Their cioppino deserves special mention – a San Francisco-worthy seafood stew brimming with clams, mussels, fish, and shellfish in a rich tomato broth that begs to be sopped up with sourdough bread.

You might find yourself chatting with a local fisherman at one table and road-tripping retirees from San Diego at another. Food has always been the great connector, and at Sea Pal Cove, these ...