously killing it right now. The days when a satisfying meal meant either queueing up for an In ‘n’ Out Burger or hoofing it all the way up to L.A. have been relegated to the dustbin of history. Downtown is now crammed with hip eateries as are ‘hoods like Little Italy, Mission Hills and North Park. Grab a knife and fork and prepare to chow down—at your own leisurely pace of course. No one’s in a hurry in this relaxed surf town.

The young and beautiful who’ve had it with L.A.’s constant neck craning have a new place to stand and model, and that’s atop the rooftop bar at swanky cool Rustic Root in the heart of the city’s Gaslamp District. Nevermind that there’s an entire restaurant below boasting all kinds of tasty Cal fare including lobster pappardelle, a rustic shepherd’s pie and potato-crusted sea bass; all the action is up above, where diners are content to drink their way through dinner while pausing to nosh on apps like bacon-wrapped opah belly and firecracker shrimp.