Highest-rated brunch restaurants in San Diego

Written by:
October 1, 2025
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Highest-rated brunch restaurants in San Diego

The word brunch first appeared in a 1895 issue of "Hunter's Weekly," according to the Smithsonian Magazine. In the article, which was titled "Brunch: A Plea," author Guy Beringer suggested swapping out heavy, post-church meals for lighter spreads served later in the morning.

"Brunch… is cheerful, sociable, and inciting," Beringer wrote. "It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper; it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings. It sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week." As a post-script to the piece, he writes that at brunch, "Beer and whiskey are admitted as substitutes for tea and coffee."

Fast forward 130 years, and brunch is now one of the most popular meals in the U.S. According to a 2025 industry report from Bar & Restaurant News, brunch is the #1 meal for both Gen Zers and parents: 39% of the former go out to eat during that time, and 47% of the latter.

Many brunch locations offer the same type of spread Beringer promoted in his article—pastries and marmalade, coffee and tea (or beer and whiskey), and main courses that include fish or other meats. However, a host of other trends like internationally inspired cuisines, pizza, and mimosa flights have come along to add a little variety.

Whether your preference is for a classic brunch or something with a little more spice, Stacker compiled a ranking of the highest-rated brunch restaurants in San Diego using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a restaurant with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Most chain restaurants were excluded from the ranking. Data is as of Sept. 16, 2025.

Read on to find out if your favorite local spot made our list!

#31. Harry's Coffee Shop

- Rating: 4.5/5 (420 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#30. The Waffle Spot

- Rating: 4.4/5 (733 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#29. Extraordinary Desserts

- Rating: 4.4/5 (553 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#28. The Crack Shack

- Rating: 4.4/5 (483 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#27. Civico 1845

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1025 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#26. Queenstown Public House

- Rating: 4.4/5 (462 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. Cody's

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1221 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#24. Broken Yolk Cafe

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1471 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#23. Meze Greek Fusion

- Rating: 4.4/5 (762 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#22. Cafe 222

- Rating: 4.4/5 (827 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#21. Catania

- Rating: 4.5/5 (342 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. Piatti

- Rating: 4.5/5 (903 reviews)
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#19. Hash House A Go Go

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1084 reviews)
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#18. C-Level Lounge

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1107 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Richard Walker's Pancake House

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1825 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#16. Island Prime

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1086 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Pappalecco

- Rating: 4.6/5 (424 reviews)
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#14. Buona Forchetta

- Rating: 4.5/5 (511 reviews)
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#13. Snooze, an A.M. Eatery

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1173 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. Veranda Restaurant & Bar

- Rating: 4.5/5 (519 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#11. The Cottage La Jolla

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1623 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. The Mission - East Village

- Rating: 4.6/5 (443 reviews)
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#9. Kono's Cafe

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1301 reviews)
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#8. The Mission - Mission Beach

- Rating: 4.6/5 (674 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. Madison

- Rating: 4.3/5 (54 reviews)
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#6. Provisional Kitchen, Cafe, and Mercantile

- Rating: 4.6/5 (292 reviews)
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#5. Vessel Restaurant

- Rating: 4.7/5 (646 reviews)
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#4. Oceana Coastal Kitchen

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1245 reviews)
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#3. Dockside 1953

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1257 reviews)
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#2. The Grill at Torrey Pines

- Rating: 4.7/5 (696 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Vincenzo Cucina & Lounge

- Rating: 4.5/5 (20 reviews)
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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