The Top 26 Cocktail Bars Near Novo Brazil Brewing - Imperial Beach
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Rank 1. Aruba Day Drink
Tropical
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best International Restaurant Bar – Latin America & Caribbean
- 50 Best 2026 · #51 · North America's 50 Best Bars
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best International Restaurant Bar – Latin America & Caribbean
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Rank 2. Kingfisher
Vietnamese
A striking bar anchors this Golden Hill spot, where inventive cocktails meet modern Vietnamese cooking. Dishes like raw scallops with tamarind and pineapple flavors, or mushroom congee, receive careful technique and a contemporary edge. The room has considerable charm, the drinks are thoughtfully made, and the food tastes like it knows what it's doing.
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: California · Jonathan Bautista
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Los Angeles Times 2025 · The 101 Best Restaurants in California
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Rank 3. The Realm of the 52 Remedies
Cocktail Bar
- The Pinnacle Guide 2 Pins
- 50 Best 2026 · #93 · North America's 50 Best Bars
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Bar
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- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West
- Eater Best New Bar
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- Punch 2025 · Best New Bartenders · Dominique Muñoz
- San Diego Magazine 2025 · Best Cocktail Bar in San Diego · The Best Restaurants in San Diego
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Rank 8. Part Time Lover
Cocktail Bar
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Rank 9. Craft & Commerce
Contemporary New American
A library-hunting lodge hybrid lined with taxidermy and mounted game sets the stage for contemporary comfort food shot through with Asian spice. Plump mussels swim in Thai coconut curry with pan-seared fennel and chorizo; bone marrow comes with Fresno chili relish and toasted milk bread. The kitchen understands that hearty fare needs precision to avoid becoming mere indulgence.
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Rank 10. Paradisaea
New American
A tropical reverie in La Jolla, complete with hibiscus-patterned chairs and a patio that catches the sun just right. The kitchen applies Asian and tropical touches to local ingredients—coconut shrimp kissed by robata heat, halibut fried golden and set against watermelon radish with green curry aioli. Tiki drinks anchor the bar, and everything tastes like vacation tastes on the best days.
- Esquire 2024 · The Pelican · The Best Martinis in America
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Eater The 38 Best Restaurants in San Diego
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Rank 13. OB Noodle House
Asian Fusion
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Rank 14. Giardino
Italian
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Rank 15. Casa Gabriela
Innovative Mexican
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Rank 18. Catania
Modern Italian
High on La Jolla's Plaza Center, Catania commands coastline views from a sun-soaked terrace dressed in Mediterranean tile and color. The kitchen riffs on tradition: wood-fired Neapolitan pizza shares the menu with orecchiette tangled in duck ragù, while a daily salad might pair ahi tuna crudo with poppy seeds and basil. Modern enough to surprise, rooted enough to satisfy.
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Rank 19. Marisi
Italian
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Rank 24. Ponto Lago
Baja Mexican
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Rank 26. The Rooftop Bar
Mediterranean