ROMANTIC DINNERS IN SAN DIEGO
Date night is an important requisite for a healthy relationship. Spending quality time with your loved one boosts connection, and participating in a shared activity provides space to enjoy each other one on one and create memories that enhance your relationship. Few things beat a romantic dinner with great food and scenery, and the quality of the restaurant can make or break date night. Here are some of the best romantic restaurants in San Diego to check out next time you and your partner want a delicious, intimate experience.
The Marine Room in La Jolla first comes to mind with its extraordinary ocean views, with wall to wall windows across the restaurant, you are quite literally dining on the water. You can see waves crash against the windows, making for a surreal dining experience. The French cuisine is top notch, and its 80 plus years of establishment prove its worth as a delectably exquisite eatery. Their dinner menu is known for its fresh and local seafood, with two farm to table entree options available. Start your dinner with their signature Maine lobster bisque and melt in your mouth crab cakes, and end it with a sweet treat of spindrift cappuccino cobblestone pie.
Marisi is a new Italian dining experience, also located in La Jolla. The name comes from a combination of Marila and Isidoro, an Italian couple whose legacy is celebrated through the restaurant’s hearth cooked meals and handmade pastas. Marisi’s executive chef and beverage director both come from Michelin star restaurants to present an authentic mixture of Californian and Italian cuisine. Homemade limoncello and Italian aperitivos are to be paired with their wood fired cooking. Inside features a 10 feet tall hearth, a sunny patio, and hues of yellows, greens,
and pinks that will transport you to the Amalfi Coast. Enjoy rarely sighted pastas like tonnarelli and agnolotti, and finish with the popular Italian after-dinner delight, coffee and cream.
The Prado is a delicious ending to a day full of visiting Balboa Park’s museums and gardens. Specializing in Spanish-inspired California cuisine, The Prado presents Old World charm, coupled with interiors influenced by the nearby museums and the House of Hospitality where it resides. The entrance is a two-story stucco fountain courtyard, a great ambiance to wait for a table while immersing yourself in the restaurant’s historical culture. Inside there is the Courtyard Dining Room fashioned with dark woods and elegant fixtures, as well as the Tapas and Cocktail Lounge, offering Old Mexico designs and rattan furniture. In the back of the restaurant is an outdoor terrace strung with lights, illuminating views of the surrounding gardens.
Either room makes for a special, romantic dining experience. For an appetizer, share the seared prime beef sushi roll, and opt for a side of their delectable Yukon mashed potatoes. For entrees, try their famous Prado paella and choose both land and sea with The Prado’s chef’s cut steak and marinated shrimp
Mister A’s is a well known establishment known for its French-inspired American cuisine and 180-degree views of San Diego. See the beautiful San Diego skyline, including Coronado, Point Loma, Balboa Park, and even the San Diego Zoo. Located at the penthouse on the 12th floor , the newly renovated restaurant offers 11,000 square feet of space and a new 90-seat indoor-outdoor lounge. The F. Scott Fitzgerald-esque interior is complemented by 13 dazzling chandeliers hanging from above. Begin your dinner by sharing wagyu beef steak tartare, afterwards enjoying chickpea panisse and salmon wellington. Mister A’s offers a great selection of vegetarian and vegan options, making it a classy, accessible restaurant perfect for a romantic night out on the town.
These restaurants not only provide delicious food, but also gorgeous San Diego views and worldly interior designs. They represent the best of what San Diego has to offer, and give you an intimate look and taste of the city in one sitting. The cuisine and ambiance is sure to wow your date and make for an unforgettable and lovely night out in San Diego.
Jordyn Reardon | UCLA alum English Major | San Diego native with an affinity for adventure. Loves discovering hidden gems across Southern California and writing about them for the greater community.