11 Best Coronado Restaurants You MUST Try in 2023

Coronado is such a fun place with so much to do. As San Diego locals, my husband and I love driving or taking the ferry to “our little island” for a quick getaway. And because we are foodies, we love trying out new (to us) Coronado restaurants along the way. In general, we like all kinds of restaurants – from hole-in-the-wall places to fine dining and this list reflects this. So if you are looking for a good place to eat in Coronado, I hope this list of best restaurants in Coronado will help you find one that hits the spot.

Best Coronado Restaurants to try in 2023

Peohe’s – Tropical

Address: 1201 1st St, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: (619) 437-4474
Website
4.2 ⭐️ (1550+ reviews) – $$$ – Reservations recommended

Located on the bay side in the Coronado Ferry Landing, Peohe’s offers one of the must stunning views of the San Diego downtown. The stunning outdoor terrace is one of my favorite spots to enjoy happy hour and watch the sunset.

But all the views and decor are just a bonus to the food, which is delicious. The tropical and Asian-inspired menu is fun and changes frequently. Some of my favorite dishes are Kimchi Calamari, Ahi Nachos, Coconut Crunchy Shrimp, and grilled Swordfish.

“Delicious food and spectacular views of San Diego from across the bay. Great place to sit outside and enjoy dinner and the sunset. Great atmosphere and seating inside as well.”

Helen C.

Serẽa Coastal Cuisine – Hotel Del Coronado

Address: 1500 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: (619) 435-6611
Website
4.3 ⭐️ (240+ reviews) – $$$$ – Reservations recommended

Located at the famous Hotel Del Coronado, right on the beach, Serẽa wows with ambiance, impeccable service, and a delectable menu.

Chef Jose “Jojo” Ruiz not only runs two incredibly successful restaurants (Serẽa & Lionfish) but is also a back-to-back recipient of the James Beard “Smart Catch” Certificate that showcases his knowledge and passion for sustainable seafood. Now that is what I call a Chef that goes the extra step!

Aside from a focus on local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients, Serẽa’s fine dining menu takes you on a journey around the world. From Greek Saganaki cheese to Halibut ceviche, fresher than fresh sashimi, and juicy lamb chops, the menu offers something for everyone.

“Had a lovey date night here! We sat in their beautiful outside seating (with heat-lamps). It was so lovely to enjoy the view of the Hotel Del Coronado accompanied by the ocean. Our dinner started off with a lovely house cocktail, then a delicious grilled octopus, and finally our entrees. Staff was courteous and attentive. Food was delicious. Definitely recommend!”

Ares H.

Tartine – European

Address: 1106 1st St, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: (619) 435-4323
Website
4.5 ⭐️ (880+ reviews) – $$

This cute little bistro and café offers simple, yet delicious dishes and sweet treats right by Centennial Park on the Coronado Bayside. Perfectly moist quiche, delectable (and unique) sandwiches, tasty specials, flaky croissants, and finger-licking good desserts make this place a great choice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, in a casual setting. It is a great spot to grab lunch with a girlfriend, enjoy a special treat on a lazy Sunday afternoon, or have a quick dinner after exploring Coronado.

“Really cute café with excellent food. We shared the wheel of brie, croque monsieur, and spinach quiche for breakfast. Every single thing was delicious. We also finished off with the white chocolate lemon pound cake, and we wanted to order even more sweets because it was also so good. Great little pit stop.”

Clayton S.

The Henry – Californian

Address: 1031 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: (619) 762-1022
Website
4.6 ⭐️ (1160+ reviews) – $$ – Reservations recommended

The terrace right on Orange Avenue is just the right spot to dive into the weekend with a nice brunch, some people-watching and of course, some delicious food. Of course, you can enjoy more than just brunch there. From 8 AM to 10 PM, you get to indulge in their delicious treats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (& fun cocktails too).

Let’s talk a bit more about the food… I mean, that’s the most important, right? The menu is full of all-time favorites but with a lighter “California” twist. There are plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options, which makes it great for eating out with a group. If you eat meat, definitely get the short-rib dumplings, and if you don’t, get the pretzels. Or both! You won’t regret it!

“Food was absolutely incredible. The pretzels are a must get. We only wish we came with more people so we could have gotten more food! The squash salad was out of this world. We also got the short rib dumplings which were amazing. The service was great. Perfect ambience. Definitely recommend for a great lunch spot!”

Erica

Il Fornaio – Italian

Address: 1333 1st St, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: (619) 437-4911
Website
4.5 ⭐️ (2130+ reviews) – $$ – Reservations recommended

There is just something mesmerizing about this view over the San Diego skyline from Coronado, which makes Il Fornaio the perfect place for a special occasion or one of those days when you just want to treat yourself.

The menu features classic Italian dishes that just make you happy. Who doesn’t like a big bowl of rigatoni tossed with a lusciously creamy vodka sauce and generous shavings of Parmigiano on top?

“This is a multi-star restaurant in a multi-star location. From the receptionists to wait staff, all are top notch. Authentic Italian menu, appetizers, soups, salads, pastas, seafood & steaks & a full bar. Very affordable for an upscale night out, the location on the water will impress locals & visitors alike.”

Jose C.

Saiko Sushi

Address: 116 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: (619) 435-0868
4.3 ⭐️ (485+ reviews) – $$ – Reservations recommended

Small, no-frills sushi place on Orange Avenue with fantastic Happy Hour specials (Happy Hour 4:30 PM-6 PM & on Monday all night!). The menu is a bit more extensive than most neighborhood sushi places and includes Yakitori, Bento Boxes, and some fusion dishes like Blood Orange Chicken or Tokyo Dirty Rice.

They have a pretty extensive Sake menu and even offer 4 different Sake flights, which lets you try all different styles of Sake. I personally didn’t know much about Sake, so this was a great way to learn more about it and try them.

“Great sushi place! Also had non-sushi foods, like gyoza and edomame, which was also good. Enjoyed the tempura cheesecake for dessert– nice. The place is small and fills up so reservations are suggested. Nice staff too.”

John B.

Brigantine’s – Seafood

Address: 1333 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: (619) 435-4166
Website
4.4 ⭐️ (1810+ reviews) – $$ – Reservations recommended

Brigantine’s Coronado is one of the 6 locations of this local seafood chain and no matter which location you choose, the food is always on point. Our favorite choice is the fish tacos (only available in the bar section) and they are a great deal during Happy Hour. I also love their swordfish. They know how to cook it right and it is always moist and delicious.

This is a seafood lover’s dream. The food is fresh and prepared well. The only thing that is a slight negative (for some), is that there are not many options for non-seafood lovers, vegetarians, or vegans. But if you love fish or any other creatures of the ocean, then Brigantine’s is a great choice!

“Food was unique and super tasty. We got the chowder, salmon and swordfish. Just the right flavor, temperature and the fish were moist and some of the best I’ve had. We were full on dinner but splurged on dessert thinking we’ll just have a couple bites. 5 minutes later there wasn’t any S’mores brownie sundae left. If I’m in town again I’d go back.”

Jodi W.

Bluewater Boathouse Seafood Grill

Address: 1701 Strand Way, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: (619) 435-0155
Website
4.4 ⭐️ (2240+ reviews) – $$$ – Reservations recommended

This place is known to have one of the best New England-style clam chowders in San Diego. It is thick, creamy, (clam) meaty, and delicious. If you prefer the tomato-based Manhattan-style clam chowder, they also offer that as well. Other favorites on the menu are crab cakes, swordfish, and black cod.

They also have a decent size kid-menu to choose from, but again, meat eaters and vegetarians/vegans don’t have too many options here, unfortunately. Happy Hour is Sunday through Thursday 3-6 PM and has some tasty specials for you, including fish tacos for $10 and their delicious crab & artichoke dip, and even a full-size burger for $12.

“Bluewater Boathouse Seafood and Grill has amazing food. The clam chowder was the best I have ever tasted. But honestly all the food was great. The seafood was very fresh. I would say it’s on the higher end price. The staff was very friendly. Your food came out hot and fresh but it took some time. I highly recommend if your in the area.”

Emily P.

Crown Bistro – French/American/Italian

Address: 520 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: (619) 435-3678
Website

4.6 ⭐️ (415+ reviews) – $$ – Reservations recommended

This cozy little Bistro is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offers a great selection of crowd-pleasing mouthwatering dishes to choose from. The extensive breakfast menu is perfect, whether you like sweet or savory. I am especially a fan of all the Eggs Benedict variations on the breakfast menu. It’s my go-to breakfast item and sometimes you just gotta switch up an old classic.

Lunch and dinner will equally tantalize your tastebuds with homey pasta dishes, saucy meat, and flakey fish options. The only problem: You will have a hard time choosing, because everything sounds soooo delicious.

“A very warm, cozy little place. It just feels very local. It is the kind of place that you want to invite your closest friends that you feel most comfortable with. Taste is standard but service is extremely good. One of the waiter offered us extra cheese on the pasta.”

Bao W.

Little Frenchie

Address: 1166 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: (619) 675-0041
Website
4.6 ⭐️ (340+ reviews) – $$$ – Reservations recommended

I wish I could just jet off to Paris every time I crave authentic French food, but the Little Frenchie ties me over in-between trips. They have all the French classics and then some on the menu, including escargots, moules frites, boeuf bourguignon, duck à l’orange, and more. Their cheese selection makes my husband very happy! If you go for brunch, you definitely should get the pastry basket with a croissant, chocolate croissant, and a cheese danish.

“Love this place so much! Every time we try something new and are never disappointed. Their quiche is the best I’ve ever had, their coffee is consistently amazing and we love coming monthly to try the cronut and cruffin flavors of the month.

Our most recent visit was for my mom’s birthday and Rachel made sure to make it extra special. She was so sweet and attentive. Thank you!!

We will definitely be back again very soon!”

Christina B.

Coronado Brewing Company

Address: 170 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA 92118
Phone: (619) 437-4452
Website
4.5 ⭐️ (1140+ reviews) – $$

This casual brew pub not only features delicious pub grub but also some tasty award-winning craft beers at their Coronado location. You simply can’t go wrong with that. Their beers are fantastic and give me the tropical island vibe – perfect for a sunny day on the beach, while you chow down on a saucy burger and enjoy the company of your friends.

“Awesome place! We sat at the bar and Tim was a great bartender. He was very knowledgeable on all of their offerings and a great host. We had a couple of flights to taste their different beers and ciders and everything was good, it was hard to choose one favorite. The prices were very reasonable and their to go options are also a good deal.”

Luis C.

I hope this list of Coronado restaurants will help you pick a fun and tasty place to eat. If you have tried one (or more) of the restaurants, let me know in the comments what you liked (or didn’t like) about them.

Last Updated on March 17, 2023 by Maria Haase

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