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Food & Drink SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

The Best Food & Drink Events This Month: September-October 2014

Celebrate the Craft, Sriracha Festival, Equinox Dinner

Celebrate the Craft

WHEN: Oct. 12, 11:30AM-3:00PM

WHERE: The Lodge at Torrey Pines, 11480 Torrey Pines Rd., 858.777.6607

COST: $125

MORE INFO »

The Best Food & Drink Events This Month: September-October 2014

The Best Food & Drink Events This Month: September-October 2014

Simply one of the best food events in San Diego, held on the lawn at the Lodge at Torrey Pines. The Lodge and A.R. Valentien chef Jeff Jackson were among the first in San Diego to really adopt local foodways, and Celebrate the Craft is dedicated to those area people who make good food and drink—farmers, ranchers, vintners, brewers, you name it. Chefs include Jackson, Paul Arias (The Fishery), Pete Balistreri (Tender Greens), Nathan Coulon (True Food), Antonio Friscia (Don Chido), Christian Graves (Jsix), Matt Gordon (Urban Solace), Jason Knibb (Nine-Ten), Javier Plascencia (Romesco, Mision 19), Carl Schroeder (Market), Andrew Spurgin (Bespoke Event and Menu Design), Brian Sinnott (ex-1500 Ocean), Monica Szepesy (Q’ero), Brian La Bonte (Miho Gastrotruck) and Katie Grebow (ex-Café Chloe). Wineries include Brewer-Clifton (Santa Barbara), Falkner (Temecula), Far Niente (Oakville), Joseph Phelps (Napa), Paradigm (Napa), Palumbo (Temecula), Robert Craig, (Napa), Tablas Creek (Paso), etc.

Sriracha Festival

WHEN: Sept. 20, 2-6PM

WHERE: Liberty Station, Luce Court & Legacy Plaza, 2641 Truxtun Rd.

COST: $59-$160

MORE INFO »

Sriracha. Everyone except those who live within sniffing distance of its factory loves the potent hot sauce. It’s to this generation what Tabasco was to the previous one. And now Randy Clemens, beer writer and author of the Sriracha Cookbook series, has partnered with Food GPS to throw the city’s first Sriracha Festival.  Chefs from Aqui Es Texcoco, The Bellows, Gang Kitchen, Hash House A Go Go, The Patio, Slater’s, Stone Brewing, Supernatural Sandwiches, Urban St. Brewing, Urge Gastropub and Wow Wow Waffle will serve their best rooster-sauce creations. Drinks from Iron Fist, Stone Brewing, Portola Coffee Lab and Los Angeles Ale Works will also be on hand.

Autumnal Equinox Dinner at Suzie’s Farm

WHEN: Sept. 20, 5PM-10PM

WHERE: The Grove at Suzie’s Farm, 2570 Sunset Ave., South San Diego

COST: $175

MORE INFO »

Suzie’s Farm grows good food. They’re also very good at getting San Diegans interested in farm culture and grow life. Only good things. For their fourth annual Autumnal Equinox Dinner they honor the turning of the season and give a little thanks to the summer harvest with a four-course meal on the farm, paired with beer and wine. This year’s meal will be cooked by Ryan Johnston, the excellent chef of Whisknladle (and its casual offshoot, Prepkitchen). If you’ve never had a dinner on a farm as the sun goes down, it’s a life-affirming moment. This is a chance to do that.

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Food & Drink APRIL 13, 2026

An Affordable Steakhouse Experience Lands in Liberty Station

Grandson Steaks is now open in the former Wildflour space

An Affordable Steakhouse Experience Lands in Liberty Station
Courtesy of Grandson Steaks

It’s never taken so much green to eat red meat. The price of beef has doubled since 2020, and once you add a few drinks (the cost of wine rose 11 percent in 2025) and tack on the rising price of labor (up 23 percent in 2025 and 33 percent in 2024 and 2023), before you know it, a night out at the steakhouse costs as much as the monthly payment for a brand-new Mercedes G-Wagon.

At Grandson Steaks, Roger Cañez wants to change that. He only serves USDA Prime and Choice Brandt Beef from the family-owned ranch in the Imperial Valley, known for its high-quality, hormone-free, vegetarian-raised Holstein cattle with signature marbling and top-notch taste. But as the Brandt Beef distributor in Mexico, Cañez gets wholesale volume pricing that other smaller restaurateurs can’t access. 

Those savings get passed to the consumer: At Grandson, a 12-oz. house-cut (Choice) ribeye costs $34, while Prime goes up to $44. Comparatively, a 14-oz. Prime ribeye at a competing high-end local steakhouse runs around $66.

Courtesy of Grandson Steaks

“There are a lot of people in San Diego who really love steaks, but they can’t afford it—that’s reality,” says Cañez. “So we decided to kind of cut all the fine dining rules and put everything into the quality.”

Cañez has tried the “steak-for-less” model before. He opened Brasa Norte in Market on 8th in National City, offering plates like a Tomahawk steak with bone marrow, four quesadillas, and a side of beans for $44.99. He also operates Roger’s Mariscos inside the market, and he brought some of those stall’s best sellers (like the Baja shrimp cocktail and yellowfin tuna tostada) to Grandson Steaks for a surf n’ turf menu plus tacos, salads, and desserts meant for the family-friendly Liberty Station crowd.

Courtesy of Grandson Steaks

It’s the second concept for the fully built-out corner suite, which formerly housed the ambitious California deli concept Wildflour Delicatessen from chef Phillip Esteban, the mastermind behind White Rice and Base Kamp Meals. Not much changed design-wise, other than adding some more booths, moodier lighting, and a couple of guitars for that modern Mexican flair. Most of the 130 seats are outside (98, to be precise), with 20 seats inside and an additional 12 at the bar. 

But after you choose where to sit, you’ll be able to also choose how much to spend. “If you want to have a casual afternoon with tacos and margaritas, or if you want to have a full steakhouse [experience] with bottles of wine, we can do both,” says Cañez. 

Grandson Steaks is now open at 2690 Historic Decatur Road, Suite 102. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (closed Monday).

Courtesy of Zen Modern Asian Bistro

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

Beth’s Bites

  • At the rate all the “Taste Of” festivals are proliferating, we’re going to have an event for every block in the county by 2035. (This is not a complaint!) The next one is coming up fast on Thursday, May 7, when the 16th annual Taste of Cardiff hits S. Coast Highway 101 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. And yes, before you ask, I’m sure there will be plenty of Cardiff Crack to chow down on from one of the 60+ vendors. Be sure to come hungry, though, because the food and beverage list is mega-stacked with goodies. Pro tip: This “Taste Of” is always especially hard to find parking, so I strongly recommend riding the Coaster in or grabbing a rideshare.
  • I’ve watched the movie Crazy Rich Asians a dozen times, but I’ve never tried my hand at mahjong (yet). But now that Zen Modern Asian Bistro is introducing a weekly Friday night mahjong game from 9 p.m. to midnight, it might be time for me to finally give the tile game a go. 

Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene

Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].

Beth Demmon

About Beth Demmon

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.

Food & Drink MARCH 19, 2026

Vanguard Culture Celebrates 10 Years With An Immersive Dinner Series

An Artist @ The Table’s immersive dinner series unites creativity through art and food March 20-22 at Chapel in Liberty Station

Vanguard Culture Celebrates 10 Years With An Immersive Dinner Series
Photo Credit: Ben Guerrette

There’s a certain strangely yellow-tinted lightbulb in a certain bathroom in a certain bar on Main Street in Richmond, Virginia that I used to frequent when I was in college. (IYKYK) To locals, we knew that if you wanted to look super hot, or at least feel super hot, it was the lightbulb-mirror combo worth waiting in line for. That tiny one-stall room became the perfect place for selfies, surreptitious makeout sessions—pretty much anything but actually going to the bathroom.

Color theory is science, not magic. Yellow light is less harsh on the eyes than white or blue, and can promote a feeling of relaxation and happiness. A little color can go a long way to change a mood—and that’s exactly what visual artist Ben Guerrette hopes to accomplish when he drenches Chapel at Liberty Station with an immersive light installation synchronized to pair with chef Flor Franco’s four-course menu exploring the four elements of earth, fire, air, and water from March 20 through 22 for the latest An Artist @ the Table dinner series. 

Exterior of Liberty Station's North Chapel reopened as an event space by Snake Oil Venue Company in Point Loma, San Diego

The series is part of local nonprofit Vanguard Culture’s 10th anniversary programming, marking a decade of advancing San Diego’s creative industries through professional development opportunities, events, collaborations, and other resources. Executive director Susanna Peredo Swap says previous An Artist @ the Table dinner series have featured artwork from a variety of artists ranging from the estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat to British fashion icon Zandra Rhodes, and chefs like Ron Oliver (former chef de cuisine of Marine Room) and Carlos SanMartano (Salt & Cleaver, Herb & Wood).

Photo Credit: Ben Guerrette

“[But] this is the first time that we’ve done something so large-scale and so immersive,” she says. Over three nights with room for 30 guests each night, each dinner begins with an hour-long silent auction to raise money for Vanguard Culture’s nonprofit support of the local arts, after which Swap will introduce Guerrette, Franco, and explain the run of the show. “Then the experience will happen, which is about a three-to-five minute immersive sound and light experience, and then the food will come out, and then we’ll repeat that three more times after that,” Swap says, at which point the space will open for time for guests to unwind and absorb the experience. 

That time to unwind with one another, she stresses, is crucial. “I think that’s part of why the arts—and the culinary arts in particular—are so important now. It’s that ability to just remember our humanity and come back to the joy of living, the joy of this moment, the joy of art, the joy of sound, the joy of food, the joy of gathering,” says Swap. “And so even though big things are happening, we get to kind of disconnect for just one moment and sit together in community and find joy and share together.”

During the conversation with Franco, Swap, Guerrette, and myself, I wondered: If eating together is an inherently communal act, but emotional reaction to art is a personal experience, how do the two coexist?

Courtesy of Chef Flor Franco

Franco believes they go hand-in-hand. “I think in this particular dinner, people are going to take home both the experience of community, but also it’s going to be very personal for every single one,” she says. She could be watching a play with friends and find herself crying, but the person sitting next to her will be dry-eyed. “The senses are different for each person.”

The meal itself, inspired by the four elements, will remain a surprise for the guests, but Franco did provide a few hints of the framework. “There will be plenty of seafood, you know, for the water part,” she promises, as well as a red meat entree for land and a few other tricks up her sleeve. But to coincide with the artistic vision, “the plating is going to have to do a lot,” she says. Despite her long experience as a chef in Baja California and San Diego (as well as the first female chef inducted to the prestigious gastronomic society Disciples Escoffier International in 2018), it’s her first time working in tandem with light design. 

For Guerrette, he hopes people leave both feeling moved and inspired. “I’m hoping that this becomes something that maybe inspires more people, other artists to maybe make big, grandiose ideas like this,” he says. “If you have big ideas, go for it.” (Pro tip: be sure to turn on some blue or green light to help boost your creative process. Like I said, it’s science.)

Tickets to An Artist @ the Table with artist Ben Guerrette and chef Flor Franco on March 20 through 22 are now available.


Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene

Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].

Beth Demmon

About Beth Demmon

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.

Everything SD JANUARY 14, 2026 (Updated Dec 29, 2025)

Snake Oil Venue Company Reopens the North Chapel in Liberty Station 

After years of closure, the wartime venue has been restored and will begin hosting community gatherings and celebrations once more

Snake Oil Venue Company Reopens the North Chapel in Liberty Station 
Photo Credit: Theshukans Film & Photo

For more than 80 years, the North Chapel has been one of Liberty Station’s defining silhouettes. Opened in 1942, the multi-faith chapel  has hosted Navy services, weddings, memorials, and countless community milestones during wartime years. Its story stretches from religious services for military men and women to cultural anchor.

Then came a stalemate. In 2018, a new tenant, 828 Events, proposed a modernization of the building’s interior, sparking fierce pushback from preservationists and neighbors. The San Diego Union Tribune reported that the online leasing opportunity boasted the chapel would be “perfect for a restaurant or retail tenant.” The suggestion that the historic chapel may become a restaurant caused uproar from local community members. According to Congressman Scott Peters’ official website, his office requested an investigation by the City Attorney. The plan was halted, but what remained was a structure in limbo. 

Large group of people eating at San Diego restaurant and bar Nolita Hall in Little Italy

In the years following, Liberty Station reshaped itself; breweries opened, restaurants buzzed with crowds, and gelato melted on children’s hands in sunny courtyards. The chapel remained unopened in a district otherwise reborn—until now, when Snake Oil Venue Company became its new stewards.

Interior of Liberty Station's North Chapel reopened as an event space by Snake Oil Venue Company in Point Loma, San Diego
Photo Credit: Theshukans Film & Photo

If you’re wondering why a company known for cocktails is reopening a historic chapel, the answer is simple: they’re no longer just a cocktail company. In 2019, after a decade crafting cocktails, Snake Oil launched its first venue, Julep, and pivoted into full-service events. Growth snowballed from there. This April, it opened Bramble Bay in Imperial Beach, followed quickly by Vesper at Liberty Station. In just one year, its footprint jumped from 32,000 square feet of event space to more than half a million.

Best San Diego wedding venues featuring Venue 808 in East Village

But, even as experienced venue operators, the chapel was a unique endeavor. “This wasn’t acquisition; it was responsibility,” says Snake Oil’s CEO Michael Esposito.

Exterior patio of Liberty Station's North Chapel reopened as an event space by Snake Oil Venue Company in Point Loma, San Diego
Photo Credit: Theshukans Film & Photo

The first time he walked inside, the neglect was unmistakable. “Here was a sacred San Diego landmark sitting quietly in a deteriorated state,” he recalls. Curtains were stained, corners layered with dust, and the once-ornate woodwork was overshadowed by a red carpet that “smelled like damp newspapers.” 

The chapel had sat unoccupied since 2019, according to Joe Haeussler, executive vice president of Pendulum Properties Partners, which acquired the leasehold to the chapel and several other Liberty Station properties in 2018. After considering several proposals for the dormant space, Pendulum brought Snake Oil on in 2023 to reopen and steward the building. “We felt their plans were the most respectful of the historic asset and would open the building to the public in the right way,” Haeussler explained.

Photo Credit: Theshukans Film & Photo

Rather than impose a new vision, Snake Oil chose preservation. While it’s now an events space, it has retained its original intent as a gathering place for the community. Restoration, in this case, meant listening to the building. When the team began pulling up the carpeting, they uncovered exquisite, period-specific 1940s Douglas Fir flooring. They refinished the planks rather than replace them, breathing life back into the chapel’s historic foundation. Even the stained glass windows, which were not part of the original Navy design, remained. The earlier plans featured frosted panes that brought in soft, controlled daylight, but the stained glass had become part of the chapel’s collective memory. The restoration cost nearly $1.2 million.

Interior of Liberty Station's North Chapel reopened as an event space by Snake Oil Venue Company in Point Loma, San Diego
Photo Credit: Theshukans Film & Photo

Beyond sentiment and preservation, the North Chapel’s renewed functionality includes a main hall which offers 4,000 square feet of flexible space and seats roughly 425 guests, with additional pew seating on a mezzanine. An adjacent side chapel adds another 600 square feet for more intimate gatherings. Outside, three connected exterior zones (over 3,000 square feet total) provide ample room for receptions, cocktail hours, or garden-style events.The venue will have a preferred-vendor list, with some flexibility for outside vendors. Beverage and cocktail service is handled exclusively by Snake Oil Cocktail Company.

Interior of Liberty Station's North Chapel reopened as an event space by Snake Oil Venue Company in Point Loma, San Diego
Photo Credit: Theshukans Film & Photo

Christopher Bittner at OBr Architecture, Tim Wright of Wright Management, and Andre Childers with Pacific Building Group Construction led the improvement process, while Melissa Strukel of We are Human Kind designed the interiors and furnishings. Bittner says the project was shaped less by reinvention than by attention to what was already there.

“The building itself was the inspiration,” he says. Rather than dramatic alteration, the work focused on careful adjustment. “The building needed small, yet thoughtful, modifications to allow the building to be used for the new use. We worked through many options for how the building would function and at each stage thought through the potential historical ramifications.” 

Interior of Liberty Station's North Chapel reopened as an event space by Snake Oil Venue Company in Point Loma, San Diego
Photo Credit: Theshukans Film & Photo

As word spread of the restoration, the stories came streaming in, carried by people whose most meaningful life moments unfolded within its walls. “For some, it was a grandfather who found a moment of resolve here before leaving to serve in World War II,” says Esposito. “For others, a bride who walked down the aisle as a young woman, or the loved one of a first responder whose life was honored within these walls.” The stories varied, but the sentiment was shared: the chapel’s legacy matters.

Ingrid Yang

About Ingrid Yang

Ingrid Yang, M.D., J.D. is a hospital-based physician in San Diego, CA, certified yoga therapist, and longevity specialist. She loves *double hearts* San Diego and spends her days helping people fully engage in long, healthy lives through evidence-based lifestyle medicine. Her books include Adaptive Yoga, Zen Mindfulness, and Hatha Yoga Asanas. When she’s not leading international wellness retreats, she is chasing sunsets, handstanding in nature, or geeking out over mitochondria.

Studio S JUNE 15, 2026

A Modern Take on Steak

Stake Chophouse & Bar brings contemporary classics and old-school service to the heart of Coronado

A Modern Take on Steak
Courtesy of Stake Chophouse

Stake Chophouse & Bar isn’t your average steakhouse. Blue Bridge Hospitality’s Coronado outpost is a modern interpretation of a big-city steakhouse nestled in the heart of the small coastal community. The team at Stake has reimagined the whole steakhouse experience. By prioritizing a seasonal farm-to-table sourcing philosophy, a personalized guest experience, and unique service touches, like a formal steak presentation and a bespoke knife selection process, Stake distinguishes itself in a sea of steakhouses.

Exceptional steaks, including Wagyu from Japan, Australia, and the U.S., and fresh seafood flown in daily form the core of Stake’s culinary identity. The menu features a five-course omakase-style steak experience highlighting house favorites, plus an array of cuts, and classic steakhouse staples—think a wedge salad, baked potato, or pasta carbonara—refined for a contemporary palate without losing their traditional appeal. Stake focuses on seasonal sourcing from the region’s best family farms and specialty purveyors, and incorporates intentionally unexpected touches to create something truly unique.

“I challenge our chefs and myself to take it a step further in sourcing,” says Chef Ronnie Schwandt. “It’s important to us to highlight different farms, unique one-off farms—whether it’s cattle, strawberries, a local fisherman or from anywhere in the United States, we’re always trying to find that niche.”

Beyond the menu, Stake emphasizes outstanding service, says Vinny Spatafore, Director of Hospitality Operations. Staff maintains detailed notes, allowing them to remember guests by name, recall previous orders such as a favorite martini (also memorable for the customer since it’s served in an extra tall, distinctly-shaped glass), and celebrate special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.

“When you have those points of topic that you remember about a guest, they appreciate that,” he says. “Our servers are really good with that—we have a couple servers who have been here since the beginning and they’ll remember somebody from years ago, their name, their kids’ names, where they live. I’m really thankful to have a great front of house staff.”

Award-winning wines, rare whiskeys, special events, and a complementary black car service that provides transportation for guests throughout Coronado add to Stake’s appeal.

Schwandt stresses that Stake offers more than a meal; they aim to give patrons something unforgettable.

“It starts when you walk up the stairs and are greeted by the hostess—that sets the tone for the night. Then you’re greeted by a server, who may know you by name, and can guide you through the menu and curate as they get to know you,” says Schwandt. “Most people leave kind of blown away; they leave feeling like they just had an experience. That’s the goal, right? Whether you’re serving smash burgers or high-end steak, you want somebody to leave thinking, Wow, that was awesome.”

Partner Content
Food & Drink NOVEMBER 11, 2025

Lola 55 Evolves: New Tacos, New Fire, Same San Diego Soul

The beloved East Village taquería and Michelin Bib Gourmand spot is leveling up—adding wood-fired dishes, taco omakase, and a bold new home

Lola 55 Evolves: New Tacos, New Fire, Same San Diego Soul
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos

Quality and speed don’t always go together, but Lola 55 is growing— fast. Soon, owner Frank Vizcarra is set to open the newest location of his Michelin Bib Gourmand taco spot, bringing the East Village–born concept to Liberty Station, where it’s taking over an expansive 8,800-square-foot corner lot.

Food from San Diego's best taco shops including Cocina de Barrio

To help reimagine the space, Vizcarra tapped JSa architects, the acclaimed Mexico City firm behind Enrique Olvera’s two-Michelin-starred Pujol in CDMX. The goal? To give Mexico’s laid-back yet deeply soulful dining culture a lively place to shine, featuring Lola 55’s signature fast-casual tacos alongside new wood-fired dishes cooked on an outdoor grill.

“There are just so many things you can do with wood and fire,” says Vizcarra, who’s been sending his chefs across Mexico to fine-tune their craft.

Interior of San Diego Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant Lola 55 in East Village
Courtesy of Lola 55

Meanwhile, back in East Village, Lola 55’s original location is undergoing a full-service transformation—complete with a taco omakase and multi-course tasting menus. It’s part of Vizcarra’s plan to evolve Lola 55 into something bigger: a neighborhood anchor with deep roots in Mexican culinary heritage and San Diego culture.

Despite early uncertainties and a pandemic-era pivot, Lola 55 has found its stride and is growing with purpose. “Lola belongs to San Diego,” Vizcarra says. “We want people to come in and be transported into a Mexican ancestral artisan experience.”

Food & Drink JULY 28, 2025

Despite National Beer Declines, Good Pressure Brewing Remains Hopeful

Longtime San Diego beer veteran Erik Fowler and his wife, Shannon, will open their first brewery by end of year

Despite National Beer Declines, Good Pressure Brewing Remains Hopeful
Courtesy of Good Pressure Brewing

“You’re opening a brewery? In this economy?”

This is the question I posed to Erik Fowler, executive director of the San Diego Brewers Guild. He and his wife Shannon just announced they’re opening Good Pressure Brewing Company in Allied Gardens at the end of the year. 

Don’t get me wrong—this is fantastic news coming from great people. But I’m sure I’m not the only incredulous inquirer. The latest Brewers Association report says more breweries are closing than opening across the country, and craft’s overall volume has dropped 5 percent since 2024. Even San Diego, the self-proclaimed “Capital of Craft,” isn’t immune.

Exterior of new San Diego Mexican restaurant Uno Más opening on Adams Avenue in University Heights

Goal Brewing pulled out of the Brewery Igniter space in North Park in March. Little Miss Brewing shuttered all nine locations earlier this year. Half Door Brewing sold to Villains Brewing Company. Division 23 Brewing closed in May. The owners of Jacked Up Brewery retired. Border X Brewing tried launching a GoFundMe before closing up shop in Barrio Logan. It feels a little bleak out there.

But Fowler is far from a naive beer newbie. On the sensory side, he’s a certified Cicerone and BJCP beer judge with sommelier training. He’s studied beer at UC Davis, and gone through the San Diego State University Professional Certificate in the Business of Craft Beer program. He worked in wine retail before managing the taproom and distribution for ChuckAlek in Ramona. He was a taproom lead at Stone Brewing, head of education and hospitality at White Labs for nine years, and the executive director for the Guild for two years. He just had one more thing to cross off his beer bucket list—open his own brewery.

“I’ve always wanted to own a business in the beverage space,” he says. “That’s been a goal since I turned 21. I’ve always had the entrepreneurial mindset, and I’m at an age and an experience level where the leap and the risk makes sense.” 

The Fowlers had been looking for a space to realize their dream for 18 months, hoping to stay close to their home in East County. Of all of San Diego’s 150-plus breweries, less than 10 percent of them are in East County. El Cajon, La Mesa, Valley Center, and Ramona have one apiece; Julian and Alpine each have two; there are three in Santee; and a couple production facilities that aren’t even open to the public.

“There’s still a lot of opportunity there, especially for underserved neighborhoods,” he explains. 

But after a year without any luck, they decided to expand their search slightly. When they saw the former Poochie’s Hooch Urban Cidery space in Allied Gardens that came with two patios, a cellar, existing tasting room, infrastructure for a kitchen, and a wine license, it just fit. “It’s in a great neighborhood that doesn’t have a whole lot to offer,” says Fowler. “We wanted a spot that could be family-friendly, and it just ended up working out.”

Despite an address in the city of San Diego, Fowler says they plan to focus heavily on serving the eastern side of the county, both in distribution and in their marketing approach. As residents of East County, the San Diego stereotype of beaches and surfing doesn’t always resonate with them.

“San Diego to a lot of people is the beach, but from growing up and being in East County, the San Diego that we know and see isn’t that at all,” he explains. Shannon works for the Escondido-based nonprofit Center for Plant Conservation, which inspired them to incorporate a more nature-based, plant-inspired motif for the brand that better reflects the San Diego East County locals might feel more attuned to. 

They’ll initially launch with food trucks and mostly beer, but hope to expand to other beverages like wine and cider and eventually build out an in-house food program. Fowler says they want to first and foremost be a place for families, and an approachable destination for people who aren’t beer experts.

“I want somebody like my mom to be able to come in and feel comfortable, and be comfortable ordering, and just be focused on themselves and having a good time,” he says. He already took the tests at beer school—guests won’t need to feel like they’re taking a quiz to place an order.

“We never want anybody to have to pull out a phone to look something up,” he says. “We want people to come in and have a good time… we want to be the brewery that people are wrapping up their kids’ soccer games.”

Good Pressure Brewing Company will open in late 2025 at 7559 Mission Gorge Road in Allied Gardens. 

Courtesy of Taste of College Area

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

The Second Annual Taste of College Area Arrives This September

For decades, College Area has been more defined by fast-casual concepts and taco shops than as a serious dining destination. (I totally get why—who else remembers being a broke college kid without a car?) That’s completely changed over the last couple of years, and the College Area Business District is showing off the restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and other eateries along El Cajon Boulevard—like Scrimshaw Coffee, The Luau, The Mesa Bar & Grill, and more. The second annual Taste of College Area  starts at 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 28, with stops between 54th Street and 73rd Street. Don’t want to walk? Hop on the free trolley that runs until the event ends at 3 p.m.

Beth’s Bites

  • If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times—San Diego needs more pupuserias. It seems the Salvadoran food gods have heard my prayers, and opened FiveO3 Pupusas at Fashion Valley Mall. It’s the second location for the Cathedral City-based restaurant, and if the business license is to be believed, another is on the way to Las Americas Premium Outlets. May all our pupusa dreams continue to come true!
  • You don’t have to work in the beer industry to attend the 2025 Craft Beer Con at Mira Costa College’s San Elijo campus, but you should probably be a pretty big beer nerd. The annual half-day conference kicks off at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 5 and offers multiple education tracks for attendees to learn about how beer competitions operate, what makes a wet hop beer, how alcohol distribution works, and more. And don’t worry—after a day of learning, there is a happy hour at 4 p.m. 
  • Breakers in Encinitas is officially open! Pro surfer Benji Weatherley revived his family’s former restaurant in Hawai’i, bringing Hawaiian-inspired drinks and food to the coastal neighborhood as an all-day respite for locals (and I’m sure plenty of visiting surfers, as well). I’m on my way for a midafternoon Mai Tai

Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene

Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].

Beth Demmon

About Beth Demmon

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.

Beer Food Near Me
Partner Content MARCH 5, 2014

Hawaiian Paradise

Island travel tips to help you and your family plan the perfect getaway

Hawaiian Paradise

Hawai‘i is perhaps the most famous vacation destination in the world, welcoming 8 million visitors annually to an eight-island archipelago with a permanent population of only 1.3 million. But despite Hawai‘i’s popularity, it’s delightfully easy to stake out a small piece of paradise all your own, and define your family’s visit as you see fit. Whether you are hikers, sunbathers, swimmers, or wine-and-diners, whether you prefer beach lazing or star gazing, there is a perfect place for you and your family in these sunny, solicitous isles.

Read the full special section here »

Hawaiian Paradise

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