True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTC

4.4 (1162)

$31 to $50

American

4303 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 2100, San Diego, CA 92122

About this restaurant

Gluten-free-friendly
Charming
Good for groups

True Food Kitchen at UTC has served University City, La Jolla, and the greater San Diego area with seasonal, chef-curated meals made from fresh, wholesome ingredients and a seed-oil-free approach. Located within UTC, an open-air lifestyle center, the restaurant is a favorite for weekday lunches, weekend brunch, and relaxed group dinners. Signature dishes include the Ancient Grains Bowl, Grass-Fed Burger, and Margherita Pizza, inspired by Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory philosophy. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-friendly options are clearly marked. Valet and self-parking are available. Reserve your table today!

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This restaurant is permanently closed.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Contemporary American, Vegetarian / Vegan
Hours of Operation
Mon–Sat 11:00–21:00 Sun 11:00–20:00 Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00–15:00
Website
https://www.truefoodkitchen.com/locations/sandiegoutc/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Jamie Dunn
Catering
Please contact us for more information.
Private party facilities
Whether you're hosting a celebration or corporate event, we welcome you to explore True Food Kitchen’s private dining and catering options, perfect for any occasion. We welcome you to explore our Group & Private Dining options, perfect for any occasion.

Location
4303 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 2100, San Diego, CA 92122
Area
La Jolla
Cross street
La Jolla Village Drive and Genesee
Parking Details
Enter the Nordstrom parking garage off of Genessee Street. Stay left. Parking area 243.
Public transport
Public transportation available thru MTC Transit, your stop is UTC.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Offers

The Happiest of Hours
1 - 15 people
Multiple dates available
Mon - Fri - 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm,Sat - 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Join us from 3-6pm, Monday-Friday for $3 off handcrafted cocktails, $2 off select bites, $3 off pizzas, and $5 off beer and wine.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTC.

4.4

(1162)

4.4Food
4.5Service
4.4Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

True Food Kitchen at San Diego UTC, though now closed, was praised for "amazing service," "delicious food," and "great refreshers and drinks." Diners loved the seasonal menu and vegan options. While service was generally attentive, some experiences noted delays and noise levels. The vibrant, fresh offerings left many eager to return.

1,159 Reviews

m
melody Gold
San Diego46 reviews
5.0
Dined on 1 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing service! Food is always delicious. Seems as though they might have a new chef working as every thing tasted EXTRA DELICIOUS!! Mushroom pizza FIRE!
True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTCResponded on 3 October 2026
Thank you for your review, Melody! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the amazing service and found everything, especially the mushroom pizza, extra delicious.
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T
Tariq Gold
San Diego8 reviews
2.0
Dined on 19 September 2026
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
food was pretty average and my review reflects it - Staff was very positive and attentive.
True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTCResponded on 21 September 2026
We're sorry to hear the food didn't meet your expectations, Tariq. Thank you for your feedback; we're glad to hear our staff made a positive impression, and we'll work on improving our food quality.
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m
marya Gold
California Central Coast44 reviews
5.0
Dined on 11 September 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Love the seasonal choices,! Clean, well prepared food, reasonable prices, great service. Can’t wait to go back!
True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTCResponded on 15 September 2026
Thank you for your review, Marya! We're happy to hear you enjoyed the seasonal choices, clean and well-prepared food, and great service. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!
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S
Steve
San Francisco Bay Area9 reviews
5.0
Dined on 10 September 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Since we follow a plant based diet True Food has been one of our go to spots and it rarely disappoints. Our server was excellent and very customer service oriented. The food was very good. They provide several vegan options. The overall experience was very good.
True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTCResponded on 12 September 2026
Thank you for your review, Steve! We're glad to be one of your go-to spots and happy to hear you enjoyed the vegan options and excellent service.
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C
Christopher Gold
Orange County36 reviews
3.0
Dined on 5 September 2026
1. Overall 3
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
The server was excellent however the speed of service was affected by the kitchen making the food so the food was delayed and then one of the people in our party food that arrived was wrong so then there was a further wait for them to correct the order so nice about correcting the order getting it right the first time really makes a difference and of course the rest of us wanted to start eating our food with the other person waiting for their food. The manager came over and offered us a free dessert in all honesty. I think they should’ve comped the salad that the person had waited. Extensively for the food was very good.
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M
Minou Gold
San Diego180 reviews
4.0
Dined on 20 August 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Delicious grass-fed burger and kale salad accompaniment. The watermelon cocktail hardly had any alcohol in it and didn't really taste the watermelon - will decide on something else next time. Amber, our server was delightful - attentive and personable. Need to improve on the dessert menu ...
True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTCResponded on 22 August 2026
Thank you for your feedback, Minou. We're glad you enjoyed the burger and salad, and appreciated Amber's service; we'll work on improving the cocktail and dessert options.
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M
Maya
San Diego1 review
2.0
Dined on 14 August 2026
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
The restaurant was not very busy but the service was still very slow. We usually love TFK but last night was a bit of a disappointment.
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J
John
Hawaii1 review
1.0
Dined on 7 August 2026
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
We had been here twice before and both times were excellent. This time? Menu completely changed. But not like we even got to order anything. Our table was seated by the hostess but then forgotten about. Servers came and went to the tables around us (even though they were seated after us). They were brought water, etc. Us? Nothing. 30 minutes. Nothing. Servers even smiled at us like everything was fine, as we held our menus and looked around. We will never be back again.
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A
Arlene Gold
San Diego12 reviews
4.0
Dined on 29 July 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The food and service is always 5 star. The reason for 4 instead of 5 stars is that noise levels makes it close to impossible to have conversations. If you want great service and food with lots of choices, this is a great place. If you need to have intimate or quiet conversations, I recommend sitting outside or saving this restaurant for when food and service is more important than quiet conversation.
True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTCResponded on 1 August 2026
Thank you, Arlene! Please let us know how we can make your next visit a 5-star experience.
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L
Loraine Gold
Denver / Colorado113 reviews
1.0
Dined on 21 July 2026
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
This is the very first time that we have had awful food at True Foods. This is our first time we have been to the La Jolla, CA restaurant. I and one of my guests ordered grass fed burgers medium rare. They were over cooked. My French fries were inedible - totally crisp and could not eve bite into them. My husband had a bowl (believe it was quinoa) and he said it had a very strange taste. The floor to the restrooms is buckled and I almost fell. Fortunately, my husband had warned me. It is a total hazardous situation. I am totally surprised at how awful the experience was and for our friends who had never been to a True Foods restaurant. I called the manager, Pablo, today but this should be reported to the TOP management of True Foods Kitchen. And, yes, we have been frequent guests at True Foods restaurant but based on this experience, I doubt we will ever go to one again!
True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTCResponded on 23 July 2026
We're sorry to hear about your disappointing experience at our La Jolla location, Loraine. Thank you for your feedback; we'll address these issues with our team to improve our food quality and safety. Everyone is aware of the floors and are currently working on fixing it.
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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Contemporary American, Vegetarian / Vegan
Hours of Operation
Mon–Sat 11:00–21:00 Sun 11:00–20:00 Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00–15:00
Website
https://www.truefoodkitchen.com/locations/sandiegoutc/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Jamie Dunn
Catering
Please contact us for more information.
Private party facilities
Whether you're hosting a celebration or corporate event, we welcome you to explore True Food Kitchen’s private dining and catering options, perfect for any occasion. We welcome you to explore our Group & Private Dining options, perfect for any occasion.

Location
4303 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 2100, San Diego, CA 92122
Area
La Jolla
Cross street
La Jolla Village Drive and Genesee
Parking Details
Enter the Nordstrom parking garage off of Genessee Street. Stay left. Parking area 243.
Public transport
Public transportation available thru MTC Transit, your stop is UTC.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

FAQs

True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTC is a weekend-brunch favorite, brunch runs Saturday and Sunday 11:00 am–3:00 pm, and guests praise the Mother's Day and Sunday brunch experiences.

Casual dress is the guide at True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTC, comfortable, everyday attire is appropriate and nothing formal is expected.

Yes, True Food Kitchen is part of a multi-location brand; reviewers mention other same-brand sites such as the Fashion Valley location and the Mission Valley/University Town Center True Food Kitchens in San Diego.

True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTC feels modern and airy, with an open-kitchen view and tall ceilings; it can be lively or on the louder side, and many guests suggest sitting outside if you prefer quieter conversation.

Yes, True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTC offers outdoor seating; guests describe sitting outside on sunny days and reviewers mention a spacious outdoor dining area and patio.

Yes, families regularly dine here and guests note children are welcome; reviewers mention kid-friendly dishes like chicken tenders and pizzas and say the staff accommodated a wide age range.

Weekends are ideal for brunch, True Food Kitchen runs brunch on Saturday and Sunday (11:00 am–3:00 pm), and guests rave about the Sunday brunch; Sunday evenings also tend to be quieter.

Yes, the outdoor patio welcomes diners with dogs; guests report being seated outside with a dog and staff interacting warmly with pets.

How FAQ content is generated

Permanently Closed

This restaurant is permanently closed.

True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTC

About this restaurant

Permanently Closed

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Offers

The Happiest of Hours

Menu

Reviews

Review summary

Additional information

FAQs

What is the best day to go to True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTC?

What is the dress code for True Food Kitchen - San Diego UTC?

Does this restaurant company have other branches or locations?

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Is this restaurant kid-friendly?

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