This year has been simultaneously eternal and fleeting. In 2024, I’ve eaten a hell of a lot of good food, drank plenty of delicious beverages, and seen restaurants, bars, breweries, diners, and other food-and-drink establishments come and go. It’s been fun (and it ain’t over yet.) There’s a lot to look forward to in the San Diego food and drink scene—new restaurants coming, exciting chefs doing innovative things, and plenty of chances to eat, drink, and be merry—but there’s no sweet without a little sour. Here’s a look at the good, bad, and weird that happened across the county and what we can expect in the coming year.
San Diego’s Beer Scene Flattened
Our local craft beer scene seemed to weather the pandemic with surprising resilience… until it didn’t. This year saw more closures than openings—Ebullition Brew Works, My Yard Live, Jacked Up Brewery, and, for all intents and purposes, Modern Times Beer. Yes, a few have opened, like Weir Beer in Vista and Sunny Grove Brewing in Santee. And yes, it’s very cool that San Diego was voted the second-best beer city in the U.S. by Craft Beer & Brewing. But for the first time in a long time, our impossibly stratospheric trajectory feels like it’s approaching its inevitable plateau. We all knew it was coming, but it’ll still take a little getting used to.
Collaborations Abounded
I don’t know if it’s more the ongoing economic squeeze or general shift in hospitality culture, but the word of the year seems collaborative. Partnerships and pop-ups are taking off all over the county in dizzying numbers, like La Tiendita at Wavy Burger and Friends of Friends in National City, Pizza Kaiju’s upcoming shared space in Barrio Logan, Home Ec and Vino Carta hosting up-and-coming bakery Michi Michi, and a whole bunch more. Things like guest chef dinners and maker markets have always been a “thing,” but 2024 seemed to take it to a whole new level, and frankly, who doesn’t like to see people supporting people?
Takeout Makes Out Big
Dining at restaurants costs more this year, almost 30 percent more than pre-pandemic. Americans spent an average of $166 per month on eating out in 2024, but the kicker is how much of that is due to take-out and delivery apps. Virtual restaurants like Barrio Food Hub and ghost kitchens have made it easier than ever to enjoy a restaurant-quality meal in the comfort of your own home.
It’s a step up from fast food (which has seen 66 percent growth in profits over the past decade) but shows how much our culture has shifted from communal experiences to emphasizing introversion. Everyone is figuring out how to handle this new normal through different means—Terra closed its dining room entirely to focus exclusively on takeout, and Carlsbad is considering lifting its existing ban on drive-thru restaurants—but one thing is sure: everything tastes better on a couch in your underwear.
All Eyes On La Jolla
Once upon a time, most of what you’d pay for a meal in La Jolla was for ambiance, not exceptional cuisine. But no more. The once-stuffy locale has evolved, and I’d say relaxed, into a more comfortable dining destination that didn’t sacrifice quality. The Whaling Bar at La Valencia Hotel got a complete facelift, Tara Monsod brought her exquisite kitchen talents to the freshly opened Le Coq, Paradisaea gave the whole area a glow-up, and Lucien is still on the way for 2025. La Jolla, you’ve never looked (or tasted) better, and I’m greedy to see what else is on the horizon.
Ocean Beach’s Coffee Scene Gets… Crowded
I love a coffee shop as much as the next caffeine-devoted freak, but Ocean Beach is taking the concept of “let’s open as many coffee shops as possible” a bit far. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of Ultreya, Excelsa, Spill The Beans, and Coffee Cycle, but let’s spread the love across the county, maybe? (And no, the irony of OB successfully getting Starbucks to leave in 2022 is not lost on me!)
What to Expect in 2025
I’ll try to keep things nonpartisan here, but with any administration switch comes the requisite discomfort of change. On the plus side, we might get more raw milk cheese! On the downside, we might have to pay up to 20 percent more for imported goods. Possible bonus: lower-to-no taxes on tipped wages! Possible badness: a sudden shortage of immigrant workforce, which makes up a considerable part of the agriculture and hospitality industries in the U.S.
Honestly, no one has any idea which promises will be kept and what’s going to get made up on the fly or really what anything means or what time is… but I digress. I suppose all of this is to say that nobody knows what will happen, but one thing is for sure. It’s going to be a bizarre roller coaster of a time. Buckle up.
