2011 Readers’ Choice Award Winners
Readers’ Choice: By Ron Donoho Photography by Martin Mann
The Town’s Top Restaurants (Picked By You)
The people — and their palates — have spoken. We asked you to pick your favorite restaurants and dishes in 36 categories, and the winners (along with the runners-up) are ready to be served.
The top three spots in the Best New category went to eateries run by local notables: Searsucker’s camera-friendly Brian Malarkey; San Diego’s other “Top Chef” Rich Sweeney and his R Gang Eatery; and restaurant magnate Joe Buscalacchi’s latest creation, A Modo Mio.
You went with some old favorites (Marine Room, Mille Fleurs, Bertrand at Mister A’s). And it was fun to see some newcomers amidst the lists (Vin de Syrah, Bencotto, Kitchen 4140).
Read on to find out who won the new categories we added this year — like Best Pub Grub and Best Microbrewery.
And, see if you agree with the consensus picks for Breakfast, Desserts, Lunch and Brunch.
This year for the first time, along with running the Readers’ Choice ballot in the magazine, we allowed online voting. The numbers swelled.
We think that’s, well … swell. Cheers!
Best of the Best
Bertrand at Mister A’s
2550 Fifth Ave., 12th Floor, Bankers Hill
619-239-1377 bertrandatmisteras.com
Truluck’s
Cucina Urbana
Best New
Searsucker
611 Fifth Ave., Downtown
619-233-7327 searsucker.com
R Gang Eatery
A Modo Mio
Best Bargains
Casa de Pico
5500 Grossmont Center Dr., La Mesa
619-463-3267 casadepico.com
R Gang Eatery
Bencotto
Most Romantic
Marine Room
2000 Spindrift Dr., La Jolla
866-644-2351 marineroom.com
Bertrand at Mister A’s
Mille Fleurs
Best Business Spot
Cucina Urbana
505 Laurel St., Bankers Hill
619-239-2222 cucinaurbana.com
Donovan’s
Dobson’s
Most Impressive Décor
Truluck’s
8990 University Center Lane, University City
858-453-2583 trulucks.com
Cucina Urbana
Vin de Syrah
Best Service
Cucina Urbana
505 Laurel St., Bankers Hill
619-239-2222 cucinaurbana.com
Truluck’s
Bertrand at Mister A’s
Happiest Happy Hour
Truluck’s
8990 University Center Lane
University City
858-453-2583 trulucks.com
Casa de Pico
Cucina Urbana
Best Ocean View
Marine Room
2000 Spindrift Dr., La Jolla
866-644-2351 marineroom.com
George’s
Island Prime – C Level
Most Kid Friendly
Corvette Diner
2965 Historic Decatur Road
Liberty Station, Point Loma
619-542-1476 cohnrestaurants.com
Chuck E. Cheese’s
Olive Garden
Best Wine Bar
The 3rd Corner
2265 Bacon St., Ocean Beach 619-223-2700
897 S. Coast Hwy., Ste. F-104, Encinitas
760-942-2104 the3rdcorner.com
Wine Steals
Cucina Urbana
Best Pub Grub
Shakespeare Pub & Grille
3701 India St., Uptown
619-299-0230 shakespearepub.com
The High Dive
Hamilton’s Tavern
Best Microbrewery
Stone Brewing Co.
1999 Citracado Pkwy., Escondido
760-471-4999 stonebrew.com
Karl Strauss
Ballast Point
Best Breakfast
Hash House A Go Go
3628 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest
619-298-4646 hashhouseagogo.com
Kitchen 4140
Broken Yolk
Best Brunch
Farm House Café
2121 Adams Ave., University Heights
619-269-9662 farmhousecafesd.com
Hotel del Coronado
Humphreys
Best Lunch
Bandar
845 Fourth Ave., Downtown
619-238-0101 bandarrestaurant.com
Island Prime – C Level
Cucina Urbana
Best Desserts
Extraordinary Desserts
1430 Union St., Little Italy 619-294-7001
2929 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill
619-294-2132 extraordinarydesserts.com
BeRtrand at Mister A’s
Cheesecake Factory
Best Chef
Deborah Scott
Island Prime – C-Level
880 Harbor Island Dr., Harbor Island
619-298-6802 cohnrestaurants.com
Stéphane Voitzwinkler
Bertrand at Mister A’s
Olivier Bioteau
Farm House Café
Top Steakhouse
Donovan’s
570 K St., Downtown 619-237-9700
4340 La Jolla Village Dr., University City
858-450-6666 donovanssteakhouse.com
Cowboy Star
Ruth’s Chris
Best Vegan/Vegetarian
Evolution
2949 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest
619-550-1818 evolutionfastfood.com
Sipz
Jyoti-Bihanga
Best Seafood
The Fish Market
750 North Harbor Dr., Downtown 619-232-3474
640 Via De La Valle, Solana Beach 858-755-2277
thefishmarket.com
Truluck’s
Anthony’s Fish Grotto
Best Burgers
In-N-Out
Multiple locations in-n-out.com
Hodad’s
Burger Lounge
Best Pizza
Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza
Multiple locations sammyspizza.com
Filippi’s Pizza Grotto
Cucina Urbana
Best Fish Tacos
Brigantine
Multiple locations brigantine.com
Rubio’s
South Beach
Best Sushi
Sushi Ota
4529 Mission Bay Dr., Pacific Beach
858-270-5670/5047 sushiota.com
Harney Sushi
Azuki
Best Salad
Tender Greens
2400 Historic Decatur Road
Liberty Station, Point Loma
619-226-6254 tendergreensfood.com
Souplantation
Casa de Pico
Best Mexican
Casa de Pico
5500 Grossmont Center Dr., La Mesa
619-463-3267 casadepico.com
Casa Guadalajara
Fidel’s
Best Italian
Cucina Urbana
505 Laurel St., Bankers Hill
619-239-2222 cucinaurbana.com
Trattoria Acqua
Il Fornaio
Best French
Farm House Café
2121 Adams Ave., University Heights
619-269-9662 farmhousecafesd.com
Mille Fleurs
The French Gourmet
Best Chinese
P.F. Chang’s
Multiple locations pfchangs.com
Chin’s Szechwan
Mandarin House
Best Japanese
Azuki
2321 Fifth Ave., Bankers Hill
619-238-4760 azukisushi.com
Benihana
Café Japengo
Best Asian/Fusion
P.F. Chang’s
Multiple locations pfchangs.com
Roppongi
Rama
Best Indian
KC’s Tandoor
1070 N. El Camino Real, Suite A., Encinitas
760-753-7452 kcstandoor.com
Royal Indian
Bombay
Best Thai
Taste of Thai
527 University Ave., Hillcrest
619-291-7525
15770 San Andres Dr., Del Mar
858-793-9695
sdtasteofthai.com
Amarin Thai
Rama
Best German
Kaiserhof
2253 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., Ocean Beach
619-224-0606 kaiserhofrestaurant.com
Tip Top
Best Greek/Mideast
Café Athena
846 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach
858-274-1140 www.cafeathena.com
Daphne’s
Athens Market
