Launching a pop-up is an accomplishment in itself. Having it be successful—also impressive. But going from a mobile setup to opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant in the heart of North Park in a year? That’s next level.
And it’s exactly what Nathaniel (Nate) Cadsap and Megan Ly are going to do this fall, when they move into 3914 30th Street to launch their standalone restaurant, Common Table.
Both Cadsap and Ly are San Diego natives, with Cadsap working in kitchens like Underbelly, Animae, Kettner Exchange, and Yokohama Yakitori Koubou for the past 11 years. When the two met, they immediately bonded over a shared love of food, especially all of the exciting flavors and different approaches in Asian cuisine. To explore that passion, they launched an Asian fusion pop-up concept called 86’d last July, serving items loosely based on some of their favorite dishes.
Courtesy of Common Table
“Our chicken sandwich—that one’s our katsu sando—that one’s our number one seller, and it’s based off chicken nanban that I had in Osaka,” explains Cadsap. “Our tacos [are] basically a play off ramen and birria—I pretty much merged them together to make a taco.” However, Ly adds, their approach to classic dishes aren’t always what people expect.
“There are chicken sandwiches out there, but you’ll be surprised with how light our chicken sandwiches are,” she promises. “I just think it’s really unique flavors with a familiar flavor profile, but delivered in different ways.”
Opening a brick-and-mortar was their goal from the beginning, says Ly. But they hadn’t really started looking, until William Sutjiadi approached them with an opportunity. He owns Matcha Cafe Maiko and was a partner in the Rising Sun Collective, which had hoped to occupy the space on 30th Street after Sipz Vegetarian Kitchen. That didn’t pan out, so he came to Cadsap and Ly to see if they’d be interested. (Spoiler alert: they were.)
The pair hopes to continue the 86’d weekly pop-up residency at the La Jolla Open Aire Market every Sunday until Common Table opens (Cadsap says they’re shooting for sometime in October), but will likely take a pause on pop-up operations during the restaurant’s soft opening phase. The menu will be limited at first—mostly a few sandwiches, tacos, and small plates like seaweed salad, fries, and fried shisito peppers, but they hope to add more items like rice plates once they get into the groove, plus wine, beer, sake, and soju.
They’ll also tap into the community to fill in the gaps in their menu—notably, some pop-ups like The Clovery and Mon Chourie for dessert options. Because, after all, that community is the reason they made it this far. “There were a lot of people that helped us, that gave us advice, that fed us,” says Cadsap. Ly agrees. They’re ready to give back in that same spirit.
Common Table will open at 3914 30th Street in late fall, with estimated operating hours as follows: Wednesdays and Thursdays for dinner; Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sundays 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Courtesy of Bruster’s Real Ice Cream
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Real Ice Cream Coming To San Diego
Since opening the first location in 1989, Bruster’s Real Ice Cream has expanded to nearly 200 stores across the US. In a few weeks, it’ll land in La Mesa—and in early 2026, Mira Mesa as well. The “real” part comes from the fact that every location makes its own flavors from scratch on-site. (I mean, sounds good to me.) Traci and John Harris, along with John’s sister Goldie and her husband Terry Roberts, hope to bring at least two locations across the county to add to San Diego’s already stellar ice cream scene, but I say the more the merrier.
Photo Credit: Elodie Bost Lilo
Beth’s Bites
And the crown goes to Eliza Woodman, lead bartender at Communion! Her Mai Tai just took the number one spot at the World’s Best Mai Tai Competition in Las Vegas, netting her $15,000 and mega-bragging rights. Head up to the rooftop ASAP to get a taste of the world’s best Mai Tai before the rum-loving crowds descend.
Another win for San Diego—after earning a Michelin star just 2.5 months after opening, Lilo in Carlsbad has notched up another accolade. The New York Times named the 50 best restaurants in America, and yes, we all know these lists are subjective, but it’s pretty hard to argue with their picks. Congrats to the Lilo team and keep up the good work!
The pizza gods giveth and the pizza gods taketh away. Woodstock’s Pizza is shutting its doors in Pacific Beach on Sunday, September 21. Its college-adjacent locations are still in full swing (including the one at SDSU, phew!), so you can still get your beer and pizza specials as regularly scheduled.
PB may be losing some ‘za, but it’s gaining matcha. 12 Hrs Matcha Cafe is heading to 1140 Garnet Avenue, bringing its health-conscious brand of drinks and acid-green goodies to the beachside area in the next few months. (Can’t wait? Head to the Chula Vista location in the meantime.)
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Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
