The rainbow flag flies over Hillcrest 365 days a year. Not just during Pride month, not just on special occasions — always. That permanence says everything about this neighborhood. Hillcrest has been San Diego’s LGBTQ+ cultural center since the 1970s, and while the rest of the city has caught up on acceptance, Hillcrest remains the place where that identity is most visible, most celebrated, and most woven into the daily life of the street.
But Hillcrest isn’t just about Pride. It’s one of San Diego’s best neighborhoods for eating, shopping, and walking — period. University Avenue from 1st to 6th packs more brunch spots per block than anywhere in the county. The vintage shops and independent boutiques resist the chain-store creep that’s flattened other neighborhoods. And the western edge of Balboa Park is literally across the street — you can walk from brunch to the zoo in 10 minutes.
I’ve been eating brunch in Hillcrest since my twenties, and the neighborhood has evolved while keeping its core. The restaurants have gotten better. The coffee has gotten better. The community has gotten stronger. What hasn’t changed is the energy — inclusive, unpretentious, and slightly irreverent.
What Makes Hillcrest Different?
Hillcrest’s LGBTQ+ identity gives it a cultural confidence that other neighborhoods lack. There’s a pride (lowercase) in being different here — it shows in the businesses, the public art, the events, and the community organizations. The Hillcrest Business Association maintains the iconic neon Hillcrest sign on University Avenue, and it’s become one of the most photographed landmarks in San Diego.
The brunch culture is legendary. San Diego might be a breakfast-burrito town at heart, but Hillcrest elevated brunch into an art form. Hash House A Go Go serves pancakes the size of manhole covers. Snooze does pancake flights. Great Maple makes brown butter cinnamon rolls that’ll ruin you for all other pastries. On weekends, the line at every brunch spot starts by 9am.
The neighborhood’s location is perfect. It sits between downtown (10 minutes south), Balboa Park (adjacent), and North Park (10 minutes east). You can walk from Hillcrest into the park and be at the Zoo in 15 minutes. That central position makes it an ideal base for exploring inland San Diego.
Under the Neon Sign
The iconic Hillcrest sign glows over University Avenue as the neighborhood's restaurants, bars, and boutiques light up for another evening.
Where to Eat in Hillcrest?
Hash House A Go Go — The portions are legendary and slightly insane. Twisted Farm Food is the concept — think sage-fried chicken and waffles stacked a foot high ($18). The pancakes could feed a family. Come hungry, leave destroyed. $14-22/person.
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery — Pancake flights (choose three kinds, $15), creative benedicts ($14-18), and an atmosphere that makes waiting in line feel like part of the experience. Weekend waits are 30-60 minutes — put your name in and browse the shops.
Great Maple — Elevated comfort food: brown butter cinnamon rolls ($9), maple bacon donuts ($6), and brunch entrees ($14-22) that are several notches above typical brunch fare. The interior is beautiful. Reserve on weekends.
Crest Cafe — The neighborhood’s homegrown brunch spot since before the brunch boom. Massive portions ($10-16), strong coffee, and a local crowd that’s been coming for years. No-frills, no pretension, consistently great.
Hillcrest Brewing Company — The first LGBTQ-owned brewery in the world. Good house-brewed beers ($6-9), solid pizza ($14-18), and a patio that serves as the neighborhood’s unofficial living room.
What to Do in Hillcrest?
What’s the Sunday Farmers Market Like?
The Hillcrest Farmers Market runs every Sunday from 9am-2pm on Normal Street between University and Lincoln. It’s smaller and more community-focused than the Little Italy Mercato. Local produce, prepared food stalls, and live music. Free to browse, $8-15 for a full meal from the food vendors.
Is the Vintage Shopping Good?
Excellent. University Avenue and 5th Avenue have a dozen+ vintage and consignment shops. Buffalo Exchange, Flashbacks Recycled Fashions, and Hunt & Gather are the standouts. Prices are fair — Hillcrest hasn’t hit the vintage-store inflation that’s hit other cities. Budget 1-2 hours for a proper browse.
Village Hillcrest Cinema?
An independent movie theater showing art-house, foreign, and limited-release films in a beautifully restored space. $14/ticket. It’s the best cinema experience in San Diego for film lovers. Check their schedule for Q&A screenings and special events.
Brunch Capital
Pancakes the size of pizza, mimosa flights catching the light, and the weekend buzz of San Diego's best brunch neighborhood waking up.
Scott’s Pro Tips
- Getting There: From downtown, 1st Ave or 6th Ave north (10 min). Bus routes 1, 3, 10, 11 run on University Ave. Rideshare from the beach is $12-18. Free street parking on residential blocks is easy on weekdays.
- Parking: Free 2-hour street parking on residential streets. The parking structure on Normal St near University is $1.50/hr. Weekday parking is easy; weekend brunch hours (9am-1pm) are the toughest. Park a few blocks off University and walk.
- Brunch Strategy: Arrive before 9am on weekends or expect 30-60 minute waits at the popular spots. Crest Cafe has the shortest waits. Hash House waits are longest but they serve coffee while you wait. Weekday brunch has no wait at any restaurant.
- Pride Month: July is Pride month. The parade runs through Hillcrest (usually third weekend), and the festival takes place in Balboa Park. Hotels and restaurants are fully booked — reserve everything well in advance.
- Balboa Park Access: Walk east on University Ave to 6th Ave, then south into the park. You're at the Marston House and Cabrillo Bridge (the iconic bridge to El Prado) in 10 minutes. It's the best pedestrian entrance to the park.
- Budget: Hillcrest is mid-range — brunch runs $12-20/person, a beer at HBC is $7, and vintage shops have finds from $5-50. The Sunday market is free to browse. The neighborhood is very walkable, saving on transport.
Hillcrest is one of those neighborhoods that makes you appreciate cities. The diversity, the energy, the walkability, the food — it all comes together on a few blocks of University Avenue in a way that feels effortless (but isn’t). Whether you come for brunch, Pride, vintage shopping, or just to walk a neighborhood that celebrates being different, Hillcrest delivers. It’s been here for decades and it’s not going anywhere.