Recommendations for Hillcrest neighborhood in San Diego?

[amccomb]

Hello!

Heading to a conference this weekend in San Diego and the hotel is in the Hillcrest neighborhood. Looking for yummy eats! Any suggestions? Nothing super fancy...

Thanks!!

[Toliver]

I'm sure others will weigh in but for breakfast, you can't go wrong with the Hash House A Go Go on 5th. There's always a line waiting to get in and the portions are huge. It's a little pricey but good.

[Kouign Aman]

Khyber Pass for lunch or dinner.

[Honkman]

A few restaurants you might look into:

Terra (flies under the radar but good, affordable food)

Bite (Tapas style restaurant)

Kous Kous (good Maroccan restaurant)

Pappalecco (Very good gelato)

Extraordinairy Dessert (for very good, rich desserts)

And I know some people like Hash House A Go Go but we haven't good experiences with it. Only obscenely large portions of mediocre food.

Edited January 13, 2010 by Honkman (log)

[kalypso]

A few restaurants you might look into:

Terra (flies under the radar but good, affordable food)

Bite (Tapas style restaurant)

Kous Kous (good Maroccan restaurant)

Pappalecco (Very good gelato)

Extraordinairy Dessert (for very good, rich desserts)

And I know some people like Hash House A Go Go but we haven't good experiences with it. Only obscenely large portions of mediocre food.

I have to agree with Honkman about Hash House. Too much food and not all that great. And I'll heartily second the rec for Terra and PappaLecco.

Next door to Terra is Aladdin's that is really pretty good, tho' probably not very authentic. I wouldn't necessarily rush right out to go there, but it's reasonable and the food pretty good.

Next door to Bite is Mama Testa's, which is nothing but tacos and the best salsa bar in SD. The owner beat Bobby Flay on a fish taco Throwdown recently and they've been mobbed as a result. I think the big crowds have affected the quality, but still their tacos are good.

Cafe on Park (near the intersection of University Ave & Park Blvd) is a better choice for breakfast in Hillcrest. Portions are still too large, but not as large as Hash House and the quality if better.

New on the outskirts of Hillcrest is Pizza Bruno Napoletano on Park Blvd. about a half block south of El Cajon Blvd.

Arrividerci in HIllcrest is well liked by a lot of people.

Picasso does Spanish tapas (Bite is better) and runs some pretty decent happy hour specials

Over on Washington St., are El Cuervo (go for the carnitas), Olivettos, The Red Door.

There are probably more restaurants per square foot in Hillcrest than anywhere else in SD, maybe even more than are in the Gaslamp. You should be able to find to find something in your price range to suit your tastes just be walking around. Hillcrest is a little strung out geographically, but the main street is walkable. Parking is generally difficult and parking expensive.