Top 10 Restaurants In Carlsbad, California

Based within a Carlsbad landmark, the beautiful former Twin Inns Victorian mansion built in 1887, The Land & Water Co is a restaurant from talented local chef Rob Ruiz, a veteran of some of the best sushi restaurants in San Diego, that focuses on hyper-local fare centered around California cuisine with distinct French, Japanese and Hawaiian flavors. Though the exterior of the property is charmingly historic, the inside of The Land & Water Co is thoroughly sleek and modern and an open sushi bar allows guests to see the restaurant’s talented chefs at work. Seafood and sushi are the real pull on the menu with dishes that include pan-seared steelhead with buckwheat soba noodle salad.

A downtown Carlsbad favorite, Paon is an elegant restaurant and wine bar featuring a stylish art deco-themed interior with a stylish lounge that exudes old Hollywood charm and a beautiful patio ideal for alfresco dining on balmy summer eves. Serving California inspired cuisine with French influences, Paon sources the ingredients that go into its delicious dishes both seasonally and locally. Guests can expect dishes like pan-roasted pheasant with wild mushrooms, Swiss chard, vegetable truffle risotto and Madeira sauce or pan-seared Maine diver scallops with vegetable ragout and a lobster-potato puree. An extensive wine list is available to complement Paon’s sophisticated fare.

Based amongst the boutiques and restaurants of Carlsbad’s upscale Forum Shopping Center is Casa de Bandini, a lively, vibrant restaurant offering authentic Mexican fare alongside live mariachi entertainment and a well-stocked cantina with over 50 tequila-based drinks. Exuding a colonial Mexico-themed design throughout, Casa de Bandini’s interior features colorful tiles, folk art and warm terracotta floors while a charming courtyard includes its very own water fountain. Start with an appetizer like Mexican shrimp cocktail with avocado, celery, tomato and onion before following with a mouth-watering entrée such as the diner favorite pollo fundido, a crispy, deep-fired tortilla filled with shredded chicken and topped with a melted cheese sauce.

Located at the upscale Sheraton Carlsbad Resort and Spa, perched atop the city’s highest point, Twenty/20 Grill & Wine Bar serves delectable dishes based around the cuisine of coastal California and gets its name from its stunning, panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. Guests can choose from several spaces in which to dine, a luxurious dining room, cozy bar, laidback lounge or on the restaurants’ popular outdoor covered terrace, while feasting on mouth-watering dishes like the fig and smoked chicken flatbread topped with chorizo, goat’s cheese cilantro pesto and pickled red onion, or the braised pork short ribs with roasted acorn squash, caramelized celeriac and heirloom carrots.

For something a little out of the ordinary, head down to The Armenian Café, a unique restaurant offering authentic Greek, Mediterranean and Lebanese fare. It has been the recipient of various awards, including Best Breakfast in San Diego County and Best Marinated Rack of Lamb. Start your authentic dining experience with an appetizer of kebbe, ground lamb with bourghul wheat mixed together and stuffed with a flavorsome filling of walnuts, onions, pine nuts and herbs, followed by a succulent pork shish kebab served with rice pilaf, grilled vegetables and garlic dip and finish with a dessert of kashta-lea, an Armenian take on tiramisu.