Ultimate Hillcrest Food Tour in San Diego: Bite San Diego Review by Local Food Experts
As passionate foodies, photographers, and San Diego locals who run a dedicated restaurant review site, one of our favorite experiences in Hillcrest is the guided food tour with Bite San Diego. This tour lets you savor dishes from top restaurants while gathering insider local tips.
We cook gourmet meals at home regularly but prioritize trying a new San Diego spot weekly. Our website has inspired us to explore every corner of San Diego County. With countless dining options, food tours like this efficiently sample multiple venues in one outing.
A friend introduced us to Bite San Diego. Choosing from Hillcrest, Little Italy, North Park, Coronado, or Julian was tough—Italian cuisine tempted us, but Hillcrest's stellar restaurants and perfect scheduling won out.
The tour kicked off near Balboa Park at Jimmy Carter’s Mexican restaurant. Our group of 15 enjoyed a pre-set table with chips and salsa. Highlights included tostadas with tender shredded beef (our favorite), calamari tacos topped with jalapeño cilantro cream sauce, and cheese empanadas. Generous portions satisfied our hunger without overwhelming us before the 12-block walk to the next stop.
Next, Lotus Thai impressed with Miang rice noodle lettuce wraps, Thai corn fritters, and chicken satay, paired with refreshing Thai iced tea. The restaurant's unique decor, including quirky bathroom signage, added charm.
Our top pick, Empire House, featured the owner sharing the restaurant's inspiring history, struggles, and triumph over a notorious 'voodoo curse' at the location.
We devoured their BBQ Bacon Burger: glazed with house-made red-miso BBQ sauce, bacon, Havarti cheese, garlic aioli, lettuce, and pickled red onion on a seeded bun. The homemade pickle side offered perfect crunch.
At Brazen BBQ, award-winning pulled pork and brisket—made with scratch rubs and sauces—proved irresistible, despite our fullness.
A quick visit to Kona Coffee preceded the finale at Lotus Cafe & Juice Bar: a hummus plate, carrot-nutmeg-cinnamon smoothie taste, and vegan chocolate-peanut butter cupcake—a refreshing, sweet close.
Ending around 4 p.m., we skipped dinner entirely. This Sunday adventure was ideal, and we're eager for more Bite San Diego tours.
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