To find the best lunch spots in downtown San Diego, everybody knows the place to look is Little Italy. The neighborhood offers an incredible diversity of lunch restaurant options, and of course, many of them serve delicious pasta. This is also true of best Little Italy lunch restaurant — with a twist. The neighborhood's best lunch spot is also an authentic Argentinian steakhouse.
Delectable Argentinian cuisine
Yes, Little Italy's best kept secret is its lone Argentinian restaurant, Puerto La Boca, which specializes in South American-style grilled steaks, empanadas, seafood dishes, and the famous chimichurri sauce. But like Little Italy itself, Argentina has been home to several generations of Italian immigrants, and pasta dishes are also an integral part of Puerto La Boca's menu.
Something for everyone
Because Puerto La Boca's menu is so diverse, it's the sort of lunch restaurant everyone in your party can enjoy. Say you work in the area, and someone in your office wants to eat salad? They'll find four to choose from. Chicken or seafood? We have that too. Between all the pastas, sandwiches, and five different cuts of grilled steak to choose from, there's not a place in downtown San Diego so many different people can agree upon. We've also got a long list of tasty, shareable appetizers we believe everybody can agree on.
A break from the ordinary
San Diego offers lots of great Mexican food, California cuisine, and burgers. But repeatedly going to the same old kinds of lunch restaurants gets boring. Puerto La Boca is never boring. There are only a small handful of Argentinian restaurants in all of San Diego County, and none better for a Little Italy lunch. Most people in San Diego probably haven't tried much Argentinian food and those who have probably only know about empanadas and chimichurri. Those two things provide an excellent introduction, but there are so many incredible dishes to explore. Oh, and those minority of people who have tried Argentinian food? They always come back for more.
A worldly atmosphere
We recognize that the best lunch spots have to do more than just serve delicious food. They must also provide a comfortable atmosphere. People who work downtown find Puerto La Boca to have a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere to meet and converse about business or leisure. Soft South American music and colorful décor set a cheerful mood, and a sense of sophistication often missing from contemporary lunch restaurants. Better yet, find a table on our dining patio during a typically beautiful Little Italy day, and people watch while cooling saltwater breezes float in off the waterfront, only a few blocks away.
Convenient location in Little Italy
It's no accident Little Italy offers the best lunch options in San Diego. It's close to central downtown, making it an ideal meeting spot for people coming from different parts of town. Puerto La Boca itself is close to public transportation and sits just two blocks from the 5 freeway. Next time you're in Little Italy, and wondering who serves the best lunch, remember Puerto La Boca.