Easter is just around the corner, and San Diego restaurants are already booking up fast for brunch reservations. Whether you’re hunting for a decadent Easter spread, looking for an egg hunt for your family, or hoping for a bottomless mimosa afternoon, we’ve got you covered. Mark your calendars, schedule that reminder text for your friend who’s always late, and get ready for a festive Easter weekend. Here’s where to get Easter brunch in San Diego this year:
Brunch by the beach this Easter at The Hotel Del. Brunch will be served in the Crown room, offering a variety of options like breakfast bread pudding, poached eggs, poke, pasta, and more. Overnight guests can enjoy an Easter egg hunt on the beach.
Price: $228 for adults | $117 for children Hours: 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Address: 1500 Orange Ave, Coronado Reservations: Hotel Del Coronado
Head to ARLO for an engaging Easter brunch for the whole family. Enjoy dishes like pastries, seafood, quiches, lamb, and more. For entertainment, live music will be featured at the Martini Lawn. The brunch will also include two Easter egg hunts: one for children aged 4 and under at 10:30 a.m., and another for children aged 5 to 12 at 11 a.m.
Price: $90 per adult | $38 per child Hours: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Address: 500 Hotel Cir N, Mission Valley Reservations: OpenTable
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
Rancho Valencia is known for its extravagant holiday celebrations, and Easter is no exception. The resort will host an Easter brunch buffet featuring a raw bar, salads, carving stations, and more. Kids can enjoy two Easter egg hunts, one for all ages at 12:30 p.m. and another at 3:30 p.m.
Price: $235 for adults | $95 for children | Free for kids 3 and under Hours: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Address: 5921 Valencia Cir, Rancho Santa Fe Reservations: Call 858-759-624 to reserve
Bahia Resort
Dine dockside this Easter at the Bahia Resort. The brunch will feature a seafood bar, made-to-order omelets, a carving station, and more. The hotel will also host an egg hunt, arts and crafts station, live entertainment, and a visit from the Easter Bunny. View the full menu here.
Price: $125 for adults | $55 for children Hours: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Address: 998 W. Mission Bay Dr, Mission Beach Reservations: Bahia Resort
Provisional Kitchen, Café and Mercantile
Indulge in Easter eats at the Pendry Hotel. Their brunch menu offers a twist on classics like raspberry French toast, mortadella eggs Benedict, and Peeps pancakes for the kids. For those who prefer variety, several stations will feature artisanal cheeses, lamb and ham carving stations, a salmon station, amongst other selections.
This waterfront restaurant is hosting an Easter brunch buffet with dishes like verde chilaquiles, shrimp and Baja seabass ceviche, lemon ricotta pancakes, and a La Jolla lemonade cocktail featuring gin and limoncello. Bottomless mimosas are also available for $23 per person.
Price: $89 per person | $45 for children under 12 Hours: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Address: 8110 Camino Del Oro, La Jolla Reservations: OpenTable
Brickman’s Restaurant & Bar
Easter and buffet go hand in hand at Brickman’s in San Marcos. This buffet will feature an omelet station, cinnamon French toast bar, smoked salmon, herb-crusted prime rib, and many other festive dishes. Bring the kids for an Easter egg hunt and a special visit from the Easter Bunny.
Price: $85 for adults | $25 for children under 10 Hours: 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Address: 1750 San Pablo Dr, San Marcos Reservations: OpenTable
Coasterra
Enjoy Easter at Coasterra with its brunch buffet featuring made-to-order options like omelets, Bananas Foster French toast, and more. The menu includes elevated brunch dishes reflecting the restaurant’s signature Mexican cuisine, such as enchiladas verdes and chilaquiles.
Price: $84.95 per adult | $19.95 per child Hours: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Address: 880 Harbor Island Dr., Point Loma Reservations: OpenTable or call (619)-814-1300, extension 2
Piper
Celebrate Easter in North County just steps from the Oceanside waterfront at Piper, the signature restaurant at The Seabird Resort. Enjoy a decadent buffet featuring dishes like prosciutto benedicts, cedar-plank salmon, and herb-roasted leg of lamb. Bring the kids along for Easter egg hunts at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., plus special appearances by the Easter Bunny.
Price: $125 for adults | $55 for kids | Free for children under 5 Hours: 12:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Address: 105 Mission Ave, Oceanside Reservations: OpenTable
Adelaide at L’Auberge Del Mar
Escape to the beach for Easter weekend at the luxurious L’Auberge Del Mar. The resort is hosting an extravagant Easter buffet for the whole family, featuring dishes like herb-crusted prime rib, egg white frittatas, and Spanish seafood paella.
Price: $125 per person | $39 for children under 11 Hours: 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Address: 1540 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, CA Reservations: OpenTable or call (858) 793-6467
Rumorosa
Celebrate Easter Baja-style with a brunch buffet at Rumorosa in Harbor Island. Chef Cesar Ocegura’s menu features mini concha sandwiches, steak and eggs Benedicts, and carrot cake waffles, plus omelet stations, charcuterie, and fresh salads. Bring the kids for a visit from the Easter Bunny and an Easter egg hunt on the Sheraton’s Harbor Vista lawn.
Price: $85 per person | $35 for children ages 6-12 | Free for kids 5 and under Hours: Buffet – 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Easter egg hunt – 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Address: 1380 Harbor Island Dr., Point Loma Reservations: OpenTable
Courtesy of George’s at the Cove
Easter Specials and Prix-Fixe Menus in San Diego
Mister A’s
Mister A’s offers a luxurious Easter brunch with the best views in San Diego. Enjoy a three-course meal, starting with appetizers like its signature French toast, followed by entrées like eggs Benedict with basil Espelette hollandaise, and ending with dessert options like crème brûlée or carrot cake.
Price: $92.50 per person Hours: 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. Address: 2550 Fifth Ave, 12th Floor, Bankers Hill, CA Reservations: OpenTable
The historic Westgate Hotel is hosting an Easter tea party in the Grand Lobby. Guests will enjoy tea sandwiches, pastries, treats for little ones, and an appearance from the Easter Bunny. Adults will be treated to a complimentary glass of Champagne, and kids will receive a festive gift.
Price: $95 for adults | $65 for children | Free for infants 1 and under Hours: 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Address: 1055 2nd Ave, Downtown, CA Reservations: Westgate Hotel
Rusticucina
University Heights’ Italian restaurant Rusticucina is offering a prix-fixe Easter dinner this year. Start with crispy burrata, followed by a pasta dish like the vodka gnocchi, and finish with a cannoli in true Italian fashion. Keep it simple and order the 36-month-aged cheese wheel for a satisfying meal.
Price: $55 per person prix-fixe or à la carte Hours: 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. Address: 3797 Park Blvd, University Heights, CA Reservations: OpenTable
George’s at the Cove
George’s at the Cove is serving a three-course prix-fixe Easter brunch in its lower-level dining room. Offerings include a pastry basket, spring salad, and a choice of entrée. For children 12 and under, an à la carte menu will be available.
Price: $55 per person Hours: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Address: 1250 Prospect St, La Jolla Reservations: Tock
Lillian’s at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe
Celebrate Easter at the luxurious Lillian’s restaurant at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. This year, it’ll feature Easter specials like lobster Benedict, bunny- and egg-shaped waffles topped with whipped cream, and Nantes Dutch baby carrot pancakes.
Price: À la carte Hours: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Address: 5951 Linea Del Cielo, Rancho Santa Fe, CA Reservations: OpenTable
Roy’s Restaurant
Roy’s at the San Diego Bayfront will offer a two-course Easter brunch feast. Enjoy appetizers like Szechuan spiced pork ribs or crab & shrimp cocktail, followed by entrées like the Hawaiian lobster omelet or Parmesan bacon-crusted Chilean sea bass. For kids, Roy’s offers a $19 three-course brunch, starting with tropical fruit, followed by an entrée, and ending with a Keiki sundae.
Price: À la carte Hours: Brunch: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Dinner: 3 p.m. – 9 p.m. Address: 333 W Harbor Dr, Downtown, CA Reservations: OpenTable
The Henry
Located on Coronado’s Orange Avenue, The Henry is a great spot for Easter brunch. Enjoy an array of brunch options from smoked salmon bagels to cinnamon swirl French toast. Easter specials include oversized cinnamon rolls to share (or not) and pan-seared striped bass.
Price: À la carte Hours: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Address: 1031 Orange Ave, Coronado, CA Reservations: OpenTable
Seasons at Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara
For North County residents, Seasons restaurant at the Four Seasons Aviara is hosting a three-course meal curated by chef Jason Winton. The meal includes choices like bib lettuce salad, asparagus puff pastry, and BLTA bagel, followed by entrées such as smoked salmon flatbread, cinnamon & sugar pulled pork pancakes, and banana bread French toast. Finish with a passion fruit scone or rhubarb strawberry tart. End your Easter with a round at the Aviara golf club.
Price: $90 per person Hours: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Address: 7210 Blue Heron Pl, Carlsbad, CA Reservations: OpenTable
Farmer’s Table
For a hearty Easter meal in La Mesa, Farmer’s Table offers a special three-course meal, featuring creamy carrot soup, short ribs, zucchini blossoms, and your choice of carrot cake or blueberry bread pudding with a scoop of ice cream.
Price: À la carte Hours: 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. Address: 8141 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa Reservations: OpenTable
This classic San Diego breakfast spot is open for Easter this year. If you love large portions, you’ve come to the right place. Hash House is famous for its over-the-top pancake flavors, including Snickers, Cap’n Crunch chocolate, and smoked caramel bacon. If flapjacks aren’t your thing, they also offer a towering chicken waffle, fried chicken benedicts, and a zesty chorizo hash. Come hungry!
Price: À la carte Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Address: 3628 Fifth Ave., Hillcrest Reservations: Tock
Trust
Head to Brad Wise’s spot in Hillcrest for an unforgettable Easter brunch. Dine on elevated options like chilaquiles rojos, smoked salmon toast, and their ultimate sticky bun—limit one per day, which means it’s truly something special.
Price: À la carte Hours: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Address: 3752 Park Blvd., Hillcrest Reservations: OpenTable
El Patio
Enjoy classic Mexican brunch dishes at El Patio, a 70-year-old, family-owned restaurant in Chula Vista. Try favorites like huevos rancheros, steak and eggs, or the restaurant’s famous chilaquiles and mole. Pair your meal with a flavorful margarita or Mexican mimosa made from scratch with Tajín on the rim.
Price: À la carte Hours: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Address: 410 Broadway, Chula Vista Reservations: First come, first served
This cozy Encinitas spot is serving simple yet decadent brunch dishes for Easter. Try its fan-favorite Turkish eggs with herbed yogurt and toast, or Spanish-style French toast topped with raspberry and dark chocolate granola. Be sure to order one of its vitality tonics to keep you energized for the rest of your Easter plans. The waitlist opens at 8:30 a.m., so arrive early.
Price: À la carte Hours: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Address: 1076 N Coast Hwy 101, Encinitas Reservations: First come, first served
Cole Novak is an award-winning writer with a passion for highlighting local figures, small businesses, and nonprofits. Born and raised in San Diego, Cole is passionate about photography, surfing, art, the local food scene, and the great outdoors.
Dominique Rocha is an editorial intern at San Diego Magazine in her last year as a journalism major at San Diego State University. She is a passionate writer who enjoys writing about music, arts and culture, and current events.
Food is a notorious diva to photograph. The wrong lighting can make José Andrés’ paella look like a jaundiced grain bowl. You could be staring at the best sandwich of your life, but shoot it from above and—hey, congrats on that abandoned piece of lettuce bread. A cottage meme industry has been built around the hilariously bad photos on review sites that make Michelin-star food look like Michelin tires.
Especially in a visual modern media world, food culture depends on great photographers capturing the painstaking work in equally deserving ways. We asked four of San Diego’s top food photographers for their favorite shot from another year of documenting what we eat.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
Kimberly Motos
Birdman Sandwich at Chick & Hawk
Getting this kind of shot takes a bit of yoga. Asana yourself into the corner, hold your breath, pray that a chef on the move doesn’t back into your light stand.
“You’re stepping into someone’s workspace during their busiest moments, so it’s a balance of being present to get the shot and being invisible to not slow anything down,” Kimberly Motos says.
The subject here is the Birdman sandwich from Chick & Hawk—hot fried chicken thigh, tangy slaw, kimchi comeback sauce, sweet and spicy pickles, potato brioche bun—getting a hearty dousing of its difference-maker seasoning. Motos captures the parts of the process that diners don’t usually see: the chaos behind something that looks so simple.
Photo Credit: Lucianna McIntosh
Lucianna McIntosh
Oysters + Jewel of the Sea Martini at The Fishery
“I love this image because it feels like a moment you want to step into,” says Lucianna McIntosh. A warm, sunny day at The Fishery in PB with oysters, caviar, and martinis. Yes, please.
The little details—the glass sweating a little, the direct afternoon light creating stark shadows, the oyster glistening on the tray—are the main characters. Instead of trying to overly control the setup, McIntosh “followed the light and lines that draw you in more,” she says. “This was one of those moments where everything lined up on its own for a second. I love it when the shadows end up being just as important as the food itself.”
Photo Credit: Eric Wolfinger
Eric Wolfinger
Herb-Roasted Golden Chicken at Fleurette
La Jolla native Eric Wolfinger—who won a James Beard Award for Tartine Bread, one of the most stunning bread books of all time—says he doesn’t have a signature style. His style is a conduit.
“I see my job is to translate the chef’s point of view into something you can feel,” he says.
For this shot, Fleurette chef Travis Swikard had one directive: cuisine du soleil (“cuisine of the sun”). With a spread of leeks vinaigrette, herb-roasted golden chicken, and beets, Wolfinger wanted to create a scene that felt straight out of the French Riviera, relaying the light, bright style of Swikard’s new spot.
Some bonus additions here: Extra lights—to add lots of warmth—and a clipping from an olive tree.
Photo Credit: Dee Sandoval
Dee Sandoval
Espresso Ice Cream at Lucien
Timing and light are everything in food photography. In Lucien—La Jolla’s tasting-menu-only restaurant with moody ambiance—a single strobe flash creates the ideal spotlight.
Dee Sandoval says she uses the “natural, just-plated energy” of the dish to “create a portrait of moment and craft.” That’s why this Mostra Ghost Bear espresso ice cream—with San José dark chocolate mousse, soy-miso caramel, and koji shoyu chocolate sauce—looks like it might dissolve halfway to your mouth.
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.
I peel myself off my couch, crack my back, and force myself to the bar (23 years old, by the way). It’s a Friday night, and my smart watch is already informing me my body battery is critically low.
Nevertheless, party we must.
Because, to be fair, one of the best things about going out—dive bar, velvet-clad cocktail lounge, or anywhere in between—is the performance of it all. Watching a bartender shake and stir like it’s choreography, finishing the drink with a sprig or petal placed just so, feeling like your collection of mixers and spirits is worth pouring into the Holy Grail.
One of the worst things about going out, though? Being out.
So I thank God for the home bar.
No lines, no cover, no shouting your order over someone named Kyle who just discovered the AMF. No $19 cocktails that taste suspiciously like juice. Just me, my apartment (where I can play whatever music I want), and the quiet confidence of knowing I can make something decent without putting on real pants.
A home bar, I’ve learned, doesn’t have to be impressive. It just has to be intentional—a few bottles you actually like, some tried-and-true tools, and at least one drink you can make without Googling. That’s it. That’s the barrier to entry.
To create the ultimate home bar collection, we tapped the folks at San Diego cocktail supply shop Collins & Coupe to give us some of their recommendations. Pick and choose what you need, and start cocktailing.
Courtesy of Collins & Coupe
The Must-Haves
Shaker Tin
You won’t get very far in your cocktail-making-journey without shaker tins. Boston shakers (two pieces, tin-on-tin) and cobbler shakers (three pieces with a strainer and cap) are the most classic styles, but if you want to avoid the tins getting stuck (or creating a mess on the floor), Boston shakers are the way to go.
“Koriko Tins by Cocktail Kingdom are the gold standard for every bar worth their salt. Every new bar we help outfit with tools insists on this brand and model,” says Collins & Coupe co-owner Gary McIntire.
“These are handmade, 100 percent solid copper and will last a lifetime,” McIntire says. “Because they are solid, there is no plated finish to wear off, and they will only look more beautiful with age.”
Bar Spoon
According to the pros, don’t even bother getting bar spoons shorter than 12 inches. One foot long is the magic length to get the best stirring results: “Rule of thumb is at least 50 percent of the spoon should be out of the glass,” says McIntire.
Pulp in your orange juice? We’ll allow it. But in your cocktail? Smooth and strained is optimal. You have two choices here: Hawthorne strainers have a spring that attaches snugly to shaking tins; julep strainers have no tabs or springs (originally created to drink mint juleps before straws became commercially available).
We’ve all seen those seasoned bartenders with the arm tats and haughty demeanors who can assemble perfect drinks with their eyes shut. The rest of us, however, need training wheels. Jiggers—those hourglass-shaped measuring tools—make consistent cocktail-making easy, although cheap versions tend to be inaccurate. Don’t skimp out on these.
“Heavy-duty and made of one piece,” McIntire says. “We use [this jigger] in our classes and at home. It comes in a bell-shaped version and a Japanese version, which is tall and narrow.”
“Glassware is always essential to the cocktail experience,” says McIntire. The martini glass is an avatar for American hair-loosening for a reason: sleek, viciously “V,” and highly spillable (danger always looks good). To start, look for a coupe glass (the fancy cat bowl-looking thing), a highball (glassware with posture), and a rocks glass (the blue collar hero).
You know how Caesar dressing tastes way better when you don’t think about the fact that there are anchovies in it? The same goes for cocktails and raw egg whites. Some of your favorites rely on the frothy ingredient to shine (whiskey sours, gin fizzes, etc.). Mesh strainers help make that magic happen. According to McIntire, always get the conical version; the round, bowl style could cause spills.
Lili Kim is a content coordinator and writer for San Diego Magazine, with experience highlighting local businesses and communities. When not writing or shooting film, she is likely brewing her seventh cup of tea of the day or strolling along Sunset Cliffs.
San Diego’s coffee industry has yet to hit its ceiling. There are at least 850 coffee shops across the county (possibly over 1,000 at this point) and more specialty cafes and roasters seem to join the roster every other week.
Some newcomers, like Chance’s Coffee, focus on specialties like Vietnamese coffee; other stalwarts, like Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, have helped put the local coffee scene on the map with internationally acclaimed beans and baristas for 20 years. You can get a classic pour-over or an ultra, whipped cream–topped strawberry lavender basil blueberry matcha latte sprinkled with unicorn glitter—whatever your coffee style, San Diego’s got it… somewhere.
Steady State Roasting falls more in the former category, focusing on traceable, sustainable sourcing and no-nonsense roasting (no unicorn glitter here, sorry!). Founder and lead roaster Elliot Reinecke first started Steady State in a garage behind his house, roasting small batches until expanding slightly to a shared and not-quite-permitted space before landing in a lucky spot on State Street in Carlsbad.
Now, eight years later, Steady State is scaling up once more, opening its second cafe in San Marcos next to their roastery. The new location offers the same food and drink menu as the original Carlsbad location, and Reinecke says he plans to add an onsite bakery to bake items like English muffins and country loaves to supplement Prager Brothers’ more specialized pastries.
He doesn’t plan on opening more cafes, though. Rather, Reinecke plans to expand roasting operations and strategic sourcing. Currently, he sources beans from Colombia, Panama, across Africa, and as of this year, Costa Rica. “We’ve had Costa Rican coffee before, but we went to origin a few months ago and bought six different lots from there, all from really good high-end local farmers,” he explains.
The rising cost of sourcing does present some challenges, as does changes within coffee culture itself. Coffee has moved from a mass-market beverage to a highly personalized artisanal experience, but the current feeling is moving back towards focusing on quality over flashiness, says Reinecke.
If Reinecke’s prediction is right, coffee is headed on a similar trajectory to craft beer. Ten years ago, no one knew what Citra hops were. Now, even casual beer fans are versed in hop varieties, and that attention to detail is spilling over to coffee as well. How many of San Diego’s 1,000 coffee shops will remain once the unicorn glitter’s luster fades? My bet is on anyone remaining steadfast to sourcing, sustainability, and simplicity.
Steady State San Marcos is now open at 1320 Grand Avenue, Suite #9, San Marcos. Initial operating hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sake lovers would do well to keep September 27 open. The 10-year anniversary of the San Diego Sake Festival is coming to Julep Venue in Mission Hills with over 150 different sakes and shochus from across Japan, plus VIP tickets get special access to unlimited tastings from Michelin-starred Soichi Sushi. VIP opens at 2:30 p.m. and general admission is 3:30 p.m., but early bird tickets are limited to the first 40 people. I mean c’mon, sushi and sake? If you’re even remotely interested in learning more about sake (or already know you’re a fan), this is the event of the year.
The uber-luxe spa The Golden Door in Escondido has been rejuvenating guests for over six decades, even winning Best Bathhouse Remodel in our Best of San Diego 2023 for its multi-million dollar overhaul. Now, you can try making the property’s signature nourishing cuisine at home with Chef Greg Frey, Jr.’s debut cookbook The Golden Door Table. There are over 100 recipes ranging from potassium broth to miso black cod, plus desserts, breakfast items, and a ton more to inspire your own wellness journey. The book hits shelves on September 15, but preorders are available now.
Love her or hate her, Gwyneth Paltrow has undeniably created a wellness dynasty with Goop, her blog-turned-brand with locations across California. Soon, San Diego will get its own shot of Paltrow-power when the first Goop store opens in One Paseo later this year, followed by an on-campus location at UCSD’s Triton Center. Charge your crystals and send out good energy to the construction and permitting entities…
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.
Implementing a farm-to-table model hardly deserves acknowledgement these days. It’s not a stretch. It’s not innovative. “It’s the bare f**king minimum,” says Herb & Sea‘s executive chef Aidan Owens.
When I arrive at the Encinitas restaurant, I’m ready to talk sustainability, farm-to-table stuff, with Owens. “Did you see the chin on that?” he says of the extra big jiggly chin on the sheephead that just arrived with the day’s fresh catch. I did. It was Jay Leno adjacent.
I learn quickly that he somehow oozes both charm and stone-cold honesty. Maybe he could construct a new dish with chin goo, like he did when he had a bunch of tuna scraps and voila’d it into a smooth and crowd-pleasing ‘nduja. “I want to know what’s in there,” he says.
Courtesy of Herb & Sea
The instinct to look closer, to dig into what others might discard, says a lot about the chef’s approach. I guide him back to our topic, but he has something else on his mind. “We’re overcomplicating food—what happened to just cooking good food and having fun with it?”
Owens grew up on a farm in Byron Bay, Australia, where sustainability wasn’t a concept you chat about so much as a way of life. Think dirt roads, backyard chickens, pulling vegetables straight from the ground, and a mother who believed that if you couldn’t pronounce the ingredients on a package, you shouldn’t eat what was inside.
Food wasn’t precious or performative. Making it was what you did because you were hungry and that’s still what inspires Owens today. “I like to cook good food because I like to eat good food,” he says.
His approach to sustainability at Herb & Sea began so naturally that it felt just like instinct. “I was just like, ‘Let’s order food from the people who live and work here,’” he says.
Courtesy of Herb & Sea
And why wouldn’t he when lives in San Diego? Cities all over the world vie for our goods. Our tuna is sent overseas. Our spiny lobsters hit dinner plates in China and Japan. Not to mention California’s producing a third of the country’s vegetables and three-quarters of its fruits and nuts.
“Why would we outsource when it’s all here?” Owens asks.
Sustainability, in this context, is about cooking what exists in abundance, nearby, right now. “I love the local fish here. It’s f**king delicious and San Diego citrus, I mean, it is so f**ing good,” he says.
Instead of importing ingredients, Owens also looks for nearby alternatives. “You can find really cool things in the local waters,” he says, pointing out that stingray cheeks taste similar to scallops.
Courtesy of Herb & Sea
Whatever he finds in that sheephead chin might just be the next substitute for marrow. But to make this work, it means getting diners amped up about the slightly unfamiliar.
Tasting menus, where diners are completely in his hands, become an opportunity to gently push boundaries. “I’ll serve mackerel, because people think they hate it,” Owens says, noting that the abundant local fish can have some fishiness. “But when it’s fresh, it’s arguably one of the best fish in the ocean.”
He also tweaks the language on the menu so people might feel more compelled to give dishes a try without preconceived notions. He might use “lengua” instead of “tongue.” “Whelk” instead of “snail.” When he puts “stingray throat” on the menu, he disarmingly calls it “skate.”
To reduce waste, scraps aren’t always discarded but rather turned into something new. Sometimes they’re smoked, cured or fermented. Apples going bad turn into apple ponzu. Lemons turn to marmalade, which stretches their usefulness far beyond peak season. “And it’s super tasty on our pizza,” he says.
What makes the food even richer, is the relationships he’s built with farmers. Though it didn’t always feel natural, Owens sought personal connection first. He recalls approaching a fisherman at the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market. “I was awkward,” he says. “I went up to him and said, ‘I like your fish.’”
Owen’s is now so close to his suppliers—like fishermen Ryan Sebo and Joe Daly—that he gets texted pictures of fresh catches right as they flop on the boat. The messages always ask if he wants first dibs. “I say yes to a lot of fish,” Owens says, noting that Herb & Sea can go through 2,000 pounds of seafood a week.
Courtesy of Herb & Sea
The next evolution of sustainability, in his view, will be chefs working directly with producers such as his alliance with Sebo, cutting out middlemen and purveyors where possible. “It will put more money in the pockets of the people doing the work,” he says.
It will mean that chefs can’t just know their local farmers and producers, but they’ll choose to work with the ones who have the best practices. Dining and sustainability will become much less about the final plate. “It will be more about the impact that plate has on the Earth,” he says.
Ultimately, he believes sustainability doesn’t need to be loud. It doesn’t need hashtags. It just needs to be honest.
“We aren’t saving lives. We’re feeding people good food,” he says.
And yet, in feeding people well—simply, thoughtfully, responsibly—something meaningful happens. Guests leave satisfied. Ingredients are respected. Local ecosystems are supported and food returns to what it has always been at its core: nourishment, pleasure, and a quiet reflection of the place it comes from.
Carlsbad’s Newest Restaurant Is All About One Perfect Dish
The team behind Harumama and Blue Ocean will open Little Kiki Katsu & More on June 15, serving premium cutlets, Japanese sandos, and curated sake pairings
Every culture has its own comfort foods—cozy dishes that nurture the soul as much as the body. In the US, dipping a grilled cheese sandwich in a bowl of tomato soup can feel as satiating as pulling a warm sweater out of the dryer. In China, a steaming bowl of congee is basically a miracle remedy for anything you can imagine. I’m pretty sure Italian carbonara could achieve world peace. And in Japan, katsu remains one of the most universally satisfying inventions of the past century.
Katsu was originally invented as a riff on côtelette de veau, the classic French veal cutlet coated with breadcrumbs and pan-fried in butter. In 1899, a Western-style restaurant called Rengatei in Tokyo decided to put their own spin on the dish by pounding the cutlets until thin, then coating them with softer panko and deep-frying versus pan frying (like tempura) for a crispier, lighter, crunchier bite. Today, pork—called tonkatsu in Japanese—tends to be the most common base for katsu.
The dish has yet to achieve the same mainstream status as say, chicken nuggets, in the US. But Little Kiki Katsu & More hopes to change that, when the katsu-focused restaurant opens in Carlsbad on June 15.
Created by the team behind Harumama and Blue Ocean, Little Kiki will focus on premium katsu dishes paired with sake and around a dozen small bites like miso soup, karaage, edamame, and Japanese pickles. Executive chef James Pyo, who co-owns all three restaurants with his wife Jenny, created a menu that features proteins like Berkshire Kurobuta pork, Jidori chicken, salmon, scallops, and dry-aged Pacific cod for the katsu and grilled stone selections. (Note: the grilled stone options will be offered for dinner only.)
Photo Credit: Arlene Ibarra
The lunch menu includes Japanese-style sandos like a tonkatsu sandwich with pork, housemade bread, and tonkatsu sauce (available regular or spicy). Dessert options are simple to start—yuzu cheesecake, matcha crème brûlée, and mango/yuzu mochi ice cream. The Pyos curated a selection of premium sakes as well, specifically for pairing purposes, as well as offering some beer and cocktails.
Little Kiki, which is named for Jenny’s cat, seats 25-30 guests inside with room for only a few more on the small outdoor patio as well. Designer and assistant Yoojin Jang says the vibe is meant to be warm and welcoming but modern, using colors like olive green, cream, and pops of orange against Japanese-style wood slats.
Initially, Little Kiki will only be open for dinner service, but aims to introduce lunch hours for the grand opening on July 1. Due to the limited seating, Jang encourages guests to make reservations, and while the restaurant will offer takeout, it will not be available on food delivery apps like Uber Eats or DoorDash to motivate guests to come experience it for themselves.
“Come in curious and leave satisfied,” says Jang. And keep your eyes open for subtle cat motifs—she promises they are hidden all over the place. Whimsy, it seems, is also on the menu.
Little KiKi Katsu & More soft opens on June 15, 2026 at 2958 Madison Street, Suite 101 in Carlsbad. Hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for dinner; Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner; closed Tuesday.
Courtesy of San Diego Restaurant Week
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Beth’s Bites
The Cygnet Theater in Liberty Station roared back to life last summer and hasn’t slowed down since. Their current show, The SpongeBob Musical, runs through July 12, and anyone who wants to enjoy a meal from a Michelin-recognized restaurant before the curtain drops need only pop next door to Solare Ristorante. The local Italian favorite just nabbed multiple accolades in this year’s Best Restaurants issue (Reader’s Pick for Top Five Restaurants, Critic’s Pick for Best Gluten-Free Menu, and runner-up for Best Wine List in San Diego) and is offering a prix-fixe menu for the show for $59 per person. With choices like “Bikini Bottom Bruschetta” and “Squidward’s Shell City Risotto,” parents and kids can both enjoy a cheeky evening out.
It’s the most wonderful time to eat—or at least, it’s coming soon. San Diego Restaurant Week returns September 13 through 20 to celebrate everything delicious the area has to offer for eight gloriously gluttonous days. Over 120 restaurants in every corner of the county will have pre-set menus to showcase their crème de la crème dishes, so at three meals a day, that’s at least 24 meals you can check off your list. But if you decide to go for triple-digits, I certainly won’t judge you.
Following Vanguard Culture’s 10-year anniversary dinner series, artist Ben Guerrette will once more take over The Chapel at Liberty Station for Ritual:SOLSTICE, an immersive dining experience to celebrate the summer solstice. On June 20, he’ll light up the chapel with his signature illumination experience, with Riva providing the smooth sounds of jazz, Beth Guerrette and company showcasing their choreography and dance, and Snake Oil Cocktail Company on hand for specialty cocktails. What better way to commemorate the sun’s slow retreat than with an explosion of creative energy to carry you through the next seasons?
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.
Westfield UTC mall is adding yet another “first” to the ever-growing roster of restaurants. The first US location for China’s stir-fry sensation Chef Fei is on the way later this year, Japan already reinvented crispy rice pioneer Katsuya by opening the first Katsuya Ko, and now, it’s Spain’s turn—Telefèric Barcelona opens early this summer.
The family-owned, Barcelona-based tapas joint first opened in the US 10 years ago in Walnut Creek, California, but co-founder and CEO Xavi Padrosa says they’ve had their eye on San Diego for years. Westfield UTC “just clicked,” he says, pointing to the burgeoning collection of world-class eateries already within the mall’s walls. Plus, La Jolla’s breezy vibe echoes Spain’s easygoing tapas culture.
The indoor/outdoor space spans 5,526-square-feet, with seating for 150 inside, 60 on the patio, and 16 more at the bar. Xavi’s sister and co-owner Maria Padrosa designed the Mediterranean-inspired space as a contemporary take on coastal Catalonia, using imported furniture and materials from Spain like hand-glazed tiles and wood accents. And if all the dining spaces are planets, the center of the suite’s universe is the bar.
Courtesy of Telefèric Barcelona
Padrosa points to signature favorites like patatas bravas (fried potatoes drizzled with a spicy red sauce and house aioli), jamón ibérico de bellota (Spanish ham from free-range pigs raised on acorns, cured for 38 months and sliced to order), gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), pulpo Telefèric (octopus with potato purée and pimentón XO, a spicy Spanish/Cantonese fusion sauce), and croquetas (a popular fried tapas dish coated in breadcrumbs and made with béchamel mixed with fillings like jamón or king crab.
There are a very small handful of legit paella spots in San Diego (Costa Brava in Pacific Beach and Cafe Sevilla in Gaslamp Quarter come to mind), so I’m personally looking forward to giving Telefèric’s a go—especially the squid ink paella negra, which is perhaps the most goth paella of all. Every location also offers different weekend specials, La Jolla’s being seafood-driven and meant to pair with beverage director Alex Serena’s drinks. There are over a hundred Spanish wines, Spanish-inspired cocktails, sangria, and of course, plenty of twists on the iconic gin and tonic. The restaurant will also have a gourmet market called The Merkat with imported Spanish sundries.
Courtesy of Telefèric Barcelona
With more US locations in the works (Newport Beach will open soon after La Jolla), Padrosa says the company hopes to open more across California, but are open to anywhere in the country that feels right. “We don’t know exactly what new cities will appear on our map in the coming years,” he says. But in true Catalan fashion, anywhere they go should be ready for big plates of hearty Spanish cuisine.
Telefèric Barcelona La Jolla opens early summer 2026 in Westfield UTC. Opening hours will be Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Most of the time, you have to be 18 years old to change your name. In Arcana’s case, it was about a month. The immersive speakeasy behind Archive in Encinitas updated their moniker to Animga (a play on “enigma”) earlier this month, after what one can only assume was an upset letter from a similarly-named business. However, partner Paula Vrakas promises that the concept remains the same—mystery, cocktails, and a forthcoming bottle locker membership club. Since the only constant is change, Anigma is off to a good start!
Courtesy of Good Honey
Beth’s Bites
It’s not a salad bar—Mary’s Gourmet Salads is a salad experience. And soon, Bankers Hill will get a taste of the green when the local eatery opens its third location at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Upas Street in the Park Summit building. Yes, that’s the same building as Cowboy Star’s new venture She Rode West, so it sounds like veggie lovers and carnivores alike will be covered.
Speaking of expansion plans, La Corriente is likewise on a roll. The Mexican seafood concept opened its first location in the US in La Jolla in 2024, followed by Coronado in 2025, and announced plans to open a third branch in Oceanside in the Freeman Collective. With neighbors like Tanner’s Prime Burgers and Little Fox ice cream, the culinary collective is only getting more ridiculously tasty.
One delicious event that will occur before both of the aforementioned openings is a honey + cheese + focaccia tasting at Pastaria Vivi on July 17. With the help of Good Honey (which took top honors as the highest-rated honey in the U.S. at the International London Honey Awards) and Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company (easily one of the best artisanal cheesemakers in California), the Encinitas-based pasta shop and market will host a free pairing event from noon to 3 p.m. And if you’re an aspiring apiologist, don’t miss Good Honey’s on-site observation hive to watch these busy bees in action.
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.
National Philanthropy Day, presented by PNC Bank, Celebrates the Best of Philanthropy in San Diego
The 53rd Annual National Philanthropy Day Takes Place on November 21. Join us from 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the new Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center!
Once yearly, AFP San Diego joins with others worldwide to celebrate National Philanthropy Day (NPD), a special day set aside to recognize the great contributions of donors and nonprofits that enrich of our community and the world. San Diego’s NPD is one of the largest and most successful in the U.S., attracting nearly 900 participants, including philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, CEOs, board members, development professionals, and business, community, and civic leaders.
Sponsorship proceeds from National Philanthropy Day are reinvested in education, training, scholarships, career development, and the advancement of fundraising professionals throughout San Diego. These resources and training provide fundraising professionals with the tools necessary to support our region’s diverse array of nonprofit organizations, which rely on charitable giving for close to half of their annual revenues.
The National Philanthropy Day Honorees are selected by the NPD Honorary Committee, a group of highly respected, diverse nonprofit and business leaders. Our 2025 Honorees include:
Outstanding Development Emerging Leader – Taylor Thompson Self-Nominated
Outstanding Development Professional – Sharyn Goodson Nominated by: AJ Steinberg & Jeanne Schmelzer
Outstanding Organization for IDEA – Accessity Self-Nominated
Outstanding Philanthropic Institution – Life Science Cares San Diego Nominated by: Blair Search Partners
Outstanding Philanthropist – Dan & Phyllis Epstein Nominated by: CSU San Marcos & KPBS
Outstanding Student Volunteer – Camden Hall Nominated by: Curebound
National Philanthropy Day San Diego provides an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of giving and to celebrate the selfless contributions of individuals and organizations across the region. We look forward to celebrating with you!
Sponsorship opportunities and individual tickets are available. Please visit www.afpsd.org for more information.
