Why America is more than just diners

If there’s one good excuse for travel, it’s food. Here’s how to eat your way from Los Angeles to San Diego.

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If there’s one good excuse for travel, it’s food. Here’s how to eat your way from San Diego to Los Angeles on a foodie road trip that would make The Very Hungry Caterpillar proud.

The southern stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway connects Los Angeles to San Diego via a network of breezy coastal towns built on undulating dunes. From hippy enclaves to the sleek mansions of Orange County, every mile of the highway looks out over pristine white beaches, rolling surf and epic sunsets. It’s not just a feast for the eyes, however. This coastal trail is an indulgent glut of foodie goodness, from roadside burger joints to legendary crab shacks, connecting the two major culinary cities together. Here are just a few of the highlights, in town and on the road. And if you’re still hungry after all of that, check out the brand new 2019 California Michelin Guide.

OSCAR’S MEXICAN SEAFOOD, PACIFIC BEACH, SAN DIEGO

Start your foodie quest at this beloved little taco shop by Pacific Beach. The smattering of tables outside this local haunt are always rammed with San Diegans in the know tucking into the best fish tacos in town. Try your fish smoked or battered, or opt for a shrimp and chorizo flavour fusion

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS AT BALBOA PARK, SAN DIEGO

Every Friday night in summer, the tree-lined avenues of San Diego’s Balboa Park host a rotating roster of the city’s finest food trucks. Devilicious is there, with their signature butter-poached lobster and grilled cheese sandwich, while Aunty Lynne’s serves up cuisine from around the Pacific rim, including popped chicharrones and barbecue pulled pork.

MICROBREW MANIA, SAN DIEGO

There are more than 150 microbreweries in San Diego, which is leading the USA’s new-found passion for craft beer. Longship Brewery in Mira Mesa is renowned for its Viking-themed concoctions, including their Ragnabock and Asgard Ale. Belching Beaver Brewery offers a Peanut Butter Milk Stout, while The Lost Abbey turns heads with its Belgian-inspired Duck Duck Gooze, and you can’t leave town without sampling North Park’s Hop Fu! IPA, the most-awarded microbrew in America.

BETTY’S WHOLE PIE SALOON, ENCINITAS

Betty’s Whole Pie Saloon is a must-stop on your scenic drive north. This western-themed diner offers pies for every occasion: breakfast pies, chicken pot pies, turkey meatball pies, kale pies, key lime pies, apple crumbly pies, cookie dough pies, Mississippi mud pies and more! There’s soup and salad on the menu too and Hunt's chicken chipotle chilli, but the queues at Betty’s are all about that golden-brown pastry.

SOUTH OF NICK’S, SAN CLEMENTE

For Mexican dining that is a cut above, stop at South of Nick’s in San Clemente. The long, creative margarita menu includes a jalapeno watermelon flavour, and the cocktail list continues with superb tequila and mezcal mixes. On the food side, the lobster enchiladas are a dream, and the warm butter cake dessert delivers far more subtle pleasures than the name implies.

HIDDEN HOUSE COFFEE, SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

Veer away from the water at Dana Point to find one of the most interesting landmarks on the south Californian coast, the 250-year-old Spanish mission of San Juan Capistrano (now a historical site and museum). In the nearby Los Rios District, you’ll find one of the finest boutique roasters on the coast at the Hidden Coffee House. Alongside croissants, cookies and bagel bombs, they serve delicious brews from single roast beans, ethically sourced from Ethiopia, El Salvador, Ecuador and beyond.

THE ORANGE INN, LAGUNA BEACH

Founded in 1931, the Orange Inn touts itself as “the first juice bar in California”, a refreshment stand for the cowboys and field hands of the nearby Irvine Ranch. More than 85 years later, this beloved roadside diner is still going strong, serving signature smoothies and an all-day menu, including a pico de gallo and white albacore stuffed Lagoona Toona sandwich.

THE CRAB COOKER, NEWPORT BEACH

Expect queues at Newport’s oldest and most beloved seafood shack, The Crab Cooker (est. 1951). The iconic red building on the Balboa Peninsula serves up Pacific-caught Dungeness crab, Alaskan red king crab legs and Alaskan killer crab claws, king salmon, mahi mahi and more, delicately spiced and grilled over a hot mesquite broiler.

TK BURGER, HUNTINGTON BEACH

Pull over in Huntington Beach, otherwise known as Surf City, USA for a local icon, the TK Burger. These chunky, charbroiled beef patties are worth getting excited about, served with fresh salad, American cheese and crispy bacon bursting out of a lightly toasted bun. But TK has the edge over many a Californian burger joint because of its location, right by the side of the Pacific Coast Highway, overlooking one of the biggest and most beautiful beaches in the greater Los Angeles area.

MANHATTAN BEACH POST, MANHATTAN BEACH

There are many reasons to stop and eat at this stylish, bustling modern American restaurant near Manhattan Beach, not least of which are the bacon cheddar biscuits. But for a truly singular dessert try the ‘Elvis’, a luxe smash of bittersweet chocolate pudding, peanut butter mousse and caramelized bananas, crowned with a salty slice of bacon brittle.

ROSALINE, WEST HOLLYWOOD

After Orange County, head into Los Angeles and dive into its vast and impressive dining scene, fuelled by a warm collision of cultures and immaculately fresh ingredients. The modern Peruvian food at Rosaline in West Hollywood is a stellar example of how delightful LA’s foodie scene can be, from the popping flavours of the ceviche menu to the wowser paella and the pork ossobuco, served with adobo, peanuts, garbanzo soft tamale, a hardboiled egg, and wrapped in banana leaf.

PASTA SISTERS, MID CITY, LOS ANGELES

This unassuming mall-front store on West Pico Boulevard delivers a mouth-watering culinary surprise. Fresh pasta, made daily on the premises with imported Italian flour, is coated in perfectly balanced sauces, from the spicy arrabbiata to the rich three cheeses to the subtly aromatic truffle sauce. Made by a mother-and-son team to traditional recipes, this is some of the best pasta you’ll find outside of Italy.

Start planning your 2019 California road trip now with more ideas, itineraries and tips from Visit California. The Golden State is waiting for you.

Originally published as Why America is more than just diners