“Might see the bald eagles! Hopeful!” reads a text from Tyson Blake, co-owner of The Pub at Lake Cuyamaca, just before I was due to road trip his way.
I knew we’d eat well. We’d hike, maybe even get on a boat. The sun would be shining and local beer would be flowing. But bald eagles in San Diego County? That seemed a stretch.
The Pub, dock
Ariana Dreshler
The Pub, officially opened last November, was founded by the team from O’Brien’s Pub, West Coast Tavern, and Nickel Beer Co.: Blake, his wife, Kristina, and Julian-based beer brewing legend Tom Nickel. An hour’s drive from downtown San Diego, it replaces the lakefront Lake Cuyamaca Restaurant and Store, which was best known for its takeout chicken pot pies.
Everyone involved, including the Lake Cuyamaca Foundation (The Pub’s landlord), agreed it was time for upgrades. Everything is cooked in-house now. This means the pot pies—which were previously made off-site—have been honorably retired. The deck was refitted with stronger materials. A local woodworker made custom tables and a new bar from reclaimed cedar. While walking across the new deck, I squint and look out, hoping one of the birds flying above the lake might be America’s mascot. No dice.
I channel my mild disappointment into my beer, a Lake Cuyamaca Lager from Nickel Beer, brewed Czech-style just for The Pub. The rest of the tap list is, unsurprisingly, a showcase of local greats. The team recruited chef Colin Murray (ex–Brooklyn Girl, Cowboy Star) to create the food menu, which features upgraded pub grub (Mary’s organic turkey dip sandwich, a smoked and grilled vegetarian “yam-wich,” wagyu burgers, house-smoked wings).
A heartfelt highlight is the Big Nate, a sandwich adorned with crispy pork belly, optional lump crab, kimchi slaw, and aioli. It’s named for Nate Soroko, a beloved local beer industry worker who died unexpectedly last summer. On weekends, they do brunch and dinner entrées with “outdoors-inspired” proteins like the duck leg confit in a smoked duck jus, crispy-smoked game chicken, and trout.
The Pub, bites
Ariana Dreshler
Before heading down the mountain back to the city, we take a mile-long hike around the lake, crisscrossing the peninsula known as Fletcher Island via dirt and gravel paths. After, we board a pontoon boat to see the nearby environs, like Cuyamaca and Stonewall peaks. In the distance, a brown-and-white speck careens through the sky.
“There it is!” shouts the boat pilot. We all turn, looking west just in time. “An eagle!” we shout in unison. A bald eagle, in San Diego County. Triumph and satisfaction are ours.
Jackie is a long-time freelance journalist covering cannabis, food/restaurants, travel, labor, wine, spirits, arts & culture, design, and other topics. Her work has been selected twice for Best American Travel Writing, and she has won a variety of national and local awards for her writing and reporting.
This is the question I posed to Erik Fowler, executive director of the San Diego Brewers Guild. He and his wife Shannon just announced they’re opening Good Pressure Brewing Company in Allied Gardens at the end of the year.
Don’t get me wrong—this is fantastic news coming from great people. But I’m sure I’m not the only incredulous inquirer. The latest Brewers Association report says more breweries are closing than opening across the country, and craft’s overall volume has dropped 5 percent since 2024. Even San Diego, the self-proclaimed “Capital of Craft,” isn’t immune.
Goal Brewing pulled out of the Brewery Igniter space in North Park in March. Little Miss Brewing shuttered all nine locations earlier this year. Half Door Brewing sold to Villains Brewing Company. Division 23 Brewing closed in May. The owners of Jacked Up Brewery retired. Border X Brewing tried launching a GoFundMe before closing up shop in Barrio Logan. It feels a little bleak out there.
But Fowler is far from a naive beer newbie. On the sensory side, he’s a certified Cicerone and BJCP beer judge with sommelier training. He’s studied beer at UC Davis, and gone through the San Diego State University Professional Certificate in the Business of Craft Beer program. He worked in wine retail before managing the taproom and distribution for ChuckAlek in Ramona. He was a taproom lead at Stone Brewing, head of education and hospitality at White Labs for nine years, and the executive director for the Guild for two years. He just had one more thing to cross off his beer bucket list—open his own brewery.
“I’ve always wanted to own a business in the beverage space,” he says. “That’s been a goal since I turned 21. I’ve always had the entrepreneurial mindset, and I’m at an age and an experience level where the leap and the risk makes sense.”
The Fowlers had been looking for a space to realize their dream for 18 months, hoping to stay close to their home in East County. Of all of San Diego’s 150-plus breweries, less than 10 percent of them are in East County. El Cajon, La Mesa, Valley Center, and Ramona have one apiece; Julian and Alpine each have two; there are three in Santee; and a couple production facilities that aren’t even open to the public.
“There’s still a lot of opportunity there, especially for underserved neighborhoods,” he explains.
But after a year without any luck, they decided to expand their search slightly. When they saw the former Poochie’s Hooch Urban Cidery space in Allied Gardens that came with two patios, a cellar, existing tasting room, infrastructure for a kitchen, and a wine license, it just fit. “It’s in a great neighborhood that doesn’t have a whole lot to offer,” says Fowler. “We wanted a spot that could be family-friendly, and it just ended up working out.”
Despite an address in the city of San Diego, Fowler says they plan to focus heavily on serving the eastern side of the county, both in distribution and in their marketing approach. As residents of East County, the San Diego stereotype of beaches and surfing doesn’t always resonate with them.
“San Diego to a lot of people is the beach, but from growing up and being in East County, the San Diego that we know and see isn’t that at all,” he explains. Shannon works for the Escondido-based nonprofit Center for Plant Conservation, which inspired them to incorporate a more nature-based, plant-inspired motif for the brand that better reflects the San Diego East County locals might feel more attuned to.
They’ll initially launch with food trucks and mostly beer, but hope to expand to other beverages like wine and cider and eventually build out an in-house food program. Fowler says they want to first and foremost be a place for families, and an approachable destination for people who aren’t beer experts.
“I want somebody like my mom to be able to come in and feel comfortable, and be comfortable ordering, and just be focused on themselves and having a good time,” he says. He already took the tests at beer school—guests won’t need to feel like they’re taking a quiz to place an order.
“We never want anybody to have to pull out a phone to look something up,” he says. “We want people to come in and have a good time… we want to be the brewery that people are wrapping up their kids’ soccer games.”
Good Pressure Brewing Company will open in late 2025 at 7559 Mission Gorge Road in Allied Gardens.
Courtesy of Taste of College Area
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
The Second Annual Taste of College Area Arrives This September
For decades, College Area has been more defined by fast-casual concepts and taco shops than as a serious dining destination. (I totally get why—who else remembers being a broke college kid without a car?) That’s completely changed over the last couple of years, and the College Area Business District is showing off the restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and other eateries along El Cajon Boulevard—like Scrimshaw Coffee, The Luau, The Mesa Bar & Grill, and more. The second annual Taste of College Area starts at 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 28, with stops between 54th Street and 73rd Street. Don’t want to walk? Hop on the free trolley that runs until the event ends at 3 p.m.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times—San Diego needs more pupuserias. It seems the Salvadoran food gods have heard my prayers, and opened FiveO3 Pupusas at Fashion Valley Mall. It’s the second location for the Cathedral City-based restaurant, and if the business license is to be believed, another is on the way to Las Americas Premium Outlets. May all our pupusa dreams continue to come true!
You don’t have to work in the beer industry to attend the 2025 Craft Beer Con at Mira Costa College’s San Elijo campus, but you should probably be a pretty big beer nerd. The annual half-day conference kicks off at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 5 and offers multiple education tracks for attendees to learn about how beer competitions operate, what makes a wet hop beer, how alcohol distribution works, and more. And don’t worry—after a day of learning, there is a happy hour at 4 p.m.
Breakers in Encinitas is officially open! Pro surfer Benji Weatherley revived his family’s former restaurant in Hawai’i, bringing Hawaiian-inspired drinks and food to the coastal neighborhood as an all-day respite for locals (and I’m sure plenty of visiting surfers, as well). I’m on my way for a midafternoon Mai Tai…
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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.
San Diego is the craft beer capital of America—and that’s not just my opinion, it’s a fact. Already home to hundreds of breweries across the city, San Diego’s beer scene is ever-changing with new breweries emerging, old favorites experimenting with bold flavors, and local tap lists continuing to surprise even the most seasoned enthusiasts.
We all have our favorites, and that’s okay. No two beer drinkers are the same, and consensus in the craft beer world is almost as rare as a bad pint in San Diego. (Though we can probably all agree that Keystone Light belongs nowhere near a tasting flight.)
So, let’s lower our inhibitions and take a tour of San Diego breweries, with a brew worth ordering from each. From sours to stouts, pilsners, and porters, here are our top breweries in San Diego.
Courtesy of Hauck Architecture
North Park Beer Company
Yes, everyone should have their own opinion, but anyone who doesn’t also include North Park Beer Company in their own personal shortlists is wrong. With consistently high-quality brews and 360-degree approach to hospitality, those who wish to see how to run an award-winning brewery need only glance in North Park’s direction.
Locations in North Park, Crown Point, and Bankers Hill
AleSmith has been a giant in San Diego beer for decades, and there’s no sign of them slowing down. Their mammoth tasting room and brewery should be on any beer lover’s pilgrimage list, but don’t just stop your wanderings at the bar. Meander around the Tony Gwynn museum, pop into their not-very-hidden speakeasy Anvil & Stave, and grab a few packs of their housemade Cheesesmith cheese curds on your way out.
9990 AleSmith Ct., Miramar
Courtesy of Nickel Beer Company
Nickel Beer Company
After 10 years, Nickel Beer Company is still going strong. Helmed by local beer pioneer Tom Nickel, his reach extends to a number of beer-centric businesses around the county, but this rustic outpost is a lovely oasis smack in the middle of cider and wine country, offering a wide variety of both esoteric and traditional beers on tap.
1485 Hollow Glen Rd., Julian
Courtesy of Old Town San Diego
Societe Brewing
Societe takes its time, focusing on perfecting what they’re doing before moving onto the Next Big Thing. That’s why it took them 10 years to open a second location, and yes, it was worth the wait. Hype chasers may be left wanting, but those who value consistently excellent beer without gimmick will be more than satisfied.
It’s rare to find a place that self-identifies as “punk rock” that doesn’t end up either seeming pretentious or for posers, but Fall Brewing manages to embrace edginess without either. Whether you’re in Doc Martens or docksiders, all beer lovers are welcome at their two Mid City locations. Come for the IPAs, stay for the stout on nitro.
Locations in North Park and South Park
Courtesy of Kairoa Brewing Company
Kairoa Brewing Company
San Diego doesn’t have nearly as many rooftop patios as it should, but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. Perch yourself above University Heights with a pint in hand, but don’t forget to come hungry—Kairoa’s kitchen is as good as their brewhouse.
4601 Park Blvd., University Heights
Courtesy of Hopnonymous Brewing Company
Hopnonymous Brewing Company
Located in the heart of the Convoy District, Hopnonymous is the perfect post-KBBQ wind-down spot. With 18 beers on tap, highlights include the Two Amigos Lime Mexican Lager—a refreshing alternative for Pacifico and Buenaveza fans. If you’re looking for something richer, Leaving Without Saying ‘Goodbye’ is a red ale that pays homage to the classic Irish goodbye with a hint of caramel. Whether you’re capping off a feast or looking for a dog-friendly brewery, Hopnonymous is the place to be.
7705 Convoy Court, San Diego
Courtesy of Pure Project
Pure Project
Pure Project opened in San Diego in 2016, but it seems like they’re been a part of the local brew scene for far longer than that. With 150+ breweries in the county, achieving icon status of this magnitude is no small feat, and I for one am thrilled that they keep opening new spots to make grabbing a pint (or two) easy.
Locations in Carlsbad, Bankers Hill, Miramar, North Park, and Vista
Courtesy of Craft Coast Brewing Company
Craft Coast Brewing Company
Good tacos deserve good beer, and both can be found at this Oceanside hot spot. With Pizza Port brewing alums at the helm and amazing birria coming out of the kitchen, this divine duo is a can’t-miss stop along the coast. Try Craft Coast Brewing Company‘s award-winning Old West IPA alongside a couple of tacos for a meal that’s hard to top.
The beer industry is far from out of business—there are still about 140 breweries operating today, with thousands of employees—but around a dozen have closed in the last year alone. This may be the first time local brewery closures and acquisitions outpaced openings in the current craft beer era, and many have cited increasing costs of real estate, ingredients, and labor as reasons for shutting their doors forever.
That’s not the case for Half Door Brewing Company. Siblings Stacy and Daniel Drayne opened Half Door Brewing in 2015, leveraging their experience running nearby Irish pub The Field with their parents. Daniel brewed the beers, Stacy ran operations (splitting her time between The Field and Half Door), and business has boomed for a decade, especially during baseball season.
So why are they closing Half Door and selling their iconic, 1906-era, two-story building in East Village to Anaheim-based Villains Brewing Company?
Courtesy of Half Door Brewing
It’s precisely because the business has been so successful that the siblings decided to get out while they’re ahead. “I feel a little overwhelmed doing two places,” Stacy explains. “The industry is changing, [and] it just kind of felt like the right time.”
While she understands why other breweries have had to close due to economic factors, she says, that wasn’t one of the problems Half Door faced. Plus, she’s quick to add, the transition to Villains is in progress, but won’t occur for at least a few weeks, if not months (permits and license transfers permitting). “Everything is business as normal,” she adds. “I’m preparing for St. Patrick’s Day; I’m preparing for Opening Day. I’m assuming we’ll be here for the start of baseball.”
She also notes that only the property is for sale, not the Half Door name or trademark. “You never know what the future holds,” she laughs.
It’s a bittersweet moment for the pair, and one they didn’t initiate. Stacy recalls that, in the summer of 2024, another business reached out to them to see if they’d be interested in selling their space. That particular deal fell through, but it sparked a conversation between her, Daniel, and their father. “It was kind of like ‘What do we think?’” she says. “The seed was planted.” They decided to put the property on the market, and, after a couple of bids, Villains won out.
This is the second San Diego entity Villains has acquired. During the excruciatingly slow fall from grace for Modern Times Beer (which is still in progress and, frankly, painful to watch), Villains took over the brand’s former 33,000-square-foot Leisuretown location in Anaheim to launch a brewery and food hall concept. Until they hand over the keys, however, Stacy says they look forward to continuing to brew and serve their house beers to loyal customers as long as they can.
“It’s just a super special place,” she says. “I hope Villains does it justice.”
What’s the difference between Roman food and Italian food? Glad you asked. Italian food encompasses a wide variety of regional cuisines (think Sicilian, Milanese, Tuscan, and so forth) while Roman food hails from Rome (obviously). Roman cuisine’s signature dishes include fresh pastas like cacio e pepe and carbonara; meats like oxtail and seafood; vegetables like artichokes and fresh herbs; and thin, foldable pizza slices. Now San Diegans can get a new taste of the Old World at Romanissimo, which opened at 565 Fifth Avenue this week.
It’s the latest endeavor for restauranteurs Vincenzo Loverso, Alessandro Minutella, and Giovanni Gargano, who also each have stakes in Roman Wolves, Allegro, and Vincenzo Cucina & Lounge. Minutella tells me their goal is to give guests another opportunity to try the unique culinary traditions of Rome, using traditional ingredients and preparation methods. “We like to say ‘Eat as the Romans do,’” he adds. I say, if Romans are serving a one-pound meatball, then I’m on my way.
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.
Finding a gift that feels truly personal can be surprisingly difficult. In a sea of generic options — flowers, gift cards, candles, and the like — Xplosion Box offers something more lasting: a customized keepsake built around the photos, messages, and memories that matter most.
Founded by Southern California entrepreneur Jay Vijay, Xplosion Box LLC creates fully customized explosion gift boxes that arrive professionally designed, printed, assembled, and ready to gift. Each box opens layer by layer to reveal personal photos, heartfelt messages, pull-out albums, origami-style photo pockets, and hidden notes, turning a simple gift into an emotional reveal.
The brand was built for people who want to give something meaningful without spending hours printing photos, cutting paper, folding cardstock, or assembling a DIY project. Customers simply choose a box, upload their favorite photos, add personal messages, and the Xplosion Box team transforms those details into a polished keepsake that feels thoughtful, personal, and beautifully made.
Xplosion Box offers personalized gift boxes for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, graduations, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, proposals, bridesmaid gifts, long-distance relationships, and thoughtful “just because” moments.
Customers can choose from flexible customization options starting at $27. The Mini Surprise Box includes 10 photos, three message cards, and one hidden secret note, while the Mega Surprise Box offers a fuller keepsake experience with 40 photos, three message cards, and one hidden secret note.
What sets Xplosion Box apart is its high level of customization combined with convenience. Filled with personal photos, custom text, decorative details, and layered surprises, each box gives customers the freedom to create a gift that feels one-of-a-kind — without having to make it themselves.
At its core, Xplosion Box helps people turn favorite photos, stories, and words into something tangible: a keepsake that can be opened, revisited, and remembered long after the occasion has passed. asion has passed.
Move over summer beers, it’s time to embrace the flavors of fall.
There are no strict seasonal guidelines when it comes to beer styles, but certain recipes just taste better during different times of the year. Light, crisp, refreshing lagers hit all the hot spots during summer—both literally and figuratively—while rich, full-bodied, malt-forward brews tend to warm us up during the chilly winter months. But autumn remains an especially unique season for beers, thanks in large part to Oktoberfest celebrations that usually start in late September and run through October.
Lots of places that celebrate Oktoberfest tend to offer the classic trio of fall beers—Oktoberfests, Marzens, and Festbiers. Don’t get me wrong—all of these are deservedly iconic styles that are some of my favorites to drink. But there are many, many more fall-centric beers out there to discover. Here are a few options from around San Diego that may expand your mind and please your palate this fall season.
Courtesy of Kilowatt Brewing
Smoked Maibock
Kilowatt Brewing
This 7.0 percent ABV beer has already earned both gold and silver medals at the Great American Beer Festival, and for good reason. It’s complex and crisp, highlighting both a malty backbone and balanced smokiness from beechwood smoked malts and a hint of Vermont maple syrup. Ironically, the word maibock actually translates to “May beer” and is typically brewed at the start of spring, but this smoky take on the seasonal style makes it an ideal option for the increasingly shorter San Diego days.
Courtesy of Societe Brewing Company
The Debutante Amber Ale
Societe Brewing Company
Yes, their Festbier is an excellent pick for the season. But once you’ve had your Festbier fill, take a chance on Societe’s amber ale, The Debutante. While the style has largely fallen out of fashion over the past decade, amber ales are some of the most balanced brews out there (if you can even find one in cans or on draft nowadays) and Societe is wise to include one in their portfolio. It’s delicious, too—and at 6.5 percent ABV, it hits all the high notes without going too far.
Courtesy of Eppig Brewing
Meister Northern German Wheat Ale
Eppig Brewing
Wheat beers are another criminally underrepresented (and often very misunderstood) style that deserve much more of a spotlight. Eppig knows exactly how to handle their lagers, and with a beautifully round mouthfeel, clean finish, and pleasantly restrained 5.3 percent ABV, Meister goes down smoothly and tastes great the whole time. Try it with a salted Bavarian soft pretzel to contrast against the light sweetness, and please—don’t ask for an orange slice on the rim.
The name Extra Special Bitter can seem off-putting to those unfamiliar with the traditionally English style. Hop bitterness is held in check against a malt personality that’s full of biscuit and toast—a quintessential British brew. Deft’s founder Mo Nuspl is an expert in brewing traditional styles and often includes a rotating portfolio of uncommon brews like kellerbiers, altbiers, and dark milds. Even the most rabid hazebois will find something to salivate over. (Pro tip: if it’s available during your visit, try the ESB on cask for an ultra smooth and creamy pour.)
Courtesy of South O Brewing Company
Roll It Rauch Helles-Style
South O Brewing Company
Bamberg, Germany is the world capital of rauchbier (“smoked beer”) and this Bamberg-style helles lager is a true European-style crossover with all the smoky delight of a rauchbier and all the crispness of a helles lager. With smoked malts giving intense aromatics and Noble hops providing the Old World hop flavor, rauchbiers can be a bit of an acquired taste. However, if you’re at all interested in walking on the smoky side, this is a great place to start.
Baesic Batch Pumpkin Ale
Helix Brewing
If you don’t like pumpkin beers, don’t drink them. But if you do, head to Helix Brewing’s La Mesa taproom and beer garden for their seasonal fall release, a 6.0 percent ABV easy-drinking ale packed with pumpkin spice flavor. It’s a fun, if not somewhat obvious, elixir that celebrates the changing of seasons, and I’m all for it. If you’re still on the fence, just know their beer garden is very dog- and kid-friendly, and you can count on food trucks, live music, trivia, or some combination of those three virtually every day it’s 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.
Nationally, beer’s share of the alcohol market is down 5.1 percent as more drinkers diversify their imbibing between beverages like wine, hard kombucha, and spirits. Locally, there have been plenty of storm warnings over the past year: brand closures like Second Chance Beer Company, shutterings like Thorn Brewing’s Mission Hills taproom, and reshufflings like Ballast Point and Eppig Brewing. However, there have also been a few bright spots—Sunny Grove Brewing Company opened in Santee, North Park Beer Company expanded to Crown Point, and Protector Brewery entered The InterContinental San Diego.
However, none of these brewhouses have been around as long as Mission Brewing, officially launched in 1913. (Sure, it took a long break between Prohibition and the brand’s relaunch in 2007, but it’s still pretty OG.) Aside from taking over the former Kensington Brewing Company’s tasting room in August 2023, Mission has pretty much minded its own business in East Village, making IPAs, lagers, kettle sours, and even some hard seltzers.
But now, the business is turning to expansion. Mission Brewing has officially acquired Rough Draft Brewing’s Miramar brewing facility and two satellite tasting rooms in Del Mar Highlands Town Center and on the UCSD campus. The announcement auspiciously coincides with the 17th anniversary of Mission’s relaunch this weekend.
Aaron Long, vice president of sales and marketing for Mission Brewing, says this expansion was possible thanks mainly to Rough Draft founder Jeff Silver’s work over the past 12 years. “Jeff put together a special set of taprooms, and we’re beyond excited for the opportunity to take the torch and further expand Mission’s brick-and-mortar presence around San Diego,” Long says. “Every site has a unique community that will be super fun to integrate our brands and get involved in, [and we] can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been working on.”
The acquisition officially finalizes at the end of June. Still, Mission has already begun taking over the Del Mar and UCSD locations and announced plans for special events at all locations in the coming months. Long also says that when Mission’s current lease inside the Wonder Bread building ends in October, the company will transfer brewing operations to the Miramar facility, adding that the Mission team plans to continue renting the East Village taproom space to keep that portion of the business open.
Courtesy of Mixed Grounds Coffee
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Mixed Grounds Coffee Opening a New Location in North Park
AAPI-owned Mixed Grounds Coffee will be a part of North Park’s AMP 30 building at 4555 30th Street when it opens later this year. The 202-unit infill development stretches between Madison and Monroe Avenues (right across from Fall Brewing Company and The Friendly). Still, coffeeheads don’t need to wait that long for one of Mixed Grounds’ specialty drinks, including Vietnamese iced coffee and lychee matcha lemonade—its Logan Heights location at 2920 Imperial Avenue is open daily.
Courtesy of An’s Dry Cleaning
Beth’s Bites
USA Today’s 10Best list named Normal Heights scoop shopAn’s Dry Cleaning the country’s number-one indie ice cream shop. It’s offering $1 gelatos on July 1 (until supplies run out) to celebrate. Scared of what promises to be a crazy line? Try your luck at the shop’s other location, An’s Hatmakers in Del Mar. Either way, you get ice cream! (Or gelato, whatever you want.)
The 23rd annual Taste of Adams Avenue kicks off at 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 30. It runs until 3 p.m., which means there are only four hours to try and taste everything from more than 40 restaurants, breweries, bakeries, and wine bars, including An’s Dry Cleaning, Hayes Burger, Trattoria Da Sofia, White Rice Bodega, and many more. Good luck!
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.
If you’re anything like us, it can be easy to get so caught up in taking care of everyone else, that your own needs get lost in the ether. But while this may be a cliché, that doesn’t make it any less true: You can’t give your best self to other people unless you’re taking care of yourself.
Sometimes, that looks like stopping in for your regular acupuncture or chiropractic appointment. Other days, it means giving your body the fresh, organic fuel it needs to truly feel and function at its best. And some other times still, it involves leaving your responsibilities behind for a weekend to pamper yourself at an incredible resort and spa.
Only you can decide what your truly need. We’re just here to help you find the best ways to get it.
Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa
Island living meets desert luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells. When you step onto the 11-acre property, you’ll be surrounded by sweeping view of the Santa Rosa Mountains with olive trees and fragrant citrus groves decorating the grounds. In other words, everything about this relaxed but refined resort is primed to help you let go of the stress from home and enjoy easy sun-soaked days and gorgeous starry nights.
The rooms blend calming, woven textures with Tommy Bahama’s signature tropical prints and feature private lanais, making it easy unwind the moment you walk in the door. If you book one of the four Villa Suites, you’ll be treated to exclusive Tommy Bahama furniture and unique personal touches to further that feeling of instant ease.
At the award-winning Spa Rosa, the expert team will help reset and recharge your body and mind using methods and rituals inspired by the desert. The 12,000-square-foot retreat includes outdoor soaking pools, eucalyptus steam rooms, and outdoor cabanas, as well as massages, facials, and body masks—all aimed at creating a day dedicated to you. We’re particularly partial to the Day Long Escape, an indulgent all-day affair of CDBs soaks, renewing scrubs, life changing massages, and transformative facials.
Following your treatment, continue the experience with a meal on the patio at Grapefruit Basil. We love the Hamachi Crudo, a light, citrus-forward dish featuring premium yellowtail, house-made ponzu, creamy avocado, and fresh seasonal garnishes.
Whether you’re strolling the gardens, relaxing beside its saltwater pools, or indulging in a restorative treatment, you’ll be able to escape in style and relax in luxury at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa.
Healcove Chiropractic
There’s no shortage of ways to stay active in San Diego—but if you really want to enjoy everything the city has to offer, you’ve got to make sure you’re giving your body its tune-ups. Enter: Healcove Chiropractic. The board-certified chiropractors and wellness professionals at Healcove are experts at addressing that stage where you’re not injured, exactly, but you’re not at 100%, either. Maybe you’re feeling a bit tense or stressed out. Or it could be that you’re not quite moving the way you want to. Sometimes, it’s just that the accumulation of days, weeks, or even years of daily strain is starting to take a toll. No matter what stage you find yourself at, the Healcove Chiropractic team can provide integrated, preventative care centered on long-term, science-backed approaches that ensure you can always stay active and live the life you want to live pain-free.
This starts by providing truly individualized care. Every patient can expect a thorough 60-minute consultation session that includes a posture and movement screening. This allows the team to develop a completely personalized plan. That plan might include chiropractic care, acupuncture, or massage therapy, as well as functional fitness training, vibration and sound therapy, and Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization, a clinical rehabilitation method that retrains the body’s stabilization systems. Whatever the team recommends, you can be sure that it’s tailored to meeting your body’s needs today and the future.
There’s a reason that San Diego Magazine named Healcove the “Best Chiropractor in San Diego”—don’t wait until you’re struggling with an injury to find out why. Book an appointment today for holistic, integrated care that helps ground and heal your body before it reaches a crisis point.
Juice Holler
West Coast wellness culture meets the community feel of Southern Appalachia at Juice Holler. Juice Holler’s menu consists of made-to-order smoothies and smoothie bowls, as well as grab-and-go cold-pressed juices, wellness shots, salads, and more. It operates from the blissfully simple premise that fueling up with food and drink that’s guilt-free and good your body should be simple, accessible, and, above all else, delicious. And if you haven’t yet made it out to the Encinitas café, which opened just this year, let us be the first to tell you: Juice Holler delivers on each and every of these fronts.
We love the Supercharger smoothie, a mood-lifting and body-fueling option made with banana, almond butter, blue spirulina, maca, grass-fed whey protein, raw cacao nibs, medjool dates, and coconut milk. We’re also partial to the Thrive Alive smoothie bowl, where avocado, mango, sea moss, spirulina, mint, coconut milk, and agave are mixed and topped with coconut, chia seeds, strawberry, mango, and chocolate drizzle. The wellness shots include the Detoxifier, a cleansing blend of kale, cucumber, lemon and spirulina, plus a shot specially designed to fight inflammation (named, fittingly, Anti-Inflammation). Probiotic overnight oats, lemon turmeric bars, and strawberry shortcake chia pudding are other standouts on the grab-and-go menu.
Much of the vibe feels beachy North County chic—think green tile with orange and pink accents, grounded with greenery and natural wood—but Juice Holler founder Kelly Sergott, a longtime Encinitas local, has also enfused the space with her Kentucky roots. In Appalachia, a holler is small valley between hills and mountains, where nature reigns, community is king, and nourishment comes right from the land. At Juice Holler, Sergott has created a holler for the busy modern times, using local ingredients to create a spot for people to come together and enjoy fresh, fast, feel-good fuel for their day.
Everwell Acupuncture
We’ve all had that experience with a medical professional where we’ve felt rushed, ignored, or misunderstood—and ultimately, like we didn’t get the answers that we needed. But at Everwell, the holistic acupuncture practice located in Solana Beach, the care team wants to transform your understanding of what healthcare can look like.
Patients at Everwell experience care rooted in intentional listening and radical empathy—and trust us, those aren’t just corporate buzzwords. This place actually puts those ideas into practice. You will always be given the time you need to tell your story— initial in-take appointments are two hours long—and you can rest assured that your story will be believed. Every single question and concern will be addressed by a dedicated practitioner who wants to find the specific solutions that work best for you, and you’ll receive care that’s aimed at healing the body, mind, and spirit.
Everwell’s highly trained, doctorate-level practitioners blend evidence-based acupuncture with the practice of classical Chinese medicine. (If you’ve never tried acupuncture before or aren’t sure if the team will be a fit, we’d highly recommended Everwell’s complimentary 20-minute consultations.) Research shows that by stimulating specific points on the body, acupuncture activates a natural healing response in the body, helping to restore balance, regulate the nervous system, and improve overall wellbeing. This allows the practice to address an incredibly wide range of conditions from chronic pain and autoimmune disorders to digestive issues, from stress and burnout to headaches migraines, fertility and postpartum struggles, hormonal imbalances, sleep concerns and more.
At Everwell, you can expect to feel heard, trusted, respected, and cared for. This is a space that doesn’t want to be just another healthcare provider you visit; it wants to provide patients with dedicated partner who will be there for their entire health journey.
