Herb & Sea near Moonlight Beach in Encinitas occupies a preserved 1920s building on West D Street, blending East Coast culinary traditions with California-coast ingredients under a wood-fired cooking program. The seasonal menu highlights a Fresh Catch program showcasing underutilized Southern California species sourced from small-boat fishermen, a provenance-driven approach that extends the local seafood corridor anchored by Encinitas Fish Shop on South Coast Highway 101. Australian-raised chef Aidan Owens, who grew up on a farm near Byron Bay, changes the menu seasonally and partners with purveyors including Dassi Farms and fisherman John Law for direct-to-dock sourcing. The sister restaurant to Herb & Wood in Little Italy, this Encinitas location serves as a North County anchor for a multi-concept group, drawing overnight visitors from nearby Inn at Moonlight Beach for sunset dining on the covered patio. Highest-complexity offerings include whole-fish wood-roasted preparations with carcass-based fumet reductions and live-fire bivalve programs sourcing day-boat oysters for the raw bar.