Fast - casual eating house are take in a moment in San Diego . These days , you could score anything from sushi burrito and poke bowls to stack sandwiches and over - the - top fries for less than $ 10,andget them quicker than you could ask , " What ’s a sushi burrito ? " To help keep your stomach full and your money in your pocket , we ’ve fill out up a bunch of the dear loyal - casual lunches in San Diego . seem no further the next fourth dimension you ’re debating where to go to lunch that wo n’t take all afternoon .
A giant sandwich
Pete’s Seafood and Sandwich
This fast - casual slur in North Park has 15 sandwiches price under $ 10 on the menu , ranging from homemade meatloaf to a softly breaded Pisces the Fishes sandwich , which stand for you ’ll in all likelihood want / need to make at least a few return trips before you find your favourite . If you ’re stumped , the chicken cutlet sandwich is a safe place to start . It ’s also huge , so it ’s best to think of it as a ready lunchanddinner option .
The OG SD
San Diego Poke Co.
ring in at just under $ 10 , this poke stadium starts with three grievous bodily harm of tuna marinate in a mix of soy sauce , sesame fossil oil , and honey , served on white rice , brown rice , or miscellaneous greens , and topped with onion , avocado , and sesame seeds . From there , you could customize it to your like with a sight of unlike topping like pineapple , mango , seaweed salad , and even crush Flamin ' Hot Cheetos . If you want a niggling extra heat , ask for a dash of Oh No sauce ( gamey mayo with citrous fruit and chili flakes ) .
The Veg Out roll
Rolled Up
Most option at this close storefront , notorious for housing burrito construct , are on the dear luncheon side , but you may snag the Veg Out roll , a vegetarian - friendly particular with beets , arugula , Persian cucumber vine , jicama , and profane Zea mays microprocessor chip enclose up in rice and nori with Bitchin ' Sauce and lemon garlic dill yogurt for $ 9 . If you ’re at all worried that the vegetarian option will translate to a deficiency of tone , do n’t – the burrito pack a tasty punch on its own and comes with three zesty dipping sauces ( and lilliputian spoons for precise locating of said sauces ) so you’re able to amp it up if pauperism be .
The Royale
The Crack Shack
The most affordable sandwich on the computer menu at The Crack Shack is also one of the most delicious . Nestled between a drink star sign - made English gem is a luscious zesty Jidori Gallus gallus sausage patty , an constitutional cheery - side - up egg , and a slice of smoked cheddar . It ’s everything you postulate in a breakfast ( or lunch ! ) sandwich , and nothing you do n’t . Not bad for $ 9 .
Fish tacos
Carnitas’ Snack Shack - Embarcadero
Carnitas ’ Snack Shack is always a effective position to go when you ’re try on to rein in your lunchtime spending , but you ’ll only find these blackened and grilled Mahi Mahi tacos at the chain ’s newest slam on the Embarcadero . They ’re topped with the standard shredded cabbage and pico de gallo ( plus not - so - standard avocado crema ) . At $ 9 for the duo , it ’s a somewhat solid deal , especially when you factor in in the bay scene and prime people - watching .
Chicken Chile Verde or Spicy Southwest pizza
Pieology
The savoury , smoky flavors and southwest ingredients on these confine - time pie ( like red & green enchilada sauce , roasted red peppers , and spiked glum cream ) make them the perfect via media when you ’re at the same time craving pizza pie and an enchilada . Do n’t put off experience your fix for too long ; both pies will disappear from the menu on August 1st , only to be replaced with a new , delicious , nontraditional pizza .
Street cart fries
Spitz
The street cart fries at Spitz are one of the good running disceptation for eating a salad for tiffin someotherday . exceed with garlic aioli , feta cheese , onion , green pepper , tomato , olives , and pepperoncinis , they ’re everything you ’ve always want from a plate of laden spuds . The square - up version will set you back $ 8.50 . There ’s also the option of getting " the works " – which nets you some zesty feta and your selection of meat , but that ’ll bump you a smidge over $ 10 . count you ’ll end up with enough food for thought to partake , count it separate two path .
Carne asada
Pipirins
If you consider yourself among the carne asada - obsessed residents of San Diego , you might want to put this budget - friendly spot at the top of your go - to dejeuner list . Do n’t go in expecting to find the same carne asada you ’ll determine elsewhere . Here , the stamp cuts of steak are cooked Guadalajara - stylus ( rules of order over lava rock-and-roll ) , which yield the meat an unmistakable campfire sapidity . The 4 oz luncheon constituent ( attend to with beans , soft clean edible corn tortillas , and salsas ) will set you back a mere $ 6.50 . Portions are generous , so you believably wo n’t sense like you have any elbow room for a slice of chocolate patty or flan ( $ 2.80 each ) , but get dessert anyway . Both option are so toothsome you ’ll find a way to polish them off without too much trouble .
Veggie burger
Plant Power Fast Food
Good veggie burgers are grueling to find . Many are mushy , bland discs of sadness that only taste good to people who have n’t eat meat in year . That ’s not the case here , where chipper staffers will hook you up with your choice of three dissimilar patties ( tempeh , black bean plant , or " buirdly " – a Gardein patty available for $ 1 surplus ) heap with flavourous toppings like sautéed mushroom , crispy Allium cepa rings , and chipotle aioli . The Mushroom Swiss and Holy Guacamole ( both $ 7.25 ) provide enough fuel for lunch , but if you want a fountain swallow and a side order , the classical burger combo ( with a tempeh or black dome patty ) rings in at just under $ 10 . Oh , and it has a consecrated parking lot ! That ’s a BFD in OB .
Two tacos
The Taco Stand
The fresh Downtown digs of this popular billet , admit it down in La Jolla for years , pop the question a pack of hunger - extinguish eats answer up fast . A duo of tacos is a upright way to go for tiffin , peculiarly if you require to avoid burrito bloat . We ’re particularly into the al pastor ( attender marinated pork that ’s slow - falsify on a rotisserie and serve well with pineapple and chipotle sauce ) and the definitive carne asada , but there are also several seafood options , and a nopal taco for vegetarian . Tacos tramp from $ 2.69 to $ 4.29 , so depending on which two you choose , you could probably still extort in a side , like grilled corn on the black-backed gull with mayo , Parmesan Malva sylvestris , and chili pepper ( $ 2.99 ) or a paleta ( $ 2.79 ) , and still spend less than a Hamilton .
Pete’s Seafood and Sandwich|Erin Jackson/Thrillist
Erin Jackson/Thrillist
Erin Jackson/Thrillist
Courtesy of the Crack Shack
LYUDMILA ZOTOVA/COURTESY OF CARNITAS’ SNACK SHACK
Erin Jackson/Thrillist
Spitz
Pipirins
Plant Power Fast Food|Erin Jackson/Thrillist
The Taco Stand
