North Park is the new Hillcrest, said one local business owner. The area just to the north of Balboa Park continues its rise as one of the hottest neighborhoods in town as more and more new businesses open. The neighborhood has been transformed, beginning in the 1990s, to the bustling, eclectic culinary center it is today. Practically every week, a new pub, wine bar or restaurant opens in the area dubbed “Restaurant Row,” each with a unique offering and exciting new design concept. From farm to table to comfort food, craft beers to extensive wine cellars and winemaker dinners, there seems to be something for everyone. A quick online search results in more than 50 restaurants and bars in the area. And it’s simple to get to North Park from the downtown area. Just take C Street to Pershing, hang a left on 30th Street and you are right in the center of the action. For less than a $10 cab ride, you can experience one of the most happening places in San Diego. Many of the restaurants in North Park are emphasizing a local, neighborhood feel, and it shows in the excellent service. Mosaic Wine Bar — voted “Best Gourmet Pizza in San Diego” in 2009 by Foodie Nation and Best Pour by San Diego Magazine. It offers a fun atmosphere with a broad selection of food including small bites, flatbreads, gourmet pizzas, salads and panini. They have great wines, too. 3422 30th St. (619) 906-4747, www.mosaicwinebar.com. Urban Solace — One of the most highly-touted restaurants in the area, Urban Solace claims guest comfort as its main priority. Offering a unique menu of “new American comfort food,” craft beers and a great selection of wines, Urban Solace is reminiscent of the South, particularly the New Orleans French Quarter. The menu features fresh meats all naturally produced, a seafood selection adhering to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch List, organic local veggies and organic or bio-dynamic West Coast-produced wines. Urban Solace has earned quite a following and has won numerous awards including Best New Restaurant, 2009 and Best of the Best, 2009 by San Diego Magazine. 3823 30th St. (619) 295-6464, www.urbansolace.net. Toronado — An offshoot of the original in San Francisco, this gastropub offers a huge selection of crafted beers with friendly and beer knowledgeable bartenders. Cozy and quaint, Toronado features around 50 beers on draft and a generous selection of bottles. They serve a decent selection of above-average pub fare, and board games are popular with the crowd. 4026 30th St. (619) 282-0456, www.toronadosd.com.?Tioli’s Crazee Burger — Two Germans moved into an Italian restaurant and opened this fun burger joint, which has been featured on the Food Network. The menu selection of more than 30 kinds of burgers offers the outlandish, including alligator, ostrich, venison, lamb, buffalo and even kangaroo. Served with unique and creative sauces and ingredients, Tioli’s Crazee Burger offers a unique twist to an American favorite. For the not -so-adventurous, don’t worry. They also serve good ol’ natural Angus beef burgers with no hormones. Comfy, laid-back atmosphere. 4201 30th St., North Park. (619) 282-6044, www.crazeeburger.com. Around the corner on Adams Avenue is Blind Lady Alehouse, serving up pizza, salads, appetizers, and a large selection of handcrafted brews. Patrons seem to really enjoy the relaxing atmosphere. Included in the list of California’s 150 Best Bars of 2009 by Draft Magazine. The BLAH, as they call themselves, hosts plenty of fun tastings and community events. 3416 Adams Ave., Normal Heights. (619) 255-2491, www.blindlady.blogspot.com. The newest restaurant to make its anticipated debut on Restaurant Row is Il Postino (the postman), an Italian restaurant with a unique and exciting design concept located in the base of the swanky La Boheme Condominiums. Owned by Antonino Mastellone of the immensely popular Arrivederci in Hillcrest and Bon Appetito in Little Italy, this spacious venue accommodates large parties and special occasions. “I love the people of North Park. I love the people of San Diego, so I am excited to be in North Park and see some of the regular customers from my other restaurants stopping in. It makes me happy,” Mastellone said. The restaurant’s design was loosely inspired by the 1998 Italian movie of the same name and incorporates the Italian postal theme throughout. The decor borrows from the mail system in Italy, with vintage Italian postal graphics from actual express mail and large numbers stenciled on the walls. Wine is the other theme of Il Postino, as can be seen throughout in the custom tables and bar with screen printed wine details tattooed across them.?The architect and interior designer, Serena Zalleo, was born in Italy. Zalleo studied architecture at the Facoltà di Architettura in Torino, Italy and the Ecole d’architecture de Saint’ Etienne in France. Zalleo is a partner at Ctrl-Arch, an architectural and interior design firm based in Los Angeles and Torino, Italy. “The goal of the design,” Zanello said, “was to create a modern space without that minimal feel. Modern but warm.” Zanello has worked on several other projects in San Diego including the Keating Hotel’s Merk Restaurant and Sway Lounge.?Luca Forte, resident wine expert and director for Il Postino, selects and oversees an extensive wine list and plans to expand from its current selection of more than 400 wines. Il Postino features a separate wine bar and deli counter along with a fine dining restaurant. 3959 30th St. (619) 325-0809.?