San Diego Food Tour
At this point in my life I’ve been to San Diego three times(2019-present) and I still feel as though I’ve barely scratched the surface of gluten free & dairy free food options in the area. I’ve been to about 7 different restaurants, although I frequent my favorites over & over again because they are just THAT GOOD. Hopefully if you’re also a gluten free & dairy free girl, you benefit from my list & recommendations even though I know you won’t struggle to find dietary friendly restaurants in the San Diego area!
To start, the “San Diego” area is massive, I love staying around Encinitas which is pretty much the top of the SD area and is about 30-40 minutes from the airport. I love staying there because it’s a cute little coastal beach town, has Nectarine Grove(if you know you know), one of my favorite crystal shops (Soulscape). But you do need a car unless you have an airbnb in the right area, the first time I was in SD I ubered because I was 23 and couldn’t rent a car, but the last two times I have rented a car and it was necessary.
I’ve had multiple different experiences in SD in multiple different areas, so if you are GF and DF I feel I have a pretty good list for you with all the best eats in the area! The first time I visited I was strictly paleo with limited nightshades so my idea of what places had good food would definitely shift if I went back to some of those restaurants, at the time I had very few places I could eat which is probably why I love Nectarine Grove so much because it didn’t make me feel restricted when I was
The famous cinnamon roll- pretty much for 4 people but 100% GF/DF!!!!1
So let’s recap my favorite San Diego restaurants:
Nectarine Grove- Probably my favorite place in San Diego as a whole, I have tried soooo much on their menu and still feel like I need to go back 5 more times to try more and eat my favorite meals over and over again. Their menu is 100% gluten free with some dairy on the menu but it is all specifically labeled & they have many dairy free options. They also have a bunch of different paleo options which is why I love it so much, I may not eat paleo anymore but I still love and appreciate a good paleo option. My favorite menu items at Nectarine Grove are the chimichurri steak salad, anything with the crispy chicken, the breakfast tacos are some of the best I’ve ever had, and the cinnamon roll I still literally dream about. They also have a mean paleo bun so I recommend all of the sandwiches too & I don’t like chocolate but everyone says the brownie is absolutely lethal. If given the option go to the Leucadia location, it has a much larger menu but the Del Mar one has a great location because it is right by a Whole Foods. I literally dream about going back to Nectarine Grove regularly- don’t miss it if you’re in San Diego!
Goodonya Breakfast Burrito
Goodonya- I’ve only been to Goodonya once so I don’t feel I have an accurate depiction of how good the food is. I tried the breakfast burrito and it was okay but I was expecting better but to be honest anytime you order something & take away the cheese you don’t know what you’re going to get. They have lots of organic, gluten free, and dairy free options so plenty for anyone that you’re traveling with! I would love to go back & try more because I am sure lots of other items on their menu are good!
Tocaya Organica- The first time I was in SD I went to Tocaya like 3 times because they had an organic burrito bowl with cauliflower rice before that was a thing anywhere outside of my home. Now it’s more common to have this, even Chipotle has this option but at the time it was my paleo dream come true. But any menu that has labeled gluten free and dairy free options is a friend of mine, still highly recommend Tocaya!
Powerhaus
Powerhaus Pizza- This is another one of my favorite restaurants that I make sure to hit every time I’m in San Diego. Powerhaus has high protein crusts, gluten free & vegan options all over and is truly delicious. Gluten free & dairy free pizzas can be verrrry hit or miss, I’ve tried a lot and few are actually good- but powerhaus makes one that is actually good and with good ingredients. Back during my first trip to SD in 2019, I was still on a pretty restrictive diet & powerhaus was actually very accomodating which always gives an eatery 5 stars in my book. Powerhaus is one of the top places you must go if you’re in SD and gluten free!
Peace Pies- Peace Pies is a 100% raw vegan & gluten free restaurant so if that isn’t your vibe you may not like it there. However, I don’t love most raw vegan food but something about what peace pies does is magical. I got the raw quesadilla and split the nachos with one of my friends and it was so delicious from someone who doesn’t typically like that type of food. They do use a looooot of nuts so your digestion may be a lil jacked up afterwards but it is truly delicious.
Parakeet Cafe- We got catering from Parakeet Cafe for a retreat I was at, and I was on a strict paleo diet at the time so keep that in mind with my review. I genuinely thought the food was just OK and didn’t see much on the menu for me while on a strict paleo diet. However, as I look back at their menu as a gal who is gluten free & mostly dairy free I can eat a lot more on the menu than I could prior. I would love to go back & try it now that my gut is in a different place next time I go back to SD!
Powerhaus Pizza- This is another one of my favorite restaurants that I make sure to hit every time I’m in San Diego. Powerhaus has high protein crusts, gluten free & vegan options all over and is truly delicious. Gluten free & dairy free pizzas can be verrrry hit or miss, I’ve tried a lot and few are actually good- but powerhaus makes one that is actually good and with good ingredients. Back during my first trip to SD in 2019, I was still on a pretty restrictive diet & powerhaus was actually very accomodating which always gives an eatery 5 stars in my book. Powerhaus is one of the top places you must go if you’re in SD and gluten free!
Holy Matcha- I have never had better matcha in my life than I have at Holy Matcha, sorry to every other place I’ve ever gotten matcha from. The horchata matcha is single handedly the best matcha I’ve ever tried and anytime I am around San Diego I have to go get a matcha at least once. It is sweetened with stevia, made with oat milk, and cinnamon and I’ve tried to recreate it multiple times but somehow theirs is always better. Plus their little storefront is so cute & aesthetically pleasing and I could spend all day there
Places I haven’t been but want to & have heard great things about:
Non Food Related Places-
