The Craving: San Diego Food + Drink News – Week of October 5, 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.
Julian Grape Stomp Festa
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Kick off Your Shoes at Julian’s Grape Stomp Festa
  • Menghini Winery
Celebrate 28 years of the Julian Grape Stomp Festa. Enjoy grape stomping, entertainment, and activities for the kids!
San Diego Brazilian Festival at Waterfront Park
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Feel the Beat at San Diego’s Brazilian Festival
  • Waterfront Park
San Diego is throwing the 17th Annual Brazilian Festival, and it’s turning Waterfront Park into a full-blown carnival for the day. If you love drum...
LeucadiART Walk's 20th anniversary celebration
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Celebrate Two Decades of Art at LeucadiART Walk
LeucadiART Walk is hitting its 20th year, and this milestone edition is shaping up to be the biggest one yet. Get ready for a full...
Taste of Gaslamp 2026 celebrating its 30th anniversary
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Clear Your Afternoon for Taste of Gaslamp
  • Gaslamp Quarter
Taste of Gaslamp is turning 30, and this milestone year is shaping up to be the biggest one yet. Get ready to taste your way...
Stellen San Diego Gaslamp
Watch Hotel Z Become Stellen San Diego Gaslamp in Early 2027
Get ready for Stellen San Diego Gaslamp in 2027! Enjoy its warm, modern spaces and a design that enhances the Gaslamp experience.
Annual Adams Avenue Street Fair
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Catch 75 Bands for Free at the Adams Avenue Street Fair
  • Normal Heights
Celebrate music and community at the Adams Avenue Street Fair. Enjoy 10 blocks of entertainment and diverse musical acts this September.
Zuma san diego
Grab a Seat at Zuma, the Global Izakaya Brand Making Its California Debut at the Guild Hotel
Zuma has spent nearly 25 years taking over the world – Hong Kong, Istanbul, Rome, Miami, Madrid, and more. Now they’re open in San Diego,...
Explore Arts District Liberty Station’s New Season of Art and Artists
Arts District Liberty Station just dropped a whole new lineup of artists, exhibits, and public art, and this is one of the best times to...
The Lobby Bar at the LaFayette Hotel & Club
The Best Cocktail Bars in San Diego Right Now (2026 Guide)
San Diego has always had a reputation as a ‘party’ town, but it also has some of the best cocktail bars on Earth for those...
Breathe & Sea event on South Ponto State Beach
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Reset by the Sea at Breathe & Sea’s End-of-Summer Bash
Breathe & Sea is back, and this time it’s the biggest one yet. Get ready for an end-of-summer bash on the sand, brought to you...
Easy San Diego road trips that should be put on your calendar.
19 Amazing Road Trips From San Diego
One of the best things about living in San Diego is that it’s always good road trip weather! Lucky for us, there is no shortage...
Showing
Do Fall Beachside at Belmont Park Fall Fest
  • Belmont Park
Forget changing leaves and crisp weather, San Diego does fall its own way, and Belmont Park’s Fall Fest is proving you don’t have to leave...
San Diego Symphony's Midday Music series
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Spend Your Lunch Break With Free Chamber Music at the Top of the Central Library
  • San Diego Central Library
Free chamber music, city views from the top floor, and a standing invitation to bring your lunch. The San Diego Symphony’s Midday Music series is...
valley mission valley new openings
Explore The Valley’s New Wave of Openings – From Vietnamese Coffee to Milanese Gelato
Remember when Mission Valley Mall was just… there? Those days are gone. The Valley has already brought in Kura Sushi and Box Lunch this summer,...
Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa Whiskey & Wine Party
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Sip Bourbon By the Bonfire at Estancia La Jolla’s Whiskey & Wine Party
  • Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
Savor the Whiskey & Wine Estancia La Jolla experience with delicious food, exceptional drinks, and a vibrant atmosphere this fall.
By the Sea Coronado
Eat Like You’re on the Amalfi Coast at By The Sea in Coronado
Doug and Lara Hamm spent years traveling through the French Riviera, Greek Isles, and Amalfi Coast. By The Sea is what happened when they decided...
KPBS San Diego Book Festival at the University of San Diego
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Dive Into a Day of Books at the KPBS San Diego Book Festival
  • University of San DIego
The second annual KPBS San Diego Book Festival, presented by the University of San Diego, is back, and it’s shaping up to be a full...
Soft Power exhibition at Oceanside Museum of Art
Showing
Explore Identity and Power at OMA’s Newest Exhibition
  • Oceanside Museum of Art
Oceanside Museum of Art is hosting the 2026 San Diego Art Prize exhibition for the first time ever, and this one’s a must-see. Soft Power:...
San Diego Food + Wine Festival's 22nd annual celebration
Upcoming
San Diego Food + Wine Festival Returns for Its 22nd Year
  • Embarcadero Marina Park North
The San Diego Food + Wine Festival is turning 22, and it’s using the occasion to shake things up in a big way. SDFW returns...
Mahjong Moët Provisional Kitchen
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Play Mahjong and Sip Moët at Provisional Kitchen at Pendry San Diego
  • Provisional Kitchen, Cafe & Mercantile
Someone at Pendry San Diego had a very good idea. Provisional Kitchen is running a Mahjong & Moët mini-series – a 90-minute guided session led...
Bayside Bands, Brew & BBQ at SeaWorld San Diego
Close Out Summer With Skillet, Saliva, and 60 Craft Beers at SeaWorld
Bayside Brews & BBQ Festival is back! Experience live music and a delicious menu at SeaWorld San Diego this summer.
San Diego Yacht Rock Festival
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Spend a Smooth Saturday at the San Diego Yacht Rock Festival
  • Ingram Plaza
Experience the San Diego Yacht Rock Festival, featuring top artists and local food at Liberty Station. Embrace the yacht rock vibes.
san diego secret dinner series
The Best Dinner in San Diego Won’t Tell You Where it is Until the Night Before
The email arrives the day before the event with the location, but the menu isn’t known until you arrive. You are not booking a restaurant....
The Del Mar Wine & Food Festival at Surf Sports Park
Your Ultimate Guide to The Del Mar Wine + Food Festival
The Del Mar Wine + Food Festival is back, and it’s coming in hot after being named one of America’s best food festivals by Thrillist....
Upcoming Events
Jack Johnson performing live on the Jack Johnson SURFILMUSIC Tour
Get Your Tickets to Jack Johnson’s Chula Vista Show
October 9, 2026
7:30 pm
  • North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
Jack Johnson is hitting the road again with his SURFILMUSIC Tour, and Chula Vista is one of the stops. With more than 25 million albums...
San Diego Undersea Film Exhibition
Dive Into 29 Underwater Films Over Two Nights in San Diego
October 9, 2026
7:00 pm
  • Qualcomm Hall
Celebrate marine adventure with the San Diego Undersea Film Exhibition, presenting unique films from reefs and open waters around the globe.
LP and the Vinyl performing live at Hidden City Sounds
Catch LP and The Vinyl at Hidden City Sounds
October 9, 2026
7:00 pm
  • California Center for the Arts
Hidden City Sounds is hosting LP And The Vinyl for an evening that blends genre-bending music with a community jazz jam, and it’s completely free....
Camarada
Spend a Sunday Evening With Tango and Opera at SDMA
October 4, 2026
6:30 pm
  • San Diego Museum of Art
Experience the SDMA Poetics of the Arrabal with breathtaking performances by the Camarada Tango Quartet and Tijuana's finest.
Taste the Art at OMA’s Dinner Experience at 24 Suns
October 4, 2026
5:00 pm
Oceanside Museum of Art is teaming up with 24 Suns for a dinner experience unlike anything else on the calendar, inspired by artist David Adey’s...