SD Foodie guide
This is a source-linked shortlist, not a claim that every recommendation is a current review. Start with the meal you want, then check the restaurant's current details before you go.
Roger's 2022 answer for Mexican food in North Park, built around a surf 'n turf he described as bigger than most people's forearms.
One of the two omakase counters Roger named when asked where to take a visiting friend for sushi in 2022.
Roger's University Heights omakase recommendation from 2022, paired with Tadokoro as his two go-to sushi counters.
A Mission Hills dinner-and-drinks choice with a menu built for a proper night out, especially when pork chops and whiskey cocktails are the brief.
A University Heights restaurant where the cocktail program is a genuine reason to stay for dinner, not an afterthought to the food.
Vegan soul food with enough savory, fried and comforting appeal to bring meat-eaters to the table without an apology tour.
A vegetarian Thai favorite where the panang curry is Roger's personal starting point and the menu gives mixed groups plenty of room.
A Little Italy coffee stop for serious brewed coffee, with nitro cold brew as the dependable move and Geisha pour-over as the special occasion.
Now closed. In 2022 Roger's Liberty Station coffee tip was to let the barista build an espresso drink of their own design here.
Published 2026-09-15. Last editorial update 2026-09-15.