La Jolla Eats
When we go on vacation, we usually have 3 main goals: spend time as a family (a special treat with our often-conflicting work schedules), sleep as much as possible and sufficiently eat our way through our respective holiday locale.
For this particular vacay, we didn’t end up getting much sleep at all (late-night drive and sick day with little lovebug) but we definitely enjoyed our time together and our meals, even when it was takeout in our hotel room or cupcakes in bed 😉
Here are some of our all-time favorite places to dine in San Diego and the La Jolla area, where we usually stay.
(in no particular order, but Cups is first for a reason)
Cups: this is a MUST-DO if you’re visiting SD. They have a few gluten-free cupcake options each day, a vegan option, all real ingredients (I was excited to get a red velvet for Liv without Red #40), and almond milk for their coffee drinks- the hot coca is to diiiiieee for. They also have small and large cupcakes, but we usually don’t mess around and get a few of the big ones.
Cody’s: a great spot with an ocean view, fresh healthy food and inventive cocktails.
The Mission: an excellent breakfast spot with killer Mexican breakfasts and healthy options.
The Cottage: OUR FAVE. Another must-do, as it has something for everyone, including stuffed French toast, oatmeal pancakes, egg scrambles, gluten-free bread, and mimosas.
Isabel’s Cantina: incredible Latin-Asian fusion and the same combo of funky decor (a cool date night dinner spot)
Coffee Cup: another breakfast fave (also serves lunch). Super casual, with Mexican breakfast (the breakfast tamales are ridiculous)
Lean and Green: this time I ordered a Rainbow Wrap on gf tortilla (turkey, spinach, mayo, peppers, ??) and a green juice. While it’s fun to go all out on vacation, it’s also nice to enjoy the foods I love and eat at home, too.
Burger Lounge: this trip was a first time at Burger Lounge. The fries were glorious, but what stole my heart was the quinoa brown rice burger. It’s, hands down, the best veggie burger I’ve ever had. I’m already scheming of ways to replicate it.
Aroma Cafe: we stopped here for a quick dinner on our way back to the hotel and were pleasantly surprised. It has a classic menu (steaks, fish, salads, pasta) but everything we ordered was fantastic.
You can read some more of our favorite SD dining spots here (I can’t believe how tiny Liv was in those pics!!)!
Have you been to San Diego or the La Jolla area? If so, are there any spots we need to try next time?
Hope you’re enjoying the week so far!
xoxo
Gina
PS Thank you again to my lovely friends Anne, Monica, Theodora and Erin for guest posting while I was away <3
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Ahh love the family picture! You guys should take a family picture in that same spot year after year. 🙂
My dad lives in Newport Beach (Balboa Island) so next time I head down that way, I will totally try out that cupcake shop!! YUM!
The pictures are so beautiful and especially the one of you and the family, adorable!! I been to San Diego back in ’98 for 3 months to learn English and I absolutely loved it. I wasn’t focused on Food though so I have no idea about good restaurants unfortunately!!
Love the picture of you, the Pilot, and Liv! You look beautiful, and I LOVE Liv’s smile! So cute!
You’ve got to get that picture framed it’s adorable of all of you!
I’ve actually never been to San Diego, but it’s been a dream destination of mine!
All the food looks awesome, especially the cupcakes;)
Gina! Thanks for sharing the good places to go to in San Diego…………I am planning a long wknd there with a friend of mine……..we are looking at May or June to be there. Woot……….I can’t wait:)
Thanks for such fun pics and blogging—as usual!
George’s for a nicer dinner overlooking the cove!!!
Someone get me to Cali from south carolina asap please! 🙂
Hey Gina! Where do you all stay when you are in La Jolla? We’re going for a wedding this fall and need to find a family-friendly place to stay.
Thanks!
we’re stayed a few different places but haven’t found one we’re really crazy about. the empress is a great location and super low rates- we’re stayed there before. nothing too fancy, but it’s walking distance from everything
My husband and I live in San Diego, and brunch is probably my favorite meal. The Tractor Room is one of our favorites. h ey have really interesting brunch food (elk sausage) and amazing cocktails- which is really what brunch is about anyway!
Caroline’s in the shores! Really pretty view:)
I love SD! Thanks for sharing your top picks of places to eat. I can’t wait to check some of them out the next time I’m down there. 😀
There is a place at Point Loma called Con Pane. Like Beyond Bread, but much, much better, and smaller. Amazing!
I love visiting San Diego! My brother is stationed at Camp Pendleton and lives in Escondido and we always try new places in San Diego County. My favorite place to eat when visiting is Ali Baba’s in El Cajon. I love the baba ghanoush, the pitas, the shawarma….Yum. It is about a half hour drive from La Jolla, but I think it is worth it.
The picture of the three of you- absolutely precious!
LOVE San Diego!! Growing up we visited my grandma in Carlsbad at least 2-3 times a year. A recent discovery on our last trip was Oscar’s Mexican Seafood on the edge of La Jolla and PB. I cannot recommend this place enough- its a tiny hole in the wall with AMAZING food (especially the red snapper or other catch of the day tacos). We also love Point Loma Seafood and always get a crab sandwich right when we come in from the airport to go eat on the beach. Looking forward to adding your places to my list for my next trip!
I need to go to San Diego! One of the places on my “To Go” list! Love the pictures.
Gorgeous pictures – I am super jealous of all that glorious sunshine! Scoot it up North for me!
I have “visit California” on my bucket list and one of these days I will be going! I’ll have to bookmark all your recommendations so I know what to do if I go to that area. 🙂
Ummm can we talk about how I am drooling over those cupcakes?!
What hotel did you guys stay at and would you recommend? We’re visiting SD next week and don’t have a hotel yet!
What area of SD? It’s so spread out each area is very different from the other.
Downtown: Indigo Hotel, Hotel Solamar, Andaz Hotel, Hotel Palomar
La Jolla: La Valencia, Estancia, Grande Colonial, La Jolla Shores
Pacific Beach: Tower 23, Pacific Shores Inn, Crystal Pier Hotel
thanks, adrienne!!
Holy yum all that food looks deeelish! I’m extremely jealous. I am also extremely jealous of your Kardashian-esque hair – please tell us your secret! P.S. when did Liv get so big? And the Pilot ditched the stache – yay the hunk is back! 🙂
thank you!! i think that stopping blowdrying has helped a lot- it’s much healthier. i just let it air dry and curl it into waves with a curling iron
You need to try Hash House A Go Go at least once when in San Diego! They were on Food Network. Famous for breakfast foods (namely, pancakes) and rosemary chicken and waffles. Get kiwi watermelon lemonade too! Last time I was there for work we also tried the Saltbox for dinner and it was awesome.
LOVE those sunglasses!! where are they from??
your fam is too cute for words
Next time you’re in SD, try and venture out to Downtown (gas lamp), Hillcrest, Northpark and Pacific Beach area… lots and lots of places to eat, drink and see. 🙂
Hash house and House House A Go Go would be another place to add to your list
The Tractor Room is a local favorite 🙂
Maybe you should have a reader meet up next time you’re here heheh 🙂
I moved to San Diego about a year and a half ago and I LOVE it!
I would say a must try for your next visit would be Pannikin in La Jolla or Encinitas; Naked Cafe in Solana beach. So many good places!
My husband and I just moved to SD! He is stationed here for the next 2 years and we couldn’t be more excited. You MUST go to Sunday brunch at the Del (hotel del Coronado) on Coronado. It is to DIE for.. They offer a generous 25% military discount and you can’t beat the views.. My husband is a pilot too and our daughter is just a few months younger than Liv. We would love to show you guys around Coronado next time 😉
That picture of the three of you is so precious! All that food looks amazing. My fiance was in San Diego last spring and he said he had some of the best Mexican food ever!
I just bookmarked all of these on Yelp for when my husband and I move to San Diego next month!
For next time you’re there, I really liked Jake’s in Del Mar. (Not sure how far from La Jolla that is since I don’t know the area yet). Its right on the water and the food was good!
Burger Lounge is the BEST!!!
Also, congratulations on resisting writing Holla for La Jolla. Every time I read it I read it “LA HOLLLLA” in my head, because I am a grown up, obviously.
This post made me drool a little- everything looks amazing!! So glad you got to enjoy some awesome food… errr, I mean, family… time! 😉
We are going to SD in a few months so I’m saving this post for reference 🙂 Where did you guys stay in La Jolla? Not sure if we should stay in a hotel or rental.
YUM I want one of thos cupcakes..I love vacations. We are going to Florida in a couple months and I cant wait to get away!
Looks like you’re having such a great time as a family! Great recommendations if I ever make my way out west soon, those cupcakes look pretty incredible.
La Jolla is my favorite place in the world. When I graduate I plan on moving there to start/join a practice. I’ve vacationed there several times and am familiar with all the pictures you share!! Have you never gone to Sprinkles? My fam and I are Sprinkles fans, and once walked into cups, saw the ridiculously high price for a cupcake half the size of Sprinkles and decided to forgo. Maybe I should take another look? Also, our favorite is Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza. Go to any of their locations and it’s fanatastic. I can gaurantee it will be the best gluten free pizza you ever eat. And GET THERE CAESAR salad. OMG.
Those cupcakes look to die for! And your family is adorable as always 🙂
I’ve only been to California once in my life and that was WAY long ago when I was only 4 or 5 years old. We went to San Diego & Sacramento. However, my dad always traveled a lot for work and he always talked about how much he loved La Jolla. The family photo is super cute, love it.
Mozy’s cafe in Encinitas!!
I love that family pic! We really struggle to get one of the three of us with all smiling AND looking at the camera haha, well done you guys, well done 🙂 x
We used to be stationed at Edwards AFB in Cali and we would take day trips down to San Diego. I am a dessert fanatic (to put it mildly!) and this place is the BOMB:
http://www.extraordinarydesserts.com/balboapark.htm
The owner trained at Le Cordon Bleu, so she’s top notch!
When in La Jolla I always get my morning coffee from The Living Room http://livingroomcafe.net/
They have AMAZING desserts as well.
I also love George’s at the Cove for Dinner – excellent food, gorgeous view!
http://www.georgesatthecove.com/
The next time you are out here you have to try Guadalajara’s in Old Town. It is soooo good! My family loves it there. Their margaritas are THE BEST and they have a very colorful and festive patio area.
My sister-in-law used to own The Cottage. We were frequent guests, let’s just say 🙂 I even had my baby shower there. Glad to hear it is still delicious! Need to get back down there soon!!