Oceanside, Calif.- July 30, 2020— Anyone headed to Oceanside for a bit of San Diego “ocean therapy” during these strange and stressful times can rest assured that outdoor, socially distanced dining options are plentiful throughout the beach city. Visitors can soak up the fresh ocean air while experiencing the exciting culinary variety that has made Oceanside a food-forward destination in recent years.
For those ready to dine out, Visit Oceanside has compiled a list of recommendations by Oceanside neighborhood to help diners in their decision making. While enjoying these local establishments, Visit Oceanside encourages everyone to abide by its Safe Traveler Pledge and follow all recommended safety protocols including physically distancing, washing hands and wearing face coverings. Planning ahead is also recommended as many dining venues are switching to a reservations-only format for increased safety of patrons and employees.
Here’s where visitors can dine outside in Oceanside:
Mid-Mission District
Thanks to a complete streetscape re-imagining a few years back, Oceanside’s newly coined “Mid-Mission District” along Mission Avenue at the entrance to downtown boasts numerous sidewalk cafes complemented by native landscaping. Here, visitors can enjoy outdoor dining at places such as Mission Ave. Bar & Grill, a fun neighborhood eatery with elevated cuisine by rising chef William Eick, or the recently opened Rosewood Kitchen featuring a creative, multi-cultural menu. Other spots include Rim Talay a long-standing local favorite for Thai cuisine, Swami’s Café Oceanside and Coomber Craft Wines, which offers small bites, craft wines and nightly live music on an expansive back patio.
Downtown Oceanside
Steps from the beach and historic pier, Downtown Oceanside has been a hotspot for restaurant openings in recent years thanks to redevelopment projects and restoration of historic buildings. Today, visitors can dine al fresco at the French-Mexican inspired Carte Blanche Bistro & Bar that not only features a large outdoor patio with firepits, but also a “hand sanitizer bar” for an elevated safety focus. Blade 1936, which recently became one of just two restaurants in San Diego to receive a prestigious AVPN certification for authentic Pizza Napoletana, has a newly created outdoor dining area, and 333 Pacific, known for its craft cocktails and date-night cuisine, offers a large covered patio with gorgeous ocean views. Hello Betty Fish House is another go-to for outdoor dining thanks to its rooftop lounge complete with vintage VW “Mas Taco” bus.
Oceanside Harbor
Oceanside Harbor Village was naturally designed to include outdoor spaces that allow diners to enjoy views of the yachts and bustling harbor activity. Visitors can enjoy sunset views from the second-floor patio of Lighthouse Oyster Bar and Grill or boat activity from the waterfront patio at Stratford at the Harbor— a popular spot for breakfast and lunch. Nautical Bean serves up craft coffee drinks that can be enjoyed from sitting areas along the harbor boardwalk. To the north of the Harbor Village area is Oceanside Broiler, a local venue for fresh seafood and steaks that features a scenic covered lanai.
Coast Highway
Oceanside’s Coast Highway corridor is a magnet for some of Oceanside’s most popular restaurants and watering holes. The ever-popular Local Tap House has expanded its outdoor, dog-friendly seating area, as has Flying Pig Pub and Kitchen, Oceanside’s original slow food venue located just off the main highway. Dija Mara, an award-winning Balinese fusion restaurant, is serving up its cuisine on the patio of neighboring restaurant Exhale. Visitors also can sip al fresco at Pacific Coast Spirits, North County San Diego’s only craft distillery serving a fun selection of grain-to-glass house made spirits.
South O
At the southern tip of Oceanside is the quirky and fun South Oceanside neighborhood, affectionately referred to as South O by locals. South O’s popular neighborhood restaurants have found creative ways to move dining outdoors by taking over parking lots and adjacent patios. Ocean-air dining options include craft pizza and pastas from Privateer Coal Fire Pizza, epic breakfast burritos at Beach Break Café, eco-friendly vegan cuisine sourced from local farms at The Plot, traditional Mexican dishes at Anita’s and fresh fish and sushi at Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub.
For more information on Oceanside and all of its offerings, please visit www.visitoceanside.org.
Photos (top to bottom):
Coomber Craft Wines; Carte Blanche Bistro & Bar; Lighthouse Oyster Bar & Grill; Local Tap House; Privateer Coal Fire Pizza & Wine Bar
About Oceanside
Perfectly situated between metropolitan San Diego and Los Angeles, Oceanside is a quintessential California coastal escape that includes wide sandy beaches, a quaint New England-style harbor, historic wooden pier and charming bungalow neighborhoods. O’side (as locals affectionately call it) is a destination of discovery where visitors can explore everything from California history at the “King of Missions” to surf culture at the California Surf Museum and awe-inspiring sea life through exciting ocean adventures. This playful and fun destination thrives on taking recreation to the next level and boasts world-class surfing, skateboarding, bike riding, boating and even skydiving. A flourishing farm-to-table food and craft beer, wine and spirit scene reflects Oceanside’s creative and entrepreneurial spirit, as do exciting arts and culture programs that earned Oceanside one of just 14 California Cultural District designations in 2017. Classically charming, eclectic and always genuine, Oceanside is an ideal place to stay and a true O’riginal. www.visitoceanside.org
About Visit Oceanside
Visit Oceanside Conference and Visitors Bureau is the official tourism marketing organization in Oceanside, Calif; promoting travel to the city for both leisure and group visitors. The organization influences about one-third of the $415 million that is generated by visitor spending in Oceanside each year, which supports more than 3,500 jobs. Visit Oceanside also operates one of the state’s official California Welcome Centers. With just one stop, visitors can find local, regional and state maps, purchase discount tickets to major Southern California attractions, make hotel reservations or shop for the perfect California keepsake. The Visit Oceanside CVB and California Welcome Center- Oceanside are conveniently located just off Interstate 5 at 928 North Coast Highway. For more information, please call (800) 350-7873 or visit www.visitoceanside.org
