Guy Fieri brings taste of Flavortown to La Costa
When celebrity chef Guy Fieri rolls into town, the crowd follows. That was the case at the recent Santo Tequila signing at the La Costa...
Food & Wine
Necessity Coffee brews success with expansion to San Marcos
SAN MARCOS — Back in 2021, when he was still looking for a location to open his own Encinitas-based coffee shop, entrepreneur Jon Runion made...
Dora Ristorante brings Tre Forchette distinction to La Jolla
Chef Accursio Lota and Corinne Goria, the husband-and-wife team behind North Park’s acclaimed Cori Pastificio Trattoria, a Gambero Rosso Tre Forchette awardee, have opened Dora...
Raising Cane’s to replace Mimi’s Cafe in Oceanside
OCEANSIDE — Raising Cane’s, a popular fried chicken fast food chain, will fill a site that formerly housed a French-inspired comfort food restaurant in southern...
Little Fawn ignites fresh dining buzz at Fin Hotel space
Sometimes, as sad as it is to see a favorite restaurant go away, it’s always a bonus and eases the pain a bit when it’s...
Breakfast Republic serves up morning magic in Encinitas
From coffee cups to kicking off the day, mornings demand a proper breakfast. When Frank Mangio and I visited the Encinitas location of Breakfast Republic,...
Greek yogurt shop opens at Del Mar Highlands Town Center
CARMEL VALLEY — A Greek yogurt shop has opened its first San Diego-area location at Del Mar Highlands Town Center, bringing the Mediterranean-style cafe’s customizable...
Butcher Shop, Rombauer set the table for a standout wine dinner
When Sal Ercolano stepped to the microphone to kick off the evening, it was immediately clear this was more than just another wine dinner. Not...
An excursion to Ramos House Café in San Juan Capistrano
It’s been four years since I detailed my history with and love of train travel, and my first Lick the Plate Amtrak excursion to Los...
Del Mar’s Zen Modern Asian Bistro delivers next-level Chinese cuisine
When MSG Hospitality Group reached out to let me know that Zen Modern Asian Bistro was relocating from its Sabre Springs location to Del Mar’s...
Modern Basque tapas at the delightful CTZN in Solana Beach
The burgeoning Solana Beach restaurant scene added another winner recently with the opening of CTZN, joining Rustic Root, Lana and more on a vibrant stretch...
Valley Farm Market opens grocery, restaurant combo at Del Mar Plaza
DEL MAR — Residents and visitors now have a convenient place in Del Mar Village to buy specialty groceries, snacks and high-end meats and seafood,...
Sprinkles Cupcakes abruptly ceases operations
SAN DIEGO — Sprinkles Cupcakes, the gourmet pastry purveyor that got its start in Beverly Hills 20 years ago and spread across Southern California and...
Our Top 10 wines of 2025
Frank and I swirled, smelled and savored another outstanding year of wine. This year was especially meaningful as we celebrated 20 years of writing and...
Lick the Plate’s Best of 2025 with Moto Deli chef Andy Halvorsen
Part of my experience of eating at the fabulous Moto Deli is when my friend, chef and co-owner Andy Halvorsen, comes out to talk about...