Restaurants in Encinitas, CA

Madison (a small, nice restaurant in University Heights) has been giving 100% of proceeds (not profits!) to staff. We had the asiago-stuffed gnocchi and it was fantastic. Great cocktails, too.

Not takeout but Tanuki Sake Bar in Kensington is doing drive-in movies for $75 for a couple that includes appetizer, entree, dessert, and soda. You can also order drinks. They are showing animated Japanese movies that are top notch if you’re into that sort of thing. An idea maybe for a date night that’s still Covid restriction friendly.

Din Tai Fung did a great job on our takeout orders. They pack it up super nice with the perfect container for everything. We avoided the soup dumplings because we weren't sure they'd travel well (this is untested -- who knows, maybe they can?), but everything else including non-soup dumplings tasted just like it did back when we could dine in pre-Covid.

[https://tajimasandiego.com/](https://tajimasandiego.com/) Great ramen, excellent appetizers. I also appreciate the packaging and care they give to your orders. There's on in North Park and one downtown. I like going to the one downtown because I can find parking easier around there.

For Italian, Parma Cucina in Hillcrest has a special 2 person holiday meal with wine. I like their lasagna. https://www.parmaitaliankitchen.store/

Aladdin cafe in Clairemont for Mediterranean food! The restaurant itself isn’t the nicest but the food is really good and really great quality. They also did a ton of to-go orders pre-pandemic so they’re used to doing take out.

Fort Oak! Also, Jeune et Jolie (but it’s up in Carlsbad)

Sushi fish attack in clairemont is the neighborhood go to. Follows all protocols and is take out only. Highly recommend.

Alexanders and Fort Oak have been my go-to fancy dinners lately. Don't forget you can start off early with some great breakfast from Atypical Waffle! I've also been loving the fig & cardamom latte from Scrimshaw Coffee (on ECB in College Heights).

Stake Chophouse in Coronado https://bluebridgehospitality.com/stakechophouse/

Alexander’s North Park!

Landini's has *great* pasta and classy desserts (in addition to their bomb pizza). At least two locations, last I checked.

North Park has about 95% of the Ethiopian restaurants in all of San Diego Ethiopian food is excellent so all the restaurants are excellent. Google "North Park Ethiopian" and you'll have your restaurants right there. They're all not far from each other Portion is huge for takeout If it's something you've never had, I highly recommend it. Ethiopian food is incredibly delicious and it's filling Order the famous Ethiopian honey wine (called [Tej]( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tej)) along with it.

I ordered Christmas Day dinner from Dunedin and it was delicious and nicely packaged with instructions for reheating. Pretty sure they have a regular daily lunch/dinner menu as well as holiday meals. They’re my favorite place to eat in North Park! If that’s too casual — the whole NZ Eats Group is great, check out Queenstown Public House which is slightly fancier and they have a couple other spots scattered around SD too!

Kettner Exchange in Little Italy has togo

Every Sunday Great Maple (Hillcrest) does an awesome curbside dinner box, links in their IG bio@greatmaple_hillcrest

Not quite within your parameters but I’d recommend Beaumont’s in bird rock. Heated outdoor up scale dining with great COVID protocols. I felt safe and happy to support a bunch of nice people doing good work producing great food. Source: I took my wife there for our 10 th anniversary two weeks ago.

Cesarina in OB/Point Loma. Wife & I did that for our anniversary back in March and it was perfect. They’ve only been around for a year but their food is hands down better than any other Italian place in the area. Their “Romantic Dinner for 2” meal option to go is an insane steal, and the Creme Brûlée Cheesecake is extraordinary.

Terra American Bistro near La Mesa

I like Juniper and Ivy in Little Italy: https://www.juniperandivy.com/juniper-and-ivy-at-home/ Their menu changes weekly between 25-45 dollars per person depending on what you get and includes salad and dessert (you pick out the entree) and they have various add-ons you can order too. Addison in Carmel Valley is also great for special occasions although it's a bit outside of your preferred range. It's 89 dollars per person for a four-course meal, menu changes weekly: https://resy.com/cities/sd/addison For this one, you can see the menu after choosing the date/time for pickup.

Flavors of East Africa travels really well. I found thats the hardest thing, restaurants I normally love just don't do as well sweating in a box for 10 minutes.

For Italian Cesarina in Point Loma

I spent my birthday alone and picked up Cucina Sorella in Kensington. I got a couple of half pints of their bolognese sauce to freeze while I was at it, which was great a few months later when I wanted something easy-fancy at home. (Though Cucina's takeout entree version was the best, especially with the ricotta they top the bolognese with.) https://www.urbankitchengroup.com/cucina-sorella-ken sington/

Tommy Ryan was my catcher in pony league. I was a 14 yr old when he was 13. We were on the Phils with Rick Monday. Tommy was a great catcher. I do remember Pete's. The entrance was on Broadway.

Karen Smart Then she must have known Tommy's family... cool.

Dave Fletcher.. every time I cut a lemon it takes me back to Hot-dog-on-a-stick!! And provolone.. yes.. Bay cities! Funny I work in a deli now.

If you were still in Santa Monica, Uber would bring it to you (at least one day a week) - http://blog.uber.com/uberfresh4

Bay Cities & Pete's Restaurant, and next door to Pete's was a dive bar called The Little Detroit Inn. I remember as a kid, my mom would park at Bay Cities and give me a buck and say, "Run inside and get us half a pound of ground stinky cheese." So that's what I'd ask for -- stinky cheese -- and they'd laugh and grind up a paper bag of the best Parmesan I've ever tasted.

Yeah, Bay Cities

The Italian restaurant on the corner was named Pete's and the deli Next door is Bay Cities.

http://www.baycitiesitaliandeli.com/

Mozy's and Peace Pies (vegan). Oh and I love Lotus Cafe!! Nicest people ever own that place

Oh and I know...it's totally in the middle of El Camino but Healthy Creations makes all kinds of wonderful stuff !!

Native Foods

Cafe Ipe next to Surfy Surfy makes great coffee. It's a little hipster-y but they do roast their own beans in house and they are delicious!

Thanks, Courtney Griffin Donadio. I used to be a total coffee snob drinking only Kona or Blue Mountain from fresh beans picked by topless, native virgins, but now I can only drink decaf.:o

Naked Cafe is great, so is the Roxy, Lotus and many more!

Native Food Cafe out on Encinitas Blvd and El Camino Real.

http://www.acappellas.co.uk/ Not quite in the centre but there are bars nearby! Ideal for a party!

am told The Botanist (top of Park St) is v good

Turtle Bay!Bit quirky and is a Caribbean restaurant.San Carlo on Corn Street is great as well!Bills on Clifton triangle also good

For 50% less saturated fat than olive oil, 10x more Omega 3 - here's tasty https://www.twitter.com/bathharvest

Steve Elwell we will be in Encinitas tomorrow. There is a taco place right on the pier on Oceanside is freakin Amazing.

Fidel's, Mexican. Del Mar.

Pizza Port!

Flying Pig, Wrench and Rodent, Masters Kitchen. And The Lighthouse at the Harbor for casual lunch and beers (patio)

Rocking Baja in the Harbor

The Stadium very briefly, recently...The Sizzler is my longest memory

Borelli's has moved down ECR to the shopping center by Drake Veterinary. Still the best pizza around.

The Pop Shop was up in the McDonald's shopping center.

I thought it was 'Colony Kitchen'...same side of Santa Fe has KFC and the Phillips 66 with the big revolving Golf Ball sign...just east of St. Marks Lutheran Church and baseball/softball field. All part of Scripps Hospital Encinitas now.

Yep, Colony Kitchen.

Prep Kitchen Little Italy (not Gaslamp but close) is a great choice

OOOO Amy - good one! I love Prep Kitchen!

Raylene Rhodes!!! I haven't seen it yet! I'm running to the mailbox now!

Rasul Davis!!! You'll be here too!! So excited!