The Craving

The Craving: San Diego Food + Drink News – Week of October 12, 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 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....
San Diego Spirits Festival
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Treat Yourself to 60+ Spirits Brands Above the La Jolla Coast
  • Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
San Diego Spirits Festival will be held at the newly-renovated Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla.
Oceanside Museum of Art Changing Terrain: Regional Artists Interpret Our Landscape
See Southern California and Baja Through 60 Artists’ Eyes in Oceanside
Experience the Changing Terrain exhibition featuring diverse voices from regional artists discussing the evolution of our landscape.
Comedy After Dark Pendry San Diego
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Catch Laura Peek, Dan Donohue, and Dean Delray at Comedy After Dark
  • Pendry San Diego
Camden Hall at Pendry San Diego is pulling off something very fun: a proper comedy night with a lineup that actually delivers. Laura Peek, Dan...
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Wander the Island One Bite at a Time at Taste of Coronado
  • Coronado Ferry Landing
  • Coronado Island
The Coronado Junior Woman’s Club is bringing back the 17th Annual A Taste of Coronado, and this year, it’s about a lot more than just...
Oceanside Shock hockey team
Cheer on the Oceanside Shock at Frontwave Arena This Fall
North County is getting a pro hockey team, and their mascot is a jellyfish. An extremely determined jellyfish. Gripping a hockey stick. Frontwave Arena just...
San Diego Symphony performing Pirates of the Caribbean in Concert
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Hear Zimmer’s Pirates Score Live on the Bay
  • The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
The San Diego Symphony Orchestra is bringing Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl to the big screen while performing Klaus Badelt...
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Watch Tchaikovsky’s Greatest Hits Come to Life at The Rady Shell
  • The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
An audience favorite is back at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, and this time it’s going all in on one composer: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky,...
Toad the Wet Sprocket at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay
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Spend a Sunday Night With Toad the Wet Sprocket at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay
  • Humphreys Concerts by the bay
See Toad the Wet Sprocket at Humphreys as they blend their past with present, delivering heartfelt songs about life's challenges.
Upcoming Events
Eat, Shop & Sip Your Way Through San Marcos Harvest Fest
October 11, 2026
9:00 am
  • North City
Wander through the San Marcos Harvest Fest and explore a world of unique crafts, vendors, and an incredible food scene.
Toast 40 Years of Busalacchi at The Feast
October 11, 2026
5:00 pm
  • Little Italy
The Busalacchi family is turning 40, and they’re celebrating the way any Italian family would: with a massive dinner in the middle of the street....
San Diego Coffee Festival
Enjoy Endless Coffee at the SD Coffee Festival on Broadway Pier
October 10, 2026
9:30 am
  • Broadway Pier
Explore the best coffee at the San Diego Coffee Festival. Sample brews from renowned roasters at Broadway Pier this fall.
Oktoberfest Party Cruise
Take Oktoberfest Out on the Water With the Mission Bay Party Cruise
October 9, 2026
8:00 pm
  • Bahia Resort Hotel
Lederhosen is optional. A good attitude is not. The San Diego Oktoberfest Party Cruise is back for its fourth year, boarding the three-level William D....
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...