You’re bound to build up a huge appetite when attending Comic-Con International in San Diego.
To help you in your quest to dine on some great local cuisine in between panels and screenings, here is a Behind the Smoke-approved guide on where to eat in San Diego and the surrounding area during Comic-Con.
There are many great restaurants in downtown San Diego and the areas near the San Diego Convention Center, but if you’re a foodie who is in the mood to explore beautiful Southern California and discover some amazing local dining, then this guide is for you.
What is some of your favorite food in San Diego? Give a shout-out in the comments at the bottom of this article.
Whether it’s slow-smoked BBQ, fully loaded tacos, or innovative pizza, the West Coast food scene continues to cook up some amazing food.
Speaking of Cali Comfort BBQ, the restaurant invites Comic-Con attendees to come down to Spring Valley and enjoy one of their huge slow-smoked barbecue platters and shareable fishbowl cocktails.
Make sure to mention this blog post when you visit Cali Comfort BBQ!
Keep coming back to find more guides on where to eat in San Diego and beyond!
Behind the Smoke-approved Restaurants to Try During Comic-Con
In no particular order, here are San Diego restaurants to try when you’re visiting Southern California for Comic-Con International.
Each of these recommendations includes a Behind the Smoke podcast episode that you can listen to for a deeper look at the people behind some of the best food in the area. Don’t forget to tell the restaurant owners that Cali Comfort BBQ sent you!
1. Not Not Tacos
Not Not Tacos at the Little Italy Food Hall serves up genre-bending fare that pushes the envelope of culinary creativity to breakdown preconceived notions of “tacos” and provide fiercely-innovative and unexpected items.
Owner and food personality Sam “The Cooking Guy” Zien’s desire to create tacos that aren’t bound by a traditional expectation gave him freedom to add ingredients like pastrami, meat loaf and Korean short-rib to his tacos.
All the tacos are made on-site with fresh ingredients (including the flour tortillas) to create an exceptional culinary experience.
2. The Trails Eatery
Stacey Poon-Kinney, owner, grew up in a food family — her great-grandfather was a chef and her great-grandmother ran a diner. She was chopping, dicing and stirring from an early age.
The married mom of two owns The Trails Eatery with her father. Once a small diner in San Carlos, today the eatery is twice the size.
Stacey and the eatery have been featured on Food Network’s “Restaurant Impossible” with Robert Irvine and on Food Network’s “Food Network Star”.
3. Corbin’s Q BBQ and Brew House
Owner Corbin grew up on a registered Angus cattle ranch, so he has always been around BBQ.
At Corbin’s Q you will experience fast, fresh and made-to-order BBQ. Some of the neighborhood favorites include a pulled pork sandwich, tri-tip sandwich, ribs, and more. Pair your BBQ with a selection of sides and craft beer.
4. Wheat & Water
Wheat & Water specializes in wood-fired pizza, shared plates, healthy salads & charcuterie.
Wheat & Water opened in November 2016 with a mission to keep things simple – tasty eats, great drinks and stellar service. They use fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.
“Be it an old favorite or a fresh, first bite, we hope our guests create new memories while sharing meals with friends and family.”
5. Grande Ole BBQ y Asado
Combining Texas roots with Argentinian BBQ, Grand Ole BBQ y Asado sells out daily making it one of San Diego’s must-eat barbecue destinations.
Grande Ole BBQ y Asado owner Andy accurately captures the Austin barbecue experience inside and out — from Shiner Bock on tap, to live music on weekends at the outdoor stage in “The Backyard.”
6. The Corner Drafthouse
A Gastropub in the Bankers Hill neighborhood of San Diego, featuring hand-crafted food, and some of the best beers of Southern California.
They serve seasonal, farm-fresh West Coast fare that begins with thoughtfully sourced ingredients “combined to create familiar, down-home favorites.”
Dan Sobek, Executive Chef of The Corner Drafthouse, is a classically trained chef graduating first of his class from the prestigious Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte. The Corner Drafthouse is Dan’s first project in Southern California.
Combining his techniques to complement each flavor combination he has developed a sensible approach to food sourcing the best ingredients possible.
He won People’s Choice at the 2018 Turf and Surf BBQ State Championship and has competed in KCBS events since he was 16 years old.
