Uptown LGBTQ neighbourhood between University Avenue and Washington Street, with Bread and Cie's bakery counter, the Sunday Hillcrest Farmers Market and Snooze's pancake-flight brunch room.
Trust Restaurant in San Diego is Brad Wise's Hillcrest neighborhood room since 2016, the small-plates wood-fire kitchen that anchors Wise's Trust Restaurant.
Signature: Wood-grilled octopus, Cauliflower steak, Whole roasted fish
Order: The wood-grilled octopus on a smear of harissa; the cauliflower steak as the vegetarian centrepiece.
Tip: Book counter seats for the open-fire kitchen view; the Group also runs Fort Oak and Rare Society if Trust is full.
Trust Restaurant in San Diego is Brad Wise's Hillcrest small-plates wood-fire kitchen since 2016, the room that anchors the Trust Restaurant Group.
Signature: Wood-grilled octopus, Cauliflower steak, Whole roasted fish
Order: Wood-grilled octopus on harissa; the cauliflower steak.
Tip: Book counter seats for the open-fire kitchen view; Fort Oak and Rare Society are the sister rooms.
Better Buzz Coffee in Hillcrest, San Diego, the local chain's flagship roastery cafe with a vintage Probat roaster, cold-brew lab and a full espresso bar.
Sources from: Latin America blends, East Africa single-origin
How they serve: Espresso, Cold brew, Whole bean retail
Hillcrest Farmers Market on Sunday mornings in San Diego, the LGBTQ-anchored 175-vendor street fair with prepared food, produce and gifts under the Hillcrest.
Taste of Hillcrest each April in San Diego, the Fabulous Hillcrest taste-pass through 30-plus restaurants, bars and bakeries from chef-driven tastings to ice.
Mattarello Cooking Lab's two-hour pasta class on University Avenue in Hillcrest, San Diego, the daily morning workshop where you mix, roll and shape fresh.
Mattarello Cooking Lab's evening pasta-and-dinner class in Hillcrest, San Diego, a two-hour cook your pasta, your appetizer and your dessert from scratch.
Mattarello Cooking Lab's two-hour Italian bread-making class in Hillcrest, San Diego, the sourdough workshop where you bake two loaves to take home.
Bread and Cie's cafe counter on University Avenue in Hillcrest, San Diego, the in-house bakery serving sandwiches on its own stone-hearth loaves.
Try: Sandwiches on house bread, soups, scones
Snooze on Fifth Avenue in Hillcrest, San Diego, the upside-down breakfast room with the pancake flight, breakfast pot pie and a waitlist app to bypass.
Order: Pancake flight, breakfast pot pie, Bloody Mary
Hash House A Go Go on Fifth Avenue in Hillcrest, San Diego, Johnny Rivera's original 2000 farm-twisted brunch room with the tractor-tire pancake and Diners.
Order: Sage fried chicken and waffles, tractor-tire pancake, sage fried chicken Benedict
Great Maple on Washington Street in San Diego's Hillcrest, the modern American brunch room behind maple-bacon donuts, brisket hash and five distinct Bloody.
Order: Maple-bacon donuts, French toast logs, brisket hash, Pickle Mary
Trust Restaurant on Park Boulevard in Hillcrest, San Diego, Brad Wise's wood-fired brunch room with short rib hash, ricotta pancakes and a weekend-only menu.
Order: Wood-fired short rib, ricotta pancakes, brunch cocktail
Top of the Park on the seventh-floor penthouse of Inn at the Park, formerly Park Manor Suites, is the Hillcrest rooftop terrace in San Diego with Balboa Park.
Tip: Open Friday and Saturday afternoons most weekends, brunch 10:00-14:00 Sunday. No cover; walk-in. The west-facing terrace catches the sunset.
Urban Mo's on University Avenue has run as Hillcrest's flagship gay bar and grill in San Diego since 1988, a covered patio room with drag shows.
Tip: Drag brunch Sunday from 10:00; Dreamgirls Revue Thursday and Saturday late. Walk-in, no cover most nights.
Rich's on University Avenue is the largest gay nightclub in Hillcrest San Diego, two dance floors with rotating DJs, drag shows and a Saturday extended-hours.
Tip: Saturday runs 21:00-04:00; the rest of the week closes at 02:00. Cover varies by night. The mezzanine has sightlines on the main floor.
Gossip Grill on University Avenue, opened 2009, is the Hillcrest women's bar and LGBTQ restaurant in San Diego, with a year-round outdoor patio.
Tip: Closed Monday. Cabaret brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11:00. Happy hour 14:00-18:00 daily; Saturday goes 21+ after 14:00.
Number One Fifth Avenue on Fifth Avenue has run as Hillcrest's gay dive bar in San Diego since 1981, a slender front bar and back patio with karaoke.
Tip: Happy hour weekdays 14:00-18:00. No cover, walk-in, cash and card. Latin nights and pictionary rotate weeknights.
Books and Records on Fourth Avenue in Bankers Hill, opened September 2023, is the 80-seat San Diego restaurant and listening bar with live jazz Thursday.
Tip: Reserve through the venue site for the jazz nights; the bar is walk-in. New Orleans style jazz brunch Saturday and Sunday from 10:00-14:00.