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Where to Find Good Eats on Your Winter Getaway to California

North of San Diego and not too far away from Los Angeles is Oceanside, a pleasant Pacific coast city with a culture of surfing and laid-back SoCal lifestyle. It’s also a thriving culinary spot. Along with a craft-beer industry that’s among the most vibrant in the United States,  there are a variety of dining gems, several of which cost far less than what you’d find in the nearby big cities.

Here are seven spots in which to dine and drink during your stay in the coastal California community.

Heritage BBQ and Beers: Beer and barbecue is about as American as it gets and Heritage does both halves of that pairing right. The beef brisket has all the smokiness, flavor, and moistness you want. The flavors are the creation of pitmaster and chef Daniel Castillo. The Oceanside restaurant is a sister location to the location in San Juan Capistrano, about 30 minutes north along the Pacific Coast Highway. The original Heritage is known for becoming the first barbecue restaurant in California to convince legislators to approve the use of its Texas-style offset barrel smokers.

heritage-brewery-bbq-platter-oceanside

Heritage Brewery & BBQ delivers authentic Texas-style flavors to SoCal. At top, Oceanside is a surfer’s paradise and increasingly a culinary destination thanks to a growing roster of notable restaurants.(Adrian Brijbassi photos for VacayNetwork.com)

The four 1,000-gallon grills provide Heritage with the authentic brisket taste that is most commonly associated with the Lone Star State. As a result, both Heritage restaurants have earned devoted followings and critical acclaim (the San Juan Capistrano location has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand). You can have the brisket in tacos, atop Heritage’s tasty mac and cheese, or on a plate with sides. The beers are marvelous, too. Try the Hello O’Side West Coast IPA to get a sense of the region’s preferred brew style.

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Famed Stone Brewing has a small tap room in Oceanside that craft-beer lovers will adore. (Adrian Brijbassi photo for VacayNetwork.com)

Stone Brewing: A tap room for the pioneering enterprise that many credit with launching the North American craft-beer craze is located in a bit of a hideaway in the back corner of a downtown parking lot. Beyond the wide doors that are shaded by trees is an enclave craft-beer aficionados will adore. It’s a snug spot where you can order Stone’s inventive lagers, ales, sours, and ciders that will no doubt make you want to extend your stay.

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At Blade 1936, grilled octopus is served Spanish style. (Adrian Brijbassi photo for VacayNetwork.com)

The Blade 1936: Housed in a property that once churned out The Blade, Oceanside’s defunct daily newspaper, the restaurant serves authentic and truly delicious Italian cuisine. The pizzas are a local hit. For an indulgent taste of Italy, order the Truffle pie, topped with mushrooms, arugula, parmesan, and truffle oil, or the Margherita, which will please kids. For pasta dishes, the Pappardelle a Funghi e Olio Tartufato has those earthy flavors of truffle and mushroom, and the seafood spaghetti provides the fresh tastes of the ocean.

Get a touch of Iberia when you order the Polipo alla Griglia, a traditional grilled Spanish octopus dish. Be sure to peruse the restaurant’s walls and shelves, where you’ll find headlines from years past as well as newspaper paraphernalia that would now be considered antique.

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Lighthouse Oyster Bar & Grill: Overlooking the city’s historic and quaint marina is the Lighthouse, where you’ll find oysters at a decent price and classic southern dishes. As with so many other restaurants in Oceanside, the Mexican influence is palatable on the menu.

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Come for the oysters, stay for the views and tacos at Lighthouse, which peers out onto the Oceanside marina. (Adrian Brijbassi photo for VacayNetwork.com)

Fish, shrimp, and calamari tacos bring the traditions of Baja north to the California coast.

Camp Coffee: A go-to spot for coffee lovers, Camp delivers your Cafe Mocha with marshmallows — very much like s’mores in a cup. If that’s not your thing, no need to worry.

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Camp Coffee features a s’mores-inspired mocha that comes with marshmallows. (Adrian Brijbassi photo for VacayNetwork.com)

Camp’s regular coffees won’t disappoint customers who prefer their java more conventionally prepared. Its savory grilled-cheese sandwiches and range of pastries will kick start your day of exploring by the sea.

Handel’s Ice Cream: Every city needs a must-visit ice-cream shop, and Handel’s is the spot in Oceanside. Making home-made treats since 1945, Handel’s was started in Youngstown, Ohio, and now has locations across the United States. The adorable shop in Oceanside is an easy one to fall in love with — and the lineups on the balmy evenings indicate many have.

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At Parlor Doughnuts, the flavors are diverse and you’ll be tempted to have more than one. (Adrian Brijbassi photo for VacayNetwork.com)

Parlor Doughnuts: Another go-to sweet shop is Parlor, where decadent donuts are turned out in an outrageous variety of flavors, such as Maple Bacon, French Toast, and Cookies n’ Cream.

MORE ABOUT VISITING OCEANSIDE

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Heritage Brewery & BBQ features an attractive interior and is located in Oceanside’s trendy south end. (Adrian Brijbassi photo for VacayNetwork.com)

Getting There: The best flight option for Canadian travellers to reach Oceanside is to arrive in San Diego and venture north from there, either by rental car or taxi/ride app. Public transit is also a good option, with Amtrak and the North County Transit District (NCTD) Coaster each operating trains to Oceanside (though not to the San Diego airport). The Coaster is a commuter train similar to Toronto’s GO Transit or Vancouver’s West Coast Express. A one-way ride from either of San Diego’s two stops (Old Town or Santa Fe Depot in downtown) to Oceanside costs $6.50 USD (about $9 CAD) and takes about one hour. I flew with my family from Vancouver, British Columbia to Anaheim (John Wayne Airport in Orange County) for a visit to Disneyland and then took an Uber for about $85 USD (about $117 CAD) to Oceanside.

Where to Stay: SpringHill Suites Marriott Oceanside is a pleasant and comfortable option, especially for families. There’s a rooftop pool and hot tub, and the beach is only one block away. Breakfast is served daily and the first-floor “Board House” provides rental options for a variety of recreational items such as surfboards, bicycles, and beach towels. Location: 110 North Myers Street, Oceanside, California. Room Rates: A weekend night in December, based on a recent search of the property’s booking engine, starts at $194 USD (about $270 CAD).

MORE COVERAGE

Oceanside Brings California Charm with Its Culture and Chill Vibes: “Far from the ritz of Newport or Laguna beach, Oceanside is a throwback to the California of bonfires on the shore, Beach Boys in your ear, and flip-flops for fashion.” Read the full article.

A MAP SHOWING THE RESTAURANTS MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE

Adrian is the founder of VacayNetwork.com and Vacay.ca, and the co-founder of the travel-trivia app, Trippzy. A former editor at the Toronto Star and New York Newsday, Adrian has won numerous awards for his travel writing and fiction. He has worked with leading destination marketing organizations, developing digital and social media strategies, and providing them with content marketing solutions. He has visited more than 40 countries and spearheaded the Vacay.ca 20 Best Places to Visit in Canada annual list that debuted in 2012.