Market Fresh San Diego Restaurants

Known for its perennial sun and mild seasonal temperature swings, San Diego’s local organic farms are able to harvest a wide array of crops all year, giving restaurants access to daily market fresh food. According to Today’s Dietician: The Magazine for Nutritional Experts, the number of farms ranging in size from 1 to 9 acres continues to steadily increase in San Diego, now making it the number one county in California for small farms. This local food trend is exemplified in restaurants’ participation in this strengthening holistic and organic-minded movement.

Whether growing their own produce or retrieving sustainable seafood and hormone-free livestock from local seas and ranches, these prime picks and indigenous eats are creating innovative, seasonal and guilt-free cuisine.

Discover our top healthy eating spots that adopted the farm-to-table attitude.

Alchemy — South Park

With seasonal, local foods and contemporary cooking techniques, this restaurant continues to usher up all types of holistic buzz around San Diego since opening in 2009. Colorful, consistent, and manageably priced, Alchemy service and décor is marked as modern, artistic, and comfortable. Serving organic and hyper-local fresh ingredients, Alchemy is dishing out tempting tastes for sustainability-enthusiasts. The “cultural fare” includes dishes from around the world, prepared by Chef Ricardo Heredia, such as European Burek ($6) and Schnitzel ($8), Latin and Caribbean Lengua Tacos ($6) and Pastelillos de Carne ($7), and Asian Thai Fried Chicken ($8) and Oxtail Pho ($11). With a purpose to serve meaningful food prepared by people who care, the restaurant is also considered an exhibition space, supporting not only local food and drink, but also artists. Make sure to check out the Wednesday night Vegetarian Farm Dinner ($25 per person), which includes a three-course farmer’s market dinner full of the best of the seasons produce created new each week.

Arterra Restaurant — Del Mar / Carmel Valley

Located in the San Diego Marriott Del Mar, this restaurant boasts to be “one of the first (in San Diego) to bring the field to fork concept to the table.” With made-from-scratch, flavorful, and authentic ingredients served within its warm, sleek space, Arterra Restaurant and its chefs are award-winning. Featuring handpicked items from local vendors, the menus shift weekly. Chef Tony Miller highlights season-inspired dishes. Whether it’s sushi, salmon, or farmer’s market soup, guests can trust it to be fresh. Dine indoors, outside in lounge chairs and cabanas by fire pits, or at the sushi bar. And look out for ongoing daily specials and music events.

Café Chloe — Downtown

Founded by three partners as passionate about food as they are about tea and wine, this charming, French-feeling restaurant provides local, organic teas and cuisine. The bistro- and brunch-styled fare created from sustainable meats and produce is paired with a romantic, classy, and intimate atmosphere that could make you feel like you’ve travelled straight to a Parisian café. Decorated with light-lavender and white walls, quaint sculptures and pictures, and dark hardwood floors, this is a charming place to go for afternoon tea or brunch. Stop by for some “urban tea” time, a glass of wine paired with aromatic cheeses, a sandwich, housemaid cakes, cookies, or other sweets. It may be a little on the pricier side, but many would say it is well worth the experience.

FleetWood — Gaslamp / East Village

Thursdays just got infinitely better, as FleetWood’s new Market Fresh Dinner gives us another noble reason to get the weekend started early. At 6pm every Thursday, this sleek downtown bar, restaurant, and lounge brings farm fresh food from local markets to create season-sensitive meals. Handpicked from FleetWood's prestigious chefs themselves, these vibrant medleys are crafted to create an innovative $30 three-course dinner that changes weekly. With nine flat-screen HD televisions, two large HD projection screens, and an outdoor patio, this restaurant located near the ballpark is giving guests the chance to experience far-to-fork tastes in the urban ambiance of Downtown.

Jsix Restaurant — Gaslamp / East Village

Jsix Restaurant is a downtown rooftop bar, lounge, and dining restaurant. With sincere and innovative cuisine prepared by Chef Christian Graves, you can expect made-from-scratch items with vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. Winner of OpenTable.com’s Diners’ Choice Award, Jsix has been called an “urban cocktail oasis.” The Chef is known for his local, fresh, and seasonal “slow food”-inspired dishes. With a trademark of purity, grass-fed meats, sustainable seafood, organic produce from nearby farms, and even its own herb garden on the rooftop, this place takes the San Diego gold for being earth-friendly. With an emphasis on local cuisine and people, show your driver’s license with your 92101 zip code to get 10 percent taken off your bill — now that’s what I call a local-minded restaurant. Be sure to check out the cosmopolitan rooftop lounge with its fire pits, cabanas, and sparkling pool.

Kensington Grill and Cucina Urbana — Kensington

Known for its strong commitment to seasonality and sustainability, Kensington Grill’s organic and local products make it an award-winning jewel. With an affordable wine list, local artisan beers, and house-made infused liquors and specialty cocktails, this place attracts a hip, local crowd. A restaurant in the Urban Kitchen Group, Kensington has a partner restaurant called Cucina Urbana in Bankers Hill. Check out their pre-fixed or family-style menus and hors d’oeuvre selections here. Whether looking for raw, fresh, organic, local, and sustainable products or just looking to eat some good grub, these two spots are worth making a reservation.  

Kitchen 1540 — Del Mar

With Oscar Wilde’s quote “I hate people who are not serious about their meals” on Kitchen 1540’s website, it’s clear this place cares about genuine, savor-worthy food. Dedicated to perfecting the latest seasonal menu, Kitchen 1540 received multiple awards, from California Restaurant Association’s “Best Hotel Restaurant” to Wine Spectator Magazine’s “Award of Excellence.” Its farm-to-plate cuisine allows guests to sample the freshest produce, seafood, and meats full of color, nutrition, and flavor. With evening choices ranging from Organic Beet Salad ($9), Diver Scallops ($13), to Farmer’s Market Vegetable Tasting ($19), the seasonal variety produce is served in a modern, comfortable, and fine-dining atmosphere. It’s the perfect place to impress that local-minded date.

Whisknladle — La Jolla

Since opening its doors in 2008, Whisknladle has been committed to serving sensational food that changes according to season. Inspired by Julia Child’s quote, “You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces, just good food from fresh ingredients,” this restaurant does just that. Whether going for dinner, lunch, or brunch, this quality-food driven spot’s menu and prices continue to change according to the season and local food availability. Some examples of tasty eats are Steak Tartare ($18), Grilled Octopus Salad ($15.40), Local Venus Clams ($18.50), Local Line Caught Albacore Tuna ($29.80), and Grilled House Made Spicy Sausage, Salty Rib & Pork Belly ($27.40). Are you hungry yet? Named in tribute to an underground Brooklyn Supper Club, Whisknladle hosts a monthly supper club on the last Wednesday of the month.

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