(PHOTOS BY BRAD A. JOHNSON)

San Diego’s time is now! Literally. While it’s freezing (or trying to) everywhere else, it’s currently sunny and 70 degrees in San Diego. Typical. But it’s not just the weather that’s hot. The food scene down here — from downtown all the way up through La Jolla and into Del Mar — is on fire. These are the 10 places and chefs you need to know:

addison (PHOTOS BY BRAD A. JOHNSON)

1. Addison
William Bradley is quite simply one of the best chefs (and best-kept secrets) in America, and this is easily one of the most glamorous restaurants in California. Dressy. Sublime. 5200 Grand Del Mar Way, Del Mar, 858-314-1900

2. Craft & Commerce
Fried chicken. Smoked ribs. Jalapeño spoon bread. Killer burgers. And the best cocktails in town. Bring earplugs. 675 W. Beach St., San Diego, 619-269-2202

3. Market
Literally surrounded on all sides by the best farms in California, chef Carl Schroeder’s Market is the definitive farm-to-table restaurant inspired by the daily harvest. 3702 Via de la Valle, Del Mar, 858-523-0007

davanti (PHOTOS BY BRAD A. JOHNSON)

4. Davanti
Chicago’s Scott Harris (Francesca’s, The Purple Pig) brings superb thin-crust pizzas and rustic Italian cooking (via chef Laco Seeber) to downtown SD’s already thriving restaurant row in Little Italy. 1655 India St, San Diego, 619-237-9606

George’s california modern (PHOTOS BY BRAD A. JOHNSON)

5. Georges California Modern
An oldie but goodie, with still the best ocean view in the county, plus deconstructed fish tacos and smoked foie gras from legendary chef Trey Foshee. Feels like new. Even the carrots in the carrot cake come from the famous Chino Farms. 1250 Prospect St., La Jolla, 858-454-4244

saltbox (PHOTOS BY BRAD A. JOHNSON)

6. Saltbox
Stellar cocktails. Sexy crowd. And truly fun food—house-cured salmon pastrami reuben and addictive brown-butter popcorn—from chef Simon Dolinky. 1047 Fifth Ave., San Diego, 619-515-3003

flavor del mar (PHOTOs BY BRAD A. JOHNSON)

7. Flavor Del Mar
King crab hand rolls. Pork belly sliders with duck-fat fries. Gorgeous sun-soaked dining room with blue ocean views. Chef Brian Redzikowski is a former protégé of Nobu Matsuhisa and Joel Robuchon. 1555 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, 858-755-3662

The lounge at Kitchen 1540 (photo by Brad A. Johnson)

8. Kitchen 1540
Brunch on the patio. Fire pit blazing. Two dozen wines by the glass. Two blocks from the beach. Plus a hot new chef from Four Seasons Whistler and Beverly Hills.1540 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, 858-793-6460

burlap (PHOTOS BY BRAD A. JOHNSON)

9. Burlap
Former Top Chef contestant Brian Malarkey cooks an “unapologetic white guy’s take on Asian food,” and his “pho” is pretty damned good, except that it’s closer to Japanese ramen than Vietnamese pho, but whatever. 12995 El Camino Real, Del Mar, 858-369-5700

10. Grant Grill
Cutting-edge mixology. Niman ranch pork cheeks. California sea bass with tom yum broth. Plus live music in the lounge. Swanky. 326 Broadway, San Diego, 619-744-2077

The Grand Del Mar, San Diego (Brad A. Johnson)

When the Grand Del Mar opened in San Diego a few years ago, I didn’t love it. I thought everything felt too contrived, too set-designed, too gold-plated. Too much luxury, everywhere, over-the-top. However now that the resort has had some time to settle in and mature, I love it! Everything now makes sense. The landscaping has grown in beautifully. The staff doesn’t miss a beat. The fabrics and leathers that once felt so pristine have been wrinkled just so. There’s a beautiful patina that suggests a certain longevity and grace. And those gold-plated bathroom faucets, thank god, aren’t so shiny any more.

Guest room terrace; hotel entrance; suite bedroom; lobby lounge (Brad A. Johnson) 

The one thing about this resort that I actually loved from Day One was its fine dining restaurant, Addison. It was good then. It’s even better now. It’s a true destination restaurant, set apart from the hotel in a free-standing structure just up the hill. The fireplace is roaring in the lounge. Bartenders are shaking cocktails in the bar. Lights from the wine cellar cast a soft upon the dining room. Elegantly dressed waiters glide around the room without making sounds. And the chef? William Bradley is easily one of the finest chefs working in California today. His coddled farm egg with caviar is a throwback to vintage Paris. Sea bass becomes ceviche in a broth of Thai-style green curry and cucumbers sliced so thin they’re translucent. Dumplings as light as air are filled with sweet king crab and a hint of orange, a fleck of basil. Bradley matches black truffles and crimini mushrooms with an insanely handsome slice of duck. Beets. Caramelized endive. We’ve gone off menu, and I’ve lost track of what I’ve eaten. I remember Champagne, lots of it, the expensive kind, followed by Spanish whites and French Burgundies. A peanut butter terrine with amaretto ice cream and honey anglaise…

At Addison: Coddled farm egg with caviar; the lounge; the bar; the duck with truffles; the dining room; Champagne. (Brad A. Johnson)