Restaurants in the Gaslamp San Diego

5. Re: Gaslamp restaurants

Honestly, there are very few good restaurants in the Gaslamp, it's geared towards tourists. That said, we have plenty of really good restaurants. I'd rent a car if I were you and venture into the local restaurants. The best Italian restaurant is Bencotto in Little Italy. It's fairly new and already has a huge following, it's that good. Cucina Urbana in Banker's Hill is really good as well, but make reservations because they always book up quickly and in advance. You can do that on Open Table.

For Mexican, definitely get out of the Gaslamp. Mama Testa's and Baja Betty's in Hillcrest are both good and Lucha Libre is very popular and good as well. Carne asada fries are a must try while here!

Besides Hillcrest/Bankers's Hill, Kensington, University Heights and North Park have some really awesome restaurants as well that aren't geared for tourists, so the food is great and the prices are reasonable. Lefty's, West Coast Tavern, Bleu Boheme, Charisma and The Smoking Goat all come to mind.

If you're here on a Saturday or Sunday, check out our awesome farmers markets. Saturday is Little Italy and Sunday is Hillcrest. I much prefer Hillcrest, since the prepared food section is awesome there. You can try some street tacos there, they are really good. Have a good trip!