10 Best Breweries and Beer Places in Rancho San Diego

"For a casual dinner, check-out this local Memphis style BBQ joint where everything is made fresh daily. With spectacular park and bay views, they have over 100 varieties of beer to choose from to help you wash down the delicious food!. Don’t forget to check-out So Diego Tours for a chance to experience the best this island has to offer as part of a group!"

"This brewery specializing in San Diego-style lagers and ales has great service, great food, and of course, great beer. The taproom is large (there’s even balcony seating) and unlike many San Diego breweries, the decor feels upscale, not industrial. Maybe because of that — and because of the welcoming atmosphere — the mix of people tends to be eclectic."

"When our friends at Humble Sea in Santa Cruz, California, recommended that we check out the beers from North Park, we didn’t hesitate. And the recommendation was spot on. North Park stands out from the San Diego pack by fashioning some of the most decadent, elegant stouts around."

"The North Park tasting room is open for curbside pick-up delivery of cans, crowlers and growlers. Local same day delivery available Thursday - Saturday for orders placed by noon. along with shipping anywhere in California."

"Karl Strauss Brewing is one of the oldest San Diego breweries on the block!. Starting back in the mid 80’s, Karl Strauss has been leading the craft beer scene before it became popular. Their craft brews have received many gold medals, including the famous Red Trolley Ale (which has been award 11 gold and 5 silver medals)."

"A post shared by 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓻𝓾𝓷𝓬𝓱 𝓑𝓲𝓽𝓬𝓱😘 (@mimosa_lova) on Apr 27, 2019 at 4:36pm PDT. Weekend brunch at a brewery, what could be better?. Brunch at Karl Strauss can include an omelet, waffle or pancakes, seasonal meats at the carving station or a fresh seafood entree."

"Swell Coffee Co is an artisan coffee roasting company that recently opened a location in Del Mar’s Flower Hill Promenade. Featuring direct trade coffees from around the world, Swell brings its drinks from the farm to the roaster to the cup. The beans are roasted locally and fans get cups made only for them via a V60 pour-over coffee maker, French press or Chemex, all designed to extract the perfect flavor of the beans."

"A photo posted by Swell Coffee Co. (@swellcoffeeco_) on Nov 28, 2016 at 8:36am PST. Swell has two locations in San Diego, one in Mission Beach and one in Del Mar. I have only been to the one in Del Mar, but the coffee is fantastic, the environment is just about perfect for working (both indoors and out), and the WiFi is a solid ‘B’."

"Red & White is the beachy neighborhood market you’d expect to see on a show about a beachy town of skaters and artists… or Oceanside. Despite the small size of the store, there’s a good chance they’ll have what you need in a pinch. The Vista Way location is ideal for locals living in South O, and the second location at the harbor (Red & White Superette) is ideal if you’re spending the day at the water and run out of a few things, or basically forgot to pack anything."

"What’s unique about Ballast Point Brewing is that they’re always creating a twist on classic brews. Founded by two college roommates in 1992, what initially started out as a keg dream for better beer turned into an award winning brewery. Try their California Amber Ale or the Sculpin IPA. These are a few of the brews that have received medals for their incredible flavors."

"Their beers can be found in most stores like BevMo across the US. The brewery is huge, can accommodate many people and is a blast to visit!. My favorite is the grapefruit Sculpin’."

"Opening in 2012, Societe Brewing Company quickly made a name for itself by winning West Coaster’s Best Brewery award in 2014 and 2016. Its picture-perfect IPAs like The Pupil, one of BeerAdvocate’s top beers, and The Coachman, a 2015 gold medal-winning session IPA at the Great American Beer Festival, that stoke the engine of this San Diego brewery. Most recently, we were stoked on Societe’s new collab with Pizza Port Brewing Co."

"Founded in 2012, Societe Brewing Company specializes in Belgian style taps and wine barrel aged beers. Head over for a free tour of the brewery and sample the large tasting options. Follow your favorite cold brews with fresh, tempting selections from the daily food trucks parked nearby."

"El Cajon’s Burning Beard Brewing is open for dine-in and take out of crowlers, new growlers, and bottles. Call ahead or stop by for pick-up."

"Proprietor Bertrand Hug's French restaurant is the kind of place, even in the days of more casual dining, that you still want to get dressed up for. A favorite with visiting Hollywood stars and world-renowned chefs, it offers unabashed elegance, irresistible gourmet dishes, intimate rooms with warmly-lit fireplaces, exquisite hand-woven tapestries, and starched white linens. The menu's delicacies change with the seasons and can include short ribs with heirloom carrots, morels and polenta; and scallops with sprouting cauliflower, kohlrabi and Champagne beurre blanc."

"Whether you’re on a casual date night out or celebrating a milestone anniversary, Mille Fleurs offers elegant and casual dining. The daily changing menu offers surprises every time you visit, as do the surroundings. Dining in the main room, the courtyard patio or the fountain room will change the atmosphere to suit the occasion."

"This Rancho Santa Fe favorite features elegant, intimate dining perfect for special occasions and celebrations. The French-Californian cuisine, highly regarded wine list, and piano bar should make whoever you brought with you swoon."

"Globe-trotting chef Junya Watanabe fuses food and art with a westernized take on Japanese classics at his Kearny Mesa and more recently opened Little Italy sushi restaurants. Here you’ll find Instagrammers charmed by intricately constructed vegan sushi while hungry patrons slurp up silky, handmade ramen noodles floating in a creamy dashi. Celebrate seasonality with a chef’s selection bento box available for take-out exclusively at The Yasai’s Little Italy location."

"The Lost Forest is a fun little area packed with extensive trails that wind through exhibits and aviaries. These trails are home to animals from the rainforests of Asia and Africa, and wind their way up into the canopy as well as along the forest floor, with arboreal animals displayed above and ground dwellers below. You’ll find monkeys, barbirusas, tigers, great apes, okapis, and several various species of exotic birds."

"Guests will feel like there are in the rain forest when they enter the Lost Forest. The Lost Forest is in the northeast corner of the Zoo. Some animals in this area include hippos, tigers, okapi, otters, birds and primates."

"This not-for-profit aquarium and zoo connects kids with the animals and plants of the California coast. Located on the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge in Chula Vista, the Living Coast Discovery Center offers family-friendly activities and events such as shark, ray, turtle, and eagle feedings; guided trail hikes; Overnight Adventures; and VIP Animal Encounters. Seasonal exhibits promote wildlife conservation and educate young visitors about their impact on the environment."

"This nonprofit discovery center is there to provide environmental education related to coastal resource conservation. You park in a parking lot and bus takes you over to the center. Once there you can see the sharks, visit the sting ray touch tank, and see the bald eagles they have there."

"This is located in the Sweetwater Marsh Unit of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge in Chula Vista and is a popular choice for school trips. The experience here is pretty unique. You get to feed bat rays and have meet-and-greets with reptiles."