Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [250]
Café Sevilla (Map; 619-233-5979; 555 4th Ave; tapas $5-12, mains $16-28; dinner) The tapas and Spanish food are good, and the live tango and flamenco performances are sublime. They include a three-course meal for $40 per person, Friday to Sunday. Book in advance. There’s music (and sangria) nightly in the tapas bar.
Oceanaire (Map; 619-858-2277; 400 J St; most mains $20-35; dinner) The look is art deco ocean liner, and the service is just as elegant. Chef Brian Malarkey was named local chef of the year for the oyster bar and creations like Maryland-blue-crab cakes and horseradish-crusted Alaskan halibut. The ‘stealing home’ menu (5pm to 7pm) lives up to its name, $30 for three courses.
Croce’s Restaurant & Jazz Bar (Map; 619-233-4355; 802 5th Ave; mains breakfast & lunch $7-19, dinner $23-35; breakfast & lunch Sat & Sun, dinner daily) Empty tables are a rare sight at this sizzling restaurant, a pioneer of the Gaslamp and Ingrid Croce’s tribute to her late husband, singer Jim Croce. Both the contemporary American cooking and the musicians who perform nightly hit the right notes. There’s also an acclaimed wine list.
See also Karl Strauss Brewery & Grill.
Little Italy
Little Italy is – surprise! – a happy hunting ground for cafes and trattorias, on India St and around Date St. Here are just some suggestions; you’ll find plenty more with a little exploring.
Solunto Baking Co & Honey Bee (Map; 619-233-0881; 1643 India St; mains $5-10; 8am-5pm Mon-Thu, 8am-8pm Fri & Sat, 8am-2pm Sun; ) Other establishments source their breads and Italian cookies and pastries from this workmanlike bakery. Pick up some for a housegift or picnic, or stop for sandwiches or simple breakfasts (pancakes $1.75).
Mimmo’s Italian Village (Map; 619-239-3710; 1743 India St; meals under $10; 8am-4pm Mon-Sat; ) In a tall-ceilinged space decorated like (wait for it) an Italian village complete with mini–Ponte Vecchio, Mimmo’s deli serves salads, hot and cold sandwiches, and lunch specials, such as lasagna and eggplant parmigiana.
Filippi’s Pizza Grotto (Map; 619-232-5094; 1747 India St; dishes $5-20; lunch & dinner; ) There are often lines out the door for Filippi’s old-school Italian cooking (pizza, spaghetti and ravioli) served on red-and-white-checked tablecloths in the dining room. The front of the shop is an excellent Italian deli.
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TOP FIVE CHEAP EATS
Anthony’s Fish Grotto & Fishette (opposite) – fish, chips and harbor views
Bread & Cie – because inexpensive can also be gourmet
Café 222 – ditto
Porkyland – burritos that may make you cry ¡Dios mio!
Saffron Thai Grilled Chicken – separate chicken and noodle shops
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Mona Lisa (Map; 619-234-4893; 2061 India St; mains $10-17; lunch Mon-Sat, dinner daily; ) Aside from hearty meals (try the cannelloni), Mona Lisa also makes great sandwiches and sells imported Italian specialty foods at its market and deli.
Buon Appetito (Map; 619-238-9880; 1609 India St; mains lunch $11-16, dinner $10-19) Simple storefront trattoria with rustic walls and original art, serving equally simple pastas and salads.
Café Zucchero (Map; 619-531-1731; 1731 India St; mains lunch $8-17, dinner $13-20; breakfast, lunch & dinner) Brass-rail and marble-floor kind of place for a bang-up Italian dinner. There’s a phone-book’s worth of pizzas, pastas and meat and seafood dishes, but save room (or make a special stop) for pastries by the dozen or a freezer-case’s worth of gelati.
Indigo Grill (Map; 619-234-6802; 1536 India St; mains lunch $6-14, dinner $19-32; lunch Mon-Fri, dinner daily) One Little Italy eatery that isn’t Italian. Pacific Northwest totems and Mexican masks are the setting for chef Deborah Scott’s stylized, bold and adventurous Oaxacan-Alaskan cooking (think fire and ice, spicy and sweet). The vibe is convivial and relaxed, and dinner portions are enormous (sharing encouraged). Make reservations.
Chi Chocolat (Map; 619-501-9215; 2021 India St; per chocolate $2; 7:30am-7:30pm Tue-Fri, 8:30am-10pm Sat, 8:30am-6pm Sun) If