How is it that Coronado is only just now getting its first rooftop bar? I know what you’re thinking. “What about the Sun Deck at the Hotel del Coronado?” It was my first thought, too. I’ve dolphin-watched and downed Bloody Marys plenty of times on the seaside terrace and figured it sort-of counted. But technically speaking, it’s on a deck, not a roof.
Luckily, this glaring oversight will soon be corrected when Dive, the signature restaurant and bar at The Bower hotel, soft opens on Friday, March 14. At three-stories high, Dive is far from a skyscraper, but ascendent enough to provide a breathtaking panoramic view spanning from Point Loma to Baja California.
“We’re trying to strike a balance between trying to have it be approachable, have it be fun, but then also have it be elevated—elevated and sophisticated at the same time,” says general manager Sean Murphy. The entire hotel embraces this duality, drawing inspiration from the location’s multifaceted history as both the site of John D. Spreckels’ Japanese tea garden and as a destination for the Hollywood “It” crowd of the 1950s and 1960s. “‘Bower’ in Japanese actually means ‘the shade of a tree,’” says Murphy. “[We’re] trying to pay homage to that real, restorative, calm, simple kind of philosophy.”
Designed by SFA Design and architecture firm Delawie, which have each created concepts like The Seabird Resort in Oceanside, Miraval Arizona in Tucson, and the Windhoek Plaza Hotel in Namibia, the hotel leans hard into clean lines and neutrals. It’s like looking through sepia-toned glasses—calming ASMR for the eyes, if you will. Dive maintains that calming vibe, but throws in splashes of moody maroon and bluish teal with midcentury elements, including neon signage like the property’s original “Villa Capri” sign behind the bar.
The space seats 65 guests over 800 square feet, with the bar area suited for mingling and wandering, as well as tables intended for sit down guests, both those staying at the hotel and from elsewhere. ‘[We’re] fully open to the public,” Murphy explains, adding they hope to start implementing events like Local’s Night to encourage non-guests to come experience the space as well.
The menu echoes the hodgepodge “high meets low” approach, with items like “Gold + Black” crispy chicken nuggets topped with crème fraîche and a dollop of black caviar. In short: expect elegance, but with a dash of fun. All-day fare starts at sunrise, with California cuisine-inspired dishes like a lemon-and-lox tartine, matcha berry bowl, and avocado brioche. Lunch brings salads, sandwiches, and small plates such as grilled fish tacos and gochujang chicken crunch salad. “Sunset Snacks & Supper Starts” is the dinner portion of the menu, which Murphy says is meant to be shared.
But for as good as the food is going to be, Murphy promises the drinks will be even better. The team tapped food and beverage director Jackie Rixe, who brings rooftop experience from her tenure at The Nolen at Courtyard San Diego Gaslamp/Convention Center. “We want that beverage program to really shine,” says Murphy.
The cocktail collection taps into the same Japanese wabi-sabi influence as well as the Hollywood heyday with names like The Duchess, made with Empress gin, Giffard passion fruit, lemon juice, and demerara; or the Glamour Splash with aperitivo, chareau aloe liqueur, guava, and prosecco. (See if you can spot the diving lady as the “i” in the Villa Capri logo stamped on the custom drinks mugs handmade in Leucadia.)
I’m not a San Diego native, but I’ve lived here for nearly 20 years and consider myself, at the very least, a local who’s witnessed the sea change across the city’s food and drink scene. Ten years ago, the only place I’d regularly eat on Coronado was from a picnic basket at the beach. Now, the island that’s-not-really-an-island is tantalizingly flush with options, and more are on the way.
Nobu opens at the Hotel Del this year. Social Syndicate’s sprawling concept is coming to the Ferry Landing. Saiko Sushi’s happy hour is a bargain in the typically high-priced area. Little Frenchie is a great brunch spot. And CH’s second hotel, The Baby Grand, will bring the group’s signature maximalism to the once-sleepy suburb. Coronado is coming up, and Dive is helping it make a splash.
Dive will be open Sunday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to midnight.
