Being green, health conscious and eco-savvy is always in fashion—especially when it comes to what we eat. Luckily for those of us who try to follow an all-natural diet, food options have made leaps and bounds from the wild rice, watercress and bean curd limitations of yesteryear.

Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, or a meat-eater striving to stay healthy, look no further than your own backyard. From organic restaurants to health food stores and Farmers’ Markets, discover our top picks for natural food sources in San Diego.

San Diego Green Restaurants

Nature's Express Restaurant and Market - Downtown
NE's menu offers organic, plant-based foods created without chemical preservatives, dyes, white flour, or refined white sugar, and features veggie burgers, sweet potato fries, gourmet salads, and slurpee-rific shakes. natures-express.com

Lean and Green - La Jolla
This eco-friendly eatery features a vegan and gluten-free sandwiches, salads and wraps. Plates, cups, and flatware are made of recycled, biodegradable materials, and orders are customized with a choice of veggies, meats, and organic beverages.

Veg-N-Out - North Park
Considered the original veggie burger spot of San Diego, Veg-N-Out is a small vegetarian/vegan restaurant offering veggie sandwiches, veggie hotdogs, soups and desserts prepared with unrefined sugar, sea salt, and organic canola oil. Note: this restaurant does offer non-vegan choices such as real cheese and egg-based mayo.

Spread - North Park
The hip Spread North Park restaurant serves predominantly vegetarian and vegan food, and offers rare fruits, vegetables, and edible flowers selected daily from Farmer's Markets around town. (pictured left)

The Linkery - North Park
The Linkery cares about their food sources. The menu details every history about a piece of meat, and winemakers get a personal visit from the Linkery's owners before their varietals make the list. Food is made by hand, including house-baked bread, organic mustard and sauerkraut, and hand-spun ice cream.

Notable mentions: Ranchos Natural Foods, Tender Greens

San Diego Grocers Markets

Jimbo's - Del Mar, Carlsbad, Escondido and 4S Ranch
There are a lot of natural food stores in San Diego, and Jimbo's is considered one of the best. The market offers organic foods, fresh produce, high quality meats, and is involved in the community—supporting schools, environmental groups, and educating on the benefits of eating naturally. jimbos.com

Whole Foods Market - La Jolla, Hillcrest
Whole Foods Market also sells high quality, nutritional and eco-friendly products. The market is known to specialize in the finest organic ingredients, freshness, safety, taste, nutritive value and appearance of their food. wholefoodsmarket.com

North Park Meat Company
Attached to The Linkery restaurant, NPMC features beef, goat, and lamb from farmers who grass-feed livestock and let the animals roam free on pastures—never receiving hormones, antibiotics, or unnatural enhancements. northparkmeatco.com

San Diego Farmers’ Markets

Carlsbad Village Farmers' Market and Food Fair
The Carlsbad Village Farmers' Market is California Certified, which means the vendors participating have been screened that the produce they are selling did indeed come directly from their farm— guaranteeing the freshest fruits and vegetables from local farmers. Open Wednesday: 1 pm-5 pm & Saturday: 9 am-1 pm. Visit the website here.

Hillcrest Farmers' Market:
Widely considered the best farmers’ market in San Diego, HFM’s selection of vegetables is gourmet-restaurant impressive. This market is also California Certified. Open Sunday: 9 am–2 pm. Visit the website here.

Notable Mentions: Escondido Farmers' Market, La Jolla Farmers' Market, Ocean Beach Farmers’ Market. To discover all farmers’ markets in San Diego, visit the official website here. (main photo source)

Insider Tip: Check out the All Vegan Market. This organic, all-natural boutique shop features shoes, chocolates, gifts and other items for the vegan, eco-chic crowd. Check out their site for 20 links to the best vegan/vegetarians restaurants, shopping, catering services and marketplaces. allveganshopping.com

Discover more ways to Go Green in San Diego.