University City & UTC
The mall is only half the plan: full-sheet ice, serious dining, and Governor Drive pools give UTC range beyond shopping.
Start here
7 in total
Neighborhood DiningThe 10 Best Restaurants in University City and UTC10
Bars & NightlifeThe 10 Best Cocktail Bars in San Diego10
Date NightThe 10 Best First-Date Bars in San Diego10
RestaurantsThe Best New Restaurants in San Diego: 10 Places to Know10
Restaurants20 CH Projects Restaurants and Bars in San Diego, Ranked20
Things to DoThe 10 Best Rainy Day Activities in San Diego10
Every list that covers University City & UTC
Updated as places change
10 rankedNeighborhood DiningThe 10 Best Restaurants in University City and UTCUpdated Aug 2
10 rankedBars & NightlifeThe 10 Best Cocktail Bars in San DiegoUpdated Aug 2
10 rankedDate NightThe 10 Best First-Date Bars in San DiegoUpdated Aug 2
10 current entriesRestaurantsThe Best New Restaurants in San Diego: 10 Places to KnowUpdated Aug 2
20 rankedRestaurants20 CH Projects Restaurants and Bars in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 23
10 rankedThings to DoThe 10 Best Rainy Day Activities in San DiegoUpdated Jul 22
8 rankedSushi & JapaneseThe 8 Best Ramen in San Diego, RankedUpdated Jul 18
The neighborhood itself
15 verified places · 6 eat & drink and 1 things-to-do listsStart with the surprise: there is a full sheet of ice inside Westfield UTC, with skates and a helmet included in admission. Pair a session with dinner upstairs or nearby: xiao long bao at Din Tai Fung, customizable tonkotsu at Ramen Nagi, or short rib pho at VIET NOM. If the mall is not the mood, head to Regents Road for brunch at Outcast Grill or Governor Drive for Lorna's Italian Kitchen and the neighborhood pools and courts. The Blue Line reaches UTC; if you drive, allow time to park and find the right suite.
If you only do 6 things
Know before you go
Parking: self-parking at Westfield UTC is free for the first hour, then $2 an hour to a $15 daily max; the ice rink, AMC and Seasons 52 all validate. Add 10 minutes to park and find the suite number
Transit: Blue Line trolley to UTC; Bus 30 carries on to La Jolla and Pacific Beach
Don’t miss: a hot pot table booked in advance — it is a two-hour evening by design
Where they are — 15 verified places
The index
Ranked places pulled from all 7 listsThe best single bowl of food in University City comes from a plaza on Towne Centre Drive.
Soup dumplings are the reason to put your name on the Din Tai Fung waitlist at Westfield UTC, and the kurobuta pork xiao long bao are the tray to order first.
Ramen Nagi at Westfield UTC lets you build your own bowl.
Outcast Grill is the neighborhood pick, out on Regents Road on the residential side of University City, and it's the only restaurant on this list that opens at 8 AM on weekends.
Raised by Wolves has the entrance people talk about most.
Lucrezia La Jolla is the Westfield UTC room built to feel like a vacation.
UTC Ice Sports Center has been part of University City since 1979, when it opened as Ice Capades Chalet inside the newly built University Towne Centre mall, one…