This month’s City Guide is brought to you by Sam Stanisz - Chef James’ life partner, Mabel Gray Sous Chef and the calligraphy artist behind Mabel’s controversially handwritten menu. Sam grows food in her home food forest for the restaurant and often accompanies Chef James on his international travels. We asked her to chime in on her favorite winter getaway, San Diego…
Almost every Spring for the past seven years, when I’m over the cold weather and gray skies, I hop on a Delta flight and head to San Diego for a few days. It reignites a fire within me that only the ocean waves outside my window and 75-degree sunny days can spark.
More specifically, I head to a laid back surf town called Ocean Beach. Only a 10-minute drive from the San Diego airport and a 15 min drive to downtown San Diego.
San Diego is less like one single city and more like a collection of very different coastal towns, urban districts, historic enclaves, and suburban communities stitched together by beaches, canyons, and freeways. Each neighborhood has a noticeably different personality.
I remember visiting this area for the first time in the Spring of 2015 when Jimmy (or Chef James to you) and I were on a month long road trip across the country. We just left the craziness of L.A., and planned to stop in Ocean Beach to visit a friend. We zipped around the smooth hilly roads on a couple scooters and I was instantly attracted to the surf town energy. The walkable neighborhood culture, coastal scenery and the focus on artists and independent businesses (there is still very little corporate presence) adds to the charm. Not to mention, the weather is 75 and sunny almost every day of the year (so dreamy) AND theres a section of beach called Dog Beach where you can find the local pups running off leash playing in the water AANNNDD you can find delicious Baja fish tacos. Really, what more could I ask for?!
I had never experienced this kind of place before and it clearly left an imprint. Ocean Beach speaks to my rebellious free spirit in a way the hardworking Midwest just cannot. Shoutout to our longtime friend, John Rintoul, known as “California John” to anyone in Detroit who has met him. He is always a gracious tour guide whenever I visit.
Getting there
I usually land in San Diego around 11am which is perfect timing for lunch and my first stop is always Kiko’s Place food truck for Baja-style seafood. A couple fish tacos and an agua fresca is the perfect start to my beach vacay. Kiko’s Place has multiple locations now, same owners, all delicious no matter which spot you visit.
I have personally never been but Chef James’ favorite tacos are at Tacos El Gordo. He’s a glutton for punishment, but I trust any spot he recommends. It’s a small chain so you might see some around town.
Where to stay
I always stay in a Airbnb close to the beach. Like this one, or this one. There is only one hotel in Ocean Beach and I do not recommend staying there. Airbnb is the way to go, there are SO many super cute spots.
This seems like a good place to add a disclaimer saying something like: “if you stay in OB, some mornings the ocean waves get drowned out by loud ass parrots that fly to and from Mexico every day, garbage truck beeping & planes taking off that will wake you up super early. And some nights (mostly just after the Wednesday Farmers Market) you will hear a 6 hour drum circle.” Still worth it in my opinion. Nowhere is perfect. And a real city has real people living in real life. And it’s the seasoning and the crust that makes good food great.
Activities & Dining
Newport Ave is the heart of the OB neighborhood. It’s lined with surf shops, coffee shops, breweries, bookstores, tattoo shops, vintage stores, dive bars and açaí stands. Hodad’s is the legendary burger joint with license plates covering the wall and loud music blasting from the open windows. Expect a line during peak hours and on weekends. Delicious burger, worth a wait. Pacific Shores Cocktail Lounge meets your dive bar needs every time.
OB Brewing is making some delicious beers and the rooftop level offers a great afternoon view of the area. Every Wednesday (rain or shine) they block off the street and a farmers market emerges from 4pm-8pm. The street fills with local produce, artwork, crafts, clothing and lots of live music and street performers. Tons of food trucks. I always find something fun to take home with me and the people watching is prime.
People’s Co-op is a great store if you need to stock up your Airbnb or grab a healthy snack. They also have a prepared food area upstairs. The Sumi salad is my fav.
For anyone looking for outdoor activity that is not the beach, Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is great for a short hike and has some epic shoreline views.
Mission Trails Regional Park is a 30 min drive from Ocean Beach. It is an 8,000 acre park with hiking and biking trails suitable for all ages. Epic views here as well. I’ve done a hike here then went and got a couple slices at Bronx Pizza. Definitely my favorite slice in the area.
You can easily spend a whole day in San Diego at Balboa Park. It is a massive urban park filled with museums, gardens, Spanish Colonial architecture, theaters and walking paths. I’m always down for a Planetarium show or a walk through the botanical gardens.
Balboa Park is also home to the San Diego Zoo. As an animal lover, I’m not a fan of pointing at animals in cages. Seeing & reading about how the San Diego Zoo has pioneered the modern zoo experience by adding immersive habitats designed around animal welfare, conservation and naturalistic environments was inspiring to me.
If you’re a history buff, Old Town is an important stop for Mexican heritage/historic sights. If you’re here on a food trip, I’d say this spot is pretty low priority. It is touristy.
Compared to OB’s bohemian and scrappy vibe, the La Jolla neighborhood feels refined and polished. La Jolla is great for boutique shopping, art galleries, cafes & wine bars. It is a protected cove filled with biodiverse marine life, making the water unusually clear and a fantastic spot for kayaking and snorkeling.
Downtown San Diego has multiple little ecosystems within itself. Like The Gaslamp Quarter. I know for a fact you could find 21-year-old Sam there. A margarita hates to see me coming. Restaurants & rooftop bars. All the late night fun. Live music & dancing. If you’re headed to a Padres game at Petco Park, this is the area to make a reservation in. There is a Tacos El Gordo location here!
Nowadays, you’re more likely to find me in a neighborhood like Little Italy, an old neighborhood for Italian immigrants who worked in San Diego’s tuna fishing industry. That Italian energy is still very much alive walking the streets filled with coffee shops, patios to enjoy a spritz & Italian restaurants galore. Like Italy, it’s very walkable, social but relaxed.
I wanted to have one upscale meal my last trip to San Diego this past March. I chose to eat at Animae, which is in the Embarcadero district. Chef Tara Monsod has received some James Beard love and is doing great work there. It’s an elegant & moody steakhouse with lots of Southeast Asian and Japanese flavors. The food tasted as nice as it looked, same with the cocktails & we had fantastic service. (I appreciated their Champagne list as well!)
Our server recommended a few spots in the area they like to frequent. Lion Share, Kettner Exchange, Craft & Commerce which includes the hidden tiki speakeasy in the back called False Idol.
Point Loma is a 12-minute drive south of OB. The Cabrillo National Monument lives here. Great views. Find a patio spot to hang at near the marina for a few hours. Grab a michelada and some fried fish. Can’t go wrong.
I have never been to Barrio Logan but I have heard great things about it. It has become one of San Diego’s best food neighborhoods for Baja-style tacos, Birria, craft beer & coffee shops. Buildings & giant freeway pillars covered in vibrant artwork depicting Indigenous culture & Aztec imagery. The vibe is very different from the tourist heavy parts of San Diego. (Texting John RIGHT now to ask him why he has never taken me here!)
I know not everyone is able to travel Internationally but flying to San Diego is about as far as you can go in the continental U.S. (minus Alaska) for anyone trying to get WAY outta town. As someone who lives in a concrete jungle lined with orange barrels, Ocean Beach is an oasis. As a nature lover, the ocean and epic sunsets are enough to make my heart content. But San Diego provides so much more. I love this area because it contains extremes that coexist comfortably. And in a world full of extremes, aren’t we all chasing comfort?
Bring San Diego to you!
Listen to Stone Temple Pilots.
Watch the classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Clairemont High School in San Diego was the inspiration for the Cameron Crowe film (he went undercover there in 1979).
Support your local farmers market or independent food service establishment. Ocean Beach is incredibly anti-corporate.
Watch the original Point Break with Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves. Although not specifically filmed in San Diego, the film captures the quintessential Southern California 90s energy that we love about Ocean Beach and surrounding neighborhoods.
Read some Dr. Seuss - he lived in La Jolla until his death.
Watch Sade perform live. Recorded on October 2-3, 1993, to close out the Love Deluxe World Tour, this live concert video was filmed at the SDSU Open Air Theatre.
As always, follow along on our Google map! Thank you, Sam!
XO
MGTG
My wife and I followed Chef’s guide through Mexico City and shared many fantastic experiences. OB is now on the map for us
I’m in San Diego now and would add Torrey Pines as a perfect morning beach stroll between the surf and the cliffs. Peregrine Falcons nest in the cliff caves and many other fantastic bird species can be seen fishing along the shore. There are also trails to the top of the cliffs for excellent hiking and views.