Remember fern bars? They were big in the 1970s. On Three’s Company, Jack Tripper’s friend Larry did most of his sleazing in fern bars. They were dead sexy. The idea was to flip your expectations. You’re inside a 1970s bar. You expect lacquered wood and wet moustaches. Instead, you find a rainforest.
Well, fern bars are back. Only this time they’re called plant wall restaurants. Plant walls are a grand statement piece of interior decor. Almost an entire wall—traditionally hung with a black-and-white photo or some old, rusty thing from Restoration Hardware—is transformed into a living, breathing green space. They’ve started showing up in San Diego restaurants over the last few years at The Pearl, Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant, and Vin de Syrah. (Technically, Vin de Syrah’s is a fake plant door. But that’s just an ironic, low-maintenance plant wall.)
Most plant walls are made with succulents—humble desert greenery that doesn’t need much water and doesn’t grow too fast (trimming a vertical garden isn’t simple work, nor is tending to its soil).
Restaurant Review: The Patio on Goldfinch
LOUP DE MER: European sea bass with hêrbes de Provence and couscous
LOUP DE MER: European sea bass with hêrbes de Provence and couscous
The two plant walls at The Patio on Goldfinch in Mission Hills are not like that whatsoever. They are how a drag queen might design a plant wall—showy, a touch gaudy, and so, so awesome. Tropical ferns jut out here, red tropical flowers burst over there. The plant walls are thick and wild, like craft beer beards. I wouldn’t be surprised to see an entire family of pumas emerge from them or learn that a coffee farmer is stuck in there somewhere. They are two of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in a restaurant.
During one meal, a dead leaf falls on one of our plates. The price you must pay for extreme plant walling.
It’s not just the walls. The Patio is one of the most inspiring restaurant spaces in San Diego. Designed by Lahaina Architects, it’s a lovely indoor-outdoor cave with reclaimed slat wood, brass, massive windows with roll-over metal “shutters.” The waiting bench outside is made of driftwood, just like your single dad’s 1978 coffee table. The most compelling part is that “patio.” Really, that’s a misnomer. It’s more a room without a roof—a truly special environment with its own fireplace that takes full advantage of San Diego’s perfect weather. People will fall in love or lust here.
Goldfinch is the second restaurant for the group, under owner Gina Champion Cain and chef John Medall. Their first, in Pacific Beach at the old Lamont Street Grill (renamed The Patio on Lamont), is a huge success. Serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, Goldfinch is a pretty enormous undertaking.
Restaurant Review: The Patio on Goldfinch
Luis :Garcia Luis Garcia
We start with Sunday brunch. The day’s special—a filet mignon hash with a chipotle sauce and a poached egg—is very good, a steak-and-eggs worthy of a bistro in a border town. Also suggested is the bourbon Dutch pancake, stuffed with caramelized bananas and apples, drizzled with berry compôte, agave-maple syrup, and Chantilly cream. The chilaquiles, however, fall a bit flat for a reason I’ll encounter repeatedly over three meals. It’s not that the flavors are off; in fact, they’re reasonably good. It’s just that they all rest in the same warm comfort zone with smoked chicken, cheese, eggs, avocado, tomatillo sauce, and sour cream. It lacks an acidic pop (the tomatillo is very mild)—a bright bite of vegetables (peppers would be great), a pepper-based sauce, or even a smattering of herbs.
Restaurant Review: The Patio on Goldfinch
MELT IN YOUR MOUTH: Wild mushroom risotto topped with Boschetto cheese
The Patio has built a glass cheese cave, aging its own with help from top local cheese store Venissimo. Grilled cheese sandwiches made with fancy cheese sound like such a good idea, right? Only, I’m rarely sold that the added level of complexity is worth the extra cash ($13 in this case). When I’ve seen it done well, the bread is treated very lightly—just a silent messenger to deliver the gourmet cheese’s good word. The Patio’s bread is really nicely buttered and caramelized into a state of significant umami. May as well be bulk Cheddar underneath at that point.
At lunch, poke tacos are made with sushi-grade ahi in a soy-sambal marinade, tucked into a fried wanton shell. It’s a creative Mexinese idea. But sambal is Indonesian hot sauce. I’m expecting a compelling punch—and get a polite handshake. The marinade is very light. What you’re left with is quality sushi (and you have a side of very flavorful wasabi), so the consolation prize is no depressing bit of food. Again, it feels timidly played.
There are zero problems with the spaghetti squash with lemon ricotta, sun-dried tomato tapenade, and a chiffonade of basil, tarragon, and parsley. Baked, it gets a nice crispy texture and tastes like a fall farmers market version of angel hair pasta. A watermelon salad (compressed with lime juice and simple syrup) has great flavor development with sweet melon, peppery arugula, smoked feta, and pickled onion and lemon vinaigrette. But whoa, that pine nut brittle. It literally chews like a Now & Later, simultaneously able to crack your teeth and yank them out. The Beef & Bleu flatbread is a parade of deep umami notes (New York steak, gorgonzola, bread, roasted garlic sauce, mushrooms, white truffle oil). It’s nice and rich. But a singular high note (onions, sambal, horseradish) would have set it off perfectly.
Restaurant Review: The Patio on Goldfinch
Armed with flavor: Octopus with gigante beans, pork belly, and pine-nut butter
Armed with flavor: Octopus with gigante beans, pork belly, and pine-nut butter
At the bar, it’s craft beers (why in San Diego would it be anything else?). The main focus is more than 60 types of tequilas and 14 mescals, plus two kinds of raicilla (Mexican moonshine). Their riff on the mule is house-infused pineapple and vanilla bean blanco tequila with ginger beer that’s carbonated to order. It’s a fantastic drink, not too sweet or too heavy on the ginger. The Mr. Chow is also very good, with gin, Ty Ku soju, cucumber, lime, and a splash of sriracha hot sauce. We try the housemade sangrita, but the spice makes it a challenge, not a pleasure to drink.
Restaurant Review: The Patio on Goldfinch
Pele Fizz: Bombay Sapphire gin, pomegranate juice, orgeat, and citrus
Medall’s octopus is phenomenal—a huge tentacle perfectly tenderized and well-charred, served over a gigante bean ragout with house-smoked pork belly and pine nut butter. Unless you’re currently avoiding pleasure, try the house-made monkey bread made with vanilla ice cream (yes, ice cream baked in there) and served with mascarpone-honey butter. It’s like eating Prozac-dusted endorphins. This menu is no prescription for weight loss.
A trio of Panko-crusted abalone, however, is just a miss. Shy on seasoning, the main flavor note is Panko. It does come with very good sun-dried tomato mashed potatoes, so we treat the abalone discs like canapés. The loup du mer—a European sea bass stuffed with hêrbes de Provence and served whole over Mediterranean couscous—is beautifully cooked and moist. But, again, it’s faint on flavor. It really could benefit from an aioli or sauce. The short rib with a demi-glace, however, is excellent over whipped parsnips served rustic with nice chunks of parsnips. The wild mushroom risotto has black truffle butter, cheese in the rice, and a thick layer of Boschetto cheese atop. It’s fairly delicious, though closer to fondue than risotto. At this point I start to see a pattern in Medall’s menu. Cheese everywhere. Nut butter in the ragout. Ice cream in the bread. Truffle oils. He’s not shy with life’s most pleasurable flavor enhancers. That’s bound to please a lot of people.
The Patio is a truly special place. Even when I’m grumping on about the lack of acid and greens and herbs in its life, I’d happily do so sitting under that plant wall drinking a mule, eating octopus, and listening for the screams of missing coffee farmers.
For two-and-a-half years, one of California’s most promising culinary talents has remained surprisingly off-the-radar, working as executive chef in a uniquely named restaurant tucked inside a Serra Mesa office building. He hasn’t gone completely unnoticed though—food critic Troy Johnson calls BoujieMana a “hidden gem with an all-star team.” And that team? Led by said promising chef, Dante Cecchini.
A San Francisco transplant with a resume as long as a CVS receipt and as star-studded at the Andromeda Galaxy, first cut his teeth under chef Elizabeth Falkner at the Bay Area pastry shop Citizen Cake before moving to Big Night Restaurant Group, where he rose through the ranks to become chef de cuisine at places like Marlowe, Park Tavern, and The Cavalier under the tutelage of restaurateurs Anna Weinberg and chef Jennifer Puccio.
He also worked at Morris with chef Gavin Schmidt (from the three Michelin-starred Coi), cooked at the James Beard House twice, was named a Rising Star Chef by the San Francisco Chronicle, and one of Zagat’s “30 Under 30,” among his other accolades. So it’s surprising that he hasn’t had the chance to make a bigger impression in San Diego yet.
But he’s ready to do so as the new executive chef at Communion.
Opened in 2024, the Mission Hills restaurants offers a sky-high view from its top floor perch of The Sasan building at the corner of Washington and Goldfinch Streets. Guests enter through Paradis, the ground floor cafe on the way to the elevator, where a sanctuary-meets-sensuality vibe and strong cocktail program have gleaned generally positive reviews over the past year-and-a-half. But Cecchini wants to bring an infusion of new ideas to the kitchen.
Courtesy of Communion
Not too many all at once though, he says. To ensure loyal regulars will get the chance to get used to his approach to fine dining, he’s phasing out former chef Mike Moritz’s menu in stages, but says by the end of February the transition will be complete.
He’ll keep the tasting menu in some form or another, but at the very least expect twists on some of Communion’s signature dishes, like the za’atar-crusted lamb lollipops and the Spanish octopus. “[They’re] still going to be really approachable. It’s just going to be super flavorful, very colorful, but super seasonal,” he says.
Courtesy of Communion
Emphasizing seasonality much more will be a major part of Cecchini’s ethos at Communion. “You’ll never see strawberries on the menu in winter,” he promises. Tomatoes in February? Not on his watch. But there will more attention to plating presentation and dry-aging proteins like fish and duck. He’ll also incorporate some of his Italian heritage and training into the menu, like introducing Sardinian dumplings and using ingredients like bottarga, a salt-cured piece of roe that’s either grated or thinly sliced (like Parmesan) with an intense umami profile.
With Cecchini’s years of level experience, expectations are as high as Communion’s rooftop location. He has three words: bring it on.
“I want to invite everyone in for them to experience what’s different. I promise that everything that they come in and eat will be great,” he says. “I know that’s a big thing to say, but I’m feeling very confident.”
Communion is located at 901 W. Washington Street in Mission Hills.
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.
If Cardellino tells a story of fire and Italian bravado, Carlo is its soft, sensual counterpart. The cream to the cookie. Sophia Loren to Sylvester Stallone. According to owner and executive chef Brad Wise, it’s exactly the balance Cardellino needed.
Carlo’s story begins this weekend when it opens inside Cardellino. It’s not really a speakeasy. More a hidden cocktail bar within the restaurant, tucked behind a wine wall that wasn’t there a few months ago. The newly constructed, intimate space fits 32 guests at a time. Wise says the time was ripe for adding a new layer to the Cardellino experience. That particular part of the building never quite had the right feng shui.
“Where you walked in the front door previously, there was always a 750-square-foot, rectangular-shaped portion of the restaurant that I was just never in love with,” he explains. After seeing the huge success of sister restaurant Fort Oak’s “Snowed In” experiential holiday bar, he wondered if something similar would work.
“If you’re not figuring out how to create a different experience for people to come back multiple times over and over, the food and service these days is only going to do that so much,” he adds.
The idea is that guests can pop in for a drink before dinner at Cardellino or after they dine at Communion or Fort Oak. It’s designed to be a local’s spot and an arena for beverage director Jess Stewart and her team to flex their cocktail muscles in a smaller, more obsessive setting.
Carlo is reservation-only and specifically designed to be a bit more chic than Cardellino’s brick and bulbs. “It’s reds, mauve, purples—there’s a really beautiful flower installation hanging from the ceiling,” Stewart says. “Walk through a curtain, and we really want it to transport you.”
Courtesy of Cardellino
Stewart adds that it’s a traditional cocktail menu, so patrons can request a dealer’s choice. But she’s confident that the drinks she and lead bartender Marina Ferreira have concocted will blow your socks off. The menu has two themes: The Fates (whimsical house creations) and The Legends (elevated takes on classics). One example of a Fate cocktail is The Prophet, with bourbon, cognac, dates, palo santo, and bitters, while a Legend is Carlo’s spin on a negroni, starring a Schwarzwald dry gin with 47 different botanicals, Barolo chinato instead of sweet vermouth, Campari, and a pinch of salt to counter the bitterness.
Wise says his team is already working on another hidden bar that will open in the next two to three months (he wants to keep the details close to his chest), but now that he’s back in the bar world, it’s game on. Carlo may just be the start.
Reservations for Carlo are available on Resy. For more information, visit ciaocarlosd.com.
Photo Credit: Maria Russo Chef Alex Caballo
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Nómada to Debut in Early 2026
Chef Alex Carballo has helped launch ambitious concepts like Haven Farm + Table at Fox Point Farms in Encinitas, managed huge kitchens like Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in Escondido, and made an appearance on San Diego Magazine’s 2025 cover featuring the biggest and brightest food stars in San Diego. The man’s a talent, gives a damn, and is a rock of the scene when it comes to launching new concepts that actually run. And come January, he’s opening Nómada in Carlsbad as the newest partner of Grand Restaurant Group (GRG).
Carballo’s menu will feature different regional cuisines from around Mexico. The group’s new beverage director, Sean Ward (Lumi, Huntress, Nolita Hall, Duck Dive), will focus on agave spirits from producers in Mexico and California. It may be the first time Carballo is at the helm as a partner, but considering he has over two decades of restaurant management, operations, and chef consulting under his belt, it sounds like GRG made an AJ Preller–level genius acquisition.
Courtesy of The Vinho
Beth’s Bites
Do you love Portuguese wine? Are you unsure if you love Portuguese wine? Well, either way, this weekend you have the chance to go try a bunch of it at Bica with a free wine tasting by The Vinho. The local small-batch Portuguese wine importer will be pouring on Bica’s patio on Saturday, December 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Khachapuri finally opened at the corner of Park Boulevard and Monroe Avenue in University Heights, with a pretty awesome-looking menu of Georgian (the country, not the state) delicacies like chanakhi (a spicy eggplant and lamb stew); tabaka (pan-fried chicken); and of course, khachapuri, which is basically a bread boat filled with gooey cheese and topped with a runny egg. I literally can’t think of a better combination of things I like to eat.
Only one of the iconic Pernicano’s restaurants remains in El Cajon, but a former location at 9932 Mercy Road, Unit 109 has been revived as Amuri Italian Cuisine. The Sicilian-style Italian restaurant is now open for lunch and dinner every day, and, yes, there’s a cheese wheel.
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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.
Lamb Lollipops | Coconut Milk Poached Seabass | The Ritual
If pink’s belief in its own emotional power had waned, it has been fully restored by The Sasan. Mission Hills residents were pitchforkian-vocal about the paint job on the seven-story residential tower. Pepto-Bismol was trotted out yet again and co-slandered. Sure enough, The Sasan does look exactly like a stack of gigantic, bubble gum–colored Pez candies, the spaces between each dangling with deeply green plant life. It’s a flamingo among the architectural pigeons.
In other words, it’s lovely. As someone who grew up in suburbia, where every home seems to be the color of budget-hotel oatmeal, I envied the electric blue and banana-hued houses of Miami or Mexico or Cinque Terre or Buenos Aires. Not sure where we’re at with tariffs, but maybe lower them on paint.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos About an hour before sunset, the best seats at the bar—the ones facing the big show—fill up fast.
The Sasan is home to the city’s newest rooftop dining spectacular, Communion. The entrance alone is worth the price of whatever you order. You walk into a large, ground-floor courtyard (home to the all-day sister concept, a bakery, coffee shop, and pintxo bar called Paradis), which glows pink. A singular host stands at a podium, ready to escort you into the elevators. Ride up and step out into Communion’s floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the city. It’s a stunning bout of vertigo.
When it comes to views, give me the receded one. Vistas perched on top of the water are nice and all, but they lack perspective. From Communion’s large dining patio, you can see downtown, the point, and the bay where, in the mid-1800s, Captain Henry James Johnston first looked up from the docks at this hilltop and decided to buy 65 acres (the land used to be called Johnston Heights).
San Diego’s iconic plant lady Kate Sessions (she essentially single-handedly landscaped Balboa Park) lived and worked in Mission Hills and planted those palm trees and poinsettias, the bougainvillea and star jasmine. She started its oldest business, Mission Hills Nursery, in 1910.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos The view plays second fiddle to the food, but the view is still… this.
Trolleys were everything back then, and getting a stop near your business meant your kids were well-fed, so Sessions sealed Mission Hills’ future when she convinced John D. Spreckels to bring the trolley to her nursery. I can’t help but think of her seeing those plants cascading out the sides of The Sasan’s balconies.
Communion is the project of another name well-known to San Diego. Jacquee Renna-Downing and her late husband Kipp Downing owned North County’s seafood icon Pacifica Del Mar (they sold it years back). The family launched two successful restaurants in the Coachella Valley (Pacifica Seafood and La Quinta Cliffhouse), and this is their return to San Diego (Jacquee’s daughter, Hailey Renna, is running it).
The lineup of talent in the kitchen and bar is A-list: executive chef Mike Moritz, formerly of Mister A’s and Mille Fleurs; Aly Lyng, longtime pastry chef of Georges at the Cove; and lead bartender Eliza Woodman (Camino Riviera).
I think it’s time to stop expecting less from view restaurants. For decades, they could serve us gussied-up slop and well drinks with expensive names, and we’d gladly be their sucker just to sit in their sky box. But, with food literacy at an all-time high, being front and center to the grandeur of the gods isn’t enough. Communion’s “coastal from across the globe” menu isn’t perfect, but it’s off to a hell of a strong start.
For drinks, the star is Yama’s Reign. You didn’t know you needed droplets of sesame oil floating in your cocktail with that unmistakable flavor bomb of furikake (Japanese spice blend) until you try this thing. With a tiny clothespin, the bar team straps a sheet of wakame (dried seaweed) to the glass. I’d get rid of the weed—its scent is so strong that it smells a bit like low tide—but the drink is phenomenal.
For apps, start with the Wagyu beef carpaccio. Moritz’s take is a bit soupy, embracing the trend of treating the classic like loaded nachos. Some people would say that you don’t thin-slice Wagyu beef and then air-drop a Vegas buffet on it—that’s like paying for Tyler the Creator to headline your concert and then having the opening acts stand in front of him all night singing their own songs.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos Hamachi crudo
But Moritz’s buffet is delicious and changes frequently (at the time I’m writing this, it’s a lime-heavy Vietnamese riff, bò tái chanh). The hamachi crudo has a beautifully elegant lemon oil and thin sticks of Granny Smith apples. Ignore the grapefruit (it waterboards the delicate fish with bitter citrus).
Three dishes will justify any meal you have here. First, the lamb lollipops. If my organs ever revolt and doctors demand I go plant-based, I’d settle for “vegetarian plus lollipops.” My personal kryptonite, the handheld carnivore snack is judged by the sear and season of the crust and the sauce.
Moritz’s has a thick crust punch-drunk with za’atar (the almighty Middle Eastern spice blend of dried herbs, toasted sesame seeds, salt, and sumac). The sauce is yogurt infused with vadouvan (India’s spice blend of cumin, fenugreek, mustard seed, garlic, and many other things), a great leave of absence from the usual chimichurri.
Second, the risotto. It is a $49 risotto. That’s a hefty price to pay for sticky rice. But Communion’s is undeniably fantastic and so rich the table can share it. It’s hand-stirred with shaved black truffles, wild and tame mushrooms, and 24-month-aged Grana Padano.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos The seabass has thrown in its lot for dish of the year.
Third, and the star of the show, is the seabass. Everything is right here—a thick, almost prehistoric chunk of bass (Communion is not cheating anyone with portion sizes) is poached in coconut milk for a pretty incredible, thoroughly moist, luscious cook on the fish. Then, it’s laid in one of Thailand’s greatest gifts: tom yum broth. It comes with a spoon and bowls so you can ladle out some of that life-restoring tincture.
If Communion has an Achilles’ heel, it’s drowning a good idea in another otherwise good idea. The chaat masala potatoes come swimming in chutney and Greek yogurt. That’s a special flavor combo, but, while eating it, you can’t help but think of all the times you’ve dropped a chip into an onion dip and it gets really lodged there, so much so that, despite your best efforts, it merely goes deeper, until you’re just desperately trying to extract the thing before it gums up the whole dipping experience. And the duck—dry-aged seven days in-house—got too much of the sweet, sweet sauce. Duck likes sweet, but this is nearly dessert.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos Basque cheesecake with salted caramel and whipped crème fraîche is a perfect end.
Speaking of, pastry chef Aly Lyng is a talent. Try her vanilla bean Basque cheesecake (crustless and baked at a high temp for a charred top and a lighter and custardy middle) with salted caramel and whipped crème fraîche. Or “The Ritual,” a warm flourless chocolate tart crowned with condensed milk ice, hazelnut praline, and ice cream infused with espresso from Ritual Coffee (one of the only San Diego places to serve the cult-loved San Francisco roaster).
Perfection is a fool’s errand. Small missteps aside, I’m hard-pressed to name a better dining experience than ordering some lollipops and that tom yum bass as you stare at the sunset over those storied old San Diego hills and gaze down at the bay, trying not to think of the nuclear submarines below the surface.
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.
In this city, chef Brian Malarkey and restaurateur Chris Puffer are kind of like peanut butter & jelly, tacos and Tuesday, Padres and Petco—they just go together. This month, the duo celebrates 10 years of partnering on some of San Diego’s top restaurants including their first venture, Herb & Wood.
To celebrate this milestone, we stepped back and revisited their journey becoming some of this city’s most successful restaurateurs.
But first, let’s go back to the beginning. The duo met at Oceanaire in 2007 where they both worked. Malarkey was still riding the high from his stint on Top Chef Season 3 where he won runner-up. He was a great chef, Puffer recalls, if not a tad arrogant. Whatever he was doing, though, it worked. Sales doubled under his watch.
In 2009, Malarkey was approached by some patrons to start what would become Searsucker. He knew he wanted Puffer to be his partner. They had great chemistry and loved hospitality and food. “We both came to this with a bit of a chip on our shoulder,” says Malarkey. “We wanted to prove it to other people that we know what we’re doing.”
Courtesy of Puffer Malarkey Collective
Searsucker, Gabardine, and Herringbone (under the Fabric of Social Dining restaurant group) were born through the new partnership. But in 2012, they sold their concepts to Hakkasan and soon partnered on a new lease.
That building would eventually become Herb & Wood. “We were going to do it differently this time around,” says Malarkey as he reflects on Wood’s early days. “And we [wanted to] build it to last.”
The vision: Great food. Great music. Great service. It’d be a place where diners would let go, put their phones down, and be fully present to enjoy a meal together. When they walked into 2210 Kettner Blvd, they knew they had found their spot.
The only problem was that, at the time, that area of Little Italy was still severely underdeveloped. In a 8,500-square-foot space, they were going to have 230 seats to fill. “It may as well have been on Mars,” says Troy Johnson, San Diego Magazine publisher, content chief, and the city’s longtime food critic.
Courtesy of Puffer Malarkey Collective
And, of course, there were the naysayers. The prevailing feeling in the dining world was, “Let’s see what these f**king idiots do,” recalls Malarkey. The duo let all the noise be noise. In fact, the noise fueled them. “We weren’t going to cater to the haters,” Puffer says.
Their next hurdle would be to tackle the restaurant’s design. “There was nothing. It was literally a box,” says Puffer of the former space. Design teams were too expensive or didn’t quite get their vision—no, they didn’t want exposed beams or wooden tables made from reclaimed barns. “Then, Puffer was like, ‘f**k it, dude, I’m going to design this restaurant.’”
Having never really designed something like this before, he decided not to work in the programs that most professionals use to create their layouts. 3D mockup? Didn’t need it. CAD? That’s what a paper and pencil are for.
Courtesy of Herb & Wood
“It was all in my head,” he recalls. “I had this moment where I was like, ‘If I died right now, no one would know where any of this shit goes.’”
“Yeah, it made no sense,” Malarkey says.
And it still doesn’t if you hear him explain it. A mishmash of vignettes from the inner workings of his memory bank, evoking everything from Mississippi riverboats to Eiffel tower ironwork, Kensington home façades, an old theater he frequented, and a canoe, because why not? Yet somehow, it all worked.
“It’s a sense of nostalgia,” says Puffer. “People might say, ‘Oh, my gosh, this feels good’ and they don’t realize it reminds them of the time they were in Paris.’”
“We don’t play trends,” Malarkey says. “We play timeless.”
Courtesy of Herb & Wood
Over the course of many years and plenty of trial and error, the partnership has continued to thrive. And, the Puffer Malarkey Collective has found its sweet spot within their restaurants: The service had to be kind and unpretentious and the food had to come out quick, delicious, and consistent. “Consistency is key!” says Puffer.
They also learned to balance out one another. “He’s a go-go-go-go [person],” says Puffer, “I’m a let’s-take-a-deep-breath-and-sleep-on-it [type of person].”
So, when they opened the doors to Herb & Wood in April of 2016, with those lessons in place, everything was just right. “We knew it had to fire on all cylinders,” says Puffer. “And it did.”
Courtesy of Puffer Malarkey Collective
There was no pretense and the dress code was exceedingly simple. “Money in your pocket,” says Malarkey. “That’s all you need.”
The phones rang, the seats filled, and the haters had to give it to them, those gnocchi hit. People began embracing every aspect of the place, even the edgier ones.
“We thought people were going to complain about all the paintings with boobs,” says Puffer of the many John Lanes on the wall. “But the amount of people who take pictures in front of the boobs is amazing.”
They even had a middle finger statue that Puffer had picked up from a yard sale. If a table was rude or antagonistic toward the staff, he’d walk over to them with the finger. “Congratulations,” he’d say, handing it over. “You’ve won asshole of the night.”
Courtesy of Puffer Malarkey Collective
The point is, they were ready to laugh (and not take shit from anyone). When someone wrote a review of Herb & Wood and called it Weed & Boners, they both had a laugh. It’s one of the keys to longevity.
Along with the fun and deliciousness, they’ve also served as a culinary talent incubator for San Diego. “It’s like a centrifuge,” says Johnson about Herb & Wood. “They train up all these young chefs and start spinning all this talent into different parts of the city.”
There’s Sebastian Becerra with Pepino, Samantha Bird of Relic Bakery, Aidan Owens at Herb & Sea, and Tara Monsod of Animae and Le Coq (San Diego’s first James Beard award finalist) to name a few. “They’ve expanded the footprint of the food revolution in San Diego,” says Johnson.
Their plans for the next 10 years?
“We’re just going to keep the magic going,” says Malarkey.
It’s two-for-one at The Sasan, Mission Hills’ newest eye-catching addition at 901 West Washington Street, on the corner of Washington and Goldfinch Street. The 54-unit residential building, draped in ferns and soft, undulating curves, is home to two new restaurants: Paradis on the ground floor (which opened early this month) and Communion on the rooftop.
Restaurant owner Jacquee Renna Downing has been a familiar name in Southern California dining for years as owner of La Quinta Cliffhouse and Pacifica Seafood in the Coachella Valley. She also previously owned Pacifica Del Mar with her late husband, Kipp Downing. Downing is a Carlsbad native and says she and her husband strived to return to San Diego before he passed away.
Courtesy of Nakhshab Development & Design
“We wanted to bring our roots back to San Diego,” she adds, noting that, while she loved her time in the desert, there’s just no place like home. Plus, her daughter may want the keys to the kingdom one day—or so Downing hopes. “We needed to get ourselves a foothold before she’s ready to take over the restaurants,” she laughs. “We just believe that it’s the place for us.”
The team she assembled for both concepts brings decades of experience: Executive chef Mike Moritz (Mille Fleurs, Mister A’s) helms Communion and chef Jon Hawkins (Common Theory, George’s at the Cove) leads Paradis. There’s overlap between the two as well, with Aly Lyng (George’s at the Cove) assuming the pastry chef position alongside lead bartender Eliza Woodman (Camino Riviera) and bar consultant Marina Ferreira (Botanica).
Rendering Courtesy of Paradis
Paradis
Paradis is the building’s daytime café, offering coffee, pastries, and small bites through the afternoon, when it transforms into a European-style pintxo bar. Pintxo (pronounced pin-cho) is a type of small snack popular in the Basque region of Spain, meant to be casually enjoyed in a group. The indoor and outdoor space, designed by local group Design Perspectives, covers 1,500 square feet with seating for 50 guests.
Downing says she hopes to create a European sidewalk café vibe, where people can work, relax, or meet up with friends. At night, she adds, “we’re going to bring in some DJs that are really good to spin vinyl, so the vibe will change in the evening time.”
Courtesy of Paradis
Breakfast and brunch items at Paradis include stracciatella toast with persimmon spread and mixed nut chutney over walnut raisin sourdough; egg bites with Calabrian chili, Gruyere cheese, and chorizo; and Lyng’s baked goods, like a tangerine croissant; plus plenty of drinks from the coffee bar, such as a corn milk and blueberry matcha latte. The afternoon menu leans small and shareable, with items like ricotta and caviar with Asian pear and pistachios or chorizo-fried portabella hush puppies with confit garlic butter and pickled shimeji mushrooms. All menus will include vegetarian and vegan options, as well.
Rendering Courtesy of Communion San Diego
Communion
Above Paradis sits Communion. Downing says she hopes people feel as though they’re up in the clouds—relaxed and happy, yet awed. The building’s corner location allows for a nearly 360-degree panorama of San Diego, which pushed her and the design team to keep the interior décor slightly more subtle to not take away from the vistas. “Yes, it is gorgeous inside, but it’s the view… The view is stunning,” Downing adds.
The 2,500-square-foot space seats 120 and is anchored by an Impressionist-inspired mural by local artists Katya Beatty and David Gil. A fabric installation along the ceiling creates a sense of movement, Downing says. A preserved butterfly installation adds a final touch. Cathedral-shaped shelving cutouts and other décor choices reflect the “communion” name.
Courtesy of Communion San Diego
Communion’s menu features many fish-heavy dishes, like a local bluefin toro with ají amarillo leche de tigre, finger lime, radish, and jalapeño pepper; ahi poke on a crispy rice cake with ponzu sauce, serrano peppers, and caviar; a roasted fish bone marrow made from the discarded ahi bones and served with garlic herb butter and fresh sourdough; and a locally caught yellowtail crudo with confit garlic, crispy leeks, cherry tomato, and basil. One vegan highlight is a beet “filet,” a braised and grilled beet with a vegan bordelaise sauce, harissa carrots, and cauliflower.
Downing calls the cocktail program a “super key element” to the Communion experience—it’s specifically designed to pair with chef Moritz’s menu. “One bite creates the desire for a sip, but one sip creates a desire for a bite,” she says.
She tapped her wide network of wine contacts to build a globally sourced list that that will change depending on seasonality. The main criteria? “What tastes good,” Downing says. “I’ve personally walked in a lot of these vineyards across the world, and we’re bringing in those things where hopefully our servers can tell the story to the guest of why this food is important to us, why the wine is chosen for the wine list, and why this cocktail is going to go perfectly with what they chose to eat.”
Paradis is now open. Communion will open on November 21. Hours of operation at Communion will be 4 to 10 p.m. daily. Paradis is open 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for brunch and 2 to 8 p.m. for pintxos.
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.
Happy holidays! It’s the season of twinkling lights, warm mugs of hot chocolate, glistening snow (up in Julian, anyway), and… your great-aunt Sheila’s terrible “famous” cranberry sauce. While cheer is in plentiful supply this time of year, so is the stress that comes with it. From gift-giving and planning to in-laws and expenses, orchestrating a holiday dinner with picky eaters and demanding extended family members can be a daunting task.
So why host? Take that turkey smoker out of your Amazon cart. Instead, book a table for 10 (or 20 or 30) at one of these crowd-friendly eateries. Whether you’re seeking an impromptu friendsgiving destination, a spacious spot for your family’s holiday dinner, or a dazzling venue fit for hosting a festive reception, here are the top restaurants in San Diego to accommodate large groups.
Courtesy of Viewpoint Brewing
Casual Restaurants for Big Groups
Viewpoint Brewing
Overlooking the San Dieguito Lagoon, Viewpoint Brewing offers a laid-back gastropub setting perfect for sizable North County gatherings. Their roomy, dog-friendly patio is a great spot to enjoy a sunset while sipping local craft beers and munching on bar-food favorites like battered fish tacos and smoked gouda mac n’ cheese. Got all the in-laws coming? Book a private event for up to 60 people.
2201 San Dieguito Drive, Suite D, Del Mar
Stone Brewing
Home to possibly the most expansive outdoor patio space in town, Stone Brewing’s Liberty Station is a haven for large groups and parties in San Diego. While they’re known for their comprehensive draft list (featuring the salt-and-lime Buenaveza and the beloved Delicious IPA), beer isn’t the only thing on the menu at Stone.
Food offerings include fish tacos, burgers, pizzas, and salads—nontraditional holiday eats, sure, but friendly to even the pickiest diners. With amenities like a bocce ball court, an outdoor movie courtyard, koi ponds, and fire pits, the property can accommodate groups ranging from 20 guests to a staggering 1,300 people. Better start sending invites!
2816 Historic Decatur Road, Suite 116, Point Loma
Courtesy of Punch Bowl Social
Punch Bowl Social
Located on the north end of East Village, Punch Bowl Social offers more than 24,500 square feet of space, making it a great spot for a holiday gathering. While reservations are available, they’re often not required, as this expansive space has plenty of nooks for large groups to gather across two floors. Highlights at this downtown watering hole include a 360-degree bar, their signature fishbowl cocktails ideal for sharing, and a large menu offering something for even the pickiest eaters. Think of Punch Bowl Social as a classier Dave & Buster’s with activities like bowling, darts, ping-pong, photo booths, shuffleboard, and private karaoke rooms.
1485 E St, East Village
Gravity Heights
A hub for Sorrento Valley tech workers, Gravity Heights also suits large impromptu gatherings. The centrally located pub offers ample indoor and outdoor seating, locally brewed craft beer, and bites like wild mushroom pizza and falafel burgers. Plenty of fun and games await for groups that reserve the brewery’s private mezzanine, which is equipped with a private bar, an arcade machine, shuffleboard, a convertible pool table, and lounge seating for 18 guests (or 36 sans pool table).
9920 Pacific Heights Boulevard, Sorrento Valley
Common Theory
Navigating large dinners in the bustling Convoy District can be difficult, but Common Theory rises to the occasion. This Kearny Mesa brewhouse offers an Asian twist on bar cuisine with offerings like duck fat fries, sesame fried shishitos, and baked pork belly mac and cheese (plus plenty of local beer taps). A tasteful get-together spot with a parking lot, Common Theory accepts private event reservations for groups of 16 guests or more.
Fine Dining Restaurants with Private Rooms and Event Spaces
Courtesy of Bali Hai
Bali Hai
Nestled at the end of the Shelter Island peninsula, Bali Hai offers bay-front scenery and island vibes perfect for you and your closest 200 friends. If you’re a San Diego local, chances are you have attended a wedding reception or rehearsal dinner here (and had one too many of their famously potent mai tais). The 69-year-old establishment offers a diverse assortment of Hawaiian-inspired event spaces available for reservation, including the South Pacific Room (200 guests) featuring a bamboo dance floor, the Hawaiian Village with an outdoor pavilion and private bar (200 guests), or the more private Tiki Room (28 guests).
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.
The iconic 1,200-acre preserve’s history dates back more than 150 years, evolving from a scrub-filled plot atop a mesa overlooking what’s now Downtown to an urban oasis—the largest of its kind in the country—filled with an array of museums, attractions, gardens, trails, restaurants, and more. Balboa Park is an epic playground where San Diegans and visitors alike can experience the great outdoors just as easily as they can enjoy a world-class performance or explore groundbreaking discoveries.
Tucked away in the Spanish Colonial Revival-style architecture are 18 diverse museums that allow visitors to spend the day learning about, well, anything. A great place to start is the San Diego History Center. Located in the Casa del Balboa building, the museum tells the story of the city’s past, present, and future through photographs and art, clothing and textiles, and interviews with people who witnessed history-making events firsthand. The San Diego Natural History Museum takes visitors even farther back with interactive exhibitions that show what the region was like up to 75 million years ago.
Blast off on a simulated trip to space at the San Diego Air & Space Museum, then check out artifacts from aviation legends, including the Wright brothers, Amelia Earhart, and Buzz Aldrin. Discover new perspectives revolutionizing the science world, learn about an often overlooked but overutilized utility, and exercise your creativity at the Fleet Science Center.
Calling all theater-lovers, Balboa Park has something for you, too. The San Diego Junior Theatre will present their musical take on beloved children’s book A Bad Case of the Stripes from June 26 through July 12. And laugh, cry, and marvel in awe as the pros of The Old Globe perform Kim’s Convenience, the award-winning comedy that inspired the popular series, from May 15 to June 14.
There’s nowhere else in Balboa Park quite like WorldBeat Cultural Center. The institution celebrates African diaspora and indigenous cultures around the world using art, music, dance, and education. The building, a renovated water tower covered in colorful murals, houses a performing arts center, museum, gift shop, cafe, and outdoor classroom.
If you’d like a side of nature with your culture, Balboa Park has you covered there, too. Stroll through the gardens of the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum, a monument to the relationship between San Diego and its sister city, Yokohama, Japan. Inspired by traditional Japanese design dating back centuries, the 10-acre respite features a living exhibition that showcases plants native to both cities.
If there seems like a lot going on in Balboa Park, it’s because there is. Let theBalboa Park Cultural Partnership be your guide. The organization is the umbrella for 24 of the park’s institutions and offers an Explorer Pass that allows visitors to access multiple museums for one affordable price. The hardest part is picking where to start.
16 Museums, One Pass
Save on admission to San Diego’s top museums with the Balboa Park Explorer Pass. Explore 16 museums of art, science, history and culture across Balboa Park — all with one affordable pass. Choose the option that fits your pace: the Limited Pass (one day for up to four museums), the Parkwide Pass (seven consecutive days of access to all 16 museums) or the Annual Pass (365 days of unlimited exploring).
Looking for an experience-driven gift? Let the museum lover in your life enjoy their favorite museums all year with a Balboa Park Explorer Annual Pass gift voucher.
Bigger experiments, brighter ideas, and boundless curiosity await at the newly reimagined Fleet Science Center. This summer, the Fleet debuts Element 8 Cafe, an expanded theater queuing and concessions space, two new gallery spaces, and, for the first time, a free entrance gallery exploring science in and around San Diego. The transformation marks a new chapter for the Fleet, keeping it a vital, innovative, and accessible science hub for the region. Visitors are invited to explore the experience this summer and connect with the power of science like never before.
Address: 1875 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:FleetScience.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Phone: 619-238-1233
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum
An accredited cultural gem, the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum brings traditional Japanese garden design to life with koi ponds, curving walkways and layers of greenery. Guests explore bonsai trees, streams and peaceful nooks while taking part in exhibits, educational programs and festivals that illuminate Japanese culture. Situated in the heart of Balboa Park, the garden doubles as a meditative retreat and a dynamic gathering place, welcoming visitors to slow their pace and connect more deeply.
Address: 2215 Pan American Road E, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:Niwa.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily; last admission at 6 p.m. Phone: 619-232-2721
The Old Globe
A San Diego summer favorite, The Old Globe invites audiences to experience a beloved local tradition in its outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre.
This summer, the 2026 Shakespeare Festival presents two thrilling tales of power, passion and romance. Measure for Measure, running June 14 through July 12, 2026, is a riveting story of justice and hypocrisy that asks who holds power, who is punished and what it truly means to be virtuous. Much Ado About Nothing, playing Aug. 2–30, 2026, is a classic rom-com packed with schemes, sparks and laughter as opposites attract. Audiences can enjoy both shows for $44.
Address: 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:TheOldGlobe.org Hours: Box office open Tuesday–Sunday, 1 p.m. to final curtain Phone: Box office, 619-234-5623
San Diego Air & Space Museum
Aviation and space exploration come to life at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. See an airworthy replica of the Spirit of St. Louis, a Gee Bee racer and historic aircraft from World War I, World War II and the Korean and Vietnam eras. Get up close to the Apollo 9 command module — one of only 11 of its kind in the world — along with Mercury and Gemini capsules, Mission Control and space shuttle simulators, and a selfie spot beside a lunar lander on the moon. Running through 2026, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! brings oddities from around the world to Balboa Park.
Address: 2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:SanDiegoAirAndSpace.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 619-234-8291
San Diego History Center
History belongs to everyone. At the San Diego History Center, two experiences bring that history to life this summer: America at 250 and the Center for Women’s History. America at 250 traces San Diego’s place in 250 years of U.S. history, while summer programs invite children to learn and explore. The Center for Women’s History amplifies the voices of women whose leadership and creativity have shaped our region.
By understanding our past, we build a more vibrant and inclusive community together. These vital educational experiences are only possible through generous community support. Discover your roots, spark meaningful dialogue, and help keep San Diego’s stories alive for future generations.
Address: 1649 El Prado, Suite 3, San Diego, CA 92101 Website: SanDiegoHistory.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday–Sunday Phone: 619-232-6203
San Diego Junior Theatre
Junior Theatre is San Diego’s longest-running youth theatre program, empowering students ages 4 to 18 to explore storytelling, performance, and collaboration in a supportive environment. Through classes, camps, and productions, young artists build confidence, creativity, and lifelong skills onstage and off. Each season features a wide range of opportunities, from introductory experiences to advanced training in acting and musical theatre.
Looking for a summer adventure? Junior Theatre’s Summer Camps deliver dynamic programs for grades K–12, including musical theater intensives, acting academies and immersive JT Studio experiences. It’s a place where imagination truly takes center stage.
Address: 1650 El Prado, Suite 208, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:JuniorTheatre.com Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 619-239-1311
San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)
This summer, The Nat is talking trash—literally. Their newest exhibition, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, features larger‑than‑life marine sculptures made of ocean debris collected from beaches. It invites visitors to explore the impact of plastic pollution and discover ways to take action.
But the experience doesn’t stop at the gallery doors. Friday nights, the exhibition transforms into an ocean-themed “dive bar” during Nat at Night. Select Sundays bring something brand new: a rooftop brunch with sweeping Balboa Park views. Add two new giant-screen films and five floors of nature to explore, and The Nat is shaping up to be one of the season’s must-visit destinations.
Address: 1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 Website: SDNat.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays in summer Phone: 619-232-3821
WorldBeat Cultural Center
The WorldBeat Cultural Center is a nonprofit multidisciplinary cultural organization dedicated to promoting, presenting and preserving Indigenous cultures worldwide through music, art, dance, education, sustainability and community programs. WorldBeat elevates multicultural artists, expands opportunities for cultural enrichment and fosters deeper understanding across traditions. WorldBeat offers a holistic cultural experience that inspires pride, unity, connection and belonging for all ages.
Address: 2100 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101 Website:WorldBeatCenter.org Hours: Classes: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 6–9 p.m. Exhibits and café: Friday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Phone: 619-230-1190
Event Calendar
Throughout 2026: Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!
Step into a world of the weird and wonderful at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park. Explore hundreds of bizarre artifacts, interactive displays and unbelievable stories that celebrate the curious and the extraordinary.
Presented in partnership with the San Diego Museum of African American Fine Arts, San Diego’s Lost Neighborhoods uses augmented reality, oral histories, and archival materials to explore communities and residents displaced by redlining, freeway construction, and other discriminatory policies.
Spend a summer night at The Old Globe. The Lowell Davies Festival Theatre stages Measure for Measure (June 14–July 12) and Much Ado About Nothing (Aug. 2–30), offering two unforgettable Shakespeare productions for just $44.
The Old Globe | 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego, CA 92101
June 8–Aug. 7: Theatre Summer Camps
Summer camps at Junior Theatre spark creativity for grades K–12 with hands-on training, musical theatre intensives, acting academies, and JT Studio experiences.
A museum visit turns into a Sunday Funday with the addition of rooftop brunch, featuring mimosas, bloody Marys, and brunch bites from Wolfish by Wolf in the Woods (June 14, August 9) and Hash House a Go Go (July 12).
Nagashi at the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum by floating a lantern to honor loved ones who have passed. Stroll merchant booths, enjoy cultural performances in the Inamori Pavilion, and sample food vendors plus a beer and sake garden in the lower garden.
Explore arts, science, history, and culture in the Balboa Park Cultural District with one convenient, affordable Pass. The Balboa Park Explorer Pass is your ticket to up to 16 museums and endless fun! Purchase your pass at BuyMyExplorer.com.
