Fresh, delicious seafood and inventive cocktails are only part of the draw of Ironside Fish & Oyster Bar. The quirky and imaginative interior of this renovated 1920s warehouse, with its 14-foot copper bar, silver octopus bowl of chilled Champagne and piranha skull wall, make this a unique dining experience. The menu changes frequently but is guaranteed not to disappoint—guests can choose from dishes like fried oyster sliders, beer-braised mussels, and one-pound lobster rolls or the raw bar, which offers fresh oysters, crabs, mussels and more.

The rotating roster of donuts at this North Park bakery includes tiramisu, passionfruit malasada, raspberry lavender, Thai peanut butter lemongrass as well as standards like vanilla bean-glazed and chocolate-glazed. The global palate represented is a nod to the three owners’ backgrounds having roots in South Africa, Europe and the Philippines between them. The coffee is excellent, too.

One of the largest breweries in the country, the World Bistro and Gardens led the way in the craft beer revolution of the 1990’s by refusing to join the ‘Macro-brew’ trend. The craft brewery feels like a German biergarten (with lots of outdoor space and even bocce ball), and the menu boasts world-class IPAs as well as tasty bar fare. With a prime location near the airport and downtown, this is the perfect first taste of the city that pioneered craft beer.

Committed to sustainability, owners Tom and Trish Watlington take farm-to-table to new heights in this cozy neighborhood restaurant and wine bar. Their own garden produces more than 6,000 pounds of veggies each year for this Mission Hills restaurant, which has a serene aura about it. The menu changes seasonally based on what’s growing in the garden, but favorites include vegan nachos, roasted beet and squash blossom salad and lamb meatballs with pistachio and chimichurri.