Celebrate Earth Day with San Diego's Local Farms and Sustainable Dining

The concept of farm-to-table dining isn’t just a passing trend in San Diego, as the region has deep roots in small-scale agriculture. Thanks to the Mediterranean-like climate, San Diego produces incredible harvests and visitors can experience a taste of the region’s bounty by supporting the dedicated local farmers and restaurants who make sustainable dining possible. From sampling freshly picked produce at a farmers market or roadside stand, here’s a guide on how to savor San Diego’s finest flavors.

FARM FRESH FROM THE BEGINNING

Whether growing produce for haute cuisine or street food, San Diego's diverse landscape and mild temperatures make the county an ideal place for farming, providing chefs access to the freshest possible ingredients. According to the San Diego County Farm Bureau, more than 6,000 farms make agriculture a multi-billion-dollar industry in San Diego County, and the region has more small family farms than any other county in the nation. Many of those growers have earned a reputation for quality, high-value specialty crops that are distributed throughout the country.

Visitors to San Diego can see some of these farms first-hand and purchase produce directly from the growers.

The produce grown at Chino Farms has drawn raves from chefs at California’s most celebrated restaurants, including Alice Waters, and the farm is a supplier for top-tier restaurants. Local chefs can be found shopping at the Chino Farms Vegetable Shop, which is just 15 minutes east of Del Mar Racetrack, in the mornings, and the stand is also open to the public and enjoyable to visit to see the array of produce. The harvest varies during the year and includes heirloom tomatoes, squash blossoms, melons, radishes, Brussels sprouts, Jerusalem artichokes, peppers, herbs and strawberry figs.

The family-owned Carlsbad Strawberry Company, set alongside the scenic Agua Hedionda Lagoon, has been growing sun-ripened Albion strawberries in the seaside town since the ‘50s. Every spring, visitors can purchase strawberries at the farm stand or opt to venture out in the field for the “u-pick” experience to gather berries by the bucket. In the fall, the farm offers a seasonal pumpkin patch adventure complete with tractor rides, a corn maze and petting zoo.

Fox Point Farms in Encinitas, one of the county’s newest small farms, is the bucolic centerpiece of an innovative housing development called an "agrihood" (a community built around a working farm). The three-acre regenerative farm grows arugula, tatsoi, edible flowers, carrots and more, which is supplied directly to the onsite Haven Farm + Table restaurant and Harvest Market. While Haven offers dinner and brunch with views of the farm, the market offers counter-service and casual dining — baked goods, pizza and tacos. Explore the farm on a guided or mini tractor tour (for a fee) and visit the alpacas, goats and cows that call it home.

California Certified Farmers Markets take place every day in San Diego, and the number of festive markets blossoms on weekends. With locations across the county, San Diego’s farmers markets offer fresh-picked fruits, crisp heirloom vegetables, regional cheeses, locally baked breads and desserts and a unique window on life in this sun-kissed Southern California paradise. The following are examples of the region’s more popular farmers markets.

• On Sunday mornings, an offbeat crowd of neighborhood musicians, artists and residents gather at the Hillcrest Farmers Market, where they enjoy fresh finds from around the county along with a unique collection of handcrafted art and housewares.
• Visitors can spend Tuesday afternoons soaking up the small-town ambiance of the Coronado Farmers Market, located at the bayfront Ferry Landing in picturesque Coronado, and enjoy breathtaking views of the downtown San Diego skyline and San Diego Bay.
• On Wednesday afternoons, step back into the 1960s at the Ocean Beach Farmers Market. In this eclectic beachfront setting, fresh produce mixes with a laid-back surfer vibe and dash of eccentricity — at sunset, a community drum circle starts near the beach and goes on through the evening.
• On Wednesday and Saturday mornings, the Little Italy Mercato brings the streets of this colorful downtown neighborhood to life as farm-fresh produce rubs elbows with prepared foods from some of the region’s best kitchens.
• The North Park Farmers Market turns North Park Way into a street festival on Thursday afternoons with vendors dishing up global street cuisine alongside unique souvenirs and gifts, and live music.

For a list of more farmers markets and roadside stands around the county, visit here.

DIG IN: RESTAURANTS SERVING LOCAL PRODUCE

An easy way to support San Diego’s farmers is by dining at restaurants that make it part of their mission to procure as much local produce as possible into their menus. While many San Diego restaurants support local farms, here are some notable tables to book.

A.R. Valentien at The Lodge at Torrey Pines has been offering farm-to-table dining for years before the term became well-known. The seasonal menu is always changing, and the restaurant has sweeping views of the famous greens of Torrey Pines Golf Course. Chef Trey Foshee of George’s at The Cove is an advocate of local farmers, and the fresh California cuisine is served alongside stunning views of La Jolla Cove. Also in La Jolla, Nine-Ten Restaurant at the Grande Colonial Hotel has a seasonal menu that changes daily, while Chef Jason Knibb’s Jamaican jerk pork belly is a menu staple. Juniper & Ivy is one of the restaurants that helped propel the Little Italy neighborhood into a fine dining destination, and its ever-changing menu — including the cocktails — highlights local and seasonal produce. Farmers and fishers deliver their goods to the restaurant every morning, where the culinary team crafts daily specials.

Local produce shines on the menu at Callie, a Mediterranean restaurant that earned a Bib Gourmand from Michelin. Chef Travis Swikard is passionate about supporting local purveyors and is often found shopping at Chino Farms — try the avocado labneh appetizer which features local crudité and the five-course prix fixe menu, served family style, to get a taste of everything. Tribute Pizza, named one of the top pizzerias in the U.S. by USA Today, incorporates local produce that chef Matthew Lyons sources from the Hillcrest and North Park farmers markets. Nate’s Garden Grill is tucked away in the City Heights neighborhood and is a beloved spot for farm-to-table dining. The restaurant has a rustic feel and shares space with City Farmers Nursery, a longtime family business, and tries to grow what it can at the nursery for its menu.

Coming soon to the Normal Heights neighborhood is MAKE Cafe, a restaurant where dining out contributes to a good cause. It’s run by a nonprofit that provides immigrant women and youth with paid job training (MAKE stands for “merging agriculture, kitchens and employment”), and the organization has a one-acre farm in Mission Valley where it will source produce for the restaurant. Dishes on the rotating international menu could include malawah (Somali crepes) or Afghan chicken tacos topped with Haitian pikliz. MAKE Cafe had a successful run in North Park, and the Normal Heights location will be its permanent home.

GET HANDS-ON WITH LOCAL COOKING CLASSES

To delve more into San Diego’s culinary scene, sign up for a cooking class to create a memorable meal while learning about local produce, connecting with loved ones and meeting new people — it’s a hands-on activity that couples, families and solo travelers can enjoy.

Mattarello Cooking Lab in Hillcrest is both a full-service Italian restaurant and education center where individual prepping stations dot a portion of the dining room for the interactive classes. Visitors can make their own noodles, sourdough bread or two types of lasagna; both day and evening classes are available. Cook alongside established Italian chefs at Cucina Migrante, which offers group evening classes for adults and ends in a dinner party where BYOB is welcome. There’s also a tour where chefs guide guests through the produce stands at the Hillcrest Farmers Market, then provide instruction as they spend the afternoon cooking the day’s haul. Families will enjoy a day at Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center, a seven-acre garden run by a nonprofit that offers community classes on cooking, gardening and healthy living for kids and adults. Check the calendar for garden tours and family cooking classes where everyone can learn to make a pie or flavorful soups together. 

ABOUT SAN DIEGO TOURISM AUTHORITY

(SDTA) is a private, non-profit, mutual benefit corporation composed of more than 1,000 member organizations, businesses, local governments, and individuals seeking a better community through the visitor industry. SDTA members include tourism-related entities in such categories as lodging, dining, arts, attractions, shopping, and transportation, among others, as well as other companies indirectly involved in tourism. Visit sandiego.org to learn more.

The majority of funding received by the San Diego Tourism Authority is derived from San Diego Tourism Marketing District Assessment Funds. Lodging business in the District raise these funds through self-assessments for the purpose of promoting tourism in the San Diego region.