Tucked into Garnet Avenue between Ingraham and Jewell, Pacific Beach hides one of its best kept secrets: Costa Brava. Equal parts Spanish restaurant, wine cellar, and tapas bar, Costa Brava boasts incredible flavors - and a romantic back patio - that will keep you coming back.
Start off with the ensaladilla verde, ensuring you have plenty of time to look over the menu while you warm up your tastebuds with fresh greens and crusty bread with garlic aioli. Costa's most popular tapas are never lacking in presentation or zest. Check out the pinchitos morunos (marinated lamb skewers) and pollo al ajillo (chicken sautéed in garlic and wine sauce), or consider the championes al ajilla (mushrooms sautéed in garlic and wine) before adding on an order of the patatas a la brava (spicy potatoes).
For your first full meal at Costa Brava, try out the seafood paella with tangy lemon, the marinated chicken, or one of their well-known Spanish omelettes. Other impressive dishes from their menu include smooth mussels, shrimp in garlic sauce, and chorizo sausage. Pair it up with a Spanish beer recommendation from the knowledgeable waitstaff - or a carafe of their delicious and infamous sangria - and enjoy long conversations on the patio or an unforgettable first date set indoors.
Perhaps the most impressive part about Costa Brava, even more so than the flan or the extensive library of wine, is that it doesn't feel at all like you're in PB. Softly lit, mellow, and removed from all the hype, Costa Brava is a little oasis in the melee of Pacific Beach.
If you're ordering for take-out, be sure to inquire as to what foods will be compatible with styrofoam containers - while they can't prevent it from tipping in the car, Costa Brava definitely doesn't skimp on presentation.
Insider tip: The menu is in Spanish - brush up on that vocab, amigos!
Discover San Diego Hotels