San Diego LGBT Weekly wanted to take a close look at the restaurant offerings in the expanded gayborhood. We ate our way through Mission Hills, Bankers Hill, Hillcrest, University Heights, North Park, Adams Avenue and South Park. Needless to say, we had to make our “Foodies’ Delight” feature have a part two in our next issue. This week, take a look at what we liked in Mission Hills and Bankers Hill. We also spent a day only dining in Hillcrest, which is easy to do given the 180 different eating establishments!
The Hills are alive with the sound of munching. The neighborhoods of Mission Hills and Bankers Hill are offering food delights for Uptown/Midtown residents and beyond. While the two areas house some of the most affluent residents in the central city, they each have a variety of choices that appeal to all price points. Let’s take a hike through the culinary trails of Mission Hills and Bankers Hill.
Mission Hills
The oldest and most affluent neighborhood in Uptown, Mission Hills offers an eclectic mix of restaurant and food options. Whether it is buying artisanal cheeses at Venissimo, buying the freshest seafood at Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill or enjoying a nice meal at Brooklyn Girl, Mission Hills offers a variety of options.
The neighborhood is separated into two sections; north and south. However, Mission Hills extends west and includes the northernmost section of India Street. That means restaurants like Starlite, Saffron Noodles and Sate, as well as the Shakespeare Pub and Grille are all in Mission Hills.
Let’s start with two specialty shops that are two of the best in the city. First is Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill. Whether you are looking for the freshest seafood in San Diego or the more plebian fried calamari lunch, Blue Water is the place. After all, its motto is “All we do is fish.” Located on India Street just south of Washington, the restaurant offers a variety of grilled fish with sauces that you can mix and match. All are delicious and extremely fresh. There is also a nice seafood market where you can buy all types of fresh fish that you can take home to prepare. Make a quick trip down Washington Street and treat yourself. While most of the prepared fish plates and sandwiches are reasonably priced ($7.50 – $18.50), the fresh seafood for purchase is more expensive than your local grocery store but definitely worth it. There is usually a line at lunch and dinner but you can bypass the line if you are just buying seafood to prepare at home.
Venissimo: All the best cheese from all over the world. The Venissimo tagline does not mislead as the variety of cheeses offered at the Mission Hills location is phenomenal. Almost hidden on Washington Street between Eagle and Falcon, Venissimo can be easily overlooked. That would be your loss. The shop offers an abundant selection of pasteurized, goat, sheep, raw, cow and even vegetarian cheeses. You can taste any cheese you may be considering to purchase to ensure it meets your palate. The staff is friendly and unintimidating; Venissimo is an upscale cheese emporium with a laid back attitude. Say cheese.
Mission Hills also offers a few of the better culinary options in Uptown. Brooklyn Girl is a chic, farm-to-table, restaurant located at the corner of Goldfinch and Fort Stockton streets. A mid-sized space which has a few communal tables, as well as your traditional four and two tops, the menu offers an eclectic mix that reflects the neighborhood, as well as its owners. Try the black mussel pot, the brined pork chop, an upscale pizza or down oysters at the new oyster bar. Brooklyn Girl serves lunch and dinner, as well as a great brunch menu on weekends. Rated one of the best restaurants in San Diego, Brooklyn Girls’ first year has been absolutely amazing. And scrumptious.
The Wellington Steak and Martini Lounge will satisfy your desire for a big piece of meat. Entering the Washington Street eatery is like stepping back in time; in a good way. The restaurant definitely has a retro feel with an emphasis on creating a small modern version of the lounges your parents probably frequented. In fact, a better description is you will feel like you just stepped into a film noir. The menu boasts traditional steakhouse fare but also features its name sake Beef Wellington, a fresh local catch, as well as specialty Charolais steaks and cuts from Harris Ranch. Relax, have a specialty martini and enjoy a lovely dinner at your hyper local steakhouse.
For uber cuisine, try the hidden treasure the Wine Vault & Bistro located at 3731 India Street. Tucked away from the street and upstairs, this great restaurant has everything a gourmand could want; great food, wine and company. The restaurant hosts wine dinners the first half of the week and prix-fixe menus the second half of the week. Due to special events and a somewhat flexible dinner schedule, call ahead to find out what is being served on any particular evening. While most of the menu would be considered by many a little high brow, the food is incredible. Of course, with wine in their restaurant name, the selection of vino is also good. Dinner with a wine flight will run you about $50/person, so it is really a special night out. I would make a few recommendations but given the seasonality of the ever-changing menu, I don’t want you to be disappointed that a dish is no longer in season. The daughter of the owners is a vegan and hosts vegan cooking classes and pop-up brunches. You vegans out there have got to try it! Just rest assured, once you go to the Wine Vault it is an experience you won’t forget. By the way, the restaurant is 21 years old and up only. Plan ahead or you won’t get in. The Wine Vault is not a restaurant you can call for dinner tonight; you need to make reservations at least three days in advance.
While there are other new entries in the upscale restaurant category in Mission Hills, like the recently opened The Patio, the neighborhood also offers mid-range and fast food options. For example, there is an excellent pizza place; Lefty’s Chicago Pizza. Just like the real pizza fight between Chicago and New York, it all comes down to thin crust or deep dish. While Lefty’s, on Goldfinch between Washington and Fort Stockton, offers thin crust, most people go for the deep dish. While not exactly like a true deep dish Chicago pizza, it’s pretty close and tastes good. Lefty’s also offers a traditional Chicago hot dog that cannot be beat. I go frequently just to get a small taste of home. Just don’t add ketchup to your dog or you’ll find yourself out on the street.
Around the corner is Izakaya Masa in a small strip mall on the corner of Fort Stockton and Hawk. This intimate eatery serves the equivalent of tapas; small, delicious plates of Japanese food. Once you get past some of the misspellings on the menu, you will have an authentic Japanese experience. Traditional appetizers like kimchee and gyoza are complimented by the more exotic monkfish liver and octopus. Order Teisyoku which is basically a mix and match bento box, or noodles, rice or tempura. Have premium sake and start a conversation with one of your favorite sushi chefs who eat here after work; trust me. The priciest entrée is $12. Izakaya Masa is open from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., Tuesday through Saturday.
Also check out Luche Libre Gourmet Taco Shop at 1810 W. Washington Street which is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Whether it is a vegetarian breakfast burrito with soyrizo, a traditional carne asada or pollo asado taco or a steak, shrimp and French fry burrito, you can’t go wrong with the portions, prices or taste. Eat in the kitschy dining room or order take out. Luche Libre was featured on Food Network’s Man vs. Food and is very popular for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night. Go in wearing a lucha mask and get a special discount.
Want to have a real throwback Thursday? Visit the traditional ‘50s Midwestern diner The Huddle for breakfast or brunch. Open from 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, this hole in the wall offers traditional breakfast and brunch dishes, as well as entrees like hamburgers and fried chicken and waffles. What makes The Huddle a Mission Hills staple is a combination of inexpensive traditional American food, eccentric Mission Hills residents, homemade items like jams and cinnamon rolls and friendly staff.
Sometimes part of the fun of eating has almost nothing to do with the food. If you are an inpatient urban dweller, looking for a trendy experience and new cosmopolitan food have fun at Snooze. Just remember The Huddle is the anti-Snooze and is always highly rated online. For those who are adventuresome and looking for a stripped down experience, try The Huddle one morning.
Bankers Hill
The corner of Fifth and Laurel is the food capital of Bankers Hill. It represents the new, as well as the old tried and true Bankers Hill eating establishments. First, there is Bertrand at Mister A’s, a San Diego institution located on the top of the business building at 2550 Fifth Ave. Mister A’s is an upscale eatery where you come for the food but stay for the view. Ranked as one of the best view restaurants in the nation, you can dine on black truffle mac and cheese, kobe burger, lamb chops or Maine lobster strudel at lunch; satisfy your taste buds with selections like heirloom tomato salad with herbed burrata, roasted pork belly, Mediterranean paella, short ribs or duck breast. You get the idea, high brow and a price commensurate with what is being served. Mister A’s is definitely a special occasion restaurant, like when your parents are in town and are paying, or when the person staying with you for a week wants to treat you for dinner, or if you are taking a client out on your company’s dime. The theater prix-fixe menu lets you get out with a bill of about $60 including wine. Mister A’s will also give you an opportunity to dress for dinner, while lunch is a bit more business casual. It is also a great place for casual afternoon drinks just to experience the view. Call ahead for reservations and dress code.
Kitty-corner from Mister A’s is the chic, Cucina Urbana, an Italian oasis offering a variety of dishes to satisfy any palate. First, all wine is sold at low retail prices with a corkage fee of $8; you can browse the wine shop located just off the main dining room. With the first sip of wine, you are already ahead in the cost department. The California inspired Italian eatery boasts gourmet pizzas ($15), innovative pastas that can also be ordered family style to save money and great piattis ($17-28) like sausage crusted veal, a whole fish of the day or jidori chicken. Cucina Urbana has been the place since it opened in 2009. Reservations are highly recommended on any night. Lunches (Tues.-Fri. 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.) are more manageable and are a great respite after a visit to Balboa Park. Cucina Urbana represents the new Bankers Hill.
Also new to the neighborhood is Croce’s Park West, a relatively new transplant from downtown. One of the few live music venues in Uptown/Midtown, go for the music room Friday or Saturday night where quartets and jazz trios play while you dine on a delectable cheese board, something from the raw bar, a goat cheese salad, pasta, short ribs or crispy duck. The menu is all encompassing and the restaurant is also open for lunch. Croce’s is a welcome new addition to Bankers Hill. If you missed the Pride Specials at Croce’s, give the restaurant a try in the next few weeks. You will not be disappointed.
Barrio Star is a new restaurant success story. Serving Mexican delicacies in a brightly decorated dining space, the restaurant is located on Fifth Avenue between Nutmeg and Olive. Known for their tacos, the restaurant also serves Mexican rice bowls, tamales, as well as carne and pollo dishes. Try the tortilla soup, it is a great starter. There is also a great brunch menu on the weekends.
Another Bankers Hill standout is the intimate Azuki Sushi on Fifth Avenue between Juniper and Kalmia. With a lovely closed in patio in the back and a small dining room and sushi bar, Azuki is one of the top rated sushi places in San Diego. And deservedly so. At Azuki it is all about shinsen, or simply, the highest quality ingredients. While the restaurant serves your typical Japanese fare, it is the commitment to shinsen that sets Azuki apart. Shinsen is reflected in their seasonal dishes which highlight the freshest ingredients available. Since specials are offered daily, you just need to go and experience the great food yourself. Even the traditional rolls and sashimi are a step up from most other places in Uptown/Midtown. The staff is friendly and will remember you on your next visit and, believe me, there will be a next visit. Prices are reasonable for the quality; expect a dinner bill of $35-50/per person including alcoholic libations.
Of course, you cannot talk dining in Bankers Hill without mentioning Bankers Hill Bar and Restaurant. Unassuming and off the beaten path on Fourth between Ivy and Juniper, Bankers Hill is a surprise. While foodies and trendsetters throughout San Diego know about Bankers Hill Restaurant, it is not a place you would just stumble upon. Serving new American cuisine, the menu offers fried oysters, a roasted beet salad, vegetarian tortellini and jambalaya as well as pork tacos. Entrées average $18-24, Bankers Hill is open for Happy Hour at 4:30 p.m. and serves dinner only. For a more intimate, quiet dinner ask to sit on the outside patio.
Bankers Hill also offers low and mid-price food options. The Marketplace Deli is one of the most popular lunch places in the central city. Offering a half sandwich, half soup or salad combination for as low as $4.79, the Marketplace is frequented by construction workers and business professionals alike. The menu is extensive and offers specialty sandwiches like the Caprese, Benny Special, Christopher Columbus, as well as all your traditional favorites. Check out the menu online to figure out what specialty sandwich will satisfy your appetite. The Marketplace also has pizzas, entrée salads and subs, all served expertly and quickly at affordable prices.
Up the road is Gourmet on Fifth and a bit farther afield on First Avenue is the Royal Mart Café (remodeling but still open). Both offer sandwiches, soups, and breakfast items at reasonable prices. (For Hillcrest…see related story Eat this Hillcrest)
Other Notable Hill Restaurants
• Yoshino (Japanese)
• Café Bleu (French)
• Starlite (American)
• Rubicon Deli (delicatessen)
• Regal Beagle (sausages & burgers)
• Wet Stone Wine Bar (sandwiches, salads, pizzas)
• Pizzicato (pizza)
• Hob Nob Hill (diner)
• Hane Sushi (sushi)
