San Diego is home to many immigrants from around the world. As a result, our inland region alone has restaurants specializing in cuisine from over 40 nations on six continents. You can take a culinary tour around the world—without leaving East County!
Below is our directory of internationally-themed restaurants.
AFGHAN
Kabul Kabob House (El Cajon)
Kunduz Kabob and Pizza (Santee)
AFRICAN
African Spices (Rolando) African and Somali
Faridas Somali/East African Cuisine (Euclid)
Fatuma Restaurant (Euclid) African, Somali, Mediterranean
Red Sea Ethiopian Restaurant (City Heights)
Taste of Africa Cuisine (SDSU College area)
Taste of Egypt Café (Grantville)
AMERICAN
For our separate guide to local restaurants specializing in American cuisine, click here.
ASIAN
House of Fortune (Sycuan Casino Resort in El Cajon)
Ho Wan Noodle Shop (Barona Resort & Casino, Lakeside) - Asian
Loft 94 (Jamul Casino) – Asian fusion cuisine
Pink Buddha (Sycuan Casino & Resort)
Ginger Noodle Bar (Viejas at Alpine)
Wei Wei Asian Express (La Mesa and other locations)
AUSTRALIAN
Outback Steakhouse (El Cajon)
BRAZIILIAN
Rodizio’s Brazilian Steakhouse (El Cajon)
BRITISH - ENGLISH
Aubrey Rose Tea Room (La Mesa) – traditional English-style tea service with finger sandwiches, soups, savories, scones and more
Julian Tea and Cottage Arts (Julian) – traditional English-style tea service with finger sandwiches, scones, and more, plus seasonal specialties
Phileas Fogg’s (Sabre Springs) – British pub/English
BURMESE
Burma Place (Rancho Bernardo)
CAMBODIAN
Trieu Chao (City Heights)
CHINESE
China Fun (Rancho Bernardo)
Emerald Chinese Cuisine (Jamul Casino)
Hi Dumplings (Grantville/Mission Gorge)
Panda Machi (Alpine)
Panda Express (La Mesa)
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Jibaritos de la Isla (Bonita)—Dominican Republic and Puerto Rican
EGYPTIAN
Taste of Egypt Café (Grantville)
ETHIOPIAN
Red Sea Ethiopian Restaurant (City Heights)
EUROPEAN
Lemon Grove Bistro and Beer Garden (Lemon Grove)
Tour de Tapas (La Mesa)
FILIPINO
Chamorro Grill (Grantville/Mission Gorge) – island barbecue with dishes from the Philippines as well as Hawaii and Guam
Kujo Eats (Rolando)
FRENCH
Bleu Boheme (Kensington) – French cuisine
Café Amor (Spring Valley) Menu – crepes and more
A Delight of France (Escondido) -French bakery and bistro
French Oven Bakery and Café (Scripps Ranch) -French bakery and cafe
Pine House Café and Tavern (Mount Laguna) –French, fondue and American
Tour de Tapas (La Mesa) – Tapas, small plates and desserts from Spain, France and Italy
GERMAN
Marisco’s German Seafood (City Heights) – German seafood
GREEK
Grecian Café (Spring Valley)
Greek Chicken (El Cajon and Lakeside)
Greek Gyros (Grossmont Center, La Mesa)
Yanni’s Bar and Grill (Scripps Ranch)
GUATEMALAN
Chiroy’s Café (Casa de Oro/Spring Valley) – Guatemalan, Mexican and American
INDIAN
Aromas of India (La Mesa)
Darbar Fine Indian Cuisine (Rancho Bernardo)
Naturally Desi (Rancho Bernardo)
Tandoori Vibes (SDSU College area)
INTERNATIONAL
Chandelier Lounge (Jamul) – international healthy food
Epicurious Social Club (Borrego Springs) – globally inspired comfort foods
IRAQI
Ali Baba (El Cajon)
Nahrain Fish and Chicken (El Cajon) –traditional grilled and masgoof Iraqi-style fish and chicken
Ney Restaurant (La Mesa) –Iraqi and Middle Eastern
Sahara Taste of the Middle East (Rancho San Diego) – Middle Eastern and Iraqi
Zad, Mediterranean (Spring Valley)
IRISH
Hooleys Irish Pub (La Mesa and Rancho San Diego)
ITALIAN
Antica Trattoria (La Mesa)
Aromi Italian Cuisine (La Mesa)
Bongiovanni’s Italian Restaurant (Alpine)
Di Leone’s Italian Restaurant (El Cajon)
Dolci Café Italiano (Rancho San Diego)
Donato’s Italian Restaurant (Alpine)
Filippi's Pizza Grotto (Jamul, Santee, and other San Diego locations)
Franca’s Italian Kitchen and Bar (Alpine)
Gaetanos Italian Restaurant (Spring Valley and Lakeside)
Giardino Neighborhood Cucina (Lemon Grove)
Italian Cucina (Barona Resort and Casino, Lakeside)
Lido’s Italian Foods (Lemon Grove)
Limoncello Modern Italian (La Mesa)
Little Roma Italian Restaurant (La Mesa)
Marechiaro's on Olde Highway 80 (El Cajon/Flinn Springs)
Mediterraneo Italian Bistro & Bar (Alpine)
Mona’s Italian Restaurant (Allied Gardens)
Nicolosi’s Italian Restaurant (Santee) -- Italian
Olive Garden (La Mesa and Santee)
Ottavio’s Italian (Lakeside)
Pietro’s Cucina Italiana (La Mesa)
Testo Pepesto (El Cajon)
ITALIAN—PIZZA
Chicago Pizza (Santee) – pizza
Corner Deli and Pizza (Sycuan Casino Resort)
D'Amato's Pizza (La Mesa) – pizza and Italian food
Del Cerro Pizza and Beer (Del Cerro) – pizza and beer
Filippi's Pizza Grotto (Jamul, Santee, and other San Diego locations) - Italian
Franco’s Giant Pizza (Rancho San Diego/El Cajon) - pizza
Frank's Pizza Joint (La Mesa) – pizza
Heroes Restaurant and Bar (Santa Ysabel) – wood-fired pizza
Long Island Mike's (Spring Valley) – pizza
Mamma Ramona’s Pizzaria (Ramona) – pizza
New York Giant Pizza (El Cajon) – pizza
Pizza Hut (Alpine and La Mesa) – pizza
Round Table Pizza (La Mesa and Spring Valley) – pizza
Surfrider Pizza (La Mesa) – pizza
Tommy’s Pizza and Subs (Santee) – sub sandwiches and pizza
Woodstock's Pizza (SDSU college area) -- pizza
JAMAICAN
Island Spice Jamaican (SDSU College area)
Caribbean Taste (near Skyline)
JAPANESE AND SUSHI
Banbu Sushi (La Mesa) –Japanese and sushi
Kawaii Sushi (La Mesa) -Japanese and sushi
Oishi Thai Japanese Cuisine (Rolando)
Vibes Sushi Bar and Grill (Ramona)
KOREAN
Dongbu Korean Barbecue (Escondido)
Kagnan Korean Barbecue (Rancho Bernardo)
Tong Sake House (Poway)
LAOTIAN
Pha Kao Lao Cuisine (SDSU College area)
LEBANESE
Alforon (SDSU College area) – Lebanese and Middle Eastern
MEDITERRANEAN
Ali Baba (El Cajon)
Happy Time Mediterranean (Rancho San Diego/El Cajon)
Luna Grill (El Cajon/Rancho San Diego) -Mediterranean
Mystic Grill (La Mesa) -Mediterranean
Oyster and Pearl Bar Restaurant (La Mesa) – Mediterranean
Tarbosh (El Cajon) – Syrian and Mediterranean
Yanni’s Bar and Grill (Scripps Ranch) – Northern Mediterranean
Zad, Mediterranean (Spring Valley) - Mediterranean
MEXICAN
Al Pancho's (Alpine)
Albert's Fresh Mexican Food (La Mesa and Lakeside)
Alpine Taco Shop (Alpine)
Carmelita’s Mexican Grill and Cantina (Borrego Springs)
Casa de Pico (La Mesa)
Frida’s Taqueria (Ramona)
Casa Gabriela (La Mesa)
City Tacos (La Mesa and other locations)
El Mariachi (El Cajon)
El Torito (La Mesa)
Hacienda Casa Blanca (El Cajon)
Las Pinches Tortas (Rancho San Diego/El Cajon)
Mañana’s Mexican Food (Alpine)
Marieta’s (Alpine, El Cajon, La Mesa and Santee)
Pablito’s Mexican Bar and Grill (Borrego Springs)
Picante Taqueria (Allied Gardens)
Poncho’s Mexican Food (Rancho San Diego/El Cajon)
Por Favor (El Cajon)
Quecho’s Elevated Mexican Eatery (Julian)
Roberto’s Taco Shop (Santee)
Rosarito’s Mexican Food (Lemon Grove)
Rubio's Coastal Grill (Alpine, El Cajon, La Mesa and other locations)
Salsa Mexican Food (Alpine)
Sombrero’s Mexican Restaurant (El Cajon and La Mesa)
Suerte Cantina (Sycuan)
Terramar Mexican Kitchen (Ramona)
MIDDLE EASTERN
Ali Baba (El Cajon)
Alforon (SDSU College area) – Lebanese and Middle Eastern
Happy Time Mediterranean (Rancho San Diego/El Cajon)
Luna Grill (El Cajon/Rancho San Diego) -Mediterranean
Ney Restaurant (La Mesa)
Sahara Taste of the Middle East (Rancho San Diego)
Schwarma Guys (La Mesa) – Middle Eastern
Tarbosh (El Cajon) – Syrian and Mediterranean
Zad, Mediterranean (Spring Valley)
MONGOLIAN
Stir Fresh Mongolian Grill (Rancho Bernardo)
NEPALESE
Himalayan Restaurant (La Mesa) - Nepalese and Indian
Taste of the Himalayas (El Cajon) – Nepalese
PERSIAN (IRANIAN)
Shiraz (Rancho Bernardo) – Persian/Iranian cuisine
PERUVIAN
Eli’s Peruvian Kitchen (City Heights)
Sangucheria Peruvian Street Food (Tierrasanta)
SALVADORAN
Pupusa’s Express (El Cajon)
SOMALI
African Spices (Rolando) African and Somali
Bisbas Restaurant (Rolando) – Somali, African (website coming soon at https://bisbasrestaurant.com/
Faridas Somali/East African Cuisine (Euclid) -Somali, East African
Fatuma Restaurant (Euclid) African, Somali, Mediterranean
Taste of Africa Cuisine (SDSU College area)
SPAIN
Tour de Tapas (La Mesa) – Tapas, small plates and desserts from Spain, France and Italy
SYRIAN
Mal Al Sham (El Cajon)
Tarbosh (El Cajon) – Syrian and Mediterranean
THAI
Basil Thai Bistro (San Carlos)
Busy B Thai Cafe (El Cajon)
Panya Thai (Escondido)
Pinto Thai (Ramona)
PR9 Thai Restaurant (La Mesa)
Signature Thai Cuisine (La Mesa)
Tamarind Thai (La Mesa)
TURKISH
Brother’s Turkish Cuisine (El Cajon)
Finjan Shop and Café (El Cajon)
VIETNAMESE
Lakeside Pho and Grill (Lakeside)
Pho Hoa Noodle Shop (SDSU College area)
Ph’o Minh and Grill (Spring Valley)
Phra Ram 9 (La Mesa)
Pho Superbowl Vietnamese Cuisine (El Cajon)
Saigon Star Restaurant (Allied Gardens)