"French technique with a Baja accent, plated in a small North Park room — Wormwood is where old-school sauces meet guajillo and pristine seafood, and the seven-course tasting is the city's quiet special-occasion play."
9.3Food
8.9Ambience
8.8Value
About Wormwood
Wormwood sits on 30th Street between North Park and University Heights, a French-Mexican bistro run by executive chef Danny Romero, who trained in Southern California kitchens including Michelin-starred Addison and James Beard-nominated Bracero. The cooking pours classical French sauce work over Baja seafood and Mexican chiles.
It opened in 2022 and was named San Diego Magazine's readers' pick for best new restaurant that year. Critic Troy Johnson praised "old-school French cooking, when thick and luscious sauces are treated like duct tape: the fix for everything."
The Kitchen
The dish to know is the smoked duck confit — house-cured duck smoked over mesquite, slow-cooked and shredded, served with Parisian gnocchi in a banana beurre blanc. The seven-course "Best of Wormwood" tasting moves through scallop with Champagne, kampachi crudo, steak tartare, a pasta-or-fish-or-steak course, cheese and a chocolate tart.
The seven-course tasting is $120, which keeps Wormwood in the mid-upper $$$ band rather than tasting-temple territory. The wine list leans French with Baja and California depth.
The Room
The room is compact and low-lit — a neighbourhood bistro with white tablecloths in spirit if not always in linen, close enough for conversation but composed enough to feel like an occasion. It seats a date or a small client table comfortably; it is not built for a large party.
What to Order
If you have the appetite, commit to the seven-course tasting and let the kitchen drive. A la carte, anchor on the smoked duck confit, add the kampachi crudo and a scallop course, and take the staff's wine pairing — the French list rewards trust. Save room for the chocolate tart.
Why Wormwood Works for a First Date
A small, low-lit room, a kitchen with real pedigree, and a tasting menu that gives the night a shape — it is intimate without being stiff. See the First Date guide for the wider field.
Not for
Not for a large group or a budget weeknight — it is a tight bistro with a $120 tasting at its centre. If you need a big communal table or a casual taco-and-beer night, this is the wrong room; for a considered dinner for two, it is the right one.
Frequently Asked
Who is the chef at Wormwood in San Diego?
Wormwood's kitchen is led by executive chef Danny Romero, who trained in Southern California restaurants including Michelin-starred Addison and James Beard-nominated Bracero. He cooks a French-Mexican menu that pairs classical French sauce technique with Baja seafood and Mexican chiles. The bistro opened in North Park in 2022.
What is the signature dish at Wormwood?
The signature is the smoked duck confit: house-cured duck smoked over mesquite, slow-cooked and shredded, served with Parisian gnocchi in a banana beurre blanc. The seven-course tasting also runs through scallop with Champagne, kampachi crudo, steak tartare, a main course, cheese and a chocolate tart.
How much does dinner at Wormwood cost?
Wormwood's seven-course 'Best of Wormwood' tasting menu is priced at $120 per person. A la carte dining is also available. That places it in the mid-to-upper range for San Diego dining, below true tasting-temple prices, with an optional wine pairing from a French-leaning list.
Where is Wormwood located?
Wormwood is at 4677 30th Street, tucked between the North Park and University Heights neighbourhoods of San Diego, California. It is a small reservation-driven bistro; weekend seatings, especially for the seven-course tasting menu, fill quickly, so booking ahead on OpenTable is advised.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Wormwood
Book ahead — the North Park room is small and weekends fill fast.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address4677 30th St, North Park
CuisineFrench-Mexican Bistro
Executive ChefDanny Romero
SignatureSmoked duck confit
Price$$$ · $120 seven-course tasting
ReservationsRecommended
