Things to do
Things to do in Kensington
A small village center with the Ken Cinema, Spanish revival streets, and nothing much taller than two stories.
Things to do
Kensington neon signLandmark
Installed by the community over Adams Avenue in 1953, the sign was designated City of San Diego historic resource No. 865 in 2008 and reinstalled in November 2010.
Adams Ave. near Marlborough Dr.
Spanish Revival house walkLandmark
The streets north of Adams Avenue hold late-1920s Spanish Revival homes, including designs by Cliff May and Richard Requa.
Mission Valley rimPark
The neighborhood's northern streets overlook Mission Valley from the canyon edge.
Kensington-Normal Heights LibraryFamily
The neighborhood's San Diego Public Library branch on Adams Avenue.
4121 Adams Ave.
Adams Avenue business districtShopping
A compact strip of cafés, bistros, pizzerias and wine shops under the neon sign, walkable from nearly every Kensington home.
Clos Wine Shop and Bine & VineShopping
Two neighborhood bottle shops that pour by the glass.
Sycamore DenNightlife
A 1970s-styled cocktail lounge with a daily happy hour.
Adams Avenue Unplugged and Street FairArts
Adams Avenue's spring acoustic music crawl and September street fair are a short walk west in Normal Heights.
Eat & drink
Kensington CafeBreakfast and brunch
The neighborhood's long-running breakfast and coffee anchor on Adams Avenue.
The Haven PizzeriaPizza
A neighborhood pizzeria open more than 13 years, run by the same owner as Kensington Cafe.
Ponce's Mexican RestaurantMexican
A family-run Adams Avenue standby known for margaritas and camarones a la diabla.
Bleu BohèmeFrench bistro
Moules frites and live music on weekends.
PappaleccoItalian café
Napoli-style pizza, espresso and gelato.
Et Voilà! French BistroFrench
A well-reviewed bistro for classic French dishes.
Annual events
Adams Avenue UnpluggedSpring
Acoustic performances in cafés and bars along Adams Avenue.
Adams Avenue Street FairLast weekend of September
The free music festival just west in Normal Heights draws Kensington residents on foot.