Home Care In Encinitas, CA

Less than 6 months since opening, these new and notable dining options for residents and visitors to North San Diego County are a must-try.

ENCINITAS, CA — From artisanal pizza places to fine 12-course dining, these four North San Diego County restaurants have made it to the famed EATER dining list.

Each restaurant is changing the dining landscape in Oceanside, Carlsbad, and Encinitas, according to Eater San Diego magazine. "They give a sense of what's hot and happening around town," they say.

So, where do you go when you want to try something new? There is no shortage of excellent eateries in North County San Diego. Indeed, you can pop over to any one of these Oceanside and Carlsbad Michelin Star-rated restaurants to see what the gourmet news is about, when one of them is also a Michelin Star restaurant, it's even better.

Still, there is something special about supporting a new and notable restaurant in your neighborhood.

CARLSBAD

Lilo, situated in an unassuming spot in Carlsbad, opened in April with chef Eric Bost and John Resnick at the helm. The duo at Lilo earned their first Michelin Star in June and has not slowed down since. Behind their all-day restaurant, Wildland, Lilo is special in its limited seating and 12-course dining experience. Located at 2571 Roosevelt Street, reservations are essential, as only 22 diners are seated for meals at a time. Eater San Diego recommends pairing with suggestions from the wine director, Savannah Riedler, or the beverage director, Andrew Cordero. When it comes to eating at Lilo, let the experts guide your palate to a unique dining experience.

Little Victory Wine Bar in Carlsbad is a perfect stop for tasting wine, tidbits, and even a full meal, says Eater. When you go, be sure to try the crudo, the Parmesan-flecked risotto, or the pan-seared pork chop with spring peas and mushrooms. According to their website, they serve natural wines made by real people with an attention to detail, from grapes farmed using organic and biodynamic techniques and minimal intervention winemaking in the cellar, to small plates that will accompany the wines in both quality and simplicity. Cheeses, cured meats, alongside pickles, crudo, seasonal salads, and ethically caught tinned fish plates."

Reservations are recommended for the restaurant open Wednesday through Sunday at 505 Oak Avenue.

ENCINITAS:

Leucadia lovers, this one is for you. Leu Leu offers decadent flavors by chef Claudette Zepeda, with influences from Baja California, Peru, Japan, and the Levant region, according to Eater. The inside is as decadent as the dishes served here, a feast for the senses. This is an intimate dining experience, and reservations are recommended for the restaurant at 466 N. Coast Highway in Encinitas.

OCEANSIDE:

If you're a fan of sourdough and pizza, this one is for you. Calling itself "Sourdough pies with radical vibes," Odie's Pizza serves classic, handcrafted pizza with specials throughout the day, from midday meal to happy hour. Sourdough crust pizza with inventive toppings is what you'll find at Odie's Pizza Company, where the crust is celebrated for its natural fermentation, bold flavor, and health benefits. This pizza shop offers pizza pockets (think pizza rolls, filled with mozzarella, marinara, and pepperoni), as well as chicken tenders, salads, crudites, and a variety of desserts. Eater recommends trying the round pie with vodka sauce. Visit them at 121 N. Cleveland Street, in Oceanside.

Encinitas is practically shorthand for iconic beaches. Swami’s, Moonlight, and Stonesteps all offer postcard-worthy views and the kind of waves that launch surf careers. But it’s not all saltwater and sand up here. This laidback coastal city was formerly the global capital of poinsettias, thanks to Ecke Ranch, which bloomed from the 1920s through the 2010s and once put the area in competition with Holland for “Flower Capital of the World.”

Stretching from sleepy Leucadia to surfy Cardiff and inland to the rural charm of Olivenhain, Encinitas is anchored by its walkable downtown along historic Highway 101, a family-friendly area studded with funky shops; taco joints; and Instagramable, bluff-perched cafés.

And while the city has seen tons of recent new additions, its history runs deep. The Santa Fe Railroad pulled in back in 1881, and Pannikin Coffee still serves its goods inside the old Victorian train depot. La Paloma Theatre has been screening films and hosting legends since 1928. And the white-domed towers of the Self-Realization Fellowship have crowned the coast since 1920, a beacon for both yogis and surfers alike.

Don Hansen opened his namesake shop in 1961; today, his son Josh keeps the stoke alive at Hansen Surfboards. The new wave of ocean-lovers brings a green mindset, blending surf culture with sustainability, wellness, and creativity. Artists, musicians, and makers thrive here, with local galleries, public murals, and arts festivals adding color to the already quietly vibrant streetscape.

Uphill from the beach, the seeds of Encinitas flowery days still flourish. The San Diego Botanic Garden, Coastal Roots Farm, and Fox Point Farms keep things blooming, alongside nurseries that specialize in everything from cymbidiums to drought-friendly succulents.

It’s this eclectic—surfboards and sun hats, yoga and espresso, public art and farmers markets—that gives Encinitas its beloved quirkiness.

A day in Encinitas for Josh Hansen starts with surfing—“always [at] Swami’s,” he says. If he goes out for breakfast, it’s at Swami’s Cafe, where he reliably orders the chilaquiles. Goodonya Organic Eatery is another go-to, a few minutes’ walk from his surf spot, for the bone broth and fried egg plate. For cozy, beach-cottage-y local comfort food, he goes to Besta Wan Pizza House in Cardiff—since 1965, it’s served North County dwellers a classic menu of salads, pizzas, and beers on tap. Get the Besta Wan special: ground beef, pepperoni, sausage, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, and (stay with us here) anchovies.

When Hansen’s daughter is in town, they head to Birdseye Kitchen for fresh organic Thai, Lao, and Vietnamese. Then, it’s time for a Tito’s and soda at Union Kitchen & Tap across from Hansen Surfboards. Hansen appreciates the laidback vibe and local ownership at all these stops.

As one of the boosters of the Visit Encinitas initiative, Hansen knows one of the best things about Encinitas is its walkability. You can get errands checked off the list with a scenic stroll between Encinitas Ranch Town Center and the Carlsbad Forum Shops, or enjoy million-dollar coastal views on the Swami’s Pedestrian Under-passageway route.

Hansen also loves that Encinitas has activities for a range of age groups. Moonlight Beach hosts free Sunday afternoon concerts in July and August—BYO chairs, blankets, and snacks. There are oodles of summer camps and year-round rec classes at Pacific View Arts Center and Encinitas Community Center, as well as a children’s area at San Diego Botanical Garden and ride-along farm tours and animal encounters at Fox Point Farms. “It’s a family-oriented surf town. That mix of community and beach lifestyle is what makes it so special,” Hansen says.

What’s Next for Encinitas

Similar to much of San Diego County, Encinitas faces mounting pressure to build more housing. But, like many affluent enclaves in California, it’s putting up a fight. Even as cranes and construction crews shape three new developments along Quail Gardens Drive, resistance is brewing. Newly elected mayor Bruce Ehlers is spearheading a statewide ballot initiative aimed at challenging California’s housing mandates. Will this move stall the momentum, or just add more fuel to the fire? The battle between growth and preservation is playing out in real time, and Encinitas is right at the heart of it.

Nevertheless, restaurant openings are definitely not slowing down: Ernie’s Craft Deli & Wine Bar is coming to Encinitas Marketplace; Claudette Zepeda just launched Leu Leu in Leucadia; Tony Hawk and chef Andrew Bachelier recently unveiled Chick & Hawk; and pro surfer Benji Weatherly is bringing a bit of his Hawaiian home to Breakers Cafe Bar & Grill on Santa Fe Drive. The Dumpling Bar opened in late 2024 in Encinitas Village. Craft Coast Brewery & Taco Stand is planning a location on Highway 101 at West D Street.

“Over the past 10 years, there’s been a noticeable increase in bars, restaurants, and new shops,” Hansen says. “The vibe’s still good, but there’s definitely more happening around town.”

The former site of Cap’n Keno’s, an Encinitas landmark that closed in 2024 after more than 50 years on Coast Highway, is under development with the working title “Moonlight Mixed-Use Property.” Purportedly, the plans include a tribute to the beloved institution (maybe a new bar with an old name?), along with condos, storefronts, and affordable housing.

Where to Eat in Encinitas

Where to Shop in Encinitas

Ty Morgan, a student at The Grauer School, was selected for the 21st annual Grammy Camp.

ENCINITAS, CA — An Encinitas music student is headed to Grammy Camp.

Ty Morgan, a student at The Grauer School, an independent school in Encinitas, was selected for the 21st annual Grammy Camp for guitar performance. He was among more than 80 high school students from across the country accepted into the highly selective program.

"It's an honor to be selected by the Grammy Camp," Ty told Patch. "I owe a lot to Grauer Music teachers Isaac Langen and Tom Hopper, and Casey Trask at the School of Rock Encinitas for their support and guidance all these years."

Morgan is part of The Grauer School's Advanced Music class and performed at this year's The Grauer School of Rock Gala in support of the Visual and Performing Arts.

Outside of school, Morgan is the drummer of the local band, Kook, a punk, grunge and hard rock band formed in 2024 in San Diego. The band also includes fellow Grauer student and bassist, Julien Wilson, and lead guitarist and singer, Hudson Goldstein. In the last few weeks, Kook performed at Humble Heart in Ocean Beach, the Cool Beans Supply Co. in San Marcos and Soma San Diego.

Encinitas officials are debating whether to end the city’s participation in a 16-year-old, cooperative agreement with Del Mar and Solana Beach that allows the three cities to split the cost of some higher-ranking fire department employees.

A proposal calling for Encinitas to now strike out on its own will be considered by the City Council at a special meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall, 505 S. Vulcan Ave.

“While the agreement once served as a cost-effective and regionally coordinated solution, Encinitas has outgrown the structure,” Fire Chief Josh Gordon wrote in a report prepared for Wednesday’s meeting. “With rising service demands, an expanding population and increasingly complex public safety needs, the time has come for Encinitas to establish an independent fire department that reflects its scope, priorities and strategic trajectory.”

Under the terms of the joint Cooperative Management Services Agreement, Encinitas currently expects to receive $850,000 in payments from the other two cities for management employee expenses in the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1. If the city terminates the agreement, it will need to come up with that money out of its own budget, Gordon wrote.

Established in 2009, the cooperative agreement originally included four communities — Rancho Santa Fe, Del Mar, Encinitas and Solana Beach. They agreed to split expenses using a weighted calculation that considered each community’s population, geographic area, call volume and existing fire department staffing levels. Encinitas provided the fire chief, Rancho Santa Fe contributed battalion chief coverage.

The agreement has been adjusted in the years since, adding positions, including a training officer, a senior deputy fire marshal and an administrative fire captain, Gordon noted in his report. In 2013, Rancho Santa Fe terminated its participation.

While leaving the agreement now will come with added costs for Encinitas, there are also many benefits, Gordon wrote. Key among them is that Encinitas will be better able to cope with the new needs of its population, Gordon wrote, mentioning that the city isn’t the place it was when the agreement was first inked.

“Since 2009, Encinitas has experienced a surge in residential development, tourism and aging population-related (emergency medical service) calls,” he wrote. “These trends have created a scale of service demand that far surpasses the shared model’s original design.”

The city now handles more than 6,500 emergency incidents, while Del Mar and Solana Beach together account for less than 2,300 calls, Gordon wrote.

Terminating the city’s participation in the agreement would allow Encinitas fire officials to better focus on city-specific issues, increasing its wildfire planning abilities and improving its chances for grant funding, he added.

And, he stressed, ending the city’s participation in the management employee cost-sharing agreement will not end the city’s participation in other regional fire-fighting efforts. The city’s firefighters will continue to respond to mutual aid calls, and participate in countywide training, joint purchasing programs and disaster response collaboration.

A $4 million overhaul of Santa Fe Drive — the mostly completed, first phase of what’s been envisioned as a two-part project — is a “complete disaster” and a big “legal hazard,” a majority of the Encinitas City Council said as they sought a redesign last month.

In a 4-1 decision, with Councilmember Joy Lyndes who represents the area opposed, the council voted to ask city staff to produce at least three redesign options that would remove many of the elements the construction project created. The council expects to pick one option later this year and then embark on making changes.

One item that’s most likely to end up being eliminated is the new back-in parking near San Dieguito High School Academy — all the redesign options suggested called for this. A recent city survey found many users hate them, and Councilmember Luke Shaffer said those spots are particularly hazardous for new teen drivers.

“We have the youngest age group of drivers trying to navigate this hardest road in town right now to navigate,” he said, adding that this problem will never go away because every year there will be new sophomore-aged students getting their licenses and struggling to park in those spots.

Designed to improve pedestrian and cyclist conditions on a busy roadway that’s home to a high school and a hospital, the Santa Fe Drive renovation project concluded two months ago, months behind schedule and far over budget. The project site stretches from just east of Interstate 5 at MacKinnon Avenue’s intersection with Santa Fe Drive and continues eastward to Evergreen. A second, future project is planned for the next section of Santa Fe Drive from Evergreen to El Camino Real.

The current project includes new sidewalks, a mid-block pedestrian crossing island at the high school, and bike lanes that are separated from the roadway. Two intersections — Nardo Road/MacKinnon Avenue and Bonita Drive/Windsor Road — were proposed to gain new traffic signal equipment and redesigned corners with what are considered pedestrian-friendly “curb bulb-out” areas. However, those items were placed on hold in December amid growing opposition to the renovation project.

At recent council meetings, public speakers have repeatedly raised safety concerns about the project, ranging from the challenges of trying to do back-in parking on a busy roadway to the struggles big vehicles face with the narrowness of the new vehicle lanes. The tripping hazards posed by the stone-filled, storm water control areas near the back-in parking spots also have been mentioned.

Councilmember Jim O’Hara, who along with Shaffer was elected in November, said during the meeting that he’d like to tear out most of the project.

“I wasn’t in the room when the decision (to pursue this project) was made … but it sure seems pretty simple what needs to be done,” he said as he brought forward his own proposal, which called for painted bike lanes, not ones separate from the roadway.

O’Hara said he would keep a new mid-block, pedestrian crossing point at the high school, but little else of the current project.

Mayor Bruce Ehlers said he has been monitoring conditions in the area and he doesn’t believe the new protected bike lanes are being used all that much, particularly not by the high school students. While he and O’Hara said they would like to remove most of the new changes, Shaffer said he might prefer a less-costly compromise that kept the protected bike lanes and altered the back-in parking to make it front-in parking.

Removing all of the roadway changes are estimated to cost $1.8 million to $2 million, and the city needs money for the second project — the Evergreen to El Camino Real portion, city employees have said.

Lyndes said she definitely thought the current project had room for improvement and would support making some changes, but stressed that what people see now is only part of what’s planned for the roadway.

“It’s not going to be the safety improvement we hoped for until it is complete, so I want to look at it this way,” she said.

Mentioning that construction activity only recently concluded, she urged the other council members to give people time to adjust to the changes, rather than spending city money now to rip out the renovations. She added that she is starting to hear from people who like the new protected bike lanes and the pedestrian crosswalk.