A big night out in Little Italy / Middletown →
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.7 mi
5:30 PMDrinks first
2
< 0.1 mi
7:00 PMThe big dinner
3
8:30 PMSomething sweet
← San DiegoDate night guide · San Diego
Best special-occasion restaurants for a date in San Diego
For the anniversary, the birthday, the big news.
72 spots · Jump to the list
For the anniversary, the birthday, the proposal. Every restaurant here sits at the top of the price range and treats dinner as the whole event. Book well ahead, mention what you're celebrating when you do, and plan for a longer meal than usual.
This guide ranks 72 special-occasion restaurants in San Diego, from Gaslamp Quarter / Downtown to Encinitas / Del Mar and Hillcrest / Bankers Hill. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.
Nights couples planned here
Published date nights with a stop on this list.
Make a night of it
Routes around the top spots on the list, with the best-rated places nearby for the rest of the evening.
A big night out in Hillcrest / Bankers Hill →
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.2 mi
5:30 PMDrinks first
2
0.5 mi
7:00 PMThe big dinner
3
8:30 PMSomething sweet
The list
Editors' picks first, then by rating · the top 24 of 72.
RestaurantRomanissimo
5.0(22)Little Italy / Middletown · $$$
RestaurantMia Trattoria
5.0(17)Hillcrest / Bankers Hill · $$$
RestaurantLilo
4.9(26)Oceanside / Carlsbad · $$$$
Mediterranean RestaurantTruva
4.9(20)Gaslamp Quarter / Downtown · $$$
RestaurantJeune & Jolie
4.9(7)Oceanside / Carlsbad · $$$$
RestaurantA.R. Valentien
4.7(26)La Jolla Shores / Torrey Pines · $$$$
RestaurantEt Voilà! French Bistro
4.7(20)North Park · $$$
RestaurantTrust
4.6(26)Hillcrest / Bankers Hill · $$$
RestaurantCatania
4.6(26)La Jolla · $$$
RestaurantThe Smoking Goat Restaurant
4.6(25)South Park / Golden Hill · $$$
Restaurant24 Suns
4.6(24)$$$$
RestaurantAnimae
4.6(19)Little Italy / Middletown · $$$$
RestaurantThe Lion's Share
4.6(17)Gaslamp Quarter / Downtown · $$$
RestaurantMerenda
4.6(14)Oceanside / Carlsbad · $$$$
RestaurantCowboy Star Restaurant and Butcher Shop
4.6(12)Gaslamp Quarter / Downtown · $$$$
RestaurantParc Bistro-Brasserie
4.6(10)Gaslamp Quarter / Downtown · $$$
RestaurantMr. A's
4.6(9)Hillcrest / Bankers Hill · $$$$
RestaurantThe Henry
4.6(8)Coronado · $$$
Italian RestaurantDora Ristorante
4.6(7)La Jolla Shores / Torrey Pines · $$$
RestaurantFleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
4.6(5)Gaslamp Quarter / Downtown · $$$$
RestaurantMaurizio's Trattoria Italiana
4.6(5)Encinitas / Del Mar · $$$
RestaurantVigilucci's Trattoria
4.5(24)Encinitas / Del Mar · $$$
RestaurantTop of the Market - San Diego
4.5(21)Little Italy / Middletown · $$$
RestaurantTrattoria Positano
4.5(21)Encinitas / Del Mar · $$$
Good to know
- What's the best special-occasion restaurant in San Diego for a date?
- Our top pick is Romanissimo in Little Italy / Middletown, rated 5.0 out of 5. Mia Trattoria and Lilo round out the top 3.
- Which San Diego neighborhoods have the best special-occasion restaurants?
- Gaslamp Quarter / Downtown (5), Encinitas / Del Mar (3) and Hillcrest / Bankers Hill (3) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Do I need a reservation?
- It depends on the spot. Book ahead for Lilo, Jeune & Jolie and 24 Suns.
- What should we do before or after?
- Make it a big night out: drinks first, then the big dinner, then something sweet. The plans on this page pair each top spot with the best-rated places within about a 20-minute walk.