Five San Diego County restaurants were named to OpenTable’s 2025 list of the Top 100 Restaurant restaurants in America, based on star reviews left by diners who have booked tables through the reservations platform.
Lilo, the 22-seat tasting-menu spot in Carlsbad that earned a Michelin star shortly after it opened last spring, earned the highest local ranking of 4.9 stars out of a possible 5, based on 235 reviews.
Four other local spots earned 4.8 ratings: Cesarina in Point Loma based on 1,067 reviews, Callie restaurant in East Village based on 737 reviews, Cowboy Star in downtown San Diego based on 549 reviews, and Michelin-starred Jeune et Jolie, Lilo’s sister restaurant in Carlsbad, based on 493 reviews.
Lilo restaurant’s patio is where diners enjoy canapes before the meal and jasmine tea by a fire afterward. (Elodie Bost)
Both Lilo and Jeune et Jolie are overseen by owner John Resnick and executive chef Eric Bost. Bost also oversees the kitchens at Resnick’s other two Carlsbad restaurants, Campfire and Wildland.
Three San Diego restaurants also made it on the list for OpenTable’s 2025 Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America: Jeune et Jolie with a 4.8 score, Mister A’s in Bankers Hill based on 661 reviews, The Marine Room in La Jolla with 4.6 based on 634 reviews.
An artist’s rendering of the new restaurant Tierra y Mar, which will open next summer at Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center. (Harrah’s)
Harrah’s planning new restaurant next summer: Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center will open a new Mexican-inspired restaurant next summer. Tierra y Mar will replace the resort’s Salt & Fin seafood restaurant as part of a $10.7 million renovation at the resort. Tierra y Mar will offer a more social dining and drinking experience with tequila-focused bar and private dining room. Dishes from Baja California and Mexico will inspire the menu, with dishes that will include beef birria, shrimp in diablo sauce and pescado a la talla (grilled whole fish). The restaurant’s opening will coincide with the reopening of the resort’s high limit gambling room next June.
Cesarina and Elvira restaurant co-founders Niccolò Angius and his wife, chef Cesarina Mezzoni, left, and their business partner Giuseppe Capasso. They’ve announced plans for a third restaurant, Corallino, in spring 2026. (Arlene Ibarra)
Cesarina team announce third restaurant: Cesarina Group, the family-owned hospitality group behind Point Loma’s Cesarina and Elvira in Ocean Beach, has announced plans for its third restaurant. Corallina is scheduled to open next spring in the former Pummarò restaurant space at 1101 Scott St. in Point Loma. The concept for Corallina, which means “coral” in Italian, has not been announced, but like its sister eateries it will offer neighborhood-driven Italian dining. Cesarina Group is owned by the married team of chef Cesarina Mezzoni and Niccolò Angius, and their longtime friend and business partner Giuseppe Capasso. cesarinarestaurant.com
Mia’s debuts in Solana Beach: Mia’s, a new restaurant that blends Baja California and Mediterranean cuisine, held its grand opening this past weekend. First announced last winter, Mia’s is the latest project for Rick Staunton and Jimmy Ulcickas, who founded their eight-store Bluewater Grill seafood restaurant chain in 1996 in Newport Beach. It includes locations in Carlsbad and Coronado. They also own El Galleon on Catalina Island. Mia’s took over the former Alce 101 restaurant/tequileria space in the Boardwalk shopping center at 243 N. Highway 101, Suite 7. instagram.com/mias_on_101
Two new taquerias: Two new taco shops opened countywide this month. Taco Centro opened its second location on Nov. 1 in Little Italy. Taco Centrol serves a menu of 13 tacos, as well as burritos, quesadillas, bowls, nachos and fries. It’s signature Taco Azul is served on on a blue corn tortilla with grilled Angus steak, cheese and black beans. The new location at 2171 Kettner Blvd. joins the original location in East Village. instagram.com/tacocentrosd San Diego’s Crack Taco Shop opened its third location this month at 106 Leucadia Blvd. in Encinitas. The company’s name comes for its signature ingredient of Cardiff Crack, a Burgundy pepper-marinated tri-tip beef from Cardiff’s Seaside Market. A fourth location is set to open soon at 1009 Orange Ave. in Coronado. cracktacoshop.com
L’Auberge appoints new chef: Sergio Jimenez has been appointed the new executive chef at L’Auberge Del Mar resort at in in Del Mar. He has already refreshed the breakfast and lunch menus at the hotel’s flagship restaurant, Adelaide, and a new dinner menu will debut this winter. Before joining L’Auberge, Jimenez cooked at Avant Restaurant at the Rancho Bernardo Inn and at Mister A’s in Bankers Hill. L’Auberge is at 1540 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar. laubergedelmar.com