The Craving: San Diego Food + Drink News – Week of September 21, 2026

The Craving is ThereSanDiego's weekly guide to what's worth eating and drinking in San Diego right now. Every Tuesday, we surface new restaurant openings, standout happy hours, limited-time menu specials, and upcoming food events across the city - so you know what's happening before everyone else does.

Ten Years of Barbusa: Little Italy’s Sicilian Table That Keeps Drawing Us Back

Join us in celebrating the barbusa 10th anniversary, a decade of Sicilian-inspired dining in the heart of Little Italy.

Taste Your Way Through San Diego During Restaurant Week

San Diego Restaurant Week is back for eight days of curated dining experiences across the city, and with more than 120 restaurants participating across 30-plus...

3rd Annual Downtown Oceanside Ace Hardware BBQ Competition

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Support Rady Children’s Hospital at the 3rd Annual Downtown Oceanside BBQ Competition

Local pitmasters are firing up their grills for a great cause this summer. The 3rd Annual Oceanside Ace Hardware BBQ Competition transforms the Downtown Oceanside...

Balboa Theatre Silent Movie Mondays Safety Last! (1923)

Step Back in Time with Season Three of Silent Movie Mondays at Balboa Theatre

Experience the magic of Balboa Theatre Silent Movie Mondays. Enjoy classic films with live music in the heart of Gaslamp Quarter.

San Diego Model Railroad Museum Summer Family Events

A Summer Full of Fun at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum

Join the fun with the San Diego Model Railroad Museum summer schedule featuring hands-on activities, crafts, and train play tables.

Ritual: Solstice - Immersive Music and Art Experience

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Mark the Summer Solstice With a Night of Art and Jazz at Liberty Station

Immerse yourself in the magic of RITUAL SOLSTICE at Liberty Station – a captivating fusion of art, sound, and atmosphere awaits you.

Rendering Moniker General downtown san diego

San Diego

Get Ready for Moniker General’s Third San Diego Location – This Time Downtown

Moniker General is coming downtown, and honestly, it makes all the sense in the world. The coffee and cocktail concept that helped shape Liberty Station...

Upcoming

Prost! La Mesa’s Oktoberfest is Back for 3 Days of Bier, Brats, and Good Times

La Mesa Village

Join the fun at La Mesa Oktoberfest! Enjoy live entertainment, games, and great food in San Diego's biggest German celebration.

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Float a Lantern and Honor a Loved One at the Japanese Friendship Garden

Japanese Friendship Garden

Toro Nagashi Festival at the Japanese Friendship Garden is where a ceremony with floating lanterns is done in honor of those who have passed.

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Watch Moulin Rouge on the Big Screen at the San Diego Museum of Art

San Diego Museum of Art

The Museum of Photographic Arts at the San Diego Museum of Art is hosting a special film screening of John Huston’s classic 1952 film Moulin...

Step Into Aloha: OluKai Opens its First San Diego Store in La Jolla

Visit the OluKai La Jolla location for premium footwear and a unique design that embodies the spirit of both Hawaii and California.

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Take in Ocean Views and Five Live Acts at the Pacific Records Festival

Kate O. Sessions Memorial Park

Mark your calendar for the Pacific Records Festival! Experience great music and stunning views at Kate Sessions Park this July.

Insomniac's Into the Horizon Festival crowd at Waterfront Park San Diego

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Lose Yourself in Two Days of EDM at the Horizon Festival

Waterfront Park

Insomniac’s Into the Horizon Festival is coming to Waterfront Park in Downtown San Diego for a two-day electronic music event on the city’s most iconic...

Head Up to the Andaz San Diego Rooftop for a Month Full of Good Times

If you’re looking for a reason to get up to the Andaz San Diego rooftop this month, the calendar is doing a lot of the...

Ziggy Marley performing live on the Brightside Tour 2026 in San Diego

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Catch Ziggy Marley Live at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre

Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre

Ziggy Marley is bringing his Brightside Tour to San Diego for a night of live reggae at one of the city’s best outdoor venues. Supporting...

Your Summer Guide to Temecula Wine Country

Explore the Temecula Valley Wine Country summer lineup featuring live music, poolside cocktails, and new tasting experiences.

Little Italy

Mark Your Mornings: Cloak & Petal is Opening a Japanese-Inspired Café

Little Italy is getting a new coffee spot this summer, and it’s coming from one of the neighborhood’s most respected kitchens. Cloak & Petal –...

Crowds celebrating Scottish heritage at the San Diego Scottish Highland Games San Diego

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Immerse Yourself in Scottish Heritage at the 50th Annual San Diego Highland Games

Five decades of Scottish heritage, athleticism, and community come together this summer as the San Diego Scottish Highland Games celebrate their 50th anniversary – and...

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Catch the Beach Boys Live at the Rady Shell – With the Full San Diego Symphony

The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park

Experience the magic of The Beach Boys at The Rady Shell concert with the San Diego Symphony for a perfect summer night.

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Open the Symphony Season Under the Stars at the Rady Shell

The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park

The San Diego Symphony's summer season kicks off at The Rady Shell with a sweeping program lead by Rafael Payare.

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Join San Diego’s Largest Juneteenth Celebration at Waterfront Park

Waterfront Park

Experience Kinfolk Fest 2026 at Waterfront Park, featuring live performances from top artists across genres and an amazing atmosphere.

Animals Thriving at Lions Tigers and Bears Rescue Sanctuary

Come Out and Celebrate Gotcha Days at Lions Tigers & Bears

At Lions Tigers & Bears sanctuary in Alpine, every animal has a story – and this season, three of its most beloved residents are marking...

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Find the Clues, Crack the Code, and Save the Order at UC San Diego This Summer

Forget everything you know about escape rooms. Decoding DaVinci is part scavenger hunt, part immersive theater, part outdoor adventure – and the entire UC San...

Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cook Off

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Enjoy a Free Summer Day at OB’s Street Fair and Chili Cook-Off

Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach does summer better than most neighborhoods, and the OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off is a big reason why. Every year, Newport Avenue...

Fourth annual Punches in the Piazza at Piazza della Famiglia

Honor, Remember, and Give Back at Punches in the Piazza in Little Italy

September 11, 2026

6:00 pm

Piazza della Famiglia

The fourth annual Punches in the Piazza returns to Little Italy’s Piazza della Famiglia for an evening that blends amateur boxing, community connection, and meaningful...

Little Italy

Live jazz performance under the stars at The Rady Shell

Feel the Rhythm of Latin Jazz at The Rady Shell

September 5, 2026

7:30 pm

The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park

Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, and Dizzy Gillespie are getting the tribute they deserve, and it’s happening right on the water at The Rady Shell at...

San Diego

Soft Power exhibition at Oceanside Museum of Art

Explore Identity and Power at OMA’s Newest Exhibition

September 5, 2026

11:00 am

Oceanside Museum of Art

Oceanside Museum of Art is hosting the 2026 San Diego Art Prize exhibition for the first time ever, and this one’s a must-see. Soft Power:...

Oceanside

Rooftop crowd at Margaritaville's Day of Service celebration

Give Back and Get Tropical at Margaritaville’s Day of Service

September 4, 2026

5:00 pm

Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp Quarter is turning good vibes into a great cause with its annual Day of Service, a celebration honoring the legacy...

San Diego

The 54th Annual Barona Powwow celebration

Watch Tradition Come Alive at the Barona Powwow

September 4, 2026

7:00 am

The Barona Band of Mission Indians is hosting the 54th Annual Barona Powwow over Labor Day Weekend, and this is one celebration you won’t want...

San Diego