Location: La Mesa
Top Restaurants in La Mesa
La Mesa Food Guide: 10 Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in La Mesa
La Mesa is a city in Southern California, located 9 miles (14 km) east of Downtown San Diego in San Diego County. The population was 57,065 at the 2010 census, up from 54,749 at the 2000 census. Its civic motto is "the Jewel of the Hills."
Things to do in La Mesa
1. Antica Trattoria
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 160 reviews
Antica trattoria is a modern casual Italian eatery. Using organic and localy sourced Ingredients ,
Reviewed By kd_sachi - Chula Vista, California
We went here for my friends birthday a couple of weeks ago. I find it difficult to find really good authentic Italian food. This place is it. It is very cute inside and the staff is outstanding. The food is very fresh. This place can be a bit pricey but I don't mind paying for great food.
We started with mozzarella, moved onto a fantastic salad called Insalata Di Venere and then I had the gnocchi with braised short ribs as my entree. All of it was absolutely fantastic.
I always rate an Italian restaurant based off of the cannoli and I was not disappointed at Antica Trattoria. I love an authentic cannoli.
I liked this place so much I just made a reservation for 10 people to celebrate my birthday here!
2. Coops Barbecue
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 82 reviews
Reviewed By Teri M - San Diego, United States
One of the most difficult challenges of moving from the south and it's delicious cooking to Southern California is missing legit Southern cooking. Today we discover Coops in Lemon Grove and let me tell you IT IS TRUE SOUTHERN COOKED BBQ!! The picture shows you the amount of meat you get on your bun, the thickness of the bun and your table has multiple options for as much sauce as you want to put on it. The corn bread slices are HUGE!! The sweet potato pie was scrumptious too and it was the best way to close out the meal. If you are in the area, make sure you check it out!!
3. Ranas Mexico City Cuisine
Overall Ratings
5 based on 65 reviews
MexicoHere at Ranas we offer authentic Mexico City dishes and dishes from the central region of Mexico. We are family owned and operated since 2004.
Reviewed By happyme899 - O.C., California
Highly recommend. Cute, quaint family owned and operated. Service is warm and friendly. Decor artsy and cute. A nice local eatery. Our friend brought us here for some authentic Mexican food and surely it did not disappoint. I had an amazing egg & poblano pepper dish with corn meal type crust. I can't remember the name of it and I don't want to butcher it. The Ingredients, salsas, and sauces were all homemade at the restaurant and tasted so fresh. Their Spicy Bloody Mary cured everything. It's about a 10-15 minute drive from downtown San Diego in an area I've never visited in San Diego but so worth the visit. I'm thinking Guy Fierri needs to know about this place!!! I've never had Mexican food like this. Yum!
4. D.Z. Akin's Delicatessen
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 330 reviews
Established in 1980 D. Z. Akin's has been a San Diego institution since they first opened their doors back in 1980 and is still a family run business spanning 3 generations. From the Menu: "D.Z. stands for the two of us, Debi and Zvika Akin. Having lived in Los Angeles, we frequented many good delicatessens and knew that San Diego was in need of one. Considering how we both enjoyed cooking, and how even our first date revolved around a bowl of chopped liver, we decided to pack our bags, move to San Diego and take a stab at cooking for starved delicatessen lovers. With only a small budget, good old-fashioned recipes, the courage to experiment, hard work and long hours, 'D.Z. Akin's' came to be. We made a commitment to ourselves that we would never compromise on quality and we would fill our plates high with the finest delicatessen available... With the help of wonderful customers and perseverance, we became, beyond our greatest expectations, a thriving business."
Reviewed By DJSparks45 - Richland, Washington
My wife and I went here for dinner tonight. The waitress said a sandwich was a must. We both ended up ordering the Corned beef and pastrami on rye. Huge sandwich and absolutely delicious. Potato salad was ok. They had a small jar of fresh pickles at the table that were amazing. This was suggested by a friend and so glad we went.
5. Lido's Italian Foods
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 74 reviews
Reviewed By SanDiegoWayne - San Diego
Found this great local San Diego Italian restaurant in Lemon Grove. They have been in business since the 1950's and the reason why they are still here is the great food, huge portions, fun and efficient staff.
Located in an very low key building in South East San Diego - a real hidden gem.
6. Casa De Pico
Overall Ratings
4 based on 282 reviews
At Casa de Pico in La Mesa, guests can enjoy outdoor patio dining year-round, surrounded by trees, colorful flowers and splashing fountains. Rounding out the Mexican dining experience are the strolling mariachis and famous award-winning giant margaritas.
Reviewed By ccrowe3 - Lakeside, California
Our family recently dined at Casa de Pico in celebration of my son's birthday. We eat here a couple times a year and the food and service is always top notch. When it gets really busy it's kind of loud but that is the only...MoreHI good morning my name is Lino Rodarte. the casa de pico general manager . I wanted to Thank you for the very nice review about our food and service we hope to see you soon again !!
7. Brigantine La Mesa
Overall Ratings
4 based on 214 reviews
Reviewed By Josephine J - La Mesa, California
Do not like the remodel. Carpet removed just makes for a noisy warehouse atmosphere. Every course was served with the same wilted collard green-like garnish. The menu was solely over priced seafood, have done away with great steaks. Must have been a bad night because seemed like everyone was serving food including the manager but all of our orders were mixed up or missing food. Won’t be back. Way over priced too.
8. Himalayan Cuisine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 92 reviews
Reviewed By Janet G - El Cajon, United States
Charming decor and polite servers welcome you to this extraordinary place. We recently had a family dinner of 15 here. Our daughter had spent a year in Nepal about 19 years ago, and remembered enough Nepalese to chat a bit. A great menu and both meat eaters and the vegetarians were happy with the selections. Portion size was generous and we even had some leftovers to enjoy the next day. Highly recommend!
9. Swami's Cafe
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 76 reviews
Basic healthful fare prepared from responsibly-grown produce & locally-sourced ingredients.
Reviewed By Sheldon P - Port Macquarie, Australia
2 couples came here for breakfast. The food is healthy, outstanding and yummy!! We had 4 different dishes and all of them exceeded our expectations. The service was friendly and efficient on a fairly busy morning. The pricing was good, the atmosphere is casual and comfortable. And the variety of quality coffee will keep us coming back!
10. La Torta Cafe
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 60 reviews
Reviewed By Khadijah1976 - Sedona, Arizona
My family and I stopped here for lunch on our way out of town last weekend. Cute place. Comfortable outdoor seating. Delicious food. Good prices. Fast and friendly service. Would recommend this to everyone. We loved it! If we lived closer, we'd frequent here often.
