The Craving: San Diego Food + Drink News – Week of August 31, 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.
mcasd
All done
Japonesia Comes to MCASD’s Winter MKT with Records, Art, and Local Vibes
  • Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
MCASD’s Winter MKT is back, and this year’s lineup brings together some serious local favorites. The museum is teaming up with Part Time Lover, In...
holiday nights Bernardo Winery
All done
Bernardo Winery’s Holiday Nights is Back for 10 Festive Evenings
  • Bernardo Winery
One of San Diego’s favorite holiday traditions is back, and it’s exactly the kind of festive escape December needs. The Full Holiday Experience Picture this:...
Christmas in the Park at Old Poway Park
All done
Enjoy an Old-Fashioned Christmas in Poway Park
Step back in time and see old-fashioned holiday traditions come to life at Christmas in the Park at Old Poway Park. This annual celebration is...
Home Alone live orchestra
All done
Experience Home Alone Like Never Before: Live Orchestra at The Rady Shell
The San Diego Symphony Orchestra is performing John Williams’ score for Home Alone live while the film plays at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park,...
Lights & Peppermint Market at Liberty Public Market
All done
Lights & Peppermint Market at Liberty Public Market
  • Liberty Public Market
Liberty Public Market is getting festive with Lights & Peppermint Market, a two-day holiday celebration that combines eat, drink, and shopping with activities designed for...
Charlie Chaplain
All done
Silent Movie Mondays Brings a Holiday Double Feature to the Balboa Theatre
  • Balboa Theatre
The Balboa Theatre is dusting off two classic silent films for a special holiday edition of Silent Movie Mondays. We can catch Old Scrooge (1926)...
ales n rails fundraiser
All done
10 Years of Ales n’ Rails at San Diego Model Railroad Museum
  • San Diego Model Railroad Museum
The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is celebrating a decade of Ales n’ Rails, its annual beer-tasting fundraiser that combines local breweries, live music, model...
Makers Arcade Holiday Fair
All done
Makers Arcade Holiday Fair Takes Over Broadway Pier
  • Broadway Pier
The sensational Makers Arcade Holiday Fair is about to turn Broadway Pier into San Diego‘s most dazzling creative hub of the season. This popular annual...
san diego santa run
All done
San Diego Santa Run Brings 5K Fun to Pacific Beach
The 13th Annual San Diego Santa Run is happening in Pacific Beach, and if you’ve been looking for a 5K that’s less about PRs and...
Things To Do For The Holidays In San Diego
All done
San Diego Bay Parade of Lights Returns for 55th Year
  • San Diego Bay
The San Diego Bay Parade of Lights is back for its 55th year, and if you’ve never experienced roughly 80 lavishly decorated boats gliding through...
operation snowfall lou lou's
All done
The Secret Agents Take On Operation Snowfall at Lou Lou’s Club
Lou Lou’s Jungle Room is transforming into Secret Agent H.Q. for a night of jazzy, rockin’, 60s-inspired holiday arrangements and a lightly theatrical caper that...
The Craving
Bonne Vie Brasserie & Bar Now Open at The Westgate Hotel in the Gaslamp
The Westgate Hotel just unveiled its newest dining concept, and it’s bringing French culinary tradition to the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter with a coastal...
Fort Oak Holiday Lunch
Fort Oak Brings Back Holiday Lunch Service
Fort Oak is opening for midday service during two select weekends in December, and if you’ve been looking for an excuse to take a long...
Elevate Your Pickleball Game at Rancho La Puerta's Specialty Weeks
All done
Elevate Your Pickleball Game at Rancho La Puerta’s Specialty Weeks
Rancho La Puerta is taking pickleball to the next level with Pickleball ProWeeks running two consecutive weeks in December, and if you’re a player rated...
Annual Beachside Winter Wonder Is Back At Belmont Park For Its 4th Year
All done
Winter Wonder at Belmont Park Returns With a Million Twinkling Lights
  • Belmont Park
Winter Wonder at Belmont Park is back, and this year they’ve cranked things up with over one million twinkling lights transforming the beachside destination into...
San Diego’s Best Holiday Pop-Up Bars to Sip, Savor, and Get a Little Toasty
If you’re the kind of person who gets excited about themed holiday experiences rather than just tolerating them, we’ve got your guide to the biggest...
Annual OB Holiday Parade Parking Lot Party
All done
Ocean Beach Holiday Parade Gets the Perfect After-Party at Kilowatt
  • Kilowatt Brewing Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach’s Annual Holiday Parade is back, and Kilowatt Brewing is doing what they do best – throwing a parking lot party that captures everything...
societe makers market holiday edition
All done
Find One-of-a-Kind Gifts at Societe Makers Market
  • Societe Brewing Company
If you’re tired of scrolling through generic gift options online, the Societe Makers Market at Societe Brewing offers a better alternative. More than 25 local...
December at The Conrad
All done
Contemporary Mexican Tunes, Rising Classical Stars, and Free Holiday Open House at The Conrad
  • The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center
La Jolla Music Society is closing out December with a solid lineup that spans Latin GRAMMY winners, cutting-edge modern dance, rising classical stars, and their...
All done
World Ballet Company Brings The Nutcracker to San Diego
  • Balboa Theatre
Some holiday traditions just work, and The Nutcracker is one of them. World Ballet Company’s production returns with the kind of scale and craft that...
San Diego Civic Theatre
All done
Embrace the Wonder of The Nutcracker With the Golden State Ballet
  • San Diego Civic Theatre
The Nutcracker is the ultimate holiday tradition, and this year’s production promises pure magic. With Tchaikovsky’s iconic score performed live by the San Diego Symphony,...
Little Italy tree lighting
All done
Jingle All the Way to This Year’s Little Italy Tree Lighting and Christmas Village
  • Piazza della Famiglia
Little Italy is transforming into a winter wonderland for its annual Tree Lighting and Christmas Village, and if you’re looking for a neighborhood holiday celebration...
Holiday At Petco Park Returs Bigger And Better For Its 3rd Year
All done
Holiday Wonderland Returns to Petco Park
  • PETCO Park
Holiday Wonderland is back at Gallagher Square for its fifth year, and if you’ve been looking for a comprehensive holiday experience that goes beyond just...
outdoor lifestyle shopping center
Celebrate the Season at The Forum Carlsbad’s Tree Lighting
The Forum Carlsbad is bringing back its Tree Lighting Celebration for the 23rd year, and if you’re in North County looking for a holiday event...
Upcoming Events
MCASD EXPO Design Market
EXPO Design Market Returns to MCASD With a Full Weekend of Art, Design, and Music
June 5, 2026
6:00 pm
  • Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
Discover innovative ideas at the EXPO Design Market MCASD while enjoying special discounts on gallery admission all weekend.
Harland Clubhouse at Mission Bay Golf Course
Tee Up, Grab a Cold One – Harland Brewing Has Taken Over Mission Bay Golf Course
June 5, 2026
4:00 pm
Harland Brewing has found its next home, and it’s a good one. The San Diego craft brewery is now running the food and beverage program...
UC San Diego
Find the Clues, Crack the Code, and Save the Order at UC San Diego This Summer
June 4, 2026
2:00 pm
Forget everything you know about escape rooms. Decoding DaVinci is part scavenger hunt, part immersive theater, part outdoor adventure – and the entire UC San...
Gather Del Mar dining series
Dinner by the Sea: Gather Returns to Del Mar Village
June 3, 2026
6:30 pm
  • 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...
Don't Miss Out On Nighttime Zoo Final Season at San Diego Zoo
The Final Season of Nighttime Zoo is Here and it’s Worth Savoring
June 2, 2026
3:00 pm
  • San Diego Zoo
After more than 25 years, the San Diego Zoo’s Nighttime Zoo is entering its last season. And if you’ve never been, or even if you...