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.

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Racing Returns to Del Mar for Bing Crosby Season and Breeders’ Cup

Del Mar Racetrack

Fall in San Diego means racing season is back at Del Mar, and this year it’s kicking off with something huge. The Bing Crosby Season...

Step Into Catalina’s Kelp Forest Without Getting Wet

Catalina Museum for Art & History is opening an exhibition that does something most underwater documentaries can’t – it lets you actually walk through a...

New Airport Exhibition Honors James Hubbell’s Peace Park Legacy

San Diego International Airport’s newly renovated Terminal 1 has a new exhibition that goes beyond typical airport art. The Ilan-Lael Foundation is presenting a stained-glass...

Three Generations of Culinary Tradition Land at Del Mar Sky Deck

Del Mar’s Sky Deck has a new anchor, and it comes with a backstory that’s pretty special. Zen Modern Asian Bistro just opened its flagship...

STATION8 Public Market Will Redefine Campus Dining at UC San Diego

UC San Diego is getting a food hall that’s actually worth paying attention to. STATION8 Public Market, opening in August 2026, is being billed as...

Carté Hotel Completes Major Transformation With New Canvas Café + Lounge

Little Italy’s Carté Hotel has finished a significant overhaul that goes well beyond swapping out furniture and repainting walls. The hotel has rebranded entirely, gutted...

Madison Gallery Explores Climate Change Through Art in “Four Seasons Interrupted”

Climate change is one of those topics that can feel abstract until someone finds a way to make it visible. Radenko Milak has done exactly...

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The Art of Marketing Conference Returns for Its Fourth Year

If you’re in marketing, brand strategy, or anything adjacent, the Art of Marketing Conference has become one of those events that’s actually worth blocking out...

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Halloween Aglow Returns to Birch Aquarium for Two Nights of Ocean-Themed Fun

Birch Aquarium

If you’re looking for a Halloween event that’s a little different from the usual haunted houses and pumpkin patches, Birch Aquarium has something worth checking...

Haunted Hangar Halloween Bash at USS MIdway

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The Goonies Turn 40 and USS Midway Is Throwing the Party

USS Midway Museum

The USS Midway Museum knows how to lean into a theme, and this year’s Haunted Hangar Halloween Bash is going all-in on The Goonies. With...

Daffodil Café Brings Fresh Energy to La Jolla’s Daytime Dining Scene

La Jolla has a new spot that’s worth knowing about, especially if you work anywhere near the UTC area or just appreciate a café that...

The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Balboa Theatre

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Time Warp Your Way to The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s 50th Anniversary

Balboa Theatre

Some movies you watch. Others you experience. The Rocky Horror Picture Show has always been the latter, and this 50th anniversary tour is bringing that...

Spreckels Organ Society phantom of the opera

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Experience The Phantom of the Opera Like Never Before at Spreckels Organ Pavilion

Spreckels Organ Pavilion

We’ve all heard The Phantom of the Opera before – but probably not like this. The Spreckels Organ Society is taking Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic...

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Celebrate Life and Remembrance at Encinitas Día de los Muertos Festival

There’s something special about the way Día de los Muertos honors those who’ve passed – not with sadness, but with color, music, and celebration. For...

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Bach Collegium San Diego Takes You to 18th-Century Rome

All Souls’ Episcopal Church
The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center

Bach Collegium San Diego is presenting “When in Rome,” a program built around the music that shaped Handel’s career during his time in the Italian...

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City Heights Day of the Dead Celebration Marks 29 Years of Community Tradition

The City Heights Día de los Muertos celebration is hitting its 29th year, and what started as a school project has grown into one of...

The Links At Petco Park Returns January 12th

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Swing Through the Spooky Side of Petco Park at Trick-or-Tee

PETCO Park

Golf at a baseball stadium is already a novelty. Golf at a baseball stadium that’s been turned into a haunted course? That’s something different entirely....

42nd Annual Fall Arts And Crafts Fair At Bernardo Winery

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Bernardo Winery’s Annual Fall Arts and Crafts Fair Returns for a Weekend of Handmade Goods

Bernardo Winery is hosting its 48th Annual Fall Arts and Crafts Fair, and nearly five decades in, they’ve got the format dialed in. The entire...

Halloween and Día de los Muertos Celebrations and Specials in San Diego

Halloween Parties Halloween Food & Drink Specials Dia de los Muertos Celebrations Trick-or-Treating in San Diego Hey! Use the pink navigation above to jump right...

Indigenous Peoples' Celebration at San Diego Safari Park

San Diego Zoo Safari Park Hosts Indigenous Peoples’ Celebration With the Kumeyaay Nation

San Diego Zoo, Safari Park

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is partnering with the San Pasqual Band of the Kumeyaay Nation to host the Indigenous Peoples’ Celebration, and it’s...

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Annual Taste of Mission Hills Returns With 28 Spots and Free Trolley Service

Mission Hills

The 13th Annual Taste of Mission Hills is happening this week, and the event has refined its format over the years into something that actually...

Rooftop Revelry Awaits as Communion Elevates Mission Hills’ Dining Scene

Communion has taken Mission Hills culinary scene to new heights, offering a cocktail and dining experience to match its stunning views of San Diego. Picture...

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Waterfront Park’s Pumpkin Patch Brings Fall Festivities to the Bay

Waterfront Park

Waterfront Park is hosting its 11th annual Pumpkin Patch, and the bayfront location alone makes this worth considering over the usual inland fall festivals. Kids...

San Diego Museum of Art Renovation Gains Momentum With Design Award and Local Partnership

The San Diego Museum of Art just picked up the Signature Project Design Award for Museum Renovation and announced a partnership with local firm Safdie...

3rd Annual Downtown Oceanside Ace Hardware BBQ Competition

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

June 20, 2026

10:00 am

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...

Oceanside

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

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

June 20, 2026

9:00 am

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