Small Plates: 10 Restaurants, 10 tables or less
By Erin Chambers, San Diego Editor
There's something neat about squeezing in to the last available corner table of a tiny restaurant. Sure, you might be able to tell the life stories of the people sitting next to you by the end of dinner, but it's usually worth the tight fit. Small restaurants usually come with a passionate chef, attentive service and an owner who's more concerned with an intimate experience than table-turning profit ratios. Our editors picked 10 of their favorite small restaurants.
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The Pearl Hotel
1410 Rosecrans St, San Diego, CA Mid-century modern design and a hip lounge scene bring this classic Point Loma motel back into vogue on Rosecrans.
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Ritual Tavern
4095 30th St, San Diego, CA Wash down a gourmet shepherd's pie with dark German lager in this gothic North Park gastropub.
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Cafe Chloe
721 Ninth Ave, San Diego, CA Not your average East Village eatery, this Parisian-style corner bistro serves pomme frites with a dose of sophistication.
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Farmhouse Cafe
2121 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA University Heights' French bistro oozes country charm with a menu of provencal comfort foods in a quanit, rustic space.
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Sky Room Restaurant
1132 Prospect St, La Jolla, CA La Valencia Hotel's fine dining restaurant serving California cuisine, plus an intimate five-seat bar and forever ocean views.
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Jayne's Gastropub
4677 30th St., San Diego, CA Retro decor and simple flavors make Jayne's Gastropub a North Park hub for casually sophisticated foodies.
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Tapas Picasso Spanish Restaurante
3923 4th Ave, San Diego, CA Small, spicy plates of Spanish cuisine offered in an intimate Hillcrest cafe since 1992.
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Neighborhood
777 G St, San Diego, CA Small, casual East Village hangout features a wide beer selection and simple, gourmet burgers and salads.
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Burger Lounge
4116 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA Gourmet burger joint serves "happy beef" patties and old-fashioned milkshakes in an upscale, mod-style diner.
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Harar Ethiopian Restruant
2432 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA Charming Ethiopian restaurant hidden on busy El Cajon Boulevard serves traditional beef and vegetable dishes meant to be eaten by hand.
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Chilango's
142 University Ave Ste, San Diego, CA Former Chilango's Mexican Grill is back after the sushi teriyaki spot run by the same family in the same location failed.
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The Guild
1805 Newton Ave, San Diego, CA Barrio Logan goes a tad upscale with a design-heavy, small plates spot that focuses on California flavors in a stylish space.
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Sushi Ota
4529 Mission Bay Dr, San Diego, CA Unpretentious sushi bar and Japanese restaurant in Mission Bay serves up some of the freshest seafood in town.
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Ebisu Sushi Bar
3765 Sixth Ave, San Diego, CA Hillcrest sushi spot tastes fresh and funky--just like the punk rock decor and trendy diners who crowd in on weekends.
