Nine-Ten

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

On Prospect Street in La Jolla, Nine-Ten Restaurant & Bar has built a reputation that extends well beyond San Diego. Led by nationally recognized Executive Chef Jason Knibb, the restaurant earned a Michelin Guide 2025 distinction and holds a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence — recognition that reflects what regulars have known for years: this is serious Californian cuisine delivered without pretension.

The Kitchen's Philosophy

The menu is created daily, shaped by what Chef Knibb and his team find during morning visits to local artisan producers, most notably the acclaimed Chino Farms. Seafood arrives fresh from local waters as well as Hawaii and the North and South Pacific and Atlantic regions. The result is a rotating menu that shifts with the seasons and sometimes changes day to day — there is no static dish list to memorize, only what is best right now.

That commitment to hyper-local sourcing gives the food its character. Current dinner starters read like a map of the season: Tuna Crudo with charred cucumber, rainier cherry, and coconut-finger lime jus; Jamaican Jerk Pork Belly with plantains and black-eyed peas; a Cacio e Pepe built on porcini mushroom spaghettini with cured egg yolk. Entrées follow the same logic — Pan-Roasted Cascade Creek Lamb Loin with oregano salsa verde, Smoked Liberty Duck Breast with elderflower and chamomile-strawberry jus, Grilled Swordfish with baby artichoke and a caramelized coconut barigoule emulsion.

Lunch draws its own crowd: area professionals and locals who come for the three-course lunch special, the Grilled Spanish Octopus with burnt eggplant purée and harissa chips, or simply the Nine-Ten Burger made with half-pound Angus beef and house-made pickles.

The Room

Inside the narrow, high-ceiling dining room, an emerald-green and light-wood palette keeps things warm without feeling heavy. The focal point is a vibrant ocean and fauna wall panorama by artist Dana Montlack. When the weather cooperates — which in La Jolla is most of the time — the sidewalk patio and outdoor terrace offer peek ocean views alongside dinner. The service, in the restaurant's own words, is "enthusiastic and spirited, while gracious and unassuming."

The Team Behind the Table

Beyond Chef Knibb, the kitchen is supported by Pastry Chef Jose Alonzo III, whose desserts include a Pavlova with passionfruit sherbet and caramelized puffed rice. Wine Director and Sommelier Chris Russo oversees a cellar deep enough to earn Wine Spectator's recognition and to anchor the restaurant's prix-fixe tasting menus with well-matched pours. A Wine-of-the-Month Club and occasional exclusive pairing dinners — such as a 24-seat collaboration with Angel's Envy — round out the program for those who want to go deeper into the list.

For private events, the dining room can be configured for group gatherings and celebrations, with seasonal menus crafted specifically for the occasion — another expression of the same farm-to-table Californian ethos that defines every service here.