La Jolla, California: Shopping along Girard Ave. and Prospect St.; things to do + restaurant review

Shopping along Girard Avenue and Prospect Street in La Jolla 

Prospect Street is known as “The Rodeo Drive of San Diego,” but wide, boulevard-like Girard, Fay, and Pearl streets aren’t too shabby either.  High-end boutiques have set up shop on these tony main drags, but amidst them you’ll find unique local boutiques and galleries as well.

book section at Warwick's in La Jolla, California

Warwick's  

7812 Girard Ave., (858) 454-0347.  M-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10 am-5:30 pm.  Free parking behind store.  One of San Diego's oldest stationers, this local institution offers a great selection of paper goods.  Also a bookstore, you’ll find everything from the latest novels to novel gift boxes disguised as novels to hide things in.  This is also a popular stop for top-name author appearances.  And should you have questions, the knowledgeable staff is happy to help and will even gift wrap your purchase for free.

shape cookies at Girard Gourmet in La Jolla, California

Girard Gourmet  

7837 Girard Ave., (858) 454-3325.  B-L-D daily; $.  This popular European-style bakery-deli always has a line out the door, but the delicious sandwiches made with crispy-crusted Italian bread and salads are worth the wait.  Squirmy kids start salivating and become more willing to wait when promised their choice of one of the decorated shape cookies in the window display--a whale frosted in blue, a seal topped with chocolate icing, or maybe a panda bear in black and white.  Yum.  Best scenario:  Select a picnic’s worth of goodies to go.  

2020 pandemic update:  The line here usually is out the door.  When I visited for take-out, customers were not observing social distancing.  Their excitement to get inside and see the goods seemed to be outweighing pandemic rules.  Order ahead and you will be able to squeeze through to the head of the line to pay and pick up.  My take away included a superb gigantic and colorful chicken curry sandwich topped with red beets that was large enough to share, which I took to the ocean-front walkway to eat in my car; an apricot rugulach and crispy, cinnamony, crumbly cowboy cookie for a snack; a shepherd’s pie made with ground lamb and beef and topped with mashed potatoes, along with a side of cucumber salad,  for dinner; and croissants for breakfast (they were out of almond croissants and unfortunately the regular croissants are not a high point).  

line and counter at Girard Gourmet in La Jolla, California

deli case at Girard Gourmet in La Jolla, California

More things to do in La Jolla.

Things to do in nearby San Diego.

More ideas for exploring the U.S.

images ©2014 and 2020 Carole Terwilliger Meyers