The Craving: San Diego Food + Drink – Week of May 18, 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.
Pendry San Diego new dining programming
Pendry San Diego Launches Three New Culinary Experiences Worth Booking
Pendry San Diego is rolling out some thoughtful new dining programming that goes beyond the typical hotel restaurant offerings. Between Provisional Kitchen and Fifth &...
Alpine Acres Sanctuary Farm
Alpine Acres Faces Critical Financial Emergency and Asks for Community Support
Alpine Acres Sanctuary Farm is facing one of those moments when everything goes wrong at once. The local animal sanctuary that’s been quietly caring for...
Canyoneers
The Canyoneers Are Back With 60 Ways to Explore San Diego’s Wild Side
The Canyoneers have launched their 52nd hiking season with an impressive roster of 60 unique hiking opportunities that’ll take us from towering mountains to quiet...
Thorn and Petal interactive play
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Thorn & Petal: The Interactive Play That Makes San Diego History Feel Personal
San Diego theater is getting a fresh approach to storytelling with Thorn & Petal, an immersive production that transforms the overlooked story of Louis Rose...
san diego veteran's day parade
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San Diego Veterans Day Parade Honors WWII’s 80th Anniversary
The San Diego Veterans Day Parade, sponsored by Verizon, is centering its 2025 event around a significant milestone—the 80th anniversary of the end of World...
San Diego Bayfair
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H1 Hydroplanes Return to Mission Bay for the Ultimate Speed Showdown
The roar is back at Mission Bay this weekend as San Diego Bayfair powered by Samson Rope brings three days of the fastest racing on...
Personal Trainer San Diego Iron Orr Fitness
Classes, Solo Workouts, or Personal Trainer? The Best Ways to Stay Motivated Year-Round
It can be tough to stay motivated to work out all year. Between schedules, bad weather, and days when you’re just plain tired, it’s easy...
University Heights Movie in the Park
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University Heights Serves Up Hocus Pocus with a Side of Community Baking Competition
University Heights is taking their Movie in the Park series to the next level this weekend with a Hocus Pocus screening that’s got more layers...
Christophe Rull Patisserie
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Netflix Star Chef Christophe Rull Opens His Dream Patisserie in San Marcos
We’ve watched him create magic on Netflix’s Bake Squad and dominate Food Network competitions, but now Chef Christophe Rull is bringing his Michelin-trained talents directly...
grape day festival escondido
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A Century-Old Tradition Returns: Grape Day Festival Is Back in Escondido
  • Grape Day Park
Every now and then, we get the chance to step into a piece of living history, and Escondido’s Grape Day Festival is exactly that kind...
Alley Cat Art Walk
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El Cajon’s Annual Art Walk Returns With 14 Years of Creative Community Spirit
El Cajon’s arts scene gets its biggest spotlight of the year when the Alley Cat Art Walk transforms downtown into a sprawling gallery experience. This...
Punches in piazza
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Boxing Returns to Little Italy’s Piazza for a Night That Honors Legacy
  • Piazza della Famiglia
Amateur boxing in the heart of Little Italy sounds like something straight out of a movie, but Punches in the Piazza is very real and...
9/11 Memorial Stair with Rincon Fire Department
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Harrah’s Resort SoCal and Rincon Fire Department Hold 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb
  • Harrah’s Resort SoCal
Some events stick with you long after they’re over, and Harrah’s Resort Southern California’s 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb is one of them. Now in its...
Speakeasies in San Diego
Discover the Hidden Speakeasy Culture of San Diego
The speakeasies of today’s world aren’t necessarily as much of a secret as they were in the 20’s, but the dark alleys, rare liquor, and...
Taste Of South Park 2019 Welcomes You To San Diego's Most Happening Neighborhood
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Taste of South Park is Back After Five Years
After what feels like forever, one of our favorite neighborhood food crawls is finally returning. The Taste of South Park disappeared for five years, leaving...
Parfait Party at Tajima Ramen
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Parfait Party’s Kawaii Maid Café Returns to Tajima Ramen for Round Two
The collaboration that had people lining up around the block is back, and this time Parfait Party and Tajima Ramen are pulling out all the...
Bed by 10pm san diego
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Finally, a Club Night That Gets It: Bed By 10pm Lands in San Diego
We’ve all been there—scrolling through event listings on a Friday afternoon, torn between our love for dancing and the harsh reality that we’re not 22...
The Joan new guest experience
The Joan Just Upped San Diego’s Theater Game
The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center has officially opened, and this new guest experience is about to cement Liberty Station as San Diego’s...
Annual Adams Avenue Street Fair
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Adams Avenue Street Fair Returns With 75 Acts and Zero Entry Fee
  • Normal Heights
The 43rd annual Adams Avenue Street Fair is happening in Normal Heights, and proves that the best festivals don’t need to cost you anything. Southern...
The Lobby Bar at the LaFayette Hotel & Club
The Best Cocktail Bars in San Diego 2025
San Diego has always had a reputation as a ‘party’ town, but it also has some of the best cocktail bars on Earth for those...
14 Things to Do in San Diego When it Rains
It’s that time again…the rare occasion when you have to figure out things to do in San Diego when it rains. We’ll spare you assorted...
The Pool House DJ sets
The Pool House Brings Fresh DJ Energy to Locals’ Summer
The Pool House at Pendry San Diego is keeping the rooftop party momentum going this month with a lineup of Sunday events that showcase both...
ctzn solana beach
CTZN Brings the Basque Country to Solana Beach
CTZN Tapas Bar & Restaurant is serving up something we’ve never really had here before, and their new guest experience feels like discovering a hidden...
Juniper & Ivy's California Wine Month celebration
California Wine Month Hits Different This Year at Juniper & Ivy
With all the tariff craziness shaking up wine imports right now, California Wine Month feels pretty perfectly timed. Juniper & Ivy is leaning into September...
Upcoming Events
Violent Femmes in Del Mar
Violent Femmes Kick Off 45th Anniversary Tour in Del Mar
February 28, 2026
7:00 pm
Violent Femmes are hitting the road to celebrate 45 years of making music that doesn’t fit neatly into any category, and the West Coast tour...
R&B Fest Returns To San Diego
R&B Fest Returns To San Diego!
February 28, 2026
4:00 pm
If your playlist still has Usher, TLC, and Destiny’s Child on heavy rotation, R&B Fest is your kind of night out. The ultimate Old School...
Night of Ideas 2026
An Evening of Film, Conversation, and Real-World Impact at Alliance Française San Diego
February 26, 2026
6:00 pm
Alliance Française San Diego is hosting a free evening of film and dialogue as part of the international Night of Ideas 2026, and it’s worth...
Uptown Rhythm Makers at Panama 66
Uptown Rhythm Makers Bring New Orleans Jazz to Panama 66
February 26, 2026
6:00 pm
  • Panama 66
If you’re looking for a reason to head to Balboa Park on a Thursday evening, the Uptown Rhythm Makers are playing Panama 66 and it’s...
City Heights Multi-Cultural Festival of Love
City Heights Multi-Cultural Festival of Love Brings the Community Together
February 22, 2026
11:00 am
There is something special about City Heights when the whole neighborhood shows up for each other. The 6th Annual City Heights Multi-Cultural Festival of Love...