From revamped icons, FOMO-inducing bakeries, and booze-fueled workouts to legendary local athletes, mega retail openings, and ways to get your kids out of the house, here’s our annual guide to the best of the best in the city, according to us and you. Click the photos below to see our full list in e

Best Place to Shop for a Cause Thread Spun Much as you’ll want to, you can’t move into Thread Spun, a sustainably minded Encinitas boutique on North Coast Highway. But you can stock up on beautifully made, thoughtfully curated homewares, apparel, accessories, personal care items, and goodies for kid

Best Place to Shop for a Cause Thread Spun Much as you’ll want to, you can’t move into Thread Spun, a sustainably minded Encinitas boutique on North Coast Highway. But you can stock up on beautifully made, thoughtfully curated homewares, apparel, accessories, personal care items, and goodies for kid

Best Semicentennial San Diego Foundation The San Diego Foundation (SDF) celebrated its 50th anniversary with proclamations from 15 cities and the County of San Diego, declaring May 28 as San Diego Foundation Day and launching a new campaign. It was also named Nonprofit of the Year by State Senator A

Best Semicentennial San Diego Foundation The San Diego Foundation (SDF) celebrated its 50th anniversary with proclamations from 15 cities and the County of San Diego, declaring May 28 as San Diego Foundation Day and launching a new campaign. It was also named Nonprofit of the Year by State Senator A

Best New Star Lilo Some restaurants toil for years on the path to a Michelin star. But not Lilo. The 22-seat, tasting-menu-only concept opened in Carlsbad in April. Two months later, it had secured one of the most coveted culinary honors on the planet. (Not to say its chef, Eric Bost, hadn’t paid hi

Best New Star Lilo Some restaurants toil for years on the path to a Michelin star. But not Lilo. The 22-seat, tasting-menu-only concept opened in Carlsbad in April. Two months later, it had secured one of the most coveted culinary honors on the planet. (Not to say its chef, Eric Bost, hadn’t paid hi

Best Place for Athletes to Go Clubbing Club House Encinitas Need to baby your muscles after a marathon or sweat out the bad decisions you’ve made in the last decade? Club House is your spot. A 50-minute session at this wellness destination in Encinitas gets you access to tools like red light therapy

Best Place for Athletes to go Clubbing Club House Encinitas Need to baby your muscles after a marathon or sweat out the bad decisions you’ve made in the last decade? Club House is your spot. A 50-minute session at this wellness destination in Encinitas gets you access to tools like red light therapy

Best Proof That San Diego is a Sports Town 2024 Summer Olympics Last year’s Olympics in Paris delivered plenty of unforgettable moments—a metal band performing alongside a headless Marie Antoinette in a 13th-century castle, breakdancing’s short-lived debut (sorry, Raygun), and even Snoop Dogg servin

Best Way to Convince Your Kids to Get Outside Mellano Farm Stand Spend a screen-free afternoon with fun activities like pick-your-own strawberries, blueberries, and wildflowers; tractor rides; and animal encounters with pigs, goats, and chickens at Mellano Farm Stand in Oceanside. The family-owned l

When wildfires swept through LA back in January and tens of thousands of people were forced from their homes, San Diego didn’t hesitate. We sent firefighters first, to be sure, but in short time, donation centers were organized and staffed full of volunteers. San Diegans lined up in their cars to dr

Every year, when we open up voting for Best of San Diego (BOSD), we’re never quite sure what we’ll get. A thousand opinions on where to obtain your haircut, your morning açai bowl, or your sense of inner peace. Heated debates over the best karaoke bars and surf breaks. A heartfelt defense of the nei

This weekend, immerse yourself in the artistry of our local theaters, festivals, museums, and marketplaces. Gain “herstorical” insight from The Lesbians of San Diego Project’s new play, or experience Tahitian cultural traditions at the annual Heiva San Diego in Oceanside. You can also admire and pur

The second half of 2025 is officially underway, and there are plenty of fun things to do in San Diego this month. With the Fourth of July and Comic-Con behind us, locals’ summer is just now heating up. August brings a packed calendar of San Diego events, from the return of the world’s largest tiki c

“If you don’t like the culture, then you need to create a culture that you like,” Mashonda Tifrere told her son when preparing him for college.Tifrere, who is the founder and leader of two art-based nonoprofits, currently has two projects on view in San Diego: an audio tour of the Stuart Collection

Prebiotic and probiotic have become buzzwords in the wellness world. Roughly 100 trillion bacterial, fungal and viral microbes call our gut home, and when in balance, they support the immune system, regulate hormones, metabolize nutrients, control chronic diseases and send signals to the brain that

“You’re opening a brewery? In this economy?”This is the question I posed to Erik Fowler, executive director of the San Diego Brewers Guild. He and his wife Shannon just announced they’re opening Good Pressure Brewing Company in Allied Gardens at the end of the year. Don’t get me wrong—this is fantas

Sammy’s Restaurant & Bar and Roppongi Asian Bistro Open in Imperial BeachThe San Diego staple and a new iteration of its beloved Asian-fusion spot touch down at the Pier South ResortThere’s a new Sammy’s Restaurant & Bar in town. The beloved restaurant, which opened its first location in La Jolla in

If you’re searching for a place in San Diego that blends modern convenience with a warm, neighborly vibe, Del Sur might just be your dream destination. Nestled in the sought-after 92127 zip code, Del Sur is a master-planned community that’s been turning heads thanks to its beautiful homes, fantastic