Carlsbad, Encinitas, North County Advice?

[daPig]

The wife and I will be in Carlsbad for about 5 days in July and Im hoping some locals might provide a few suggestions? I have searched around a bit and found some good suggestions for surf, etc. but not much else.

1) A seafood market? Would love to grab some fresh seafood for the grill one night.

2) A good restaurant for the wifes b-day? French, Italian, Mexican...something more exotic? Spendy is OK but not required.

3) Best local beach to pull up a chair and chill for a day? Least crowded area of said beach?

4) A good wine shop? Good beer selection?

Were hoping that we wont have to travel too far for these things but we dont mind running around a bit to get set up.

Thanks!

[Tye 1on]

Mixed reviews on Yelp, but i had a great dinner at Via Italia Trattoria in Encinitas a few years ago. Awesome carnitas at Juanita's, can't speak to the rest of the menu. Swami's Beach is more chill than Moonlight, and it's cool to walk around the gardens at the Temple there. The Belly Up in Solana is a fun place to see a show.

edit: forgot my traditional dive bar rec, which would be the Bar Leucadian...

[azexp]

It's been awhile since I've been to Carlsbad but the places I remember were Pizza Port and Jays. Pizza port has a good beer selection and good unique pizzas. Jays was a really small italian/seafood place that we always used to go to multiple times while we were there. As far as surf Tamarack was right up the road from both of these restaurants. Hope this helps.

[iceman]

The Four seasons in Carlsbad is nice.

Here's the Del Mar schedule: http://www.dmtc.com/season/events/.

Surf at San Onofre if you're a punter like me.

You're all set!

[flatlander#2]

Pipes in Cardiff for local breaky. Parking lot across has a great Traders that has decent wines. The beach at Swami's is always groovy.

[Captain Awesome]

New place in Carlsbad called "The Compass" was pretty sweet when I was there a few weeks back. Great beer selection, and good food. It's over by "Coyote", just off Grand. Pizza Port is always good for a stop, but sometimes I don't feel like pizza. The pork belly tacos at Compass were quite nice.

[Viva]

There's a number of places in Downtown Encinitas for dinner. Via Italia is still pretty good, although their former chef left and I think that the food's suffered a bit. Encinitas Ale House has so-so food, but they have about 50 beers on tap, including a number of Belgians. A block down from there is Unions (almost to Swamis), a fairly new place with very good food and a decent wine/beer selection. Il Papaguao (something like that) in Leucadia is a very nice spot for all three meals of the day. Ken's Artisian Pizza is popular, but I never went. 3rd Corner is very popular and is about the only place open until midnight- their food is good, but not great. There's a couple of sports bars that are OK. Quero is a pretty popular place, but small...hard to get in during the summer months...Peruvian cuisine. Quero is almost exactly across the street from via Italia.

Off of el Camino Real, there's Firefly Grill and a new place across the parking lot from them that looks very nice. Owned by the Ken's Artisian Pizza guy mentioned above. They hadn't yet opened when I was last in town two weeks ago.

There are several wine bars in the area, if you or wifey are into that. Ask for details.

If you're a fan of local coffee joints, Java Hut is at the southern end of the coast hwy next to Unions and just before Swamis. Great coffee, great atmosphere and, usually, great peeps.

Check out Cedros St. in neighboring Solana Beach. Lot's of galleries and shit. That's where Belly Up Tavern is- live music and dancing. Zinc Cafe is a nice place for breakfast or lunch. Also in Solana Beach, off the coast hwy, is an outstanding little hole-in-the-wall Thai place, but I forget the name. I think that it's in the strip mall next to City Hall.

Have fun.

Edit- Ooooh! Just remembered. There's a fairly new French restaurant in Carlsbad, off Carlsbad Village Drive- I forget the name, though. Also, El Calleon in Encinitas has pretty good Mexican food and something like 200 different tequilas in the house. Some really good stuff, too. Not just that Patron crap.

[nickwm21]

Also in Solana Beach, off the coast hwy, is an outstanding little hole-in-the-wall Thai place, but I forget the name. I think that it's in the strip mall next to City Hall.

Bangkok Bay Thai - Had some awesome green curry last night!

All the above rec's are good for food... (except Union, which is shitty and overpriced) Some additions:
Karina's in Leucadia - Best taqueria style mexican in the area, but dont get a fish taco
Besta-won Pizza in Cardiff - Best local pizza
VG Donuts in Cardiff - yumm donuts
Fish 101 in Leucadia - simple, light fish dishes
Le Papagayo in Leucadia - Awesome HH eats and sangria
East Village Diner - Korean/American Fusion

Seafood Market - No seafood markets in the area but Seaside Market in Cardiff and Whole Paycheck (Whole Foods) in Encinitas have awesome fresh local fish.

Beaches - Avoid the ones with large parking lots (moonlight, ponto, campgrounds, etc.) Go to stone steps, grandview, beacons, and walk north/south from there.

I really have to add +1 to Belly Up. One of the best music venues anywhere.

[daPig]

Excellent information!

Thanks to all.

[Tye 1on]

Anybody else a fan of coffee at Pannikin?

[Viva]

Anybody else a fan of coffee at Pannikin?

FUCK NO!!!!!!!!

[HotTate]

Cheapest place to stock up on beer is the Rite Aid off Santa fe across from the hospital. You can get a 12pack of Pacifico bottles or whatever else for 10.99! I hear HapiFish in Encinitas is a good place to get seafood, but I usually just get all grillables at Seaside Market. Known for it's "Cardiff Crack" wish is a burgundy tri-tip. But in my opinion, in the reasent popularity the quality of the cut has gone down so we now go with the marinated Hanger steak, which is easier for 2 people. (The Crack comes him huge chunks) For a really special dinner, my wife and I like Yu Me Ya Sake House. It's not an insane amount of food, but it's a great experience if you enjoy Japanese culture. Another good one is 3rd Corner. You pick your wine and they'll cork it for you, the menu is pretty easy and everything on it is good. Plus, they're open until 2am. Which is nice because some places stop serving early. Best beach? Seaside has the easiest parking, but you'll have to pay. Sometimes crowded but if you walk around the bluff, you and get away from the mayhem. Best Bar? I like The Kraken. It's a beachside biker bar, pool tables, live music, stiff drinks. Beats any hole in the wall in a 30mile radius, IMO.

[Derelicht]

+1 on Juanitas in Encinitas. Hole in the wall but great food. Beacon's is a really nice beach. Beacons and Juanitas makes a great morning/lunch combo.

[Viva]

Fuck Wanitas, too.

[nickwm21]

I am gunna have to agree with Viva on both of those counts. The two most overrated places in NoCoSD

[BS720]

...You pick your wine and they'll cork it for you...

NOT usually what I look for in a bottle of wine.

[Piggity]

1) A seafood market? Would love to grab some fresh seafood for the grill one night.

Seaside market in Encinitas has some great cuts of meat and a good fish selection.

[Viva]

Seaside market in Encinitas has some great cuts of meat and a good fish selection.

Seaside Market is in Cardiff, across street from Pipes and in the same mall as Rimels, a fairly new place for pretty good casual dining. I dated a local skank/MILF for a while and she always wanted to go there...on my nickel, of course.

There's also a new Sushi place there that lot's of folks like, although I've never been. Both Rimel's and the Sushi place are where Yogi's used to be. There's also a reasonable good Italian place on the sire where Taco Auctioneers used to be. Their chef/owner (a Dago fellow) is a pretty nice guy and fun to talk to when he's not busy. There's a nice wine bar (dog's allowed on the patio!) in the new business building next door.

[SuperGaper]

Hidaway Cafe by Pillbox in Solana Beach for breakfast. I haven't been there since '90, but Yelp says it is still good.

[Piggity]

Seaside Market is in Cardiff

I'm assuming you know this but Cardiff, Leucadia and Olivenhain are all communities within Encinitas. Someone visiting might not know the difference, I used Encinitas so the OP would know the general location. I should have said Seaside market is across the street (and train tracks) from the Cardiff kook, up the street from Seaside reef and down the street from Swami's

[iceman]

Is POWDER still in Dana Point? You could swing by, score some swag, eat lunch at the deli at the ferry terminal (no idea what the name is but it's a good place) and take a ferry over to Avalon.

[Viva]

I'm assuming you know this but Cardiff, Leucadia and Olivenhain are all communities within Encinitas.

Yes, I was aware- in fact, this very topic was on the exam I was required to take when I moved there.

[iceman]

Yes, I was aware- in fact, this very topic was on the exam I was required to take when I moved there.

I'm quite sure Viva aced the exam, btw. He does that.

[Piggity]

Whoa, required exams to move somewhere....Can we reject residency for people that fail the test?

[daPig]

Thanks again!

Heading out this evening, looking forward to getting out of the Utah heat for a bit. Definitely planning to hit quite a few of your recommendations. looks like its Belgian Independance Day celebration at Encinitas Ale House $$$!!