San Diego Christmas Dining Guide
Forget cooking at home and head to one of these six San Diego restaurants for Christmas feasts.
Kitchen 1540 at L’Auberge
Dec. 24-25. New to L’Auberge, Executive Chef Nathan Lingle has created his first-ever holiday menu for the resort. Enjoy starters such as king crab with celery root, beef carpaccio with bone marrow custard then a second course with grilled swordfish, suckling pig or goose cannelloni. Save room for the sweets as he then brings out pear and pistachio tart, egg nog cheesecake and chocolate yule log. $89/pp. 1540 Camino Del Mar, 858.259.1515. laubergedelmar.com
Crown Room at Hotel del Coronado
Dec. 24. Enjoy an elegant Victorian buffet dinner in the Hotel del Coronado’s Crown Room. The room will be decorated floor to ceiling in holiday decor and live musical entertainment will round out the evening. $120/pp. On Christmas Day, enjoy buffet dinners decked with all the trimmings from noon-6 p.m. $105/pp. 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619.522.8490. hoteldel.com
Le Fontainebleau Room at Westgate Hotel
Dec. 24-25. Savor a lavish Christmas eve and Christmas day buffet in the Le Fontainebleau Room ($69/pp), or enjoy a refined, four-course dinner in the Westgate Room ($62/pp). Enjoy everything from diver scallops and black angus beef tenderloin to dark chocolate yule log with dark chocolate filling for dessert. 1055 Second Ave., downtown, 619.238.1818. westgatehotel.com
AVANT at Rancho Bernardo Inn
Dec. 25. Celebrate with a three course prix-fixe menu at AVANT at Rancho Bernardo Inn with highlights to include smoked pear bisque, roasted squash, short rib, seared duck breast, crescent pot pie and bison short rib. $70/pp. 1-7 p.m. 17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr. ranchobernardoinn.com
Pacifica Del Mar
Dec. 25. Del Mar’s beautiful Pacifica Restaurant offers a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean and will be serving up a three-course meal with courses such as crab and mussels mac-n-cheese, oven roasted prime rib, ancient grain risotto with lobster, shrimp and scallops. Desserts include cinnamon roll bread pudding, green apple and roasted pear and almond custard, burnt creme with fresh berries and more. $53/pp. noon-9 p.m. 1555 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, 858.792.0476. pacificadelmar.com
La Valencia Hotel
Dec. 25. The “Pink Lady” gets all decked out for the holiday and pull out all the stops for the Christmas menu. Executive Chef James Montejano presents a three-course menu to beautifully accompany a Christmas spent overlooking the La Jolla coast. Standouts include ahi tuna tartar, late harvest pumpkin bisque, lavender scented duck breast, spice rubbed salmon, panna cotta, cranberry cheesecake and more. $85/pp. 1132 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858.454.0771. lavalencia.com