Linking a few threads below on past recs for the area.
Addressing some of your goals in no particular order:
Sushi – Ken sushi workshop is wonderful, Shimbashi in Del Mar is more casual and has an ocean view, both are frequent spots for us.
Asian – I’d prioritize Vietnamese over other Asian, and divier places on Convoy, Mira Mesa, Miramar over sanitized / fancy ones. There’s better Sichuan than most other Chinese sub-categories. Lucky is a Viet supermarket with make-your-own banh mi, freshly squeezed sugarcane juice, a hot station with all the favorites, and freshly fried cha gio. There’s a restaurant attached too.
Dosa & Idli – San Idli (there’s other good food near there to take back to your airbnb, including banh mis and kababs of various origins). There’s a BAPS mandir near there too, which might have a shop with excellents snacks & more.
Crack shack is close to the airport, you should hit in either direction, delicious.
You can kill time in many places on your way from the airport – La Jolla might be a good start, the village has good food, or you can go to the beach, or head north to Del Mar and Solana Beach and wander the beach and the stores across from it.
In Encinitas, La Especial Norte is our fam favorite divey Mexican – it shows as temporarily closed (weird, I know it was open a few weeks ago), but check back before you go.
