San Diego has long been famous for its coastal location and laid-back vibe—that’s part of its allure for meetings and conventions. Outdoor venues and rooftops continuously wow, the warm weather attracts clients year-round and new developments strengthen its meetings infrastructure.
While these reasons to bring meetings business to San Diego remain true, new motivations are emerging, including the rapidly expanding and evolving food scene.
Chefs have taken notice of the thousands of small farms in Greater San Diego and the thriving fishing community, which all provide super-fresh ingredients. Close proximity to the Mexican border brings delicious influence, too.
“There’s something that's really special about San Diego and the conversations that we're having,” remarked Allie Asuncion, senior director of site and client experience for San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA). “We have so many diverse cultures and cuisines that are represented here. There are so many people that move to San Diego. They come here to visit, they fall in love and then they end up moving here and then if they're a chef, they're like, ‘Oh my gosh, there's all this amazing seafood and gardens…and we have more than 5,000 small farms. They have a lot of resources to pull from.”
From its rising fine-dining scene to cultural influences and an unwavering commitment to the farm-to-table movement, here’s how you can bring the taste of San Diego into your next event.
San Diego's Regional Specialties
San Diego County has 5,000 small farms—more than any other county in the U.S.—and a robust fishing community that’s committed to fresh, sustainable seafood. Thus, the farm-to-table movement marches on strong in San Diego, shining through in the Baja California cuisine the city is well-known for.
Perhaps the signature dish of this cuisine type is the fish taco.
“When coming to San Diego, everybody asks, ‘Where can I get the best fish taco?’ Everybody wants to know that,” Asuncion said. “One of my favorite ones is from Oscar’s, for tacos and ceviche. And there's one that's located in Pacific Beach that's right next to the ocean. So, it couldn't feel any more fresh.”
Chefs are also taking the fresh ingredients from San Diego County farmers and applying them to different techniques and cuisine types. One such example is Callie, from San Diego native chef Travis Swikard, who uses San Diego fare to create Mediterranean coastline-inspired dishes. The restaurant is a great option for groups, offering full buyouts, an intimate private dining space for 18 and a rooftop with views of the San Diego skyline.
One of the best ways for meeting groups to get out and explore the local cuisine is to book food tours through So Diego. The tour operator does private tours for 10 or more guests through many of San Diego’s iconic neighborhoods and also offers a variety of cooking classes, including a session at a local farm in San Diego during which participants can experience farm-to-table first-hand. Themed food tours, brewery tours and more are also available.
[Related: How to Leverage San Diego’s Intellectual Capital for Meetings]
Foodie Neighborhoods in San Diego
San Diego’s distinct neighborhoods all feature their own flair and the cuisine to match.
“I think the cool thing about San Diego is we have all these diverse cuisines that are represented,” Asuncion said. “You can kind of get whatever you want when you come here.”
The Gaslamp District—comprised of 16 ½ walkable blocks steps from the San Diego Convention Center—is a perfect place for meeting attendees to start. According to SDTA, the district, which has origins going back to the mid-1800s, is on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to nearly 100 historic buildings that have been converted into restaurants, bars, hotels, art galleries and more. Some of the city’s hottest rooftop bars, trendiest restaurants and exciting entertainment venues are in the district, making it an ideal target for offsite networking and events.
For visitors that are craving the taste of Baja California and authentic Mexican food, Barrio Logan is a must. The neighborhood is the epicenter of Chicano culture in San Diego. Stop at Barrio Dogg for a Tijuana-style hot dog, or some of best tacos north of the border at Las Cuatro Milpas, which has been in business for over 90 years.
Little Italy is bursting with cozy restaurants and al fresco dining options. To sample a bit of everything, don’t miss a trip to Piazza della Famiglia, an Italian food hall with six locally driven food stations, a full-service restaurant, a donut cart, a mobile outdoor chefs’ area featuring pop-up cooking demonstrations and two full bars—all next to a 10,000-square-foot open-air piazza for a true Italian cafe experience. The food hall is also available for private events.
Asuncion counts the Convoy District a favorite among local foodies. One of the largest Pan-Asian business districts in the country, everything from Japanese ramen and Vietnamese banh mi to Korean fried chicken and Cantonese dim sum can be found here.
Of course, when in town for a convention, time may be limited to plan offsite events or work in free time for attendees to enjoy all of the incredible food San Diego’s distinct neighborhoods can offer. That’s when you can work with SDTA or various meeting and event venues to bring the food to you.
“A lot of our events like to create different stations,” Asuncion said. “We hosted PCMA in January 2024 and for our opening reception, we said, ‘Let's represent all of our diverse neighborhoods.’
“I think that's really what our clients want,” she continued. “They want to feel like they're in San Diego and eat like a local and have their attendees have that same experience.”
[Related: San Diego Shows Off Its Many Lures During PCMA Convening Leaders]
Restaurants on the Rise in San Diego
“San Diego has started to open some more trendy restaurants. Living here for 22 years, there’s always been cool restaurants and the food was good…but now it feels more like a big city, which is really exciting as a local, but also for our clients,” Asuncion said.
“They think, ‘Oh, it's just going to be a beach city experience, but then they see we have this very cool, trendy big-city vibe, and the big turning point for us is the food scene.”
Upscale options include Addison, which is the only restaurant with three Michelin stars in Southern California. San Diego also has three one-star Michelin restaurants: Jeune et Jolie (French), Soichi (sushi) and Valle (Mexican), as well as many Bib Gourmand and Michelin-recommended restaurants.
Talent breeds talent, and now San Diego boasts a variety of top chefs that only enhance the event experience. One is 2024 James Beard Award finalist Tara Monsod of event-capable Animae, known for her innovative Filipino cuisine.
Juniper & Ivy in Little Italy, originally founded by Top Chef’s Richard Blais, can also accommodate private dining requests and full restaurant buyouts. Offerings on the menu rotate based on local fare brought in from regional farmers and fishers.
Major restaurant groups also give meeting planners more unique options for buyouts and food experiences in San Diego. RMD Group and Puffer Malarkey are two that Asuncion says routinely work with major conventions in town.
Lumi from RMD group is a popular choice. The rooftop restaurant sits steps from the convention center and serves sushi and other Japanese fare, and can accommodate full buyouts. Huntress, a steakhouse on the level below, can also host private events.
Puffer Malarkey is well-versed in events at its restaurants, which include Animae, Herb & Wood (specializing in wood-fired dishes) and others.
[Related: 9 California Wineries Offering Outdoor Venues for Group Gatherings]
Breweries for Networking in San Diego
San Diego isn’t just well known for its food. The city is renowned for its beer scene, home to 150 craft breweries that often double as fun event spaces and post-meeting networking hangs. While it’s impossible to list them all here, some fan favorites for events include:
- Pure Project Brewery: With a heavy focus on organic ingredients and sustainability, Pure Project tries to ensure its brews live up to its name. The brewery has opened five locations in the San Diego area since debuting in 2016, and all have private event space with varying capacities.
- North Park Beer Co.: Hop-driven brews put San Diego on the map, and this award-winning brewing company got its start with one of the best in town, the Hop-Fu!, West Coast IPA. Its original location in the North Park neighborhood is now one of three and accommodates private events.
- Ballast Point Brewery: Brewing its first beer in 1996, Ballast Point Brewery has soared in popularity since. Two locations now stand in San Diego, Little Italy and Miramar, and have expanded beyond the city’s borders to Anaheim, Long Beach and San Francisco, too. All locations serve private events.
- Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens: In nearby Escondido, Stone Brewing has 36 beers on tap and claims to be one of the largest restaurant purchasers of local, small-farm organic produce in San Diego County. Indoor and outdoor spaces for private events are available.
Creative cocktails and mixology are also on the up in San Diego. Youngblood is this movement exemplified. This intimate speakeasy has no menu—instead, visitors are treated to a 90-minute cocktail experience where mixologists craft beverages based on your tastes.
