Finding a place to grab coffee, eat lunch, or enjoy a nice dinner while traveling is hard enough as is, but when you’re in a big city, the options are truly overwhelming.
While my guides are full of one-of-a-kind restaurants for certain neighborhoods, this Essential Eateries map includes the top few San Diego-specific chains that will help you eat like a local on the go. Not only that, but I include a backstory of each chain, my top menu suggestion, and what I consider to be the best location to visit.
This guide can also serve as a “What NOT to Eat” if you’re the kind of person who only wants to try single-location restaurants and want to determine if the place you’re interested in dining is a chain. Just pull up this map when you’re out and about to see where the nearest spots are when your tummy starts rumbling!
Get access to ALL the San Diego area locations of 9 regional chains, including:
☕️ 2 Coffee Shops
🥐 1 Bakery
🥡 5 Fast-Casual Restaurants
🍦 1 Dessert Spot
Worried this info is out-of-date? Fear not! I'll be updating this guide every six months for accuracy, as well as to add new favorites I find along the way.
Vegetarian • Vegan • Gluten-free / Celiac • Budget • Foodie • Coffee • Beach
