Givino Rossini knows there are already a lot of great specialty coffee shops in San Diego. He likes to think he runs two of them already: Kettle On Grand in Escondido and Kettle On Main in Fallbrook. But rather than open another conventional coffee shop—with a few fun pastries and community events like DJ nights—he decided to kick it up a notch for his third location in Oceanside, Kettle On Coast.
“This is going to lean a lot more restaurant than fast-casual coffee shop,” he explains. The space, which housed Petite Madeline Bakery until March 15, comes with a full kitchen—something the first two Kettle Ons don’t have. And the menu won’t be typical coastal California avocado toasts and acai bowls. Chef David Lay, who’s worked at restaurants like the Michelin Bib Gourmand Kettner Exchange as chef de cuisine and at Juniper & Ivy as chef de partie, is spearheading the kitchen, developing to-go breakfast and lunch menu along with a pastry and coffee program.
“I describe the food as rooted in African diasporic flavors and traditions, with influences from the Mediterranean and the Levant [the land bridge between Africa and Eurasia]. The opening menu is really meant to be an introduction to some of those ingredients, spices, and techniques in a way that feels approachable,” Lay explains. “But the long term vision is to continue exploring African culinary traditions more deeply as the menu evolves.”
The opening menu includes items like French toast with a cinnamon sugar crust, Moroccan tres leches, and crème fraîche; miso cheddar grits with a sunny-side-up egg, berbere (an Egyptian spice blend), and chives; Aleppo fried chicken with chermoula (a North African sauce and marinade somewhat similar to chimichurri), tahini, preserved lemon relish, and herbs; and a grilled mochi with honey, berbere, and crème fraîche for dessert. Guests will order at the counter and either take their food to go or have it delivered to their table.
Courtesy of Fox Point Farms
Kettle On Coast will soft-open in early April, initially rolling out between nine and 15 of Lay’s menu items and ramping it up from there. Rossini expects to have everything in place for a grand opening in early summer and hopes to introduce the same sort of community-specific events to Oceanside as he has in Escondido and Fallbrook.
“Each location has its own unique kind of concept and energy around that space,” he says. “We kind of tailor each space to what we feel is missing or what’s needed in that community.” In Escondido, it’s been events like skate competitions, while Fallbrook has put on poetry readings. But in Oceanside, the future is yet to be written.
Kettle On Coast will soft-open at 223 N. Coast Hwy. in Oceanside in April 2026. Initial operating hours will be Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Courtesy of Boba Religion
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
First-Gen Boba Shop Celebrates One Year in Kearny Mesa
I only got really into boba tea in the last couple of years, but once you go full “QQ,” you never go back. For those unfamiliar with the concept, QQ is a Taiwanese term referring to the springy, chewy texture of elastic-y foods that seem to bounce against your teeth—things like fish balls, tendon, or boba pearls. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea (pun intended), but if it’s yours, tons of tea shops have sprung up around San Diego to satisfy a wide range of flavor cravings, from classic milk tea to out-there options like matcha-mango with cheese foam and popping pearls.
If you’re not sure where to start, Boba Religion in Convoy District is celebrating its one-year anniversary on March 21-22, giving patrons a chance to try the shop’s Vietnamese-sourced tea, coffee, matcha, and other specialty drinks with a buy-one, get-one-free promotion on Saturday and buy-one, get-one-half-off on Sunday. So, whether you’re a QQ fan already or QQ-curious, this weekend might be a good time to give the squishy, fun to chew pearls a try.
Courtesy of Garibaldi
Beth’s Bites
In all my travels, I haven’t yet made it to the Adriatic shores of Croatia. So when I saw Garibaldi at the InterContinental San Diego is highlighting the Land of a Thousand Islands for its next monthly Mediterranean dinner series, I decided to take a peek at the menu. From Friday, March 20, through Sunday, March 22, executive chef Franck Tasic and his team have put together a menu of interesting coastal items like salata od rajčice (a Croatian tomato salad), fuži s tartufima (homemade Istrian fuži pasta), and knedle sa šljivama (plum dumplings) for dessert, with an optional Croatian wine pairing available. Sign me up for a sail through the Adriatic!
An’s Gelato has ranked No.1 on national and local ice cream lists since USA Today named it the best ice cream shop in the United States two years in a row—something we San Diegans already knew, of course. The creative creamery now operates locations in North Park on Adams Avenue (I don’t dare say Normal Heights, lest angry readers correct me in a huff), Del Mar, Ocean Beach, and Petco Park. This summer, An’s will come to Oceanside at the Top Gun house. The iconic Queen Anne cottage—at the Mission Pacific Beach Resort next to Valle—housed the hand-pie shop High Pie from 2022 through 2025, and if I had to guess, the high-traffic location will be home to the popular scoop shop for quite a few years to come.
Padres opening day is right around the corner—Thursday, March 26, to be exact—and there’s no shortage of parties around town to kick off the season. Close to the ballpark, the rooftop at Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp Quarter will start rocking at 3 p.m. with a DJ and drink specials, or fans can grab a $18 beer and a shot at The Blind Burro just northwest of Petco. And for a little pre-season excitement, stop by Harland Brewing in Scripps Ranch on Tuesday, March 24, for a free meet-and-greet with the Padres’ Jake Cronenworth from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. While you’re waiting in line—because you know there will be a line to meet #9—try the Crone Zone, Harland’s collaborative brew with the popular infielder. I’ve had it (more than once…), and it gets my drinks expert stamp of approval.
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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.
