Around Catania
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
< 0.1 mi
5:30 PMDrinks first
2
0.1 mi
7:00 PMThe big dinner
3
8:30 PMSomething sweet
← Best special-occasion restaurants in San DiegoDate night guide · San Diego
A big night out in La Jolla
For the anniversary, the birthday, the big news.
8 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 8 special-occasion restaurants in La Jolla. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.
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.
Around La Dolce Vita Ristorante
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.2 mi
5:30 PMDrinks first
2
0.4 mi
7:00 PMThe big dinner
La Dolce Vita Ristorante
Restaurant
1237 Prospect St Ste p, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
La Jolla
4.8
3
8:30 PMSomething sweet
Around NINE-TEN Restaurant & Bar
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.3 mi
5:30 PMDrinks first
2
0.3 mi
7:00 PMThe big dinner
3
8:30 PMSomething sweet
Special-occasion restaurants in La Jolla
Editors' picks first, then by rating.
Catania
4.9(26)La Jolla · $$$
La Dolce Vita Ristorante
4.8(15)La Jolla · $$$
NINE-TEN Restaurant & Bar
4.8(9)La Jolla · $$$
George's at the Cove
4.8(5)La Jolla · $$$
The Marine Room
4.6(8)La Jolla · $$$$
Barbarella Restaurant & Bar
4.5(26)La Jolla · $$$
Roppongi Restaurant & Lounge
3.7(25)La Jolla · $$$
Sea & Sky
La Jolla · $$$
Good to know
- What's the best special-occasion restaurant in La Jolla for a date?
- Our top pick is Catania, rated 4.9 out of 5. La Dolce Vita Ristorante and NINE-TEN Restaurant & Bar round out the top 3.
- 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.