One of SD’s top chefs is getting a new room. James Beard Award nominee Carl Schroeder will get a few days off Oct. 14-24 when Market Restaurant + Bar closes for a complete remodel. Local design firm Basile Studio is handling. Judging by Paul Basile’s past work (Craft & Commerce, Bankers Hill, Polite Provisions, etc.), the new Market should be fun to look at.
Market partner Terryl Gavre is quick to point out that this will not be anything like Craft & Commerce. But that fantastic spot is an example of Basile’s work, and why we should all give a damn about this news.
Gavre says they’re adding a wood-stone oven to the bar area and rolling out a new casual menu cooked exclusively in the hot pit (flatbreads, roasted meats, shellfish, etc.). They’re also opening up what was formerly known as the “Red Room” (the lounge off to the side), making it part of the main dining room. Custom glass doors will give ‘em the option of sealing it off for a private party.
Gavre on the aesthetic of the new space: “The finish materials haven’t been finalized yet, but we’re using natural materials, warm woods, neutral colors. The look will be a comfortable, ‘Napa style.’ Our location close to the hills and horse farms of Rancho Santa Fe lends itself to the same feel of the wine country. So it seemed a natural direction.”
Some people collect vintage cars. Others, Pokémon cards. For a while in the ’90s, I had a pretty enviable Lisa Frank sticker collection, and I’m sure there’s a stack of dusty POGs somewhere in my parents’ basement.
But Gilbert Frank and Salvatore Ercolano collect restaurants. Specifically, iconic restaurants across San Diego, like The Butcher Shop, West End Bar & Kitchen, The Godfather Restaurant, and Studio Diner. And come January 2, 2026, they’ll add another luminary to their Iconic Eateries Group portfolio as the new owners of Milton’s Delicatessen in Del Mar.
Anyone who’s either from San Diego, has ever been to the Del Mar Fairgrounds, or sat in traffic on I-5 near Via de la Valle has, at the very least, caught a glimpse of the cream-colored Milton’s restaurant just east of the freeway. And, if you’re like Frank, you very well may have been eating there since elementary school.
Photo Courtesy of Milton’s Delicatessen
Barry Robbins and David Levy opened Milton’s as a traditional Jewish delicatessen and bakery in 1995, serving classics like matzo ball soup, piled-high pastrami sandwiches, hot corned beef, bagels with lox, and what Frank calls the best challah bread in town. (Fun fact: Milton’s is also behind the legendary Milton’s brand of bread, crackers, and chips—what food critic Troy Johnson credits as the snacks that got him through the pandemic.)
Levy retired a few years back, and Robbins, who’s 70, started thinking about what was next. Something must have been in the air, because he didn’t call Frank. Frank called him. “I just kind of had a hunch,” he says.
He and Ercolano’s business model centers around acquiring well-known and beloved restaurants whose owners are ready to retire, but perhaps don’t have a succession plan in place to keep it going—precisely the situation at Milton’s. Robbins is staying on as a silent minority owner, but for all intents and purposes, will be out of the day-to-day of the business once the handoff is complete. And after 30 years, handing off the keys to the kingdom he and Levy built is a bittersweet moment.
Photo Courtesy of Milton’s Delicatessen
“When I hear someone else address, ‘Is the owner around?’ and then someone else comes out, that’s gonna sting a little bit,” he admits. “[But] the other side of me is excited, because of the two guys, Gil and Sal. I feel like they’re the right guys.”
Frank says he and Ercolano have no intention of doing anything but rejuvenating the menu. “Our goal for the menu to stay the same, only improve,” he promises. “We want to take something that’s already working, but you can always strive to do better.” Plus, he can’t let down the legends.
“I have the utmost amount of respect for Barry and David. I truly look up to them as an inspiration,” he says. “We have exciting things planned for the legacy that is Milton’s.”
Milton’s Delicatessen is located at 2660 Via De La Valle, Del Mar.
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.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: person gets laid off during the pandemic. Bored at home, they turn to baking. A passing interest turns into a passion, and before you know it, they’re launching a full-fledged bakery.
Yes, that’s the story of how Mi Pan Bakery started, and yes, 10,000 other aspirational bakeries began the exact same way. But the difference is that Mi Pan’s baker and owner Alejandro Gomez didn’t stop at making a few loaves of sourdough for his friends and family.
He’s spent the last five years building a beloved local business whose bread and pastries are now sought out at three different farmers markets, was nominated for both Best Bread and Best Farmers Market Food Vendor in San Diego Magazine’s Best of San Diego Reader’s Choice Awards for 2025, and only decided to finally move from baking in his garage to their first brick-and-mortar location in order to keep up with sheer demand.
“I talked to my wife, and I said ‘Listen, if we’re not going to move out of the garage, I don’t think I can keep doing this, because I’m baking pretty much 10 to 12 hours a day,’” Gomez laughs. “I think it’s time.”
After a year of looking for the right location—where Gomez and his wife and business partner Alejandra Ruelas could open Mi Pan with enough space for an expanded commercial kitchen, an area for hosting workshops, and an onsite retail store—they found it. Mi Pan Bakery’s first brick-and-mortar location will open in the first half of 2026 at 6435 Mission Gorge Road in Grantville.
Once open, Mi Pan will still remain at all of the farmers markets: Tuesdays in Pacific Beach, Saturdays in Little Italy, and Sundays in Chula Vista. They hope to add one more to their rotation once they have the ability to increase production. Gomez says he also plans to launch a wholesale side of the bakery, something he says multiple businesses have approached him about, but he hasn’t been able to take on with his small operation. And then, maybe one day, maybe even a second location in North County.
Gomez also didn’t work as a baker previously, unlike other pandemic-launched operations like Companion Bread Company and Relic Bakery. But in the past five years, he’s taught himself the craft and traveled across the world to places like France, Spain, and Mexico City to both take and teach various baking classes, something he also plans to offer at the new space.
Mi Pan’s menu will remain small, offering its signature sourdough and pastries—especially medialunas, an Argentinian pastry that’s a cross between a flaky croissant and soft brioche with a light glaze on top. “If you haven’t tried it, you should,” he promises. “They’re amazing.” They’ll also add sandwiches using its own bread, as well as coffee. (Most of this will be intended to-go, but it’ll have a few tables onsite if people wish to enjoy their goodies right away.) But above all, Gomez says what they’re building is meant to last, modeled after the family-owned neighborhood cafes of his native Mexico and across Europe.
“It’s not about being the kind of trendy bakery that’s hyped for six, seven months, or a year, and then after that, they disappear,” he says. “We want an atmosphere that feels like home, and then when you come back… you’re greeted by name. I think that’s what we want—a warm, reliable, everyday bakery where the community feels welcome and you always find exceptional bread and pastries.”
Mi Pan Bakery will open at 6435 Mission Gorge Road in Grantville in mid-2026.
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.
I moved to San Diego in 2009, about two years after the Grand Del Mar opened its doors. Back then, I was just starting my writing career while learning about this new city, exploring its beaches, discovering that tacos are a lifestyle more than just a meal, and finding that casual was the name of the game when it came to fashion.
Even back then, though, the Grand was on everyone’s lips. Tucked away in the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, it showed up during a time when modern-minimalism was taking center stage in hotel design. Instead of leaning into ever-shifting trends, though, the property’s aesthetic leaned more “old money”—quiet, classy, understated. It was warm when the industry was going cool.
Courtesy of Fairmont Grand Del Mar
The first time I stayed at the property, I remember feeling like an imposter of the best kind. The bathroom featured a soaking tub with a voyeuristic window above it opening up into the bedroom—I’d never seen anything like it. My patio overlooked lush green gardens and foliage (a rarity in many parts of San Diego). I spent the mornings wrapped in the room’s plush robe, drinking coffee in the sun and wondering if the other guests also felt lucky to be there.
Courtesy of Fairmont Grand Del Mar
When I eventually landed a full-time writing gig, travel became my beat. One year, I was invited to Addison, the resort’s now three-Michelin-starred restaurant, during the holiday season to enjoy a meal by chef William Bradley. At the time, it was already considered one of the best restaurants in the county, though its stars were a few years away. Through 10 courses, I savored every bite and spoke with the chef about his process, feeling more at home than I did just a couple of years earlier.
It’s been 16 years since moving to San Diego, and writing about four- and five-star hotels has become as natural to me as telling visitors where to go for the most flavorful birria (Ed Fernandez Restaurant Birrieria, Tuétano Taqueria). One thing has remained the same, though: The Fairmont Grand Del Mar (rebranded in 2015) is still the “it” hotel.
Courtesy of Fairmont Grand Del Mar
Under its new brand, the property leans in even more to its Mediterranean aesthetics which previously featured Addison Mizner–inspired takes on Spanish and Italian palazzos. Its updated look boasts pops of deep burgundy and gold accents paired with detailed rococo and neo-baroque furnishings. You could almost imagine you’re somewhere along the French Riviera.
Recently, I needed a quick weekend staycation, so I returned to the Grand, but this time, I brought over a decade of real-life experience in the luxury travel world and a masthead title showcasing a new milestone in my career.
Courtesy of Fairmont Grand Del Mar
Last May, the hotel also underwent its own turning point: A multimillion revamp which included renovations to its pool areas and clubhouse. The spa got a redesign with improvements to its treatment rooms and relaxation areas.
The latter was the main reason for my stay—a wellness escape to unwind and reset before a few big events hit my calendar.
Courtesy of Fairmont Grand Del Mar
The 60-minute Contrast Therapy treatment utilizes alternating hot and cold water applications after a deep-tissue massage to help improve circulation and reduce inflammation. Wanting to try something new, I booked the experience. Inside the room, a massage table sat in a large, bathroom-like space with drains on the flooring and a vichy shower hanging above the table.
Instead of reclining on a heated massage table under blankets, guests lie flat on a plastic surface dressed with towels. Once the full-body massage is complete, your therapist places a single towel around your glutes before spraying warm water down across the length of your body. Quick bursts of cold water follow, and the therapist interchanges between heat and cool until the treatment is complete.
I left the treatment room wet and a little chilly, a reminder that I am very temperature-averse—for that reason, I’m not sure I’d try it again. But if your weekly workout routine includes a few cold plunges along the way, you should check it out, especially if you’re looking to reduce any muscle soreness.
Courtesy of Fairmont Grand Del Mar
Of course, spa treatments are just part of the wellness experience at the resort. Across its 400 acres, the Fairmont Grand Del Mar also features a Tom Fazio–designed championship golf course; four pools, including an adults-only area; an equestrian center; and five dining concepts, Addison among them. Whether playing 18 holes or enjoying farm-to-table dishes is your type of mind-body reset, there are plenty of ways to let yourself relax here.
As dinner time neared, I headed to Amaya. Executive chef Bryn McArthur arrived at the restaurant with 23 years of experience in 2017. He worked his way up the ranks to nab his current position in 2021. His menu features California cuisine highlighting local produce from the region’s farms, including J.R. Organics, Sage Hill Ranch Gardens, and Weiser Family Farms.
Courtesy of Fairmont Grand Del Mar
The must-get dish? The steak tartare starter—it’s served with creamy avocado, beef tallow dressing, and salsa macha; garnished with chive blossom and fresh chives; and dished up alongside country bread.
“Our inspiration for this dish was our sous chef, Rudy Diaz, and his salsa macha. The salsa macha is a kitchen favorite during family meals,” McArthur says. “When developing a classic French dish like steak tartare, we began experimenting with salsa macha as both a texture and flavor pop. The avocado balanced the dish and created a color contrast that we loved.”
Courtesy of Fairmont Grand Del Mar
The team masters this dish, possibly taking the top spot for the best I’ve had during my travels. Over a decade of checking out hotel restaurants, one thing you learn is that not all properties will put as much care into their dining concepts as they do their rooms and amenities. But here, the food is just as much of a consideration as any other part of the resort.
As the trip ended that weekend, I reflected on my time at the hotel and found that being at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar felt like home, a reminder of how far I’ve come since those early days as a fledgling journalist. We’ve evolved together—both new to the area back then and hoping that the city would embrace us as we found our path.
Nicolle Monico is an award-winning writer and the director of creative projects, digital editor for San Diego Magazine with more than 19 years of experience in media including Outside Run, JustLuxe and The San Francisco Chronicle.
Renewable energy companies building hundreds of power plants. Biotech startups using artificial intelligence to create personalized medicine for children with rare diseases. Hospitality companies quietly powering thousands of local events. Consumer brands growing from beach-town startups into national businesses. These are the kinds of companies driving San Diego’s economy today, and the businesses recognized at this year’s San Diego Business Impact Awards offer a snapshot of where the region is headed.
Hosted July 23 by San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and JPMorganChase, the second annual awards event honored four local companies for innovation, growth, and economic impact. More than 100 nominations from San Diego’s middle-market businesses were reviewed by a 10-person judging committee, with winners selected across four categories: startup, early-stage innovator, rising star, and established heavyweight.
Two-time honoree Jimbo Someck, founder of Jimbo’s organic grocery stores, also joined the event for a fireside chat on buying local, supporting emerging brands, and giving back to the community.
“San Diego’s strength comes from its makers and builders—the resilient people who endure great risks and overcome obstacles to build and scale a company,” says Aaron Ryan, San Diego Region Manager and Middle Market Banking at JPMorganChase & Co. “These awards aren’t just recognition; they spotlight the talent, grit, and innovation shaping our region’s future. By celebrating those who create and build, we foster connections and fuel the growth that keeps San Diego thriving.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Building the Infrastructure Behind Clean Energy
Heavyweight honoree SOLV Energy has grown alongside the country’s rapid investment in renewable power. “It’s an exciting time for SOLV Energy as we are experiencing significant growth,” says CEO George Hershman. “The business has doubled over the last year and has almost double-digit growth since its inception.”
The Rancho Bernardo-based company designs, builds, operates, and maintains utility-scale solar and energy storage facilities. Since its founding in 2008, SOLV Energy has built more than 500 power plants.
Growth has translated directly into hiring. About 200 employees work from the company’s local headquarters, including roughly 20 interns. “Our intern program is a big part of the way that we grow our workforce,” Hershman says. “Last year, 43 percent of our interns became full-time employees. We believe San Diego is a great community to build and grow a high-tech infrastructure and technology company because of the incredible workforce—the ability to attract top talent and draw from world-class universities.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Developing Medicine One Patient at a Time
Startup honoree La Jolla Labs is tackling one of medicine’s biggest challenges by developing personalized RNA therapeutics for patients with rare diseases—many of them children with neurological disorders like ALS. Using proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, the biotech company develops treatments tailored to each patient’s specific genetic mutation.
CEO Tamar Grossman says the recognition reflects how far the company has come despite limited resources. “We’re honored to be recognized for our ability to change and save patients’ lives and turn our lean startup into a clinical company with very minimal resources,” she says.
Grossman credits San Diego’s concentration of research institutions—including UC San Diego, the Salk Institute, and Scripps Research—with creating a pipeline of talent and collaboration. “San Diego is one of the world-leading centers for technology, genomics, and RNA therapeutics,” she says. “We have over 30 RNA therapeutics companies here, and we support each other and help with anything related to drug discovery.”
She says that collaborative spirit extends beyond formal partnerships. “You can walk around Torrey Pines, go into a café, and find colleagues from the industry and have an ad hoc conversation,” Grossman says. “That’s something very unique to San Diego.”
While Snake Oil Venue Company may not be a household name, chances are many San Diegans have attended one of its events. The early-stage innovator honoree has expanded from beverage catering and mixology consulting into venue management, operating Julep Venue in Mission Hills, Bramble Bay Venue in Imperial Beach, Vesper Venue, the Chapel at Liberty Station, and five outdoor venues throughout Liberty Station—more than 500,000 square feet of event space altogether.
“We do a lot of launch parties for corporations and new products,” says CEO Mike Esposito. “I really like working on the entrepreneur side of things, where new businesses are entering the San Diego market and looking to make a splash.”
Snake Oil has executed more than 16,000 events, employed more than 1,000 people, and partnered with more than 900 local vendors, including caterers, florists, photographers, entertainers, and other hospitality businesses. The company also works with many of San Diego’s nonprofits, museums, and cultural institutions. “We get to celebrate people’s most important moments,” Esposito says. “Whether that’s a wedding, celebration of life, or quinceañera, we’re fortunate to be involved in the community in so many different ways.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Growing a Beach-Town Brand into a National Business
Rising star honoree ALOHA Collection is proof that a simple idea can grow into a thriving company. Founded by two roommates who wanted a better way to carry wet swimsuits after a day at the beach, the lifestyle brand has grown into a business while maintaining strong year-over-year growth.
Now headquartered in Carlsbad, ALOHA Collection employs more than 100 people and operates its California flagship store in Encinitas, which is slated for a remodel. With roots in Hawaii, the company is known for its lightweight, splash-proof travel bags that have become a familiar sight on beaches in San Diego and beyond.
“‘Aloha’ is part of our name, but it’s also how we move through the world,” says CEO Lynna Barnard. “It’s how we show up for people, the way we travel, the way we give back.” Since day one, the company has maintained a 5 percent giveback to Hawaii conservation efforts, contributing millions of dollars over the years.
“I think what’s so inspiring about ALOHA Collection, and the founders in particular, is when you dream big, those dreams can come true when you work hard and trust in the universe,” Barnard says. “It’s inspiring to be a role model for other people wanting to start businesses from humble beginnings. Start small and watch it grow.”
Together, businesses like these form a cornerstone of San Diego’s economy—not only through the jobs and revenue they generate—but through the local workers they hire, vendors they support, and investments they make in the region. Their growth doesn’t happen in isolation; it ripples outward, strengthening the broader business community and the people who call San Diego home.
Schroeder is clear that the restaurant will not only carry on under new owners—longtime Market regulars and fans, Monica and Bernd Brust—but grow in ways he’d always wanted it to. And his tight-knit team—led by chef de cuisine John Thompson, who’s been with Schroeder from day one—will stay on to helm the next evolution.
“These guys deserve their own shot,” he says.
Courtesy of Market Restaurant + Bar
Schroeder chokes up a bit talking about the decision. Market has been the centerpiece of his life for nearly two decades. He and his team made it through the pandemic together. His wife Brandi ran the business; Thompson has been his rock for over 20 years, first at Arterra and then opening Market together in 2006.
“[People] say people you work with or that work for you shouldn’t be family,” he says. “I look at them as family.”
He also admits his family at home—Brandi and his kids Jake, Eric, and Ava—has borne the brunt of what it took to make Market a constant, never-flagging hit: “They’re probably the ones that paid the biggest price for my obsession.”
Today, the term “farm-to-table” is overused to the point of being meaningless. It’s a shame, because it used to truly describe the rare thing Schroeder and a handful of San Diego chefs were doing in the early 2000s—knowing farmers by name, cooking in season based on what came out of their dirt. It’s why they named it Market, a philosophy that won’t change as he moves on.
Courtesy of Courtesy of Market Restaurant + Bar
Schroeder completely connected to the farm-to-table ethos about 25 years ago, sitting at the bar at the (now closed) Lark Creek Inn in Larkspur, California. He’d been working in Bay Area restaurants like two Michelin-starred Aqua by Michael Mina and Domaine Chandon in Yountville. When chef Bradley Ogden came out to the bar and offered him a job, Schroeder said yes. (Maybe it was the drinks, or maybe it was because he was sitting between Academy Award–winner Robert Redford and rockstar Huey Lewis. Either way, he stayed for five years.)
At Lark Creek, Ogden and his team worked closely with local farms to create a menu that changed every night. That made sense to Schroeder right away. “I just couldn’t imagine doing a menu that was always the same and being excited about it,” he says.
And in the 19 years since he opened Market, he and his team have remained committed to that ethos (and the real meaning behind its name). Even in a new-new-new cult of restaurant media, the accolades never really waned—from the Beard nominations to the Michelin nod to this year’s pick for “Best Restaurant in Del Mar” from SDM food critic Troy Johnson. It’s no stretch to say Schroeder helped build San Diego’s now-acclaimed restaurant culture.
Courtesy of Market Restaurant + Bar
Market was his first restaurant as chef and owner, and he says it never crossed his mind that he might one day walk away. It’s been his first thought every morning and last thought every night for years upon years. Trusting its legacy to someone else, rather than simply closing the doors, was an option he hadn’t really considered. It had to be right.
For him, the Brusts are right. They promised Schroeder to keep it a family business focused on sourcing from local farms, and keep the core kitchen team not just intact, but invested in. On September 1, he handed the keys over.
“What Carl built with Market is extraordinary,” says Monica. “Bernd and I are so proud to carry on that legacy as a family-owned restaurant, and work with the same talented culinary team that helped him build it over all these years.”
For his part, Schroeder doesn’t have anything professional lined up (yet). He’ll take his sweet, slow time. “My parents are getting older, so I’d like to take a while to take care of them,” he says. “[I’ll] make it to my daughter’s track meet. I’ve never been to one. I feel good about where I’m at. I feel like anything I do from here, foodwise, is just a cherry on top.”
But that won’t be anytime soon. “For now I’m gonna float around the pool.”
Market Restaurant + Bar is open for dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays at 3702 Via De La Valle, Del Mar
Courtesy of Fonda Del Barrio
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
City Tacos Owner Opens New Concept In Barrio Logan
Fonda del Barrio isn’t your typical Mexican restaurant offering tortas, tacos, and the other (beloved) basics. Created by Gerry Torres of City Tacos and Tour de Tapas, the brand-new Barrio Logan eatery is melding pre-Hispanic techniques and ingredients with European influences to create dishes like Cholula-style pollo en mole de ugayaba (a 27-ingredient guava mole), Sayulita-style octopus, Mexico City–style flan de elote, and much more. The menu spans across Mexican regions and cuisines—basically, it’s a map of Mexico in every bite. Fonda del Barrio is now open at 2234 Logan Avenue (the former Barrio Dogg space) for dinner every Tuesday through Sunday.
Courtesy of Manokan
Beth’s Bites
Filipino chicken wings? You’ve got my attention. Manokan is the brainchild of Andrea Aguilar and Hershy Abas, two friends who decided that blending Filipino flavors with American chicken wing culture was a good idea. (It is!) Now, Manokan is serving wings with flavors like sweet chili, sinigang, and Filipino BBQ at the Chula Vista farmers market on Sundays, with an eye for growth. I’ll have a half-dozen of each, to start.
Good talent tends to find the right places to shine—in this case, it’s chef Anthony Wells heading to Lana. Lana, the coastal eatery that opened in Solana Beach in June, has plenty of star power behind it already (wine wizard Mark Wheadon and hospitality guru Travis LeGrand, to name a few), but Wells brings a James Beard Award nomination with him as well as experience at Sea & Sky, Juniper & Ivy, and more. If that’s not a sign that Solana Beach’s restaurant scene is coming up, I don’t know what is.
619 Spirits is looking to leave its diminutive space to build much bigger digs around the corner at 2875 El Cajon Blvd in North Park. They’ve already started construction on the 8,000-square-foot space, but are raising money to take them to the finish line. Owner and founder Nick Apostolopoulos says they’re shooting to open early 2026, but in the meantime, you can still visit its existing tasting room at the corner of 30th Street and Lincoln Avenue for trivia, watch parties, and more.
After closing Ambrogio by Acquerello, its Michelin-recognized restaurant in La Jolla last year, the Ambrogio15 Restaurant Group shifted its focus to its flagship location in Pacific Beach. Come October, it’ll be rebranded as Ambrogio15 – Modern Trattoria & Gourmet Pizza, and will add a rotating menu of different pasta dishes and some new entrees. (Don’t worry: the Reader’s Choice for Best Pizza in San Diego isn’t going anywhere, thank goodness.)
Sad donut news. Copper Top Coffee & Donuts in Pacific Beach is closing this weekend. The shop started in the old Wienerschnitzel A-frame in Hillcrest in 2018 before owner Josh McCorkle relocated it to Mission Blvd. in Pacific Beach in 2023. It was beloved for its made-to-order, warm donuts that could be customized based on current pleasure and insulin needs. Go visit them this weekend, as they fire up the fryer one last time and say goodbye in riotous, donut ways.
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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.
The Del Mar Wine and Food Festival returns for its third year from September 10–14—a weeklong celebration of food, drink, and wellness culminating in the Grand Tasting on Saturday and Sunday. Once again, the VIP tent is back with big names, Michelin-worthy bites, and exclusive pours from some of the state’s best wineries and beverage makers.
For the full experience, attendees can nab a VIP pass for exclusive perks and early access to all the fun. VIP tickets are $445 per day and include all the following goodies:
On both days, food critic and Food Network judge Troy Johnson will be hosting a private tasting for VIP ticket holders to kick things off. Come early to see what he’s cooking up.
First Glass
The Tap Truck will be serving a selection of beers and cocktails on tap, while Goldeneye will be pouring sparkling wine to mark the start of the festival.
DJ Sets
Back again, longtime San Diego radio personality Chris Cantore will be spinning vinyl records in the VIP tent on both days.
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine + Food Festival
VIP Reception
VIP ticket holders get access into the festival 30 minutes before the Early Entry ticket holders and 90 minutes before the GA ticket holders, plus will receive exclusive access to the First Bites & Sips reception area from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Expect curated bites like fresh rolled pasta from former World Pasta Champion Chef Accursio Lota of Cori Pasitifico on Saturday and a surprise from San Diego’s most popular masked chef pop-up Cow by Bear on Sunday. Both days will also feature fare from Outdoor Channel’s Fishmonger star Tommy Gomes as he teams up with Sushi on a Roll chef Jeff Roberto to serve up freshly sliced sashimi.
Joining them both days will be Warung RieRie, a backyard restaurant concept with a yearlong waitlist dishing up Indonesian flavors and San Diego catering company Shellfish Affair serving up oysters on the half shell.
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine + Food Festival
VIP Bites
After enjoying the First Bites and Sips area, VIP guests are granted all access to rest of the Grand Tasting, including a VIP tent offering exclusive food options from chef Drew Deckman from 31THIRTYONE by Deckman’s, chef Phillip Esteban from Wildlour, celebrity chef Lauren Lawless, Amalfi Llama, Books & Records, California English, Garibaldi, Haven Farm + Table, Little Frenchie, Stake Chophouse & Bar, and the Avenue Fish & Oyster Company on both days.
Saturday will also feature Chef Brad Wise and Trust Restaurant Group’s new concept A’L’ouest, Cowboy Star, Ember & Rye, Estancia La Jolla, Juniper and Ivy, Kimme Omakase, Kingfisher, and the Marine Room.
Sunday will feature chef Jason Knibb and Nine-Ten, chef Aron Schwartz from APS Hospitality Group, chef Tim Kolanko from Urban Kitchen Group, chef Karen Krasne from Extraordinary Desserts, Amaya at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, Mister A’s, Ponto Lago, and the Lodge at Torrey Pines.
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine + Food Festival
VIP Sips
VIP guests will be treated to sips by Michael Voltaggio’s Marcado 28 Tequila, chef Javier Plascencia’s Animalón Artisanal Mezcal, luxury wines from legendary winemaker David Ramey from Ramey Wine Cellars, Aperture, Austin Hope, Boich Family Cellar, Bricoleur Vineyards, Browne Family Wines, Calera, Cuvaison, J. Lohr, Kobrand Wine, Kosta Browne, German Wine Collection, Magna Carta Cellars, Marine Layer Wines, The Setting Wines, Panier, Perchance Estates, Rombauer Vineyards & Winery, Santa Barbara Winery, Vinos Finos de California, pours from Despacio Mezcal, and Whiskey in the Wild.
It’s estimated that 44% of women in the U.S. have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, but many don’t know it. The disease often has no symptoms, and when symptoms do present, they can appear similar to many other conditions. High blood pressure increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, so it’s critical that it’s detected and treated early. And for women at risk of developing high blood pressure, prevention is key. Click here for the basics of high blood pressure and how Scripps physicians at Scripps use screenings not just as a diagnostic tool, but as part of routine preventive care.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
