From brunch and food halls to pizza and coffee shops, we know San Diego’s food scene sizzles. In fact, there are so many pockets of culinary gems, many local communities host annual “Taste of” events — self-guided food tours spotlighting a neighborhood’s buzziest restaurants. Let’s take a walk, shall we?
Taste of Third | March | $55
Sip and sample your way through 25+ hotspots in downtown Chula Vista guided by a “passport” that highlights participating businesses and their offerings. This year’s event is on Thursday, March 20, 4-8 p.m. Grab tickets.
Taste of Hillcrest | April | $35+ Tickets are available for this year’s event on Saturday, April 12, 12-4 p.m. Expect 25 restaurants to partake in the 2025 tour, from cozy cafes to high-end spots.
Taste of La Mesa Village | April | $40+
The La Mesa Village Association will debut this event on Thursday, April 24, 5-8 p.m. — but you’ll have to get on the waitlist to join. With lots of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops in The Village, we think this is a perfect addition to the county’s “Taste of” offerings.
Kane Brown | 7 p.m. | Pechanga Arena San Diego | $77+ | The chart-topping “Miles On It” country crooner takes the stage with “The High Road Tour.”
Friday, March 14
Whiskey by the Bay with Basil Hayden | 5-7:30 p.m. | San Diego Mission Bay Resort | $120 | Sip + savor your way through a coursed dinner expertly paired with whiskey and bourbon straight from Hayden’s distillery.
Save Ferris | Belly Up, Solana Beach | $32+ | The SoCal ska punk band (remember that epic “Come On Eileen” cover?) headlines the Solana Beach venue.
Saturday, March 15
San Diego St. Patrick’s Day Parade + Festival | 9 a.m.-6 p.m. | Sixth Avenue & Laurel Street | $12+ | Watch the parade for free and then head into the festival to enjoy live performances, food, and festive drinks; wear your best green outfit.
ShamROCK | 2-10 p.m. | Gaslamp Quarter | $55+ | The annual music + beer festival will turn the Gaslamp into a sea of green filled with live performances, Irish fare, and revelry to the max.
South Park Spring Walkabout | 5-9 p.m. | South Park | Free | Take a stroll through the cute neighborhood while enjoying live music, special deals, and fun activities at local small businesses.
Columbus Crew vs. San Diego FC | 7:30 p.m. | Snapdragon Stadium | $50+ | Kick it with our city’s new MLS team — this is only their third home game ever.
Sunday, March 16
The Female Maker Market | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Piazza della Famiglia | Free | Shop for one-of-a-kind treasures from a mix of women-owned businesses and local artisans.
Wednesday, March 19
RuPaul: “House of Hidden Meanings”| 6 p.m. | The Observatory North Park | $55+ | The TV personality, drag performer, author, and San Diegan is touring in support of his new book — we hope he feels right at home.
San Diego Latino Film Festival | Wednesday, March 19-Sunday, March 23 | Times vary | Digital Gym | $9+ | The 32nd annual festival presents “Cine Sin Fronteras,” a celebration of films that aim to break boundaries and unite communities.
Keep that umbrella handy — another round of heavy rain is expected to hit our county today. The National Weather Service issued a Flood Watch through this afternoon for SD’s coastal areas, mountains, and valleys. There’s also a Winter Storm Watch in our local mountains through tomorrow, March 14. (CBS 8)
Civic
San Diego County is asking locals to help shape its budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2025-2026 by taking this survey before Friday, March 28. The feedback will be considered before the recommended budget is publicly released on Thursday, May 1. A public comment period will follow through Thursday, June 12.
Announced
The San Diego County Fair — coming to Del Mar Wednesday, June 11-Sunday, July 6 — unveiled its 2025 concerts lineup. Highlights include Live and Collective Soul, 2 Chainz and Lil Jon, Third Eye Blind, Ziggy Marley, and Los Tucanes de Tijuana. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, March 14, at 10 a.m.
Development
The city will work with a developer to convert the old, vacant Serra Mesa Library into affordable housing. The Serra Mesa Apartments will include 56 one-bedroom homes, 30 of which will prioritize US military veterans. The site will be restricted to households earning 30-60% of the area median income.
Opening
Whovians, this one’s for you. “Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder” will debut at Balboa Park’s Comic-Con Museum this Saturday, March 15. The exhibit features an array of original props and sets from the iconic sci-fi show and lots of “wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey” topics to explore like time travel, AI, and cloning.
Legacy
Tribute Pizza is spearheading a petition asking the city to rename the 3800-block of Grim Avenue in North Park “Lucky Lane.” The change would honor the late Lucky Wong, the beloved owner of Lucky’s Golden Phenix, the one-man breakfast diner that served and loved the community for nearly 50 years.
Feel Good
Are you happy now? San Diego ranked No. 15 on WalletHub’s list of “Happiest Cities in America.” Our happiness was determined by metrics like average leisure time, the income-growth rate, and emotional + physical well-being. Bonus: Chula Vista landed No. 27, and Oceanside ranked No. 43.
Small Biz
Own a small business in town? Let us highlight you in our Small Business Week coverage from Sunday, May 4 to Saturday, May 10. Join us by filling out this form by Sunday, March 16.
Sports
Are the Los Angeles Chargers making the right moves in the NFL free agency? With star players like Najee Harris and Khalil Mack in the spotlight, the team’s strategy has had its ups and downs. Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Announced
We’re excited to introduce a new way to reach our readers — a limited-time digital display bundle + branded content bundle. Each bundle saves you 20% and includes at least three newsletter placements.
Job
We’re hiring a creative and dynamic Newsletter Editor to join the team for our sister market, NOVAtoday, and craft daily, hyper-local content for Northern Virginia. We’ve got the perks just for you: competitive salary, 401K with company match of 4%, and so much more. Apply now.
Finance
High interest rates are a major concern, and paying down debt is a top priority for many Americans. If we told you there was a trending card that now has 0% intro APR on balance transfers into 2026, would you believe us? You should.*
Wellness
Living in debt can be incredibly stressful. If you owe more than $10,000, Freedom Debt Relief could help lighten your load. See how it works.*
City Guide
City Guide
⚽ Get a kick out of this
We’re an MLS city now, SD. | Photo via Monica Garske + SDtoday
Whether you’re a sports fanatic — or just look good in Padres brown and gold — when it comes to sports, San Diego has no shortage of teams to support. Today, let’s talk San Diego FC, our city’s newest pro team.
San Diego FC played their inaugural home opener on March 1, 2025 to the largest crowd in Snapdragon Stadium’s history, and some controversy.
Team colors: Azul (blue) and chrome
The team’s crest — aka “The Flow” — is a soccer ball-shaped symbol featuring 18 lines “woven into one,” a nod to the 18 cities that proudly make up San Diego County.
This top-rated hair and scalp oil as seen in Vogue and Vanity Fair. It features a dynamic blend of organic ingredients that boost shine and strength, smooth split ends, tame frizz, deeply hydrate the scalp, and encourage hair growth.
I know it’s rainy this week, but next time you’re at Balboa Park on a sunny day, I recommend taking a relaxing walk around the renovated Botanical Building. The reopened landmark is more beautiful than ever, with hundreds of plant species thriving inside. You can visit daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Entry is always free.
Answered
Answered
We asked which springtime event you’re most looking forward to in San Diego. You said...
Let’s go, Padres, let’s go. Approximately 48% of SDtoday readers are excited for the return of Padres baseball this spring, while ~26% can’t wait for laid-back beach days. We’ll see you in the stands and on the shores, friends.
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