Too often, a restaurant will open with a stellar cocktail menu and talented folks behind the bar only to reverse course a year or two later to save some money. It sucks for the bartender(s) who helped shape the restaurant’s reputation and for folks like me who helped promote it.
So I’m going to shift course a bit with this blog and try to highlight the places that have made a commitment to great cocktails—and where I know my recommendation will mean something next month, next year, and hopefully further into the future.
That’s why I appreciate Madison on Park, where bar manager Danny Kuehner has headed up the cocktail program since the restaurant’s opening three years ago. At Madison, you’ll find consistently impressive, innovative cocktails.
“These guys, they get it,” Kuehner says of Madison’s ownership and management. “They’re super cool and they let me just kind of do my thing.”
Last week, Kuehner introduced a menu of 15 new cocktails, the first menu overhaul since the restaurant opened three years ago. Here are four to check out:
Four Cocktails to Try from Madison on Park’s New Menu
@celerydreams
Queen of Crowns
What’s in it: Botanist Gin that’s been “infused” with an amethyst crystal, fennel, anise, wormwood, butterfly pea flower (which gives the cocktail its otherworldly violet hue), Giffard Crème de Violette liqueur, and Strega, a lightly sweet, herbal amaro
Why you should try it: Aside from the dreamy combo of gin, Crème de Violette, and Strega, this centerpiece cocktail from the new menu is an interactive experience. It’s served on a Tarot card coaster with a smudge stick of palo santo wood affixed to the glass. Palo santo trees are found in South and Central America—”palo santo” is Spanish for “sacred tree”—and burning a stick of wood is believed to help with healing and creativity. Your cocktail gets a blessing from the smoke, and you can take the stick home to extend the good vibes. As for the amethyst crystal-infused gin, Kuehner said he and general manger Matt Sieve had been talking about crystals and decided to have a little fun with them. It doesn’t change the taste of the gin, but it may help you chill out after a long day—above and beyond the cocktail itself, of course.
Four Cocktails to Try from Madison on Park’s New Menu
What’s in it: Doctor Bird and Appleton Estate Jamaican rums, Port, avocado-pit orgeat, Angostura bitters, and an Absinthe rinse
Why you should try it: Port isn’t just an after-dinner drink. It goes great in cocktails, especially ones with rum, adding some fruit flavors and earthiness. As for the avocado pit orgeat, it resulted from Kuehner’s effort to re-use kitchen items that would normally be discarded. Madison serves a housemade guacamole, so Kuehner came up with the idea of using the avocado pits to make an orgeat, a sweet syrup normally made from almonds and used in tiki cocktails. “I wasn’t like, ‘Oh these avocado pits, you know, have, this or that kind of distinct flavor,’” he says. But, they do have a pleasantly nutty, slightly vegetal flavor. “You just blend up [the dried avocado pits] and make a little simple syrup out of it.”
Kokoro
What’s in it: Kokori Japanese whiskey, white miso, Batavia Arrack, lemon
Why you should try it: Kuehner set out to make an umami syrup from white miso that would complement Kokori, a Japanese whiskey that’s distilled from rice but aged like a traditional whiskey. The result is mild and delicate—Kuehner compares it to a nice nigori. The cocktail gets a kick from Batavia Arrack a funky Indonesian rum-like spirit, also distilled from rice.
Vegan Milk Punch
What’s in it: Three different rums, spiced pear brandy, Campari, a passion fruit-ginger syrup, pineapple, lime, coconut white balsamic, and creole bitters.
Why you should try it: Milk punch is a fascinating drink. Around since the 1600s, it’s made by mixing milk with booze, spices, and juice, curdling it and then straining it until it’s clear. Kuehner’s vegan milk punch—which is served in a shell—uses almond milk in place of milk. He combines three different rums, spiced pear brandy, Campari, a passion fruit-ginger syrup, pineapple, lime, coconut white balsamic, and creole bitters. If you’ve had milk punch, you know just by reading those ingredients that this one’s good.
When San Diego launched Micro Enterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO), it changed everything. Riverside County first established the experimental program in 2019, with San Diego introducing its own countywide pilot program in 2022 and granting it permanent status in 2024. The new category allowed people to launch at-home retail food operations—basically, home restaurants—with special requirements and restrictions to ensure food safety and smooth operations. Over two dozen counties across California have since adopted their own versions with over 1,200 permits issued, around 100 of them in San Diego alone.
Some have a dizzyingly long waitlist (Warung RieRie), others are still getting their name out there (The Hidden Gazebo Eatery), and still others use MEHKO for pickups rather than fully opening their home as an onsite dining facility. Love Pupusas falls into that category.
Yanira Majano came with her family from El Salvador to the United States when she was 11 years old, bringing a love of cooking and desire to share the country’s cuisine along with her. “There’s a lot of similarity [between Salvadoran food and] Central, South America, even Baja Mexico,” she says. Salvadoran cooking tends to be less spicy than some Mexican cuisines, with an emphasis on ingredients like corn, staples like yucca root (cassava), meats like crispy pork (chicharrón), and sides like curtido, a tangy cabbage slaw that’s typically either naturally fermented or vinegar-based.
And of course, the signature dish of El Salvador—pupusas.
In San Diego, Salvadoran food lacks the widespread availability of other Latin American cuisines like Mexican or Peruvian food, but Majano says she’s seen pupusas gain popularity over the past few years. But she likes to think her recipes, which have been passed down by her mother and kitchen partner Martha, contain a certain special something.
Some pupuserías use rice flour to create the handheld stuffed tortillas, but she prefers the more traditional gluten-free corn flour. Still, it’s what’s inside that really counts. “That’s where we put our own touch,” she explains. Most of Majano’s pupusas come with cheese and different fillings like carnitas, black beans, mushrooms, or zucchini, but she also offers vegan options. Every one comes with a side of curtido and salsa, each made fresh daily.
Showing people the magic of home-cooked food might not have been possible without the MEHKO program or The Cook Alliance, a MEHKO support and advocacy coalition. Opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant requires a huge amount of start-up capital—at least six figures, generally. Not exactly pocket change. “But when the MEHKO program started in 2022, I said, ‘Oh my God, this is for me,’” says Majano.
Now with four years under her belt, she says she’d love to bring Love Pupusas to more food festivals, host more pop-ups, and eventually open a food truck to keep serving the humble dish of her homeland, taking pride in every bite. “[I put] a lot of love in everything I do. You see it when you taste the food,” she promises.
Pre-order Love Pupusas for next day pickup in Rancho Peñasquitos between noon and 5 p.m.
It’s not the end of the road for Catalina Offshore Products—just the end of an address. The local family-owned fish market announced that come September, they are moving from their longtime location in the Morena District to The Old San Diego Seafood Building at 1842 McKinley Avenue in National City. Normal business operations will resume in October with the same retail market fully stocked with premium seafood and local catches, so it’s not goodbye, it’s just “see you later.” (And yes, 5202 Lovelock Street is still open until moving day.)
Don’t come at me with complaints about autumnal seasonal creep—I got an email this week about holiday shopping. In August. In comparison, the 2026 release of Karl Strauss Oktoberfest seems right on time. For the 38th year in a row, ahead of the Munich-inspired festivities, the 5 percent ABV malty amber lager is now available in bottles, with draft coming to the brewpubs in September. Despite the lack of chill in the air, there’s no reason why your fridge can’t be stocked with this frosty German delight.
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
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.
The folks at Kairoa Brewing Company must never be lonely. It seems like there’s always a local pop-up or event at the University Heights space, from Bincho Taco slinging Japanese coal-fired tacos on the rooftop patio every Tuesday to Yipao Coffee serving coffee from a window on the ground floor. Later this year, the New Zealand-inspired brewery will bring yet another resident into the fold—Mon Chourie is launching its first bakery counter service window along Park Blvd.
Mon Chourie owner and baker Kelly Kim first started selling her Korean-style cream puffs at farmers markets and places like Pizza Kaiju, Pho Ga Go, and Mixed Grounds, collaborating with a myriad of other makers (like Amor ice cream and Ming Oun’s) before nabbing a regular spot at Michi Michi Bakery every Wednesday. San Diego Magazine readers even voted Mon Chourie the Best Pop-Up for 2026.
In French, the word for an airy puff pastry is “choux,” which is pronounced generally the same way as “syu,” the Korean word for the same item. (Both sound like “shoe.”) Mon Chourie plays with both iterations with a dash of whimsy by referencing the song My Cherie Amour by Stevie Wonder, which translates to “my darling love.”
As long as all the permits and inspections move forward without issue, Mon Chourie should open in Kairoa before the busy holiday season. She’ll continue appearing every Wednesday at Michi Michi and other pop-ups in the meantime. Once open, expect best-selling flavors like the savory potato croquette (a collaboration with Karanchi chili crisp) and a sweet Dubai chocolate choux au craquelin, a version of puff pastry with a delicate cookie crust.
Classic cream puffs are fluffy, softs and often filled with custard cream in the United States. “What makes a difference for us is we use a very light version of diplomat cream, which is my mom’s recipe,” she explains. Diplomat cream is a lighter French pastry cream that uses whipped cream for a lighter, airier end result.
Choux au craquelin’s signature crunchy top comes from adding a thin disc of cookie-like dough on top of the pastry, which crackles as it bakes, leaving a thin layer of crispiness atop the final product. “It contrasts with the creamy, fluffy cream inside, so it gets that better, deeper texture experience,” she says.
Courtesy of Kelly Kim
Along with her popular cream puffs and her bite-sized “mini-choux” options, Kim is also planning on offering more of a newer-to-her item: salt bread, a rich butter pastry topped with sea salt that originated in Japan, but went completely viral in South Korea. There are a few places to get it in Los Angeles and New York, “but I know that a lot of people here are interested in trying out new stuff, or maybe they had it in Korea or Japan, and they came back, but they couldn’t find it anymore,” says Kim. At first, she didn’t really get why it was so popular. Then she tried it in South Korea earlier this year.
“I was in love,” she laughs. “This is what the hype is about.”
Ideally, Mon Chourie will eventually open its own storefront and introduce more events in North County to satisfy demand. “I would also love to have our own drink program that reflects what’s popular in Korea,” she says. And to mark two years of puffy pastry prosperity, Mon Chourie is throwing a two-year anniversary party at Easy Does It (5375 Kearny Villa Rd., Suite 112) on Wednesday, August 25 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. with drink specials like a misugaru latte (a Korean roasted multi-grain powder with espresso), a DJ, photo booths, special ceramic merch created by local ceramicist Whale Tran, and a few other vendors. Get there early.
Mabel’s Gone Fishing has always supported the arts—see their Fishbowl Artist Series—and they’re keeping things going this month with The Studio Table, an immersive dining event on Saturday, August 29 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Barrio Logan-based ceramic studio Tao of Clay. For $160, guests can slurp down oysters and other Spanish-inspired pintxos, Basque ciders, cocktails, and take home a handmade oyster bowl made with reclaimed oyster shells. Gratuity is included for this 21+ event, so be prepared to slow down and enjoy the tangible fruits of nature.
City Tacos keeps moving and shaking, and the restaurant group’s next landing place is Liberty Station. El Punto by City Tacos is slated to open in October in the former El Jardin space (2885 Perry Road, Suite 102). Once destined to become another Lola55 outpost, the space will now become a full-service, family-friendly, and dog-friendly restaurant with seafood, tacos, cocktails, and more.
For as many closings as we’ve seen over the past year, restaurant openings seem to be back on track. The long-awaited Honor Bar finally opened its doors in Del Mar this summer, and Soul Sip in North Park is soft open from 4 p.m. to midnight daily. Still on the way are The Shackhouse by Julian Beer Company (slated to open by Labor Day) and Sprouts Farmers Market plans to open in the former Pancho Villa’s building in North Park this October. (La Mesa is still waiting patiently for Stella Jean’s and Pop Pie to make their debuts.)
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
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.
Snacks are the best vacation souvenirs. You get all the novelty of having something to unwrap without any of the burden of keeping random crap around. I’m always game to try some chips from a place I can’t find on a map with ingredients I can’t identify by taste. Gimme that spice mix from that Southern barbecue pit whose wine list consists of light beers from lesser-known appellations. Don’t think I won’t lick the inside wrapper of some chocolate bar homemade by a grandma at a farmers market you stumbled upon in a small Midwestern town best known for giant yarn balls.
Even though San Diego is best known for our thigh-sized burritos, fish tacos, and craft beers, those travel about as well as room-temp mayo. So we gathered some of the city’s best food souvenirs: snacks, spices, and sauces worth sliding into your carry-on or gifting to a lucky out-of-towner.
Inside Bread & Salt—Barrio Logan’s old Weber Bread Factory turned into one of the city’s most vibrant art, culture, and community spaces—there’s a cafe in front of a giant, now-defunct bread mixer. Mexican-owned specialty brew shop and roastery Provecho! Coffee started as a pop-up in 2020, but its success quickly bricked-and-mortared. Although Provecho! specializes in sourcing and roasting Mexican coffees, its consistency is variety: The lineup changes regularly as Provecho! finds new sources around the world. Get a to-go taste via the coffee bags that range between 250 g and 2 kg.
Courtesy of Superlova!
Sesame Sauce
Superlova!
Superlova!’s Chinese-inspired, seed oil–free sauces are grocery list mainstays for San Diegans. The sesame sauces (Dan Dan is spicy, May May is tame) pair with noodles, dumplings, or any meal that could use a little more oomph. They don’t have tahini, which is de-hulled; they have Chinese sesame paste, which is dark-roasted for a nuttier flavor and packed with fiber and calcium.
Courtesy of JuneShine
Hard Kombucha
JuneShine
San Diego is known for beer, sure. But real locals pour from a different tap. JuneShine’s low-sugar, yet still refreshingly sweet, hard kombucha is an SD favorite. The brand has joined the canned cocktail tidal wave and now sells vodka mules, tequila palomas, and vodka sodas—all with about two shots per can, real juice, and sparkling water. But for a classic food gift, get a variety pack of the booch. Fit it into your checked bag. It’s worth it.
Double entendre is key to hot sauce brand Down To Ferment, aka DTF. (Popular sauces have flavor names like CornHub, Smokin’ Hot Date, and Ghosted.) But it’s no gimmick. The homemade, kombucha-based sauce is seriously good: DTF’s That’s What Shishito Said made it onto Season 30’s lineup on Internet-famous interview show Hot Ones.
Courtesy of Tortilleria Los Reyes
Fresh Tortillas
As discussed, carne asada burritos travel about as well as a toddler with emotional-regulation issues. But the soul of a truly great, San Diego burrito? It’s not the fillings. It’s the tortilla. You can’t go wrong from any locally owned spots, but our favorites are Tortilleria Los Reyes in Vista, Windmill Farms Market in Del Cerro (which uses Pancho Villa’s old tortilla press), Esperanza’s Tortilleria in Escondido, and Tortilleria Lily in City Heights.
Courtesy of Karanchi
Chili Crisp
Karanchi
Handcrafted in small batches, Karanchi’s Sichuan peppercorn–packed chili oil comes in two varieties: original and spicy. The original warms your palate and adds depth to your meal, and the spicy is a form of mealtime masochism. Founder Nguyen Le’s favorite way to eat his garlic-studded chili crisp is on avocado toast—which makes an already San Diego meal even more San Diegan—but it’d make old shoes taste pretty good.
Fresh fish ranks low on society’s acceptable realms of carry-on items. But canned fresh fish straight from local fishermen? You’re the best part of a bruschetta. Every Saturday at the docks behind Seaport Village, fishermen step off their boats and sell what they caught as recently as that morning. While getting yourself some fresh sea urchin and squid, grab a couple cans of locally caught albacore tuna for the tinned-fish lover in your life.
Photo Credit: Salsa Digital Agency
Conchas
Tus Chefs Favoritas
Started as a pandemic baking hobby for BFFs Natalie Rodriguez and Lesly Mendoza, Tus Chefs is now a South County favorite spot for conchas with a twist. The menu is expansive enough to get over a baker’s dozen without any repeats—why not get one of each, anyway?—but if you only have enough space in your carry-on for a few, start with popular “chocolate abuelita,” churro, mazapan, horchata, and brownie conchas.
Emma Veidt is an editor at San Diego Magazine. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the Missouri School of Journalism. She loves running, hiking, and rock climbing, but really, she mostly loves encounters with the street cats around North Park.
A perfectly designed home rarely happens by accident. Those kitchens that feel effortless and rooms that seem to tell a story the second you walk in? They’re usually the work of someone who knows exactly what they’re doing.
It’s knowing which ideas will actually work, which materials will hold up over time, and how to turn a collection of choices into a space that feels intentional. That’s where a professional interior designer comes in.
For the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) California San Diego Chapter, the goal is to help people see interior design as more than just the finished look. Behind every well-designed space is a process built on technical expertise. Designers are educated in everything from professional software and construction details to building codes, space planning, materials, and functionality.
Courtesy of ASID
“People don’t always realize how much goes on behind the scenes,” Kirsten Recce , current president of the ASID California San Diego Chapter, says. “Our designers are not just doing furniture placement and color selection and picking out new fluffy pillows. That’s not what they’re trained for.”
ASID members bring formal education, continued learning, and industry knowledge to their projects, helping create spaces that are not only beautiful, but designed to work. A paint color that changes completely depending on the lighting. A material that looks beautiful in a showroom but doesn’t make sense for everyday life. A layout that photographs well but doesn’t function for the people living there. These are the details where professional guidance can make all the difference.
Still, one of the biggest misconceptions about hiring an interior designer is that it’s reserved for massive renovations, luxury homes, or people who already know exactly what they want. The process can feel intimidating. Where do you begin? Is a designer worth the investment? What if you only need help with one room?
ASID’s answer: start with one hour.
ASID’s Spruce Up events break down one of the biggest barriers between homeowners and professional design: knowing where to begin. Held twice a year, the community program gives homeowners the chance to work directly with an ASID designer through a one-hour, $125 consultation in their own home. Whether you’re looking for advice on furniture placement, window treatments, kitchen and bath updates, remodeling ideas, vacation rentals, color selections or something else entirely, the upcoming September 2026 event offers an approachable way to get expert guidance before committing to a full project. Signups are open through Sept. 7, with consultations taking place Sept. 21 through Oct. 31. Proceeds benefit ASID San Diego’s educational and community programs. Register here!
Courtesy of ASID
“It’s a great opportunity for people who are in that exploratory phase,” Recce says. “Maybe they’re not sure they want to hire an interior designer yet, or they think it sounds daunting or expensive. This gives them a chance to discover what working with a designer is actually like.”
Design is personal. A good designer isn’t just creating a beautiful room; they’re helping create a space that fits the way someone lives.
“We’re a resource to all of San Diego County,” Recce says. “It doesn’t cost anything to pick up the phone and call and ask. We’ll answer.”
It’s August. Corn season—that hallowed dental flossian time—is upon us. Peak summer means the fruits from local farms are downright NC-17. It’s also hot-adjacent, so we search out top-notch sashimi and interesting fruit punches. And because we’re contrarians, we also find ourselves tucking into a warm lobster roll in North Park, vying for a father’s love. Anyway, these are the stories behind the best things we found this month—things we’d recommend to friends who didn’t owe us money. Salamat.
Chef Ethan Yang grew up folding dumplings in his dad’s San Diego restaurants—such as the former Fortune Cookie in Rancho Bernardo, which drew on the family’s Taiwanese and Chinese roots. So the Taiwanese beef noodle soup on the menu at Glass Box (a lovely glass-enclosed sushi and pan-Asian spot at Sky Deck in Del Mar) is a family pride—the result of Ethan, dad, and his brother tinkering endlessly with various bones (they finally found the perfect bone, only sold by one butcher in LA).
But the dish that shows off his raw fish skills is the albacore—lightly cured in soy, mirin, and toasted sesame oil, flame-torched to caramelize, and finished with smoked shoyu, chive oil, shiso oil, house-pickled sweet peppers, and crispy rice pearls. —Troy Johnson
Luce Bar & Kitchen
Double-Cut Duroc Pork Chop
“Wait, where is it?” I hear this a lot when suggesting Luce for drinks or a bite. The Bay Park restaurant is smack dab in a part of the city that isn’t conventionally attractive: on the side of the 5 freeway, next to a bevy of service-looking storefronts. To be in this area, you either live here (homes here are fairly excellent with that bay view) or are getting a muffler fixed. A better reason to be in Bay Park: An evening at Luce, a locals’ haunt. Get the Duroc pork chop (the chefs’ chop, with darker meat, higher fat content, better marbling) with collard greens, toasted grits (toasting anything results in a better version of that anything), and a mustard glaze that makes you feel like you’re in the South enjoying sweet tea with friends. —Nicolle Monico
Courtesy of Sipwell Wine Co.
Sipwell Wine Co.
Tiny Victories
Ever walk into your kitchen during the afternoon feeling recklessly free and decide the time is exactly right for a glass of Champagne? Maybe you crushed a work project or navigated a 4-year-old’s meltdown with the elegance of a global diplomat. You ever then pour that glass and are immediately pulled away by other demanding life errata—and by the time you eventually return to celebrating being alive, you find the remaining victory-juice sits in the popped bottle, losing its steam, and serving you a metaphor for your day?
Hilary Cocalis solved this for me with Carlsbad-based Sipwell. Tiny Victories is a Champagne-style sparkling white in a 250ml can (a glass and a half—the correct amount), the first can-conditioned sparkling wine on the market, fermented with true Champagne yeast. Crisp apple, a little citrus, that biscuity thing good bubbles do, zero sugar. It’s also the first canned wine to crack Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100, so now there’s no excuse not to celebrate all of life’s tiny victories. —Claire Johnson
Courtesy of Pete’s Seafood and Sandwich
Pete’s Seafood and Sandwich
Warmed Lobster Roll
If my dad were to rank his favorite things, I think I’d make the podium, but there’s no way I’m outperforming this lobster roll. And why would I? We went to Pete’s on Father’s Day, and Peter DeCoste brought out 5 ounces of Maine lobster smothered in warm butter, tucked haphazardly into a grilled New England–style roll, served with a simple coleslaw and basic fries (no need to overshadow the star). Pete’s has a cold version with mayo, too, but there’s something about warm lobster that really wins over dads and their lobster-jealous daughters. –Lili Kim
Valerio’s 1979
Turon
Valerio’s 1979 is a quintessential San Diego family story. In the 1950s, the grandparents opened their first bakery in the historic Philippines city, Cavite. Their son, Jimmy, would bake and sell bread before school. After enlisting in the Navy and being stationed in San Diego, Jimmy and his wife, Gloria, opened his own version of the family bakery in National City in 1979—a huge hit and home-away-from-home spot for the city’s massive Filipino community.
Four-plus decades later, with four locations across SoCal, it’s on the third-gen of Valerios. The new blood is reviving the name and place with all kinds of Filipino comfort food, and the turon is a star. The classic Filipino treat is a ripe, sweet saba banana and jackfruit, rolled in lumpia wrapper, deep-fried, and covered in sticky, caramelized brown sugar. “Dessert lumpia” is a phrase to live a life by. —Troy Johnson
For years, writers (even me, I’ll admit) have spilled gallons of ink lauding San Diego’s up-and-coming dining scene. No, we’re not Los Angeles’ little sibling. Yes, we’re more than fish tacos—and have been for a while. We hosted this year’s California Michelin Guide ceremony. Southern California’s first three Michelin-starred restaurant (Addison by William Bradley) calls San Diego home. I think it’s safe to say we’re not on the way—we’ve arrived.
If anyone needs more proof that San Diego has truly made it to the world’s stage, all you need to do is look toward downtown’s newest arrival: Zuma, the globally-acclaimed contemporary Japanese restaurant and izakaya.
Located inside The Guild Hotel, Zuma San Diego is the sixth US outpost of the London-born brand, which now includes restaurants in destinations like Bangkok, Thailand; Ibiza, Spain; and Cannes, France. And there are on the way, including Saint Barth in the Caribbean; Los Cabos, and Mexico.
Each Zuma outpost has its own local flair, but share a few key elements no matter where it is in the world: a large, energetic bar area; an open sushi counter; and Zuma’s signature robata grill.
Rainer Becker and Arjun Waney founded Zuma in Knightsbridge, London, in 2002 after Becker spent six years cooking in Tokyo, connecting Japanese elegance with vibrant design. After opening locations in Miami, New York City, Las Vegas, Boston, and Vail, vice president of operations Nick Fielding says San Diego felt like a natural fit.
Courtesy of Zuma
“There’s something uniquely special about San Diego in terms of energy and culture,” he says. “You’ve got a city that is extremely, extremely well versed in culture, in food, in hospitality, in luxury. It’s a quiet luxury, which is very much in keeping with what we believe in.”
The Guild Hotel makes sense as the host location. The historic Italian Renaissance property dates back to 1924, featuring a European-style courtyard, plush lobby, and an abundance of restored original details, like 1920s-era tilework.
One important note: while guests can access Zuma via the hotel lobby, the restaurant has its own dedicated entrance located on Columbia Street. And if you want the full Zuma experience, that’s where you’ll want to start, promises Fielding.
Courtesy of Zuma
“The entrance is a big part of the arrival experience,” he says. Upon entry, guests walk through an elongated tunnel made from solid teak before arriving at an oversized boulder wall. Each stone has been hand-cut and carved by a team of artisans in Mexico, with a design meant to reflect the rugged California coastline. Next steps guide you across a Japanese garden–style walkway among a Zen pebble garden (inspired in part by the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park) straight to the indoor-outdoor bar made with hand-cast resin panels designed to emulate the sunset over the ocean.
As for the patio, it’s a jungle out there—literally. Luscious greenery and towering palms drape across the space to create a secret tropical garden framed by hand-carved, uplit teak screens from Indonesia. By design, there’s no question it’s a Zuma restaurant, but the San Diego location’s style rotates around five pillars, according to the restaurant group’s head of design, Lucy Robinson.
Courtesy of Zuma
One: embracing a sense of understated luxury. Two: highlighting the year-round climate with a 50/50 indoor/outdoor split of the space. Three: blending local architectural details (like the botanical garden references) with Japanese aesthetics. Four: creating a bespoke palette of bold pinks, oranges, and yellows inspired by minerals found in coastal stones along the coast. Five: Creating a vibrantly energetic space (a goal for every Zuma location).
Inside, the robata grills crowns the center of the dining room, featuring a Japanese paper hood and fire element-inspired resin wainscot base to create a striking tower of red, yellow, and orange. “We always try to bring the four elements into our projects, which are fire, water, wind, and earth,” explains Robinson. San Diego also features Zuma’s first ice box centered on the sushi counter. “It’s almost like on an island—a big lit-up ice block, which will be chipped down to make the base of our sushi platters.”
The 6,600-square-foot dining space seats 221 guests, with a natural flow between the two—another nod to the nearby coast. From hand-woven details by an artist in Germany to the granite tiles on the walls, scale, pattern, texture, and color are everywhere.
That’s true for the plates as well. Head chef Briant Arciniega says to recognize all Zuma’s big hits—spicy beef tenderloin, saikyo miso-marinated black cod, barley miso-marinated baby chicken, as well as signature sushi and sashimi options, and robata dishes like grilled scallop skewers, beef with shishito pepper and smoked chili soy, jumbo tiger prawn with yuzu pepper, and ribeye with wafu sauce and garlic crisps.
Courtesy of Zuma
Beverage-wise, the menu follows the same diversity of flavors and price points to offer high-end staples, but remain approachable, says Fielding. Expect concoctions like a Japanese margarita made with Mijenta blanco tequila, mezcal, yuzu, orange, and yuzu koshu, opt for an easy-drinking Sapporo pale lager, ask the lead bartender Eric Howell for a wine recommendation, or explore the sake selection.
At minimum, expect vibes. Robinson says the Zuma team has watched certain San Diego restaurant groups go all-in on experiential, eye-popping, energetically-designed spaces. “We wanted to make sure we stood out when coming into the area,” she says. When you have to compete with things like speakeasies-within-speakeasies and man-made barside beaches of imported Turkish sand, you better bring it.
Zuma San Diego opens at The Guild Hotel (500 West Broadway) on August 10. Initial operating hours are seven days a week for dinner service. Reservations are now open.
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.
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