9 SD Restaurants Rank Among Top 100 In Nation For Outdoor Dining

SAN DIEGO, CA — Summer is heating up on the West Coast, meaning Californians are on the lookout for the best patio scene. Five Riverside County restaurants landed on OpenTable's prestigious list of the 100 best restaurants for outdoor dining in the U.S.

The eateries that were named in San Diego County were in Harbor Island, Carlsbad, Del Mar, Cardiff by the Sea, Ocean Beach and downtown in the Gaslamp.

To help connect diners to the best outdoor seating areas for patrons to catch a cool breeze and some open-air ambiance, OpenTable analyzed 13.6 million verified diner reviews to find the 100 best eateries. This year, restaurants in 25 states made the cut.

Since pre-pandemic times, the number of restaurants offering outdoor dining grew by more than 54, according to OpenTable. As the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in the U.S., restaurants were forced to rely on outdoor seating to accommodate patrons due to restrictions placed on businesses and restaurants barring guests from indoors.

This year, the Golden State tallied the greatest number of restaurants on the list, featuring 37 restaurants across Los Angeles, Napa, San Diego, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Sonoma, Santa Monica, Carlsbad and more.

Nationwide, the number of restaurants listing outdoor spaces grew significantly, with some cities seeing double and triple-digit increases. Two California cities were among those tallying the greatest increase in eateries with outdoor patios. San Francisco recorded a 125 percent increase while Beverly Hills boasted an 89 percent increase, according to OpenTable.

"Outdoor dining played a major role in buoying the restaurant industry over the last few years, and restaurants took note – whether adding, expanding, or elevating their offerings," Susan Lee, chief growth officer for OpenTable said in a news release. "Offering outdoor dining is now a key part of restaurants' business, and we're happy to see that diners continue to embrace it."

Here are the 9 restaurants in San Diego County that were ranked OpenTable list:

1. Pacific Coast Grill - Cardiff - Cardiff By The Sea / Seafood

2. C-Level -Gaslamp / Seafood

3. Cesarina - Ocean Beach / Italian

4. Tom Hams Lighthouse - Gaslamp / Seafood

5. Mister A's - Gaslamp / Contemporary French and American

6. Coasterra - Harbor Island / Seafood

7. Jeune et Jolie - Carlsbad / Contemporary French

8. Poseidon - Del Mar / Seafood

9. Campfire - Carlsbad / Contemporary American