You might think Bryan Zeto is paying with Monopoly money after reading his plans for expansion. He is evolving from his pretty incredible Shawarma Guys food truck into three separate brick-and-mortar locations.
First is a 1,500-square-foot storefront in La Mesa projected to open in three months and 1,600 more square footage will land in Mira Mesa around the new year. Zeto will cement his small empire with a two-story, 1,586-square-foot build-out in South Park in early 2024.
Zeto had a career in sales, but the thought of selling phones until retirement was unsavory. He’s known amongst friends and family for being a restaurant-quality home cook, so he began leaning into that skill set. “I always liked to cook. People said I cooked good, but that was just my friends and family,” he says.
Shawarma Guys, interior, San Diego
He was aware of the steep barrier to entry many first-time restaurateurs face and unsure how the public would respond to his food, so he decided to open his concept on wheels. He also reconsidered his original Mexican fusion menu.
“I wanted to do Mexican fusion food in South Park, but I talked to a friend who said, ‘Nobody wants that, there’s already so much Mexican food down here.’” Zeto refocused and began laying the foundations for recipes for his halal-friendly chicken shawarma and falafel pita plates.
“I had never cooked Middle Eastern food. I just come from a Middle Eastern background,” Zeto says. “I ate this food every day for a month, trying to see what tasted good. Even when we opened, I was still testing things to see what people liked.”
The Shawarma Guys’ success in South Park was swift and came with a feature on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and being named the number one place to eat in the country by Yelp in 2020. Zeto initially wanted to use the media-fueled momentum to go brick-and-mortar but resisted until he could observe any pandemic-related industry trends. “I knew the industry was changing, so I waited a year and a half before moving forward,” he says.
It was never the plan to open new locations in such rapid succession, but when permit delays on one project coincide with finding the ideal locale for another, you take the leap. The aesthetic for the three spaces will be bright, open, and not too fussy. “I want the place to be a nice, modern, and clean environment,” Zeto says.
He’s in the midst of enhancing the menu by adding items like wagyu kebabs, but is not dissolving his OG food truck completely. “Once we’re open in South Park, I’ll probably use it for catering,” he says.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream
Quick Bites
Verdes El Ranchero in La Jolla is expanding to take over Carino’s Pizza next door in La Jolla. The cheery, brightly painted bar has been serving regionally influenced, home-style Mexican since 1945 with dishes like machaca burritos and chile rellenos.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams is hosting a grand opening party June 5 in North Park, where they will serve complimentary scoops from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The company was founded over 20 years ago by Jeni Britton (James Beard Award Winner) and has since expanded to include more than 60 stores nationwide.
Have breaking-news, exciting scoops, or great stories about San Diego’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Jared Cross is a writer who grew up near the US-Mexico border in San Diego. He credits this experience with refining his appetite for food and culture.
Welcome to SDM’s Guide to San Diego Food + Drink, our new video series dedicated to our favorite food and drink in the city. At the end of the summer, we’re bring many of these restaurants to the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival for a massive party. You should come. San Diego restaurants, local wineries, Food Network chefs… it’s our big dream for the city.
Troy Johnson is the magazine’s award-winning food writer and humorist, and a long-standing expert on Food Network. His work has been featured on NatGeo, Travel Channel, NPR, and in Food Matters, a textbook of the best American food writing.
Restaurants are the social lifeblood of a city. They offer a place to commune with friends and strangers alike, build relationships, explore new cultures through flavors, and offer a welcome escape from the reality of our own kitchens. All under the guise of getting something to eat.
With all restaurants do to nourish us, we invite you to give back to them by voting for your Reader’s Choice favorites in several categories.
Vote in as many categories as you like, but you can only cast one vote per category. If the altruistic love of your favorite spot isn’t enough, your vote will enter you to win a $200 gift card to the Catamaran Hotel Resort and Spa.
Winning restaurants earn bragging rights for the entire calendar year—and your continued love and support. So, go on. It’s up to you to decide on our city’s next culinary icon.
Spread the news. Share the poll. Voting ends on February 23, 2024.
You’ve served us delicious food all year, so, sit back and relax, and leave the marketing to us. We’ve crafted all the materials needed to recruit your biggest fans and followers to cast their votes for you. The marketing materials include logos, graphics for email and social media, restaurant signage, and cards to place in your to-go orders. All you need to do is start promoting on February 12.
Promoting & Voting Dates:
Voting: February 12 through February 18 Extended get-out-the-vote week: February 19 – February 23, 2024.
Awards and Bragging Rights:
Winning restaurants will be announced in the Best Restaurants issue of San Diego Magazine this May and will receive “2024 Winner” graphics to plaster anywhere that’s legal.
Winners will also be invited to participate at the Best of San Diego Party on August 2, 2023, where thousands of our readers await the chance to savor the culinary creations that earned you the top spot.
Let’s Get Started:
A series of “Vote for Us” graphics are below. All static marketing materials can be downloaded by clicking on the image. Follow the steps below:
Static “Vote for Us” Graphics:
• Click on the image you want to open Google Drive. • Right-click or double-tap the image to open it larger. • Choose download or click the down arrow on the right side of the opened image. • Download your image.
Customizable “Vote for Us” Graphics:
• Click the graphic you want. • Canva will open on your browser. If you don’t already have a Canva account, you will be asked to establish a FREE account. • Once you log in, you can upload your photos, and add content to your graphics like the name of your restaurant and the category you aim to win.
Email Blasts:
Download an email blast graphic and send it through your email marketing platform! Don’t forget to link the email to the ballot page: www.sdmag.com/vote2024
Click the image above to download
Custom Email:
Click here to go to Canva and log in (it’s free to join). When you choose the graphic to edit, choose the prompt to “Duplicate” before you start. DO NOT CHOOSE EDIT. In your duplicated version, add your photos and text within the app. Download the type of file your email system requires. Don’t forget to link the email to the ballot page: www.sdmag.com/vote2024
Click here to go to Canva and log in (it’s free to join). When you choose the graphic to edit, choose the prompt to “Duplicate” before you start. DO NOT CHOOSE EDIT. In your duplicated version, add your photos and text within the app. Download the type of file your email system requires. Don’t forget to link the email to the ballot page: www.sdmag.com/vote2024
Instagram GIFY
Official Best Restaurants voting stickers are available in Instagram stories. Search Best Restaurants and add a sticker GIFY to your content. Click on the graphic to go to download. Don’t forget to include a tap-to-vote link in your story: www.sdmag.com/vote2024.
Click the image above to download.
Custom Instagram Story
Click here to go to Canva and log in (it’s free to join). When you choose the graphic to edit, choose the prompt to “Duplicate” before you start. DO NOT CHOOSE EDIT. In your duplicated version, add your photos and text within the app. Download a .png or .jpeg. Don’t forget a tap-to-vote link in your story: www.sdmag.com/vote2024.
Click the image above to download.
To-Go Order QR Cards
Get out the vote by placing one of these cards in all your to-go orders. A convenient QR code that links to voting is on each card. The QR Code will take your customer directly to vote at www.SDMag.com/Vote2024
Click the image above to download.
Poster
Print and hang a poster in your restaurant! The QR Code will take your customer directly to vote at www.SDMag.com/Vote2024
Click the image above to download.
Logos and Icons
Add a logo or icon to your email or website. Don’t forget to include a link to vote: www.SDMag.com/vote2024
San Diego summers can be brutal. But since the hottest period is typically late summer into early fall, San Diegans still have time to prepare. The pros at Mauzy Cooling, Heating, Plumbing, and Electrical are standing by to help homeowners fortify their homes against the elements and ensure their air conditioning is as frosty as the penguins that serve as the company’s mascots.
Many homeowners underestimate the load their AC system faces, especially in the inland valleys where temperatures regularly top 100 degrees. San Diego regularly sees multi-day heatwaves each summer, and a system that struggles on the first day will likely fail by the third.Longer run times, unusual sounds or smells, and uneven cooling from room to room are all signs that your system may not survive the next hot spell.
Systems typically last 12 to 17 years, but there are exceptions. If a system is approaching that, or is already there, a professional evaluation is recommended before summer really heats up. A good rule of thumb: If you can’t remember when your system was last serviced, it’s due.
“As technology changes, systems become smarter and smarter,” says Sean O’Connor, an install manager at Mauzy with 42 years of experience. “There are a lot of people out there who will say a system’s only good for 10 years. I don’t buy that—these systems are built to last as long as they’re taken care of.”
There are also a few steps homeowners can take between services to extend the life of their system. Regularly changing a dirty filter—especially if you have kids or pets—and keeping an outdoor unit clean can help head off problems in the future, says O’Connor.
Also, be realistic about whether it’s time to replace a unit. O’Connor likens pouring money into salvaging a faulty unit with patchwork repairs and replacement parts to “tripping over a dollar to pick up a dime.” When one part fails, others are sure to follow, and newer parts may not be compatible with older units. Mauzy recommends homeowners use the 50% rule: If a repair costs more than 50% of the system’s replacement value, and the equipment is over 10 years old, replacement is usually the better long-term value. And don’t forget the ducting. An older house that was built with heat and later had air conditioning added may not have sufficient airflow, regardless of how good the system is.
Last but not least, homeowners should know who to trust when it comes to their homes. Built on three generations of professional integrity, Mauzy has grown into not just a leader for cooling, heating, plumbing, and electrical services, but a leader in the community known for supporting local nonprofits across an array of causes. To ensure complete peace of mind, Mauzy stands behind a comprehensive 12-point guarantee that outlines its commitment to outstanding service, quality equipment, expert technicians who understand how the local microclimates affect HVAC performance, and no upsells or surprises on the bill.
“We go the extra mile. That’s what sets us apart,” O’Connor says. To get a free quote today, visit mauzy.com.
Logically, the restaurant scene should’ve been dead-silent this year. Food costs went berserk. Labor costs swelled. We all knew how to cook because we were marooned in our own homes for a few years. And yet San Diego’s food scene unveiled a few dozen more pretty fantastic restaurants in 2023. This is what I love about restaurants and the people behind them. It is not a get-rich-quick scheme. Sure, money is to be Danny Meier’d for the few and the lucky and the ulcered.
But financial analysts who are not sadistic would advise you to put your money into the stock market, into real estate, into off-brand Beanie Babies before putting it into the restaurant industry. That means all you’re left with are people who do it because they have to, or because the dream of creating a hospitable place that makes humans happy is just too compelling to ignore.
Here are the new arrivals that won me over in 2023 and became part of my own personal hit list of the best new restaurants in San Diego.
Photo Credit: James Tran
Kinme
Omakase-only sushi spots took over the whole dang scene (omakase means you eat what chef deigns their best and most creative stuff that day, with no menu to choose from). Azuki in Bankers Hill has long been one of the city’s favorite sushi spots. It was never hype-trained. It just quietly, consistently snuck up on us all, probably because of owner Shihomi Borillo and chef Nao Ichimura’s obsession with the good-food movement.
Kinme is their tiny (900 square feet), 10-seat, omakase-only concept a block up the hill. It’s a mix of Edomae-style sushi and kaiseke, a seasonal, multi-course Japanese meal. The menu changes all the time, but it has included things like grilled corn with koji miso and tomatillo salt, A5 wagyu in ginger shoyu, and chawanmushi, plus Japanese whiskys, rare sake, and top-notch tea to finish.
Courtesy of Fish Guts
Fish Guts
A hell of a fish-taco-and-sammy shop. San Diego born and raised, Pablo Becker helped open some of the bigger Mexican restaurants in the country with his cousin, famed Mexican chef Richard Sandoval. He needed a break, so he moved to Chicago for five years and became a line cook. He was offered management roles, refused. Head down, cooking. Five years.
Fish Guts is his return home, a small-but-mighty corner spot in Barrio Logan. It serves sandwiches during the day, tacos at night, using almost all sustainable fish from local boats. Get the blackened whitefish with the jalapeño-cabbage slaw, the mushroom taco, or the fantastic Negra Modelo beer–battered lunch sammy with Mexican tartar sauce.
Photo Credit: Cole Novak
MAKE Projects
MAKE Projects is one of the city’s most inspiring food nonprofits, helping low-income refugees and immigrant women learn farming, cooking, and catering skills and earn a living as they acclimate to their new life in the US.
During the weekends, the women cook and sell specialties from their native countries—East African mandazi (they’re like beignets), halloumi with farm veggies, pancakes with Cambodian orange syrup, Afghan chicken tacos with Haitian pikliz—made with ingredients from their urban farm. Now they have a permanent home in North Park.
Lia’s Lumpia
I could hang on this back porch all day, joy-shoveling lumpia with a couple beers. Chef Spencer Hunter’s grandma owned one of the first Filipino restaurants in San Diego decades ago and was famed for her hand-rolled lumpia (being lazy, but real close to accurate, let’s call it the egg roll of the Philippines).
Spencer went to college for sustainable hospitality and cooked in huts in South America, then came home to work through some top-notch kitchens (Searsucker, Waters Fine Foods + Catering). He and his mom, Benelia Santos-Hunter, started doing lumpia pop-ups at festivals, including Coachella. They went on Great Food Truck Race, nearly and probably should’ve won (a contestable second place), and found a permanent spot in Barrio Logan in an old house filled with pop-culture and Filipino cultural knicknacks.
It’s a total work in progress, design-wise. This is two family members ad-hoc’ing a dream, and I like that. Spencer will do seasonal riffs (ramen lumpia, Thanksgiving lumpia), but get “Lola’s Lumpia,” stuffed with a mix of beef and pork marinated in oyster sauce and various things. And don’t miss their ube-coffee ice cream with white chocolate shavings.
Troy Johnson is the magazine’s award-winning food writer and humorist, and a long-standing expert on Food Network. His work has been featured on NatGeo, Travel Channel, NPR, and in Food Matters, a textbook of the best American food writing.
Ann Sim is telling me about her children. She says she has 50 of them, give or take, and her main job is protecting them and providing them everything they need to succeed.
It’s not uncommon to hear restaurant managers refer to their staff this way, but, unlike most of them, Sim has a necklace that I noticed when we sat down: a thin chain with “Callie” written in gold, like some people wear with the names of their actual kids. You get the sense Sim really means it.
Sim is the general manager of Callie. She opened the East Village Mediterranean-style gem with chef Travis Swikard in the middle of 2021, and now they’re joining forces again for their second location, a to-be-named French restaurant in La Jolla Commons. Much has been made of Swikard’s experience, and rightfully so—more than a decade alongside Daniel Boulud in New York tends to draw eyes—but in terms of pure tonnage of resume fireworks, Sim might have him beat.
Courtesy of Callie
She’s worked at some of the most well-respected places in New York and Los Angeles, including a marquee stint as a captain at Eleven Madison Park, what was—at the time, by every metric available—the best restaurant in the world.
You wouldn’t know it to talk to her. The SoCal native is approachable with an easy laugh. But to watch her at the restaurant is to witness a pro at work. You see it in the way she adjusts a napkin or pushes in a chair, the way she glides between tables or opens a bottle of wine. But you also sense it in the warmth with which she greets guests, touches tables, and coaches her staff.
The front of house at Callie is, like the cuisine, a union of world-class refinement and California vibes. The synthesis of these apparent contradictions is a big part of why Callie is such a local treasure—and why it has earned it national and international recognition (as well as this magazine’s award for Best Restaurant two years in a row). It’s an impressive CV for a woman whose main professional goal throughout college was to get out of restaurants for good.
The daughter of Korean immigrants-turned-restaurateurs, Sim was born and raised in Orange County. As a kid, Sim was “free child labor,” she quips—she worked the counter, grilled chicken, waited tables, whatever her parents’ business needed that day. She stayed in restaurants through college, serving and bartending, and graduated from UC Irvine sans debt. The tradeoff: They were bad places with toxic cultures. She had different ideas of success.
Photo Credit: Luciana McIntosh Prawns al ajillo from Callie
After college in 2011, she took her meager savings and moved to New York, something she had wanted to do since she was a kid. Though she had planned to change industries, she needed a job, so a friend got her an interview at Daniel Boulud’s celebrated Mediterranean restaurant, Boulud Sud, as a host.
For all her experience, she was completely unprepared. “I didn’t know who Daniel Boulud was,” she says. “I didn’t know what fine dining even meant. I never heard the phrase.” What she did know, however, was how to work hard and learn. She absorbed everything she could, bouncing from the host stand to the events team to management.
It was there that she first met a young Swikard and other high-caliber restaurant pros, and it opened her eyes to what this life could be. “They were so good at what they did that I was like, ‘Oh, this is actually a career. This is a profession. This is actually something very respectable,’” she recalls.
Her next job was at Eleven Madison Park. The restaurant already had three Michelin stars, and, during her tenure, it earned an exuberant review from the New York Times, a James Beard Award for outstanding service, and the title of Best Restaurant in the World from the World’s 50 Best.
Courtesy of Ann Sim
When Eleven Madison Park closed for renovations, Sim took the opportunity to come back to California. She arrived in LA at the end of 2017 to open the area’s NoMad Hotel, and did a stint as the GM of Maude in Beverly Hills. After the start of the pandemic, she got a random text from Swikard, her old Boulud Sud colleague, who was trying to open a restaurant in San Diego and had just lost his GM. Did she know anyone who might want the job?
Callie is theirs. It is her and Swikard’s united vision of hospitality and what a restaurant should be. She’s not courting the 50 Best awards—she’s too “old and jaded,” she says, and those things come at too high a human cost (she still can’t watch The Bear, for example). To her, success comes from working hard, taking care of her people, and connecting with the community. Nearly two and a half years after she and Swikard opened the restaurant’s doors, the reservation list at Callie is still full pretty much every night.
“I genuinely care about the business as well as every single one of my employees,” she says. “So I don’t care if anyone’s like, ‘Oh, you wear a necklace with the name of your job?’ I don’t think it’s weird, because for me, it’s like, ‘I also pushed this baby out.’”
And with her and Swikard’s second culinary progeny incoming, she may have to add another charm.
Daniel A. Kaplan is a founding partner of Panakos LLP with more than three decades of civil litigation experience in both state and federal courts. Mr. Kaplan pursues and defends legal claims on behalf of companies, entrepreneurs, and business owners in high-stakes disputes. He focuses on business disputes including breach of contract, unfair competition, trade secret theft, securities disputes, fraud/misrepresentations, and employment matters.
“The best advocacy combines preparation, perspective, and a client relationship built on trust and candor.” — Daniel A. Kaplan
His clients include real estate investors, private and public corporations, and individuals seeking sophisticated legal counsel. Known for practical judgment and strategic advocacy, he works closely with an experienced and diverse legal team to protect, enforce, and defend his clients’ interests.
555 W. Beech Street, Ste. 500, San Diego, California 92101 619-8000-LAW Panakos.law
