Restaurant Openings

In March 2014, Richard Blais, winner of Bravo TV's "Top Chef" season eight, opened Juniper & Ivy in San Diego's Little Italy. Described as a "left coast cookery" with cuisine focused on locally sourced products, the restaurant features a vast, open layout with unique areas for groups or private functions and a main dining room with a variety of seating configurations from booths to tables for two. The innovative menu is divided into categories such as "Snacks", "Raw" and "Toast". Highlights include vegetable "chicharron" with green garlic and lime salt; nasturtium with Dungeness crab, meyer lemon curd and dill pollen; charred pinot grapes with ricotta, hyssop and ice wine vinegar, and uni carbonara with pork belly and white truffles. Additionally, a four-course tasting menu composed of four small bites and four small plates is available with an optional wine pairing.

In April 2014, Paradise Point Resort & Spa opened Tidal, a 3,000 sq. ft. waterfront restaurant with 180 degree views of Mission Bay. Set in what was a private beach house in the '60s, Tidal offers a laid-back bayside setting with a mid-century modern design featuring a fire pit-dotted deck, communal tables, aviator chairs and an indoor lounge. Chef Amy DiBiase's menu combines seasonal and locally sourced ingredients to create dishes with Italian and French influences like the olive oil poached halibut, ricotta gnudi and chicken confit. The bar offers a collection of wines, local craft beers and mixed drinks crated by local cocktail experts Snake Oil Cocktails.

In June 2014, Bijou French Bistro opened in La Jolla under the direction of award-winning Chef William Bradley. The acclaimed executive chef of the Five-Star, Five Diamond Addison at The Grand Del Mar serves as culinary director, while Shaun Gethin takes charge as chef de cuisine of this newly reinvented dining venue. The 10,000 sq. ft. restaurant features a wine bar, an 88-seat main dining room, wine cellar room for up to 12 guests, bar lounge and a private dining area. Evoking a casual yet classic European style, the French bistro offers a Parisian-inspired menu with classic cocktails, handcrafted beers on tap and a assortment of French wines.

In June 2014, Chef Chad White, the creator behind Craft Pizza in La Jolla and La Justina in Tijuana, opened Común Kitchen & Tavern in the emergent East Village near Petco Park. The Baja/Latin-inspired gastropub houses a bar and lounge area, self-serve beer station, open kitchen with bar seating, an intimate chef's table and a sidewalk patio. The seasonable changing menu offers small snacks like the "chicarron" with raw tuna and lime and a selection of tostadas, acai bowls, salads and homemade Mexican "paletas" for dessert. For more information, visit www.comunsd.com.

In June 2014, Rare Form opened in the East Village, offering a modern take on the classic deli. Located next to Petco Park, the 2,700 sq. ft. space offers deli classics like meat platters with pates and terrines and sandwiches stuffed with porchetta and house-smoked pastrami. Their not-so-classic items include a selection of waffle sandwiches like their crispy chicken and maple syrup waffle sandwich. The crafted cocktail menu revolves around cordials, eau de vie, fruit brandies, draft beer and boilermakers: cold draft beer with a shot of real schnapps.

Opening late summer of 2014, Bottega Americano in downtown's East Village will combine a moderately-priced sit-down restaurant with interactive culinary stations, a gourmet retail space, grab-and-go dining options, a bar, patio and private indoor/outdoor space for weddings, parties and corporate events. The $3 million, 8,000 sq. ft. marketplace sits at the epicenter of downtown's residential and commercial construction boom. The restaurant and prepared food menu will be "urban Italian with an American twist," with pizza, cured meats, fresh mozzarella, Italian wine and specialty coffees among the expected offerings.

Opening in September 2014, Kettner Exchange will feature progressive American cuisine from Executive Chef Brian Redzokiwsky. Complete with its own parking lot, the two story, 10,000sq. ft. eatery will house a bar, lounge seating, a chef's table for custom dinners and events, a 250-seat dining area with communal tables and Little Italy's first roof top patio with views of the Pacific Ocean. The menu will change seasonally and will be complemented by a cocktail menu and a selection of 32 beers on tap. For more information, visit www.kettnerexchange.com

Sweets and Treats

In March 2014, Calexico Creamery started operating in a converted trailer that makes weekly scheduled stops at local farmers markets and events. The ice cream truck specializes in home-made ice cream with Mexican inspired flavors, like the cream-based raspberry mole, café con leche and ricanelas (cinnamon sugar cookies). Their "paletas" and popsicles' flavors can vary from mango with chili to tamarind with root beer. The chocolate and vanilla used are obtained directly from Mexico, while most of the other ingredients are sourced locally.

In June 2014, Hammond's Gourmet Ice Cream opened in a refurbished building in the heart of trendy North Park. The locally-owned ice cream shop offers a rotating selection of 32 ice creams and sorbets from the Hawaii-based Tropical Dreams. Flavors include chocolate coconut macadamia nut, peanut butter with mango jelly and Kona Coffee with ground coffee.

In July 2014, Bake Sale started baking pecan sticky buns, chocolate crinkle cookies, blueberry muffins and chocolate croissants in the East Village. Inspired by old-fashioned bake shops, the bakery makes daily batches of fresh bread and during lunch serves a selection of soups, salads and sandwiches. For more information, visit

In July 2014, ShakeAway opened its first two US milkshake stores in La Jolla and Pacific Beach. The UK-based chain offers made-to-order milkshakes with more than 180 add-in options like candy, cake, fruit, chocolates, cereal, soda and Red Bull. ShakeAway is also home to the Millionaire's Milkshake, a $19.99 shake made with vanilla ice cream, Bourneville dark-chocolate bars, roasted hazelnuts, topped with whipped cream and edible 23-karat gold flakes. The franchise operates 30 stores across the United Kingdom, Mexico and the Middle East.

Opening in September 2014, Nomad Donuts will offer coffee and a weekly changing selection of artisanal donuts and biscotti. The creations will be inspired from international flavors, like Thai and southern barbeque. The North Park bound shop plans to use organic and non GMO ingredients, along with seasonal produce from local farmers markets. Also, opening in September 2014, Donut Joint will offer fresh gourmet donuts and organic coffee from San Diego's Café Virtuoso. The 1,100 sq. ft. "joint" in Little Italy will feature a walk down window, sit down bar and an outdoor patio. Donut Joint will be the boutique coffee and donut shop of Kettner Exchange, which will open next door.

Menu and Restaurant Makeovers

Bang Bang, the restaurant and bar known for its bathrooms decked out with pictures of Godzilla and Ryan Gosling, has recently revamped its dining, sushi and bar menu. The Asian-fusion restaurant located in the Gaslamp Quarter now offers dishes like the crispy wonton and tuna tartar taco, Ban Ban pork buns and the ahi poke and ice cream salad, while the sushi menu features specialty rolls like the Hello Kitty wrapped in pink soy paper and the Bruce Lee wrapped with albacore, sisho, lemon slices and a soy mustard sauce.

In July 2014, Indigo Grill reopened with a brand new look and menu crafted by the restaurant's new Executive Chef Jason Maitland in collaboration with former Chef Deborah Scott. Little Italy's Latin-inspired restaurant now features shareable items such as anticucho boards, small plates and crostinos. Menu highlights include the tamarind-jalapeno glazed pig tails with radish, peanut and house buttermilk dressing as well as the "flaming hot Cheetos" – pig ears, lime zest and cotija. The revamped interior features a 12-person bar and communal tables, while the extended patio now seats 50 patrons.

In July 2014, Kona Kai Resort & Marina's waterfront restaurant reopened its doors as part of a $22 million renovation of the entire resort. The revamped Vessel now features a 360-degree bar at the center of the restaurant, a video wall showcasing local landscapes and an outdoor patio with views of the marina. The restaurant also introduced a new executive chef, Roy Hendrickson, who joined Vessel to create new American cuisine menu consisting of coastal dishes with local and seasonal ingredients.

The Grant Grill at The US GRANT Hotel in downtown has a new Chef de Cuisine, Sam Bruman, who helped launch a new lounge, breakfast, brunch and lunch menu to feature local produce, seafood and meats. Menu items include the cinnamon French toast made with blueberry stew, ricotta cheese, and lemon curd; the lamb meatball sandwich with calabrian tomato sauce, fontina and shaved fennel, and the Baja mussels complete with fermented jalapeno, garlic butter and toast. Mixologist Jeff Josenhans is also working on a new cocktail project named Génépi Americana, which utilizes specialty barrel aged spirits, like a Chartreuse aged with local, organic botanicals and southern California wildflower honey.

New and Unique

In June 2014, The Curious Fork in Solana Beach opened its doors to serve organically sourced and gluten-free freshly baked pastries, smoothies, salads, sandwiches, soups and pizzas. The 1,800 sq. ft. quick-service café also serves as an educational kitchen offering cooking classes with guest speakers and a culinary retail center selling selected healthy products and bake ware. The hybrid culinary location plans to host book authors, honey producers and local farmers.

In June 2014, Tacos Perla opened in the North Park neighborhood's North Parker building designed by famed architect Jonathan Segal. The Mexican-influenced eatery offers a menu that includes traditional and not-so-traditional tacos like the Ocho, featuring braised-then-grilled octopus or the Veg, their daily "experimental" taco. For just 75 cents, patrons can add cheese, chicharrones or crickets to their tacos. The traditional yet innovative menu was created by Jaison Burke executive chef at The Pearl in Point Loma, with consultation from Chef Oso Campos of Tijuana's Tacos Kokopelli.

Projected to open in North Park in early fall, Swine Bar will be heaven for all bacon lovers, featuring 15 to 20 different flavors of bacon ranging from wasabi to chocolate-dipped. Chef Mark Youngreen plans to also offer house-made exotic sausages and charcuterie like python, camel and iguana. The craft cocktail list will offer unique creations utilizing bacon and mezcal. The new fast-casual concept by Scott Slater, owner of Slater's 50/50, will include a retail market which will sell their bacon, charcuterie and sausages to take home.

Brew and Libations News

In August 2014, Zymology 21 opened in downtown's historic Gaslamp Quarter. The bar offers drinks formulated through house fermentation, puree and infusion techniques like organic molecularly-infused liquors and syphon coffee; a vapor-pressured process that vacuum brews coffee, through a double chambered pot. Zymology 21 also serves small bites and is open for brunch, dinner and late night cocktails.

In June 2014, Draft started serving more than 60 beers on tap and approximately 50 bottled beers in the historic Belmont Park on Mission Beach. The beer-centric pub with prime boardwalk patio seating offers views of the Pacific Ocean, a 31 ft. tall television screen, pool tables and a casual menu featuring "slacker jack" popcorn, pork belly corn dogs, mac n' cheese with English peas, thyme, mushrooms, chives and smoky cheese and a lemon meringue milkshake.

In July 2014, Panama 66 took residence at The San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. The outdoor bar and restaurant is currently in a "soft opening" stage while final touches are put into place for the official opening expected for late August. Panama 66 is currently serving lunch Monday through Friday and brunch on weekends. Their "soft opening" drink menu offers local draught beers and craft cocktails, while their food menu focuses on serving locally sourced food, like salads and sandwiches for lunch and house-made doughnuts and Belgian waffles for brunch.

In May 2014, Point Loma's Modern Times brewery opened a tasting room in North Park, featuring 16 beers on tap and a pet friendly outdoor patio. Food can be ordered from their neighbor, Tacos Perla, which delivers the food right to the table. Also in June 2014, North County's Stone Brewing Co., the 10th largest and fastest growing craft brewery in the United States, opened a new tap room in the East Village next to PETCO Park. Besides offering their well-known craft beers, the Stone Brewing Tap Room also serves salads, flatbreads and desserts.

In fall 2014, Coronado Brewing Company and Rip Current will expand their reach with new restaurants and tasting rooms. Coronado Brewing Company will open its new site in Imperial Beach and it will feature a tasting room and 16 beers on tap. The new spot won't have brewing capacity, but special beers will be made just for the location. Meanwhile, San Marcos-based Rip Current will open its tasting room and restaurant in North Park. The location will seat 150 people and will serve 20 beers on tap and a farm-to-table menu featuring duck wings with Asian glaze, quinoa bowls and mac and cheese.

Opening September, 2014 in Oceanside by award-winning brewer Jeff Bagby, Bagby Beer Company will produce 15 to 20 styles of house brews in its 1,500 square ft. location. The two floor brewery and restaurant will feature about 140 beers on tap, including 26 taps in the tasting room, and will offer a casual eating space on the ground floor and a more upscale dining experience with views of the ocean on the top floor.

Major Culinary Events

From downtown San Diego's historic Gaslamp Quarter to the beaches of La Jolla and Coronado and beyond, visitors to San Diego can find amazing deals at top restaurants during San Diego Restaurant Week, from Sept. 21-26, 2014. The six-day celebration provides food lovers the opportunity to experience the region's evolving dining scene for a fraction of the normal cost with special three-course, prix fixe dinner menus for just $25, $35 or $45 per person (beverages, tax and gratuity not included) at more than 180 participating restaurants. A recent addition to San Diego Restaurant Week is the lunch program, which gives daytime diners the opportunity to feast on special two-course, prix-fixe lunch menus for just $10, $15 or $20 per person (beverages, tax and gratuity not included) at participating restaurants. Tickets or special passes are not required; however, reservations are recommended. The full list of participating restaurants and their menus can be found online.

San Diego Beer Week returns Nov. 7-16, 2014 for a 10-day celebration of local craft beer and San Diego's thriving brewing culture. The event serves as a showcase for San Diego's breweries, restaurants and pubs. Festivities kick off with a Brewers Guild Festival at the Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier in downtown San Diego. The two day kick off festival will showcase more than 60 of San Diego's finest craft breweries and food from local craft-beer friendly restaurants and food trucks. On Nov. 16, San Diego Beer Week will conclude with the Beer Garden Event at The Lodge at Torrey Pines, a beer and food pairing event showcasing 24 breweries and 12 chefs. Tickets can be purchased online.

The Latin Food Fest returns for its 2nd year from Sept. 11-13, 2014, to showcase Latin cuisine while helping with the fight against hunger. This event is the largest Latin food festival in California and showcases San Diego's Latin influence. On Sept. 13, the Latin Food Fest will conclude with the Grand Tasting Village at Embarcadero Marina Park North, featuring food from more than 200 restaurants, local and international wine, spirits and beer, book signings and cooking demos from acclaimed celebrity chefs and the Top Chef, Best Restaurant and Best Dish competition. Attendees can also enjoy live music, an art show and a silent auction of culinary supplies and memorabilia to benefit Feeding America San Diego. Tickets can be purchased online.

Happiness is calling in San Diego. For more information on San Diego's offerings, including exciting vacation packages and valuable coupons for attractions, restaurants and more, visit the San Diego Tourism Authority's website at www.sandiego.org or call 619-236-1212.