La Jolla Dining, Bars and Pubs

With numerous establishments perched on cliff tops overlooking the famous La Jolla Cove, this city's restaurants are well known both for their unforgettable views and delicious cuisine. Many La Jolla restaurants have had great success combining spectacular ambiance with creative culinary innovations.

Business District

Several top-notch eateries shine in the business district of La Jolla. Donovan's Steak & Chop House pleases customers with an elegant dining room, vast wine list and premiere red-meat entrees. Bully's is another sure bet for great steaks, fine wines and a true taste of old La Jolla. For a dining experience both more modern and more laid back, hit Rock Bottom, a restaurant and brewery popular for its eclectic pub-grub menu, house-made beers and a lengthy Happy Hour.

To cash in on the epic ocean views throughout the city, hotels in La Jolla tend to house top-notch restaurants, bars and clubs on their upper floors. Humphrey's La Jolla Grill, located on top of the Radisson features dramatic panoramas, sumptuous cuisine and live entertainment. Clay's, perched on the 11th floor of Hotel La Jolla, has full-length windows overlooking the city and the Pacific, as well as upscale American entrees and live jazz.

La Jolla Village

Known to locals as "the village," La Jolla's downtown hosts some of the finest eateries in Southern California. This section of town is most trendy, ranging from quirky cafes to happening nightlife. Only in La Jolla would one find artwork for sale in a coffee shop. Harry's offers exactly that, welcoming the morning crowd with homemade breakfast specialties and innovative works of art. Mission Coffee Cup is another informal diner, also praised for its fresh-cooked American breakfasts. While the ambience is not particularly notable, it's always crowded with locals for one simple reason: the food is just plain delicious.

The following trio of café-style lunch spots is all about gourmet versatility. Whether you crave a hearty panini or a sweet little tart, they've all got you covered. Go to Girard Gourmet and grab a luscious salad, an inspired sandwich or a decadent dessert. Or go on in to Come On In, a delightful bakery styled to evoke the French countryside, which is popular among the daytime village crowd thanks to its coffeecakes, scones and muffins (and meal-sized lunch plates). The Living Room Coffeehouse serves a nice mix of pastries and lunch items as well, complete with a lively atmosphere of eclectic décor and jazz music.

In the evening hours, Roppongi sets the standard as one of La Jolla's most notable trend-setting storefronts, offering a cutting edge menu of Asian fusion meals. Other favorite Asian restaurants include Yen's Wok On Pearl and Royal Thai Cuisine. For something less exotic but perhaps more relaxed, stop at The Spot. Serving steak and ribs, this establishment draws a huge thirty-something crowd on weekends. If you like your meaty dinners preceded by a serving of chips and salsa, look no further than Su Casa, home to everyone's traditional south-of-the-border favorites.