"Just steps away from the beach, Nico’s Fish Market is a casual restaurant serving fish caught by its owner, Nicholas “Nico” Gibbons, or other local fishers. After spending two years doing pop-ups around North County, Nico’s landed a storefront in Pacific Beach in November 2022. Be sure to try the ahi poke with Lily sauce, a citrus-based aioli named after Nico’s sister. Alongside tacos and burritos, the restaurant is known for its “rice paddy,” a bed of crisped rice in a version of the poke bowl called La Chinesca. Make sure to also try the Thai green coconut curry bowl, and check out the daily specials, which often feature the popular grilled calamari steak." - Helen I. Hwang