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.
Carté Hotel May Events Lineup Includes Watch Parties, a Pool Party, and Live Music
Carte Hotel May Events Lineup for Your Weekends
From rooftop house music and poolside BBQs to an intimate live music showcase and a Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon finish line party, Carté Hotel is...
Lofty Coffee State Street
Lofty Coffee’s 15th Anniversary Means Free Coffee for Everyone
Some coffee shops are just coffee shops. And then there’s Lofty. The Encinitas-born café that started as a single neighborhood spot in 2011 has spent...
The Music Company Jam Session
Pacific Beach Nonprofits Launch New Summer Camp for Young Creatives
Pacific Beach has always had a strong creative current running through it, and this summer, two local nonprofits are putting that energy to work for...
Super Girl Surf Pro Takes Over Oceanside Pier for Their 20th Anniversary
Upcoming
The Supergirl Surf Pro is Turning 20 and Oceanside is the Place to Be
  • Oceanside Pier
One of professional surfing’s most celebrated events returns to Oceanside this summer for its 20th anniversary – and it’s shaping up to be the biggest...
Arturo Sandoval
La Jolla Music Society is Closing Out its 57th Season With a Lineup Worth Catching
The final stretch of La Jolla Music Society’s 57th season is here, and it’s going out strong. From free outdoor concerts to jazz phenoms and...
Top Concerts in San Diego
Top Concerts in San Diego This Week
Here are the top concerts in San Diego this week! From P!NK’s powerful performance at Curebound’s 2026 Concert for Cures to MGK’s Lost Americana Tour...
Encinitas Public Art Walking Tours
All done
Explore Encinitas’ Public Art Scene on Foot: Free Walking Tours Debut at Cyclovia
  • Downtown Encinitas
Encinitas has always had art woven into its streets and sidewalks – murals, mosaics, sculptures, and surf-inspired installations that most people walk past without knowing...
Plan Your Own Big Bear Summer Escape
7 Reasons to Head Up to Big Bear This Summer
When the heat starts creeping in across Southern California, Big Bear Lake is always the answer. At over 6,700 feet of elevation, it’s cooler, quieter,...
Enjoy Live Music and Fun at Grand Social this Summer
Fairmont Grand Del Mar is Kicking Off Summer With Live Music Every Weekend
The Grand Social Music Series is back at Fairmont Grand Del Mar, bringing live music to the resort’s outdoor lounge every Friday and Saturday night...
Leaves of Absence
The Gaslamp Just Got a New Rooftop to Love
Perched atop Alma San Diego in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter, Leave of Absence is opening for the summer season – and it’s already...
Open Air Yoga At San Diego Botanic Garden
All done
Take Your Yoga Practice Outside at San Diego Botanic Garden
  • San Diego Botanic Garden
If you’re going to do yoga, you might as well do it surrounded by lush gardens and fresh air. San Diego Botanic Garden is hosting...
North Park Music Fest at North Park Mini Park
Upcoming
North Park Music Fest is Back With 30+ Live Acts
  • North Park Mini Park
North Park has always had one of the best music scenes in San Diego, and once a year it turns the whole neighborhood into one...
Baby Grand Crown City
A Hidden World Opens in Coronado: The Baby Grand Crown City is Here
If you know CH Projects‘ work – Born & Raised, Ironside, Polite Provisions, The Lafayette Hotel & Club – you already understand that they don’t...
volcan de mi tierra tequilla
All done
What Does “Craft Tequila” Actually Mean? San Diego is About to Find Out
San Diego gets a front-row seat to one of the more interesting conversations happening in the spirits world right now – and yes, there’s tequila...
Gather Del Mar dining series
Upcoming
Dinner by the Sea: Gather Returns to Del Mar Village
  • Monarch Ocean Pub
Gather – Del Mar’s seaside pop-up dinner series – is making its return, and it’s kicking things off at one of the village’s best spots...
San Diego County Fair 2022
7 Things You Need to Know if You’re Going to the San Diego County Fair
Planning a trip to the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar? Here’s what you need to know before you go. Because we want to...
Featured
KEX Fest is Back for its 8th Year!
Upcoming
KEX Fest is Back for its 8th Year and the Lineup is the Best Yet
  • Kettner Exchange
Kettner Exchange’s annual food and beverage festival returns to Little Italy for its eighth edition, and if you’ve been before, you already know what a...
Frontwave Arena Debuts Minor-League Ice Hockey
Professional Hockey is Coming to Oceanside This Fall
North County San Diego is getting a professional hockey team. Frontwave Arena has announced the arrival of a new Federal Prospects Hockey League franchise set...
Upcoming
Good Food, Good Vibes, and a Great Cause: WILDCOAST’s Baja Bash is Back
  • Montbleau Estate
There’s something genuinely special about an event that combines an all-star chef lineup, ocean views, mariachis, and a mission worth rallying around. WILDCOAST’s 14th annual...
Join the barleymash Burger Brawl for a Month's Worth of Free Burgers
Think You Can Build a Better Burger? barleymash Wants to Find Out
May is National Burger Month, and barleymash is marking the occasion with something a little more interactive than a limited-time special. The barleymash Burger Brawl...
Enjoy New and Exciting Events at SeaWorld Summer Spectacular
SeaWorld San Diego’s Summer Spectacular is the Park’s Biggest Season Yet
SeaWorld San Diego is kicking off its most ambitious summer season to date, and the lineup reflects it. From a first-ever nightly drone show to...
Nat at Night at San Diego Natural History Museum
Showing
Friday Nights at The Nat Just Got Better
  • San Diego Natural History Museum
If Friday nights have been feeling a little predictable lately, the San Diego Natural History Museum has something worth checking out. Nat at Night is...
Incubator Lab: The making, magnified
Upcoming
Watch Contemporary Ballet Get Made – Live, Onstage
  • Liberty Station
If you’ve spent any time in San Diego’s arts scene, you’ve probably heard of The Rosin Box Project – and if you haven’t, this is...
All done
Beach Sport, Craft Beer, and Food Trucks: The OTL Beer Fest is Back at Mariner’s Point
The 10th Annual Over the Line Beer Fest and Tournament is one of those only-in-San Diego days that’s hard to explain until you’ve been. Hosted...
Upcoming Events
Arts District Liberty Station’s Summer Arts Festival is Back and It’s Free
June 13, 2026
2:00 pm
  • North Promenade
If you’re looking for a way to kick off summer in San Diego, this is a pretty good one. The Summer Arts Festival returns to...
firefighter challenge league san diego
US Police & Fire Championships Return to San Diego for 59th Season
June 13, 2026
8:00 am
San Diego has always had a deep connection to the men and women who serve in public safety, and every June, that connection gets a...
Jefferson Starship for San Diego County Fair
The San Diego Fair’s Paddock Stage Lineup is Stacked This Summer
June 10, 2026
9:00 pm
Every summer, the San Diego County Fair rolls out a full concert series on the Chevrolet Paddock Stage – and the best part is it’s...
Paul Simon Concert: A Quiet Celebration Tour
Paul Simon’s Quiet Celebration Tour Stops at The Rady Shell
June 9, 2026
7:00 pm
  • The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
Paul Simon is bringing his “A Quiet Celebration Tour” to The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park this summer. After a strong US run last year,...
balboa park event
Step Into an Enchanted Evening at Balboa Park’s Inaugural Garden Party
June 6, 2026
5:00 pm
Balboa Park is doing something it’s never done before. The first-ever Balboa Park Garden Party is coming this summer, presented by Whittier Trust, and it’s...