Alex’s Carlsbad guidebook
Food scene
Delicious neighborhood brunch spot with good vibes. The line can get long on weekends, but the food and drinks are worth the wait.
37 Einheimische empfehlen
Café Topes
3091 Roosevelt StDelicious neighborhood brunch spot with good vibes. The line can get long on weekends, but the food and drinks are worth the wait.
Another delicious and popular brunch spot. Get on the waitlist on Yelp before you head there, and then check in with the host when you arrive. The benedicts are killer!
16 Einheimische empfehlen
Shorehouse Kitchen Carlsbad
2833 State StAnother delicious and popular brunch spot. Get on the waitlist on Yelp before you head there, and then check in with the host when you arrive. The benedicts are killer!
Fancy hipster donuts at their finest. We can never get out of this place without at least two ridiculous treats per person. We usually go for a cruffin (a cream-filled croissant/muffin combo– cannot miss!), a savory croissant, a brown-butter sea salt donut (especially when they're fresh), and a couple of their other insane and beautiful donut creations.
21 Einheimische empfehlen
The Goods
2965 State StFancy hipster donuts at their finest. We can never get out of this place without at least two ridiculous treats per person. We usually go for a cruffin (a cream-filled croissant/muffin combo– cannot miss!), a savory croissant, a brown-butter sea salt donut (especially when they're fresh), and a couple of their other insane and beautiful donut creations.
This simple, hole-in-the-wall fish and chips place is about as close as you can get to dining on the water in downtown Carlsbad, and the fish and chips are cheap, huge, and delicious.
17 Einheimische empfehlen
Harbor Fish Cafe
3179 Carlsbad BlvdThis simple, hole-in-the-wall fish and chips place is about as close as you can get to dining on the water in downtown Carlsbad, and the fish and chips are cheap, huge, and delicious.
This place is our absolute favorite place to hang in Carlsbad, but beware- there's zero nearby parking, so the best way to get there is to make an excursion of it and take a nice long bike ride along the coast. The adventure is well-worth it though, as this is the absolute closest restaurant to the water there is. They have great pizza, burgers, beers and kombucha, and live music everyday. Magical at sunset
The Camp Store
7201 Carlsbad BlvdThis place is our absolute favorite place to hang in Carlsbad, but beware- there's zero nearby parking, so the best way to get there is to make an excursion of it and take a nice long bike ride along the coast. The adventure is well-worth it though, as this is the absolute closest restaurant to the water there is. They have great pizza, burgers, beers and kombucha, and live music everyday. Magical at sunset
This hole-in-the-wall taco shop is our favorite Mexcan takeout in Carlsbad. We usually go for rolled chicken tacos and beef crispy tacos, but you can't go wrong with anything from this place.
Mexico Viejo
2508 El Camino RealThis hole-in-the-wall taco shop is our favorite Mexcan takeout in Carlsbad. We usually go for rolled chicken tacos and beef crispy tacos, but you can't go wrong with anything from this place.
Our favorite takeout/delivery spot. The sushi is great, as is the katsu curry, and Alex is obsessed with their salad dressing.
11 Einheimische empfehlen
Hooked On Sushi
2508 S El Camino RealOur favorite takeout/delivery spot. The sushi is great, as is the katsu curry, and Alex is obsessed with their salad dressing.
If you're looking to go somewhere really special and fancy, this is your spot. One of four michelin starred restaurants in all of SD county, Jeune et Jolie is THE north county darling. If a mulit-course meal is out of your range, you can also pop in for drinks + apps at the bar.
40 Einheimische empfehlen
Jeune et Jolie
2659 State StIf you're looking to go somewhere really special and fancy, this is your spot. One of four michelin starred restaurants in all of SD county, Jeune et Jolie is THE north county darling. If a mulit-course meal is out of your range, you can also pop in for drinks + apps at the bar.
The uber-popular, more casual sister restaurant to Jeune et Jolie. People go nuts for the cocktails here, and the broccoli
100 Einheimische empfehlen
Campfire
2725 State StThe uber-popular, more casual sister restaurant to Jeune et Jolie. People go nuts for the cocktails here, and the broccoli
Super solid, tasty ramen at a fun, friendly, family-owned restaurant. Don't be surprised if the owner personally checks on you and lets you taste his favorite sake.
7 Einheimische empfehlen
GONZO RAMEN
300 Carlsbad Village DriveSuper solid, tasty ramen at a fun, friendly, family-owned restaurant. Don't be surprised if the owner personally checks on you and lets you taste his favorite sake.
You can't miss this place when you're downtown- it's the two-story bar made out of shipping containers right on Carlsbad Village drive. Fun atmosphere, good for happy hour.
Crakheads
430 Carlsbad Village DriveYou can't miss this place when you're downtown- it's the two-story bar made out of shipping containers right on Carlsbad Village drive. Fun atmosphere, good for happy hour.
Our go-to dinner spot, we like to come here for trivia on Monday nights, and we bring most of our out of town guests here when they visit. Windmill is basically a really cool, fancy food court anchored by a bar (great happy hour!). There are about dozen different eateries to choose from so there's something for everybody. Our favorites are the fried chicken at Cross-Street (best we've had in SD), pho from District-1, and anything from Thai style.
15 Einheimische empfehlen
Windmill Food Hall
890 Palomar Airport RdOur go-to dinner spot, we like to come here for trivia on Monday nights, and we bring most of our out of town guests here when they visit. Windmill is basically a really cool, fancy food court anchored by a bar (great happy hour!). There are about dozen different eateries to choose from so there's something for everybody. Our favorites are the fried chicken at Cross-Street (best we've had in SD), pho from District-1, and anything from Thai style.
Like Coldstone, but with fog. Shoobies is a liquid-nitrogen powered ice cream place, where you choose your ice cream style, flavor, and mix-ins, and they freeze it into its delicious frozen form right in front of you. It's a little dramatic and very fun.
Shoobie's Carlsbad Microcreamery
201 Oak AvenueLike Coldstone, but with fog. Shoobies is a liquid-nitrogen powered ice cream place, where you choose your ice cream style, flavor, and mix-ins, and they freeze it into its delicious frozen form right in front of you. It's a little dramatic and very fun.
Ok, so Taco Stand is actually a chain of suuuper popular kinda hipster taco shops around SD county, but their food is very good. The best items here are the fish tacos, carne asada fries (uniquely made with battered fries), california burrito, and elote.
65 Einheimische empfehlen
The Taco Stand
642 S Coast Hwy 101Ok, so Taco Stand is actually a chain of suuuper popular kinda hipster taco shops around SD county, but their food is very good. The best items here are the fish tacos, carne asada fries (uniquely made with battered fries), california burrito, and elote.
Pure Taco is a pretty far cry from your average Mexican joint (their menu features thinks like korean pork tacos and chicken tikka masala bowls), but it's really good. We love the carnitas fries, poke nachos, baja fish tacos (only $2, must order), salads and skinny margarita.
7 Einheimische empfehlen
PureTaco
2742 State StreetPure Taco is a pretty far cry from your average Mexican joint (their menu features thinks like korean pork tacos and chicken tikka masala bowls), but it's really good. We love the carnitas fries, poke nachos, baja fish tacos (only $2, must order), salads and skinny margarita.
Your classic, cash-only, hole in the wall donut shop. Get whatever's fresh, and then walk up the hill and try not to eat it until you get to the stairs at Grandview beach.
26 Einheimische empfehlen
Leucadia Donut Shoppe
1604 N Coast Hwy 101Your classic, cash-only, hole in the wall donut shop. Get whatever's fresh, and then walk up the hill and try not to eat it until you get to the stairs at Grandview beach.
The absolute best place to go for happy hour. Ocean views, great food and drinks, live music, and a fun atmosphere.
19 Einheimische empfehlen
Monarch Ocean Pub
1555 Camino Del MarThe absolute best place to go for happy hour. Ocean views, great food and drinks, live music, and a fun atmosphere.
Pizza Port is a San Diego classic. They brew great beer, and their pizza and wings are rated San Diego's best.
98 Einheimische empfehlen
Pizza Port Carlsbad
571 Carlsbad Village DrPizza Port is a San Diego classic. They brew great beer, and their pizza and wings are rated San Diego's best.
Pure is an eco-minded, sustainably sourced brewery making creative and unique brews here in SD (including beer slushies!). BYO food and enjoy the sunshine
10 Einheimische empfehlen
Pure Project Carlsbad
2825 State StPure is an eco-minded, sustainably sourced brewery making creative and unique brews here in SD (including beer slushies!). BYO food and enjoy the sunshine
We have yet to meet a local who doesn't rave about Le Papagayo. They have live music most nights
19 Einheimische empfehlen
Le Papagayo Carlsbad
660 Carlsbad Village DrWe have yet to meet a local who doesn't rave about Le Papagayo. They have live music most nights
From 2:30-7 on Wednesdays, State street is closed to traffic to host the weekly farmers market. There's lots of great local produce, fish, meat, cheese, baked goods, desserts, flowers, etc, a few food trucks and often live music. The french yogurt stand is mind-boggling delicious.
42 Einheimische empfehlen
State Street Farmers Market
2907 State StFrom 2:30-7 on Wednesdays, State street is closed to traffic to host the weekly farmers market. There's lots of great local produce, fish, meat, cheese, baked goods, desserts, flowers, etc, a few food trucks and often live music. The french yogurt stand is mind-boggling delicious.
On Thursday nights in Oceanside, dozens of food vendors and performers come out for a veritable festival of treats. There's practically a whole block dedicated to dessert vendors. Come hungry.
109 Einheimische empfehlen
Oceanside Sunset Market
401 Pier View WayOn Thursday nights in Oceanside, dozens of food vendors and performers come out for a veritable festival of treats. There's practically a whole block dedicated to dessert vendors. Come hungry.
Our favorite breakfast burrito. Live music on Saturdays from 12-2. This little hole in the wall is a fun locals spot to hang out and have a burrito and a beer.
9 Einheimische empfehlen
Lola's 7 Up Market & Deli
3292 Roosevelt StOur favorite breakfast burrito. Live music on Saturdays from 12-2. This little hole in the wall is a fun locals spot to hang out and have a burrito and a beer.
Alex's favorite restaurant. Miguel's is by no means a culinary temple, but they give you free chips and queso when you sit down, and their $5 happy hour margarita and nachos can't be beat.
85 Einheimische empfehlen
Miguel's Cocina
2912 Shelter Island DrAlex's favorite restaurant. Miguel's is by no means a culinary temple, but they give you free chips and queso when you sit down, and their $5 happy hour margarita and nachos can't be beat.
Sightseeing
Our favorite thing to do in Carlsbad is walk the 2-mile boardwalk loop along the water between the Frazee Beach parklet and Tamarack ave. Around sunset at the parklet you'll often see street performers playing music, acro-yogis on Saturdays and the drum circle on Mondays.
Carlsbad Village Frazee Beach
Our favorite thing to do in Carlsbad is walk the 2-mile boardwalk loop along the water between the Frazee Beach parklet and Tamarack ave. Around sunset at the parklet you'll often see street performers playing music, acro-yogis on Saturdays and the drum circle on Mondays.