The Convoy Pan Asian Cultural and Business Innovation District is the densest Asian food row south of Los Angeles, with Vietnamese pho counters, Korean BBQ rooms, dim sum halls and izakayas along Convoy Street.
Common Theory in San Diego is the Convoy Street gastropub where Asian flavours run through a craft-beer menu, with a long bar, 40 taps and a daily kimchi-and-burger crowd.
Signature: Mongolian BBQ pork ribs, Crispy Brussels sprouts, Burger with kimchi slaw
Order: The Mongolian BBQ ribs; the kimchi-slaw burger with a Pure Project IPA.
Tip: Tuesday Hapa Half-Off runs half-price wines until close; the patio is heater-equipped year-round.
Tasty Noodle House in San Diego is the Convoy Street northern Chinese noodle counter, with hand-pulled noodles made through the open window and the city's most reliable xiaolongbao.
Signature: Hand-pulled noodles, Xiaolongbao, Dan dan noodles
Order: The Lanzhou hand-pulled beef noodle soup; the xiaolongbao steamer for sharing.
Tip: Cash is fine and faster than card. The dan dan noodles are the room's secret order.
Common Theory in San Diego is the Convoy Street gastropub where Asian flavours run through a craft-beer menu, with a long bar, 40 taps and a kimchi-and-burger crowd.
Signature: Mongolian BBQ ribs, Crispy Brussels, Burger with kimchi slaw
Order: The Mongolian BBQ ribs; the kimchi-slaw burger with a Pure Project IPA.
Tip: Tuesday Hapa Half-Off runs half-price wines until close; the patio is heater-equipped year-round.
Tasty Noodle House in San Diego is the Convoy Street northern Chinese noodle counter, with hand-pulled noodles made through the open window and reliable xiaolongbao.
Signature: Hand-pulled noodles, Xiaolongbao, Dan dan noodles
Order: Lanzhou hand-pulled beef noodle soup; the xiaolongbao steamer for sharing.
Tip: Cash is fine and faster than card. The dan dan noodles are the room's secret order.
Realm of the 52 Remedies speakeasy in San Diego's Convoy Asian Cultural District, a 1920s Shanghai parlor hidden inside Common Theory pouring traditional-remedy cocktails.
Signature drink: Cocktails built from traditional Chinese herbal remedies
Food: Chinese, Korean and Thai shared plates paired to each cocktail
Lolita's Mexican Food on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, the 1984 Chula Vista taco-shop spinoff slinging the platonic California burrito.
Try: California burrito
Societe Brewing on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, a quietly serious West Coast IPA and Belgian-saison house with a wood barrel program.
Zion Asian Market in Kearny Mesa San Diego, a 50,000 sq ft Korean-anchored Asian supermarket open since January 2025 with a banchan counter and prepared-food stalls.
Lolita's Mexican Food on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, the California-burrito counter selling the canonical version for under twelve dollars.
Try: California burrito under $12, breakfast burrito $8-10
Lolita's Mexican Food on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, late-evening California burritos and carne asada fries until nine for the post-dinner crowd.
Try: California burrito, carne asada fries, breakfast burritos all night