The Windmill Food Hall in Carlsbad, California is tucked in beautiful North County San Diego. This is the quintessential place to hang out if you're with a group of friends or family members and y'all can't decide where to eat. Each person can find amazing food options, craft beer selections, creative craft cocktails, and more to suit their taste under one roof. 

There are pastries, pizza, meat, BBQ, and other options. Food halls are all the rage thanks to their diversity of food and convenience. 

Windmill Food Hall is located in the iconic windmill building in Carlsbad, CA. The address is 890 Palomar Airport Road Carlsbad, California 92011. There is food, drink, happy hour, some outdoor seating and patio seating. If you are in the mood for coffee, check out my post on all the Carlsbad Coffee Shops. Carlsbad is near Oceanside, San Marcos, Vista.

Windmill Food Hall Hours

Windmill Food Hall is open daily.

Food Vendor Hours

Sunday-Thursday 11 am - 8 pm 

Friday-Saturday 11 am - 9 pm 

* Corner Coffee and El Puerto open daily at 8 am *

Bar Hours

Sunday-Thursday 11 am - 9 pm 

Friday-Saturday 11 am - 10 pm

Windmill Food Hall - Food Vendors

Pick a place to eat at or mix and match with friends. Find something for each person's different tastes. There are benches and space to sit. You'll find food and drink options in this bustling food hall. The convenient ordering system allows you to order without having to wait for table service. Windmill Food Hall is a great environment for families with little kids. It also has open seating areas and benches.

Cacio

Build your own pasta and eat some classic Italian delights at Cacio. They have appetizers, soup, salad, subs, and chefs specials like their carbonara or the chicken tequila penne. The build your own pasta allows you to pick your noodles, sauce, and veggies. You can add protein or other sides for an additional fee.

Corner Coffee

Come to Windmill Food Hall for your daily caffeine buzz. Corner Coffee opens daily at 8 am and it's the first thing you see when you enter the hall. 

Craft Pizza

Pizza lovers rejoice. Craft Pizza serves red and white pizza (without marinara sauce), breakfast pizza, calzones, desserts, and some canned and bottled beverages. Gluten-free and vegan options are available.

District 1 Pho 

Menu items include the Build Your Own Bowl, Pho Dac Biet, Pho Tai, Banh Mi as well as starters such as egg rolls, bbq spring rolls, Nem Nuong spring rolls. You can also ask them about their street food of the week.

Taco Ensenada from El Cacho in Windmill Food Hall.

El Cacho

Fish Taco Stand is one of the newer stands at Windmill Food Hall. They have fish tacos and seafood like a shrimp and octopus cocktail.

El Puerto Street Tacos

El Puerto Street Tacos is open every day at 8 am. Food includes burritos, tacos, quesdillas, asada fries, side orders like corn tortillas, guacamole, salsa fresca. Vegan choices include The Vegan burrito and their potato fajita taco.

Lobster Lab

Grab your lobster roll, lobster bisque, cali roll, crab roll, clam chowder, and more at Lobster Lab. You can also get caviar on brioche with herbed cream cheese, hard-boiled egg, and chives.

Mini Donut Company

The Mini Donut Company offers, yes you guessed it, mini donuts. These are perfect when you want something small. 

Mediterranean House 

Gyros, ground beef kebab wraps, hummus, oh my. Mediterranean House has plenty of delectable appetizers, plates, sandwiches, wraps, salads, drinks, and sauces! Vegan options such as falafel, dolmades, and more.

Rolled Up Sushi 

Sushi burritos, bowls, and rolls. Rolled Up Sushi has bowls and burritos such as chicken teriyaki or spicy tuna. Sushi rolls include veggie, Philly roll, poke roll, and more. They also have some drinks and offerings like Spam musubi and seaweed salad.

Secret Sauce Wok & Grill

Secret Sauce Wok & Grill has appetizers (such as crab rangoons or mini lumpia), soups, a lunch menu, dinner menu (Mongolian Beef, Szechuan Beef, etc.), drinks, and other goodies. Vegan options are available as well.

Thai Style 

The Mill Bar 

Discover the fine dining, incredible views, catamaran rides, beer brewing classes, outdoor activities, and bay side hotels of Mission Bay! I saw everyone from families with children to bachelorette parties to tech conferences enjoying the many splendors of Mission Bay. There are so many fun things to do in Mission Bay San Diego!

Greetings from Bahia Resort Hotel in San Diego Mission Bay.

Located in Southern California, Mission Bay's magic lies in its recreational splendor and central location. Appreciate the warm sandy beaches, marine life, restaurants that'll wow your taste buds, and poolside relaxations of sunny San Diego Mission Bay. 

Downtown San Diego, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, and Ocean Beach are just a hop skip and a jump away. 

There are loads of activities, attractions, eats, and things to do in Mission Bay San Diego. Mission Bay can act as your beacon point, the place you come to each night to sleep as you venture out. You can stay close by at Belmont Park or SeaWorld San Diego and spend the day there, or explore the vibrant city of San Diego further at Balboa Park, La Jolla, Seaport Village.

Mission Bay Aquatic Center

Head out on the water of San Diego's Mission Bay for your choice of water sports such as jet skiing, paddle boarding, kayaking, and more. The Mission Bay Aquatic Center is a huge waterfront facility located in beautiful San Diego, California. Want to get out on the water? You can rent equipment, jet skis, whatever you need from Action Sport Rentals. The Mission Bay waters await your arrival. 

Rent a Luxury Catamaran

You could rent a luxury yacht or catamaran from Malarky Charters to sit back and wind down to the view of the bay. You might see some sea creatures like sea lions, pelicans, dolphins, California gray whales, blue whales, and other wildlife while you're out there!

Bahia Belle Cruises

Take a 45-minute Mission Bay night cruise on the Bahia Belle, a turn-of-the-century, Mississippi-style boat. Watch the calm waters surrounding the 4,200-acre park from inside Bahia Belle Cruises or get the scenic view from the observation deck. 

Mission Bay Golf Course 

Mission Bay Golf Course and Practice Center is an 18-hole public golf course and driving range designed by Ted Robinson.  It's the only stadium lit course in San Diego and it also offers DiscGolf and FootGolf. Tiger Woods won a Junior World title here. As he says in his book The 1997 Masters: My Story, "I knew something about efficiency, having learned a good lesson when I was 11-years-old and playing the Optimist Junior World Championship at Mission Bay Golf Course in San Diego." 

Belmont Park

Spend the day at Belmont Park, a beachfront theme park with amusement rides such as the historic Giant Dipper roller coaster, historic Plunge swimming pool, laser tag, and more. Find Belmont Park at 3146 Mission Blvd. San Diego, CA 92109.

SeaWorld San Diego

SeaWorld has rides, rollercoasters, dining, and of course animals, which makes Sea World a popular spot for tourists and locals alike to bring their families for the day. 

Holding champagne on a catamaran on Mission Bay thanks to Malarky Charters.

Fiesta Island

Explore Fiesta Island and bring the dogs! Fiesta Island is a large peninsular park located within San Diego's Mission Bay. It's dog-friendly and horse-friendly as well. There are no bathrooms on the island. Picnics are permitted, but glass containers or alcohol are not allowed. Bonfires are allowed only in the city-provided fire rings located around the island's shoreline.

Mission Bay Park

The list of things to do in Mission Bay San Diego doesn't end! Mission Bay Park is located within walking distance of Belmont Park, the Pacific Ocean, and restaurants. Mission Bay Park also has a walking and biking trail. I rode along the Mission Bay Park trail with Fit City Adventures. You can see the ocean as you ride past tourists, food vendors, and locals walking around.

De Anza Cove Park

Get some California sunshine in a park. De Anza Cove Park is located at 3000 N Mission Bay Dr, San Diego, CA 92109. The park has a volleyball area, a tot lot to bring the kids, benches, picnic tables, as well as a path for jogging or riding bikes.

Crown Point Park 

Located at Crown Point Dr, San Diego, CA 92109, Crown Point Park has a picnic shelter, picnic tables, barbecue grills, fire rings, large sandy beach with a small grass area.

Hotels

There are a few hotels conveniently located in San Diego Mission Bay. Spa treatments, good eats, Each one has its own vibe so you can factor that in when choosing. Here are a few things that you can do at each hotel in the Mission Bay area!

• Bahia Resort Hotel 
• Catamaran Resort Hotel
• The Dana On Mission Bay
• Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa And Marina
• Paradise Point Resort & Spa 
• San Diego Mission Bay Resort

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carmen ⭐️ San Diego Foodie (@carmenlikestoeat)

Butterscotch Banana French Toast 🍌 🍞 Banana-Stuffed Brioche, Cream Cheese, Vanilla Butterscotch Glaze with Granola Crumble from Dockside 1953.

— Luxuriate with the waterfront dining views at Dockside 1953, the new restaurant at Bahia Resort Hotel. The butterscotch banana French toast is out of this world.

— Grab drinks at Barefoot Bar & Grill at Paradise Point Resort & Spa. 

— Eat the menu of the night at Tidal. Find Tidal at Paradise Point Resort & Spa right near Barefoot Bar & Grill. Learn more about Tidal here.

— Eat with your eyes and mouth at Firefly Eatery & Bar. The Firefly at The Dana On Mission Bay Resort features seasonal, local ingredients that will charm all your senses. Learn more about Firefly here.

— Relax with luxurious spa treatments at Spa Brezza at San Diego Mission Bay Resort.

— Order a tasty iced coffee from Mission Bay Beach Club. The San Diego Mission Bay Beach Club is a waterfront destination for coffee, bike rentals, ice cream, and more.

— Dine in at Oceana Coastal Kitchen at Catamaran Resort Hotel. Ocean Coastal Kitchen serves California cuisine with a modern ocean-inspired design.

— Try the katsu chicken at Covewood Restaurant at San Diego Mission Bay Resort.

— When you stay at The Dana On Mission Bay Resort, you get access to the seasonal Tropical Pool Bar. It's the perfect spot to just savor the moment. 

— If you want to head more toward Downtown San Diego, try a meal at LAVO San Diego.

Beautiful creation from Firefly’s New Executive Chef, Omar Armas! Almost too pretty to eat, but I ate it anyway. 😇

So Many Fun Things to Do in Mission Bay with Family and Friends

Mission Bay is a short drive from Downtown San Diego, so you can easily get here from the San Diego International Airport. You can visit Pacific Beach, Mission Beach San Diego, Ocean Beach, La Jolla, and all the San Diego spots. Enjoy waterfront dining, beach bonfires, poolside relaxation, and everything your heart desires. It's a beautiful area with incredible dining options, great hotels, and tons of fun things to do! Take a look at some of the Mission Bay beach cams to see the area for yourself. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your trip now!

Nearby Attractions

If you want to surf, the Pacific Ocean is a quick drive away. The San Diego Zoo, Mission Beach Boardwalk, Crown Point Beach, Bonita Cove, shopping in Mission Valley are very popular options as well. 

There are loads of options on things to do at Mission Bay San Diego, no matter if you are sporty or just want to chill. Play beach volleyball, relax in the hot tub of your hotel, view the sea life, head to the theme parks, play bumper cards, visit the surf shops, go water skiiing, eat fish tacos,

About me: I'm Carmen Varner, I'm a San Diego-based food and travel writer. You can learn more about me here.

Clueless is a coming-of-age comedy film from 1995 that's loosely based on Jane Austen's novel Emma. The movie has many iconic fashion moments to draw from. Clueless costume design remains as a time capsule of the 1990s with Cher's iconic yellow plaid outfit, the white Calvin Klein dress, the satiny red Alaïa dress, the black and white gym attire, and so much more. 

* Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

Cher Horowitz, played by Alicia Silverstone, gives her that bit of spunk that makes her such a relatable fun character to this day. If you are looking for another costume idea, read my post about Cher's iconic yellow plaid outfit. 

White Calvin Klein Dress

Cher wears a white dress. Here's a somewhat similar dress. Cher's dress has thin spaghetti straps, fits tight around the body, and hits in the mid to upper thigh. Cher wears the dress with chunky white heels that have straps. She has a shiny choker necklace (here is a similar one) and eventually puts on a white sheer top vest dress type of thing.

Recreate the Outfit

Shop for Cher's outfit in this article. I've shared links to products that are as similar as I could find. The style of the white strappy dress transcends 90s fashion and can easily be worn today. You can find different outfits, quality, and even a certain material depending on what the retailers have available. 

• White dress - Women's Sleeveless Ruched Spaghetti Strap Bodycon Mini Club Party Dress. Shop it here. 
• White slip dress - Womens Satin Cowl Neck Dress Mini Slip Cami Dresses Sleeveless Spaghetti Strap Dress. Check it out here.
• Rhinestone necklace - Shiny Rhinestone Crystal Choker Necklace Jewelry for Women Girls Wedding Bride Evening Costume Prom Birthday Jewelry. Shop it on Amazon. 
• Chunky heels - Chunky High Heel Platform Pumps for Women Square Toe Ankle Strap Mary Janes Shoes. Shop them here. 
• Chunky Block Heels - Chunky Block Heels for Women Fashion Square Toe Ankle Strap Buckle Rhinestones Wedge Silk Satin High Platform Heels Dress Pumps Shoes. These are a bit different style but super cute with the rhinestones. Check them out on Amazon.

Make it Your Own Style

Perhaps you want to search for something similar to wear at a party, I've found some items in a similar style that you can pull inspiration from. There are plenty of amazing options to suit your taste and your figure. While Cher wore something pretty short and tight, you can always add your own fresh spin. It can be a longer white tank top dress instead of a strappy dress or a ruffled hem. It can be flowy or a maxi dress. It can be sexy. It can be whatever you want. You can be creative. 

If you need another Clueless outfit idea, try Cher's black and white outfit from the film. I talk about how to recreate it here. You can do a Google or YouTube search to watch other scenes to get inspiration for outfits. They visit the school, spend time at PE with friends, at Cher's house, shopping, and more.

Clueless captures the journey of expressing yourself while also introducing you to the iconic fashion of the 1990s.

The movie Clueless hit theaters on July 19, 1995, in the USA. The film director is Amy Heckerling and stars Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz, Stacey Dash as Dionne, Brittany Murphy as Tai, Paul Rudd as Josh, Donald Faison as Murray, Elisa Donovan as Amber, Breckin Meyer as Travis, Justin Walker as Christian, Dan Hedaya who plays Cher's father, nd more. The film revolves around Cher, played by Alicia Silverstone, who is a rich and popular girl in school in Beverly Hills. She decides to do a makeover on Tai, played by Brittany Murphy. Cher also plays match-maker for her two teachers, Mr. Hall and Miss Geist. Cher lives with her father and is very much a daddy's girl. Her best friend is Dionne. Clueless is considered a cult classic to this day. 

Related reading: She's All That Prom Dress - Laney Boggs

Who plays Cher from Clueless? Alicia Silverstone.

What is Cher's last name? 

Is Paul Rudd the stepbrother in Clueless? 

Yes, Paul Rudd plays the stepbrother Josh in Clueless.

Who plays Tai in Clueless?

Brittany Murphy plays Tai. She's also in movies like Little Black Book, 8 Mile, and many more films.

Where can I watch Clueless?

You buy the Clueless DVD on Amazon. You might be able to watch it HBO Max or some sort of streaming service.

Who made the white dress that Cher wears in Clueless? Calvin Klein.

In the scene with Cher's father, Josh, Cher, and Christian, Cher walks down the staircase in the classic white Calvin Klein dress. That's when Josh quietly says to Cher's dad, "Are you going to let her go out like that are ya?" And then points to Cher as she talks to Christian.

"What the hell is that?" Cher's father asks. 

"A dress," Cher says. 

"Says who?" her father asks.

"Calvin Klein," Cher responds.

"It looks like underwear. Go upstairs and put something over it."  

"Duh I was just going to!" she says.

Alicia Silverstone recently recreated the scene with her child, Bear. Bear played her dad and the actress played Cher once again. 

What's your favorite outfit from Clueless?

Other Halloween costume ideas:

 She's All That Prom Dress - Laney Boggs - view here. 

Rory Gilmore from Gilmore Girls - view here.

The Plastics from Mean Girls - view here.

Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family - view here.

Halloween Costume Idea Cher Horowitz Clueless Yellow Plaid Outfit - view here.

They say a black prom dress never goes out of style. She's All That is a U.S. teen movie classic from the late '90s starring Freddie Prinze Jr and Rachael Leigh Cook. 

* Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

In She's All That movie, the main character Laney Boggs wears a shiny glittery black prom dress in the movie. Laney felt a roller coaster ride of emotions during the makeover event before the big prom.

What You'll Need for the Prom Outfit

- A tight sparkly black floor-length dress (like this one or this one)

- Black drop earrings (like this one)

- Dainty small black purse, ideally with a little twist clasp (like this one)

- Black heels or sandals

Similar Dresses to the Prom Dress Worn by Laney

You can see the slight glittery sheen of Laney's dress. People adore the beautiful sparkly black floor-length prom dress worn by Laney Boggs in the prom scene. It's relatively tight, like a body con dress. The dress has spaghetti straps or very thin straps. She wore it with black drop earrings and a dainty small black purse and from what I can tell black heels. Different designers have made black party dresses in satin, taffeta, tulle. You can opt for a black sleeveless party dress, a strappy one, or even one with sleeves. While Laney's dress was floor-length, you can choose a dress inspired by She's All That that's shorter. She wears her hair is a classic French twist.

Black Prom Dresses

Glitter Satin Spaghetti Strap Prom Dress Split Long Formal Evening Party Gown with Pocket is available on Amazon.

Women's Sexy V Neck Bodycon Sequin Gown Evening Dress with Slit is available on Amazon.

Black Earrings

Black Crystal Teardrop Dangle Earrings with Pave Frames - Ideal for Proms and Wedding Parties. Shop it here.

Black Purse

Vintage Kiss Lock Handbags Shiny Patent Leather Evening Clutch Purse Tote Bags with Two Straps. View it on Amazon.

The Red Dress

Laney Boggs also wears a gorgeous red dress as worn in the stair scene. The 90s throwback of both the red dress and black prom dress are dresses that you can wear on multiple occasions. They are classics, basic in the most beautiful way in that you can dress it up or dress it down. Thanks to platforms like Netflix and Hulu, we can watch classic films from various decades. It's easy to see why people love these styles again. 

Want another 90s costume idea? Try Cher Horowitz's gorgeous Clueless White Dress as a costume. Read the post on how to get the look.

What Story is She's All That Based On?

She's All That is an American teen romantic comedy film. The 1999 version of the She's All That movie stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Rachael Leigh Cook as Laney Boggs, Matthew Lillard as Brock Hudson, Paul Walker, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, Kevin Pollak, Kieran Culkin, Elden Henson, Usher Raymond, Kimberly "Lil' Kim" Jones, Anna Paquin, and more. The film is a modern adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion and George Cukor's 1964 film My Fair Lady.

What is She's All That About?

Zach Siler (Freddie Prinze Jr.) is one of the most popular guys at his high school. When his cheerleader girlfriend Taylor (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) breaks up with him to date reality TV star Brock Hudson (Matthew Lillard), he finds himself wondering what his next chapter will be. Is there a world after Taylor? Zach chats with his best friend Dean and they end up making a bet that Zach can transform a young woman on campus into the high school prom queen in just six weeks. 

They end up choosing art student, Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook) and befriend her in order to give her a makeover. She's all that is a comedy and drama that's filled with turmoil, emotions, friendship, and family. The 90s fashion from movies of that era is really cool to see. Most of the outfits are back in fashion today.

What is She's All That Available On?

You can buy She's All That on Blu-ray from Amazon. Check out the She's All That Blu-ray DVD here. There's also She's All That Regular DVD which you can find here. It might be available to stream or watch on Netflix, Peacock, etc but sometimes movies are taken off one network and placed on another. You can watch some scenes on YouTube. Netflix and other apps have different 90s movies and throwbacks to choose from.

He's All That Movie from 2021

The background of the 2021 movie He's All That flips things around and Padgett (Addison Rae) has to turn unpopular Cameron into prom king. It stars Addison Rae as high school student Padgett Sawyer, Tanner Buchanan as Cameron Kweller, Madison Pettis as Alden, Rachael Leigh Cook as Anna Sawyer, Peyton Meyer as Jordan Van Draanen, Matthew Lillard as Principal Bosch, Kourtney Kardashian as Jessica Miles Torres, and more. Padgett and Cameron are the main characters. 

The fashion in this movie is modern and reminiscent of styles popular in 2020s. Padgett wears a long red dress to the prom which was a little Easter egg nod to Laney's red dress scene. Padgett catches Jordan cheating on her with, Aniston, a backup singer from his new music video.

What's your favorite 90s movie? Do you have a favorite moment from She's All That?