San Diego continues to unveil a variety of new dining experiences each month, catering to diverse tastes and culinary adventures.
From Michelin-recognized taquerias to innovative brunch spots, the city’s culinary scene is thriving with fresh openings worth exploring this month.
In National City, the long-awaited first stateside location of Tacos El Franc is set to open at Westfield Plaza Bonita by May 30.
This taqueria, renowned for its adobada and carne asada tacos served on corn tortillas, originally began as a street cart venture in Tijuana in 1974.
After establishing a brick-and-mortar location in 1996, the restaurant is expanding with a 6,000-square-foot space that promises the same beloved dishes alongside exciting new offerings, including fries cooked in beef tallow.
Guests can also enjoy a cheve bar featuring a selection of Mexican beers, micheladas, and caguamas—large bottles of beer.
Following this debut, Tacos El Franc will also launch its Gaslamp Quarter location at 528 Fifth Avenue by late June.
Meanwhile, the iconic Hotel Del Coronado is home to the newly opened Nobu Coronado, which launched its soft opening on May 7.
This beautifully designed 150-seat restaurant provides stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and features both indoor and outdoor dining options.
Nobu Coronado boasts an eight-person sushi bar and a 12-seat pagoda bar serving Japanese whiskeys, sake, and inventive cocktails.
The menu features some of the most popular dishes from the Nobu culinary repertoire, including the famed miso black cod, squid pasta with garlic sauce, and A5 Wagyu.
Additionally, guests can look forward to unique offerings such as lobster truffle tempura and beef kushiyaki skewers that are exclusive to this location.
Over in the East Village, brunch enthusiasts can discover a new spot called 6th & G Breakfast Co.
This vibrant brunch eatery, adorned with bookcases and artwork featuring bespectacled roosters, recently opened its doors to offer a creative morning menu.
Diners can indulge in delights such as matcha and strawberry waffle pops, shrimp katsu Benedicts, and a hefty meal known as The Bucket, comprising fried chicken and buttermilk waffles served in a classic red-and-white-striped bucket.
Imaginative cocktails like the Cotton Candy Sugar Rain, crafted with gin, elderflower, and raspberry tea topped with a cloud of cotton candy, add to the brunch experience.
University Heights has welcomed a nostalgic dining experience with the debut of Sonny’s, a retro-style pizza shop located in a century-old building.
Co-founded by Madison chef Tony Gutierrez and Jose “Franky” Pereyra, Sonny’s features an array of pizzas, including the No Sleep Till Brooklyn with mozzarella and mushrooms and Smoke on the Water with rapini and smoked provolone.
In addition to its tasty pizzas, the menu includes non-pizza offerings like the Sonny’s burger, baked clams, and chicken Francese.
Cocktail aficionados can enjoy themed drinks with names inspired by music, like the Run DMC, made from Drambuie, mezcal, and cynar.
The historic Beau Hotel, San Diego’s oldest hotel dating back to 1886, is now home to Bar at the Beau, a newly launched restaurant and bar.
Known for its original bar centerpiece, the venue pays tribute to the hotel’s storied past through a creative cocktail menu alongside dishes such as duck pot pie, grilled oysters, and braised pork shank.
Chula Vista is also in on the action with the opening of Luscious Dumplings, recognized with a Michelin Bib Gourmand, which marks its first San Diego location in Eastlake.
Originating in San Gabriel in 2001, Luscious Dumplings specializes in Northern-style handmade dumplings.
Patrons are encouraged to try the boiled chive, pork, egg, and shrimp dumplings, pan-fried pork dumplings, and flavorful stewed Angus beef noodle soup.
Lastly, the Midway District is set to see the arrival of Pho Leo and Grill, a Vietnamese restaurant scheduled to open in mid-June.
This restaurant will feature a unique open-concept grill center where meats will be prepared upon order, mimicking a typical dining experience found in Vietnam.
In addition to grilled meats, Pho noodles will be freshly made daily, and special dishes like com tam—broken rice plates with grilled pork chops—will be offered.
With a variety of new culinary treasures emerging across San Diego, food lovers have exciting dining experiences to look forward to this coming month.
image source from：https://sandiego.eater.com/2025/5/27/24438262/hot-san-diego-restaurant-openings-may-2025
