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.

The Secret Society of Adultologists at The NAT

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Dive Down the Rabbit Hole at The Nat’s Whimsical Wonderland Bash

Natural History Museum

We’re all mad here in San Diego, and we’re about to get even madder! The Secret Society of Adultologists is throwing a topsy-turvy shindig at...

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Ahoy, Mateys! Set Sail for the Ocean Institute’s Epic Maritime Festival

We’re dropping anchor at Dana Point for a swashbuckling celebration of maritime history that’ll shiver yer timbers! The Ocean Institute’s 40th Annual Maritime Festival is...

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Tropical Paradise Blooms in Balboa Park

We’re about to dive into a fragrant sea of color at the annual Plumeria Festival! The Southern California Plumeria Society is transforming Casa del Prado...

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Creativity Meets Action at Balboa Park’s Public Impact Day

Museum of Photographic Arts

Public Impact Day is rolling into town, and it’s set to transform Balboa Park into a hotbed of creativity and social change. This isn’t your...

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Knockout Night in Little Italy Packs a Punch for Charity

Little Italy

Get ready to rumble, San Diego! Our beloved Little Italy is about to transform into a boxing ring for one electrifying night. The second annual...

A Vibrant Tapestry of Culture Comes to Liberty Station

The latest artistic marvel hitting ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station is “Interlaced,” a solo exhibition by San Diego’s own Christian Garcia-Olivo set to blow your mind...

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San Diego Botanic Garden Caps Off Their Summer Season With “The Garden Party”

San Diego Botanic Garden

Get ready to party with a purpose, San Diego! The Garden Party at San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) is back, and it’s bringing all the...

Stefanie Bales Fine Art Celebrates 5 Years

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Stefanie Bales Fine Art Turns 6!

Stefanie Bales Fine Art

Join us in helping award-winning Fine Artist, muralist, and boutique gallery owner Stefanie Bales as she celebrates the 6th anniversary of her Little Italy gallery,...

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Lou Lou’s Jungle Room Heats Up Fall Nights

As the summer sun starts to set earlier, live performances at Lou Lou’s Jungle Room at The Lafayette Hotel are turning up the heat with...

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Oceanside Sunset Market Goes Big! More Food, More Fun, More Everything

Our beloved Oceanside Sunset Market is about to get even bigger and better. MainStreet Oceanside is rolling out the red carpet for an epic expansion,...

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The Pearl Hotel’s Dive In Movie Nights are Back!

The Pearl Hotel

We’re diving headfirst into a pool of nostalgia, San Diego! The Pearl Hotel is bringing back its beloved Wednesday night tradition, Dive In Movie Nights....

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KICKcancER’s Cocktails for a Cause Hits Oceanside

KICKcancER is bringing their “Cocktails for a Cause” event to Oceanside, and it’s shaping up to be the feel-good party of the season. Shake It...

Christopher Osborne joins Moe's Mission Beach

Moe’s Welcomes Renowned Chef Christopher Osborne to Lead its Culinary Revival

The beloved Mission Beach steakhouse, Moe’s, is leveling up its culinary game with the arrival of Christopher Osborne as the new Executive Chef. It’s a...

Birch Aquarium Announces Living Seas Transformation

The beloved Hall of Fishes is getting a major makeover, and we’re all invited to the grand reveal. Living Seas, the aquarium’s most ambitious exhibition...

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Rock On, Balboa Park: Spreckels Organ Goes Psychedelic

Spreckels Organ Pavilion

Hold onto your tie-dye shirts, San Diego! The Spreckels Organ Society is about to blow our minds with their Annual Labor Day Classic Rock Concert....

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Books & Records’ Epic Birthday Bash

Our favorite vinyl-and-literature haven, Books & Records, is celebrating its one-year anniversary, and we’re all invited to the shindig. Tunes, Treats, and Tempting Tipples Get...

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Cardiff Farmer’s Market Partners With We Clean Trails for a San Elijo Lagoon Cleanup

Cardiff Farmer’s Market is teaming up with the eco-heroes at We Clean Trails for the Summer San Elijo Lagoon Cleanup event. We’re swapping our shopping...

The Big List of Labor Day Specials in San Diego

Labor Day is just around the corner, and boy, do we have plans for you. From poolside parties to mouthwatering meals, San Diego is pulling...

San Marcos

Shabu-Works Brings the Sizzle to San Marcos

Get ready to roll up your sleeves and dive into a sea of flavor, San Diego! Our favorite hot pot haven, Shabu-Works, is bringing its...

Terns Launches After-Sun Products for San Diego’s Outdoor Lifestyle

We’ve all been there—that post-beach burn that has us reaching for the aloe. But what if we told you the ocean itself holds the key...

SDMA Debuts Groundbreaking Exhibition on the Intersections of Islamic Art & Science

The latest exhibition at The San Diego Museum of Art is a super interesting one: “Wonders of Creation: Art, Science, and Innovation in the Islamic...

Tropical Punch Spices Up La Jolla’s Shopping Scene

We’ve got a new hotspot in town, and it’s bursting with color! Tropical Punch Boutique, the latest addition to La Jolla’s Bird Rock neighborhood, has...

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Paws Up, San Diego! The Ultimate Doggie Bash is Coming to Town

Get ready to bark with joy! The Day of the Dog, North America’s largest pooch party, is finally making its debut in our sun-soaked city,...

Art of Elan’s 18th Season Shakes Up the Symphony Scene

Art of Elan’s upcoming 18th season, aptly named “Mosaic,” isn’t your grandma’s classical music—it’s a fresh, boundary-pushing take that’s redefining what classical can be in...

Pickleball Tournament Raises Funds to Fight Education Inequities in San Diego

February 7, 2026

9:00 am

The Equitable Schools Fund is hosting a community pickleball event in Carlsbad to address something the San Diego Union-Tribune has been shining a light on:...

Setsubun celebration at the japanese friendship garden and museum

Celebrate Setsubun at the JFGM With Food, Music, and Good Vibes

February 1, 2026

10:00 am

Japanese Friendship Garden

The Japanese Friendship Garden is hosting its Setsubun Festival, and it’s one of those events that feels both celebratory and peaceful at the same time....

Balboa Park

Sip & Savor at Temecula Valley Barrel Tasting Weekend

January 31, 2026

11:00 am

Temecula Valley’s Barrel Tasting Weekend is back, and if you’ve never gone, this is the one time of year you can taste wines directly from...

Temecula

The Art of Banksy: “Without Limits” Exhibition Arrives in San Diego

January 30, 2026

12:00 pm

Del Mar Fairgrounds

The world’s most famous and mysterious graffiti artist is coming to San Diego. The Art of Banksy Without Limits makes its San Diego debut at...

Del Mar

Let There Be Light Benefit Concert Supports Student Volunteers

January 25, 2026

2:30 pm

Bright Light Volunteers is throwing a benefit concert in Bankers Hill to raise money for scholarships that help students join international service-learning programs they couldn’t...

Bankers Hill