The Craving: San Diego Food + Drink News – Week of September 28, 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.

Catalina Island’s Pavilion Hotel Is Getting a Fresh Spring Look (And We’re Already Booking)

Catalina Island’s Pavilion Hotel is reopening this spring with a completely refreshed look, and reservations are now open for stays starting in April. If beachfront...

San Diego Festival Of Science & Engineering at Snapdragon Stadium

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San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering Returns to Petco Park

PETCO Park
Snapdragon Stadium

The San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering is taking over Petco Park for a full day of hands-on STEAM learning, and admission is completely...

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Matrix Multiplied: Hybrid Approaches to Printmaking Opens at Oceanside Museum of Art

Oceanside Museum of Art

Contemporary printmaking has moved beyond a strictly repetition-based approach and into more exploratory territory, and Oceanside Museum of Art is spotlighting this evolution with a...

Jacumba Hot Springs Cabanas and Ritual Pool

Soak Under Desert Stars at San Diego’s Hidden Mineral Hot Springs

Turns out we’ve got natural mineral hot springs less than an hour from downtown. Jacumba Hot Springs sits along Old Highway 80 in the Sonoran...

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Local Pastry Chefs Host Charity Chocolate Bake Sale at Herb & Wood

Herb and Wood

Some of San Diego’s most talented pastry chefs are coming together for a charity bake sale that’s all about chocolate and giving back. The Friendly...

Ocean Beach’s Elvira Debuts a Roman Supper That Feels Like Dinner at Nonna’s

There’s something shifting in the way we think about going out to eat. More restaurants and bars are starting to feel less like dining rooms...

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A Rare Look at James Hubbell’s Work Comes to Escondido for One Day Only

North County art lovers, this one is worth clearing the calendar for. The Ilan Lael Foundation is presenting a never-before-seen piece by the late James...

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch Returns With a Spectacular Season of Color

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch is opening for its 2026 season, and if you’ve never been, this is one of those Southern California experiences...

Cherry Blossom Festival Japanese Friendship Garden

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Cherry Blossom Festival Returns to the Japanese Friendship Garden

Japanese Friendship Garden

Spring in San Diego means one thing at the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum – cherry blossom season. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival is back,...

Inside 24 Suns’ 15-Day Lunar New Year Festival in Oceanside

24 Suns in Oceanside is turning Lunar New Year into a 15-day celebration that goes way beyond a single dinner. The festival treats the holiday...

Animal Crossing Aquarium Tour birch aquarium

Animal Crossing Aquarium Tour Comes to Birch Aquarium

Birch Aquarium at Scripps is hosting a stop on this year’s Animal Crossing Aquarium Tour in partnership with Nintendo of America, and if you’ve spent...

Landmark Graciela Iturbide Exhibition Comes to The San Diego Museum of Art

The Museum of Photographic Arts at The San Diego Museum of Art is opening a solo exhibition of work by Graciela Iturbide, one of Latin...

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SeaWorld’s Seven Seas Food Festival Is Back with 150+ Global Flavors and a New Concert Series

SeaWorld San Diego

Spring weekends in San Diego just got a lot more flavorful. SeaWorld’s Seven Seas Food Festival returns, bringing more than 150 globally inspired bites, six...

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Panda Fest Makes Its San Diego Debut This Spring

Waterfront Park

San Diego is getting its first Panda Fest this spring, and if you’ve been following this festival’s growth across the country, you know it’s a...

Birch Aquarium’s Little Blue Penguin Chick Raised by Its Parents for the First Time

Birch Aquarium at Scripps just hit a pretty cool milestone in their Little Blue Penguin breeding program. For the first time, a penguin chick has...

Fish Shop Opens New Oceanside Location, Growing its San Diego Roots

Fish Shop just opened its fourth San Diego County location in Oceanside, and it’s bringing the same laid-back seafood vibe that’s been working in Pacific...

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Cupid’s Skate Party Transforms Petco Park’s Gallagher Square Into a Valentine’s Roller Rink

PETCO Park

Petco Park is turning Gallagher Square into an outdoor roller skating rink for Valentine’s weekend, and it’s the kind of setup that works whether you’re...

Valentine's season at Loews Coronado Bay Resort

Love is in the Air at Loews Coronado Bay Resort

Loews Coronado Bay Resort is leaning into Valentine’s season with a full lineup of experiences designed for couples looking to escape and reconnect. Set on...

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Show Del Mar’s Coastline Some Valentine’s Day Love With a Community Cleanup

The Del Mar Village Association and EDCO are kicking off 2026 with their first “Keep Del Mar Green” community cleanup, and they’re timing it with...

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Two San Diego Culinary Couples Team Up for a Wine & Chocolate Pairing Pop-Up

Two of San Diego’s culinary couples are joining forces for a limited-time pop-up in the North City district, and it’s the kind of collaboration that...

Petals & Poetry Valentine’s Floral Workshop

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Petals & Poetry: A Valentine’s Floral Workshop at Treehouse Café

Treehouse, the all-day dining collective in Sorrento Mesa, is teaming up with San Diego wedding and event florist Sage & Autumn for a pre-Valentine’s workshop...

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The Secret Society of Adultologists Takes Over the Nat for a Night of Science and Seduction

San Diego Natural History Museum

The San Diego Natural History Museum’s Secret Society of Adultologists is throwing a 21+ after-hours event that leans hard into the theme of love’s darker...

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An Evening of Film, Conversation, and Real-World Impact at Alliance Française San Diego

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...

What’s Coming to Frontwave Arena in 2026: Sports, Shows & New League Debuts

Frontwave Arena in Oceanside has packed its 2026 calendar with everything from USA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers to a brand-new professional BMX racing league. Since...