Pacific Beach has been looking extra delicious lately, and the bites keep coming. This September, Cherryfish will open in the former Swagyu Pacific Beach location at 966 Felspar Street, bringing Japanese fusion and fresh sushi just a few blocks from the ocean.
Cherryfish partners Dannielle and Carlos Becerra also run Palmy’s next door and Parq nightclub in downtown San Diego. They’ve seen the area change significantly over the past 20 years and believe the time is right for more upscale options.
“We have seen the growth and change happening. Being that we personally love a great meal, we felt there was something special missing in our local area and wanted to blend my love for design, our love of food and hospitality experience and bring something unique to PB,” she explains.
Rendering courtesy of Cherryfish
The newly renovated building features a 2,800-square-foot indoor dining room, a 1,000-square-foot outdoor patio, and a private dining room next to the kitchen that seats up to 12 guests, who can enter through a private VIP entrance. The entire space’s decor is a mix of electric pink, lime green, and gold splashes with many curves and greenery hanging from the amoeba-shaped ceiling above the bar. Most artwork features big, swooshy, painterly brushstrokes—more controlled than Cy Twombly but equally energetic. It still has that element of PB fun but with a little more razzle-dazzle.
The outside features many right angles, horizontal lines, and a handful of fire pits for communal gabbing. (Even the restrooms are lush—I anticipate a new addition to the sexiest bathrooms list in the coming future.) This elevated vibe doesn’t come across as the typical PB hangout spot. But if we’re grading on a bell curve, Cherryfish is raising the class average.
Courtesy of 24 Suns
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Chinese Pop-Up 24 Suns Debuts in Oceanside
The sign outside 3375 Mission Avenue in Oceanside may not read Swan & Fox yet, but at least it doesn’t say Angelina’s Bar and Grill anymore. On July 24, Chefs Nic Webber and Jacob Jordan officially launched their brick-and-mortar debut of 24 Suns, their Chinese cuisine pop-up now occupying the still-in-progress concept with IRS Cocktails slated to be completed later this year. In the meantime, the pair is now offering a seasonal summer dining and cocktail menu and will host a Community Table dinner at The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano on August 16, centering around the Chinese agricultural solar calendar. Tickets for the dinner are available here, and their current Oceanside hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tony Gwynn Day is August 3 at AleSmith Brewing Company
What are you waiting for if you haven’t been to the Tony Gwynn Museum at AleSmith in Miramar? Celebrate the 25th anniversary of Mr. Padre’s 3,000th major league hit on Saturday, August 3rd, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It also happens to be the last chance to check out the museum before the brewery temporarily closes it for updates, so stop by for a pint, some live music, food, art, and baseball nerdery.
Courtesy of OpenTable
Beth’s Bites
Forget stingrays—it’s chef shuffle season in San Diego, with former The Marine Room chef Alex Pailles taking over the culinary team at La Valencia Hotel, John Silva assuming the reins of executive chef at Hell’s Kitchen at Harrah’s Resort SoCal. Esteban Lluis of Damiana in Valle de Guadalupe is creating the menu at the forthcoming Kaluú in Gaslamp District.
The Olympics are about to kick off, and if you didn’t manage to book a ticket to Paris to watch the myriad of San Diegans compete in breaking (that’s what we’re calling breakdancing now), cycling, skateboarding, volleyball, and much more, don’t fear. There are plenty of watch parties around town, including the opening ceremonies at Shakespeare’s in Mission Hills and ongoing coverage at Union Kitchen & Tap in PB, Draft at Belmont Park, all The Crack Shack locations, and Brickmans Restaurant & Bar in San Marcos to name just a few.
Ask, and ye shall receive! I recently lamented the lack of Hawaiian food across San Diego. Still, the universe is already delivering results with the forthcoming The Haole Shack and Ono Hawaiian BBQ coming to Escondido. (Hey, cosmos, how about a bakery and ice cream shop in downtown La Mesa next?)
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.
