Had this at the one-year-old birthday party of a friend. While most of my friends are plying their pals with discount pizza, this friend splurged for one of the city’s best food trucks. And this sandwich was phenomenal—grilled grass-fed hangar steak, swiss, crispy shallots, frisee, horseradish aioli, ciabatta bread. Food from a truck has been drastically upgraded throughout America, but Miho is exceptional even for the exceptional crowd.
Brockton Villa’s very, very happy about the city’s project to clean up the eau-de-seagull that mars their million-dollar view of La Jolla Cove. I sat there the morning it started and the difference was noticeable (placebo effect)? On their summer lunch menu, the gazpacho is a winner—grilled runken shrimp in tomato gazpacho with a summer melon and avocado salsa, plus a citrus-and-chive crème fraiche. A spicy little number, real bright with the melon. And as a native I must admit it took me this long to taste their “Coast Toast,” a legendary riff on French toast that tastes more like bread pudding topped with ice cream. Lived up to its billing. 1325 Coast Blvd., La Jolla, 858.454.7393
Can’t repeat this enough. One of San Diego’s two Master French Chefs (an official, hard-to-come-by designation) is cooking at Bellamy’s in Escondido. At least for the next few months (at which point he’ll head up the group’s bigger project, Bandy Canyon Ranch). And sure he makes a pretty amazing parsley risotto with lobster chunks. But this beet salad is edible art, with glistening roasted red-and-gold beets, beet ice cream, warm goat cheese tart and watercress—all served over a “soil” made of dried porcini powder, pistachio and cocoa nibb. Just beyond. 417 W. Grand Ave., Escondido, 760.747.500.
Maybe it was when Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul drank mezcal with chefs from San Diego and Food Network on the cliffs over Blacks Beach. Or the dinner outside under lights with Alex Morgan, celebrating some of the country’s most badass women chefs. Or the celebrity pickleball tournament hosted by NFL Hall of Famer Drew Brees, where the star of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia made thwacking sounds with locals. Or when Iron Chef winner Beau MacMillan commandeered (some say “stole”) a golf cart and delivered drinks and ice to chefs.
Whatever it is, Del Mar Wine & Food seems to have become the food and wine festival for people who don’t usually like food and wine festivals. The most San Diego thing.
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
Two years ago, Thrillist named it one of the best food festivals in the country. Last year, 10,000 people came out to experience it, including Guy Fieri. Afterward, the founders spent a couple days trying to put their finger on why it felt so special. They had to name it, lean into whatever that was.
“It all came back to play,” says one of those founders, SDM co-owner Troy Johnson, a longtime San Diego food writer and Food Network judge. “Making world-class bread is serious, but breaking bread shouldn’t be. We gather all these incredibly talented people who take their craft very, very seriously—work their butts off all year to make some of the best food and drink in the country—and then we all just kinda play in the grass. We believe it’s possible to create something of incredible value and make the experience of that thing a laidback, easygoing, unpretentious experience. That’s what this is, and who we are in San Diego. The whole reason we did this was to shine a national spotlight on the people who make our food and drink culture hum.”
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
The festival dropped its 2026 lineup today.
Headlining the fest are Food Network chefs Jet Tila, Maneet Chauhan, and Aarti Sequeira; Top Chef winner and Michelin-starred Buddha Lo; Iron Chef alum Beau MacMillan; MasterChef winner Kelsey Murphy; MasterChef Latinos winner Michelle Mathelin, chef and Guy’s Grocery Games judge Catherine McCord, chef and former Masterchef Mexico judge Benito Molina, Top Chef alum Jackson Kalb, Michelin-starred chef Drew Deckman, Michelin-starred chef Javier Plascencia, James Beard award-winning chef Brady Ishiwata Williams, and James Beard-nominated chef Mawa McQueen.
The party kicks off on Wednesday, September 30 at Monarch Ocean Pub with Signature San Diego, a walk-around tasting of the city’s greatest bites, from Baja seafood to bold Mexican flavors. From there, the energy carries into a celebrity pickleball tournament hosted by Drew Brees at Barnes Tennis Center on October 2, pairing friendly competition with an all-inclusive tasting experience in support of Feeding San Diego.
The main event is the two-day Grand Tasting at Surf Sports Park on Oct. 3 and 4. The city’s top chefs, food people from TV lands, and local tastemakers gather on the weirdly perfect grass to serve up everything from juicy Wagyu burgers and beef tallow fries to yellowtail tuna tostadas and veggies dressed up in their Sunday best. Wine and cocktail pairings are designed to round out the whole experience, including activations from Aperol Spritz, Hendrick’s Gin, Tequila Ocho, Mezcal Vago, Rioja wines, and Temecula producers.
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
A VIP lounge offers exclusive access to curated small plates from Michelin-level chefs and pour from some of SoCal and Napa’s finest wineries and drink makers. The Official After Party at Guesthouse La Valle on October 3, a spirited walk-around tasting just steps from the Grand Tasting, where cocktails take center stage through imaginative bites inspired by the smoky, citrus-forward, and bittersweet flavors of classic drinks.
Zones return with activations including the Big Queer Food Fest celebrating queer chefs and queer-owned businesses; the Wellness Zone led by Novo Dia offering a built-in reset with non-alcoholic mocktails, movement-driven activations, and wellness-forward moments. Coastal lifestyle and locally made brands are also integrated throughout the festival.
“We are excited for the fourth edition of the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival this fall, which has quickly become one of the largest food and wine experiences on the West Coast,” says co-founder Chris Finn. “As the festival continues to grow, we are constantly looking to add events, experiences, and partners that will resonate with our San Diego community, and embody the Southern California way of life.”
Returning as the festival’s partner is local nonprofit Feeding San Diego. To date, Del Mar Wine & Food has raised $100,000 to support their ongoing fight against hunger across the region.
Stay tuned for additional events hosted by festival partners including Rob Machado, San Diego Wave, San Diego FC, Town & Country, and San Diego Mojo.
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
Del Mar Wine & Food Fest: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When is the 2026 Del Mar Wine & Food Festival?
The 2026 Del Mar Wine & Food Festival will take place September 30–October 4 throughout San Diego County.
Where is the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival?
The week culminates with the Grand Tasting at Surf Sports Park (formerly the Del Mar Polo Fields) at 14989 Via De La Valle, Del Mar.
A wide variety of exclusive dinners, drink tastings, and other lifestyle events will be announced soon and available for purchase individually on Del Mar Wine & Food Festival’s website. These festivities include chef-curated dining experiences across San Diego’s hottest restaurants, a celebrity pickleball tournament, wine tastings, and more.
When is the 2026 Grand Tasting?
The Grand Tasting takes place this year on Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4.
How much are tickets?
General admission for the single-day Grand Tasting starts at $185. An Early Access option is also available at $235, which includes an extra four hours before general admission to meet, mingle, and feast. For a two-day pass, General Admission starts at $275, while Early Access is $375.
VIP tickets begin at $425 for a single day, offering access to pre-festival experiences, exclusive food vendors, a dedicated VIP area, and more. For the full weekend in VIP, passes are priced at $765.
Where can I buy tickets for the 2026 Del Mar Wine & Food Festival?
Isabella Dallas is a freelance writer for San Diego Magazine and the Arts and Culture Editor at The Daily Aztec in her final year at San Diego State University. She previously worked as an editorial intern for SDM, but when she’s not writing, you can find her trying the best coffee spots in SD, devouring the latest rom-coms, and indulging in anything and everything pop culture.
Hospitality-centric businesses are starting to work smarter, not harder. Some are leaning into experiential concepts, like Harland Brewing’s golf course taproom. Some are joining up with other businesses to share space and costs, like Scoopy Scoopy. Then there’s the multi-hyphenate approach, using food and drink as a jumping-off point for bigger aspirations—like Infusion Lab, a specialty dessert and coffee shop opening in Pacific Beach this summer.
The name is strategically vague, explains co-founder and finance director Baran Aydin. Initially, the space will offer a menu of specialty coffee—traditional espresso-based drinks, plus matcha and signature ube beverages alongside breakfast, lunch sammies and desserts like cookies made in-house and European-inspired desserts.
Aydin and co-founder/coffee director Aselin Bay plan to expand into a lifestyle brand with streetwear-inspired merch—shirts, hats, bags, socks, and more that are “designed to reflect the lifestyle and culture behind Infusion Lab,” he explains.
“The goal is to create a space where people can work, socialize, create content, and become part of a growing community,” says Aydin.
Infusion Labs’ design is elemental white-and-maroon, with line drawing art. Their space, next to the now-closed Copper Top Coffee & Donuts, will feature some Chesterfield-style seating (deep button sofas) and a dedicated social media area.
Sungold Point Family Diner Soft Opens in Bird Rock
The owners behind Hermosa Surf in Bird Rock soft-launched their new cafe, Sungold Point—right next door at 5632 La Jolla Blvd. It’s a modern take on an old-school diner, explains Stirling, with seating for around 35 people and lots of pink, burgundy, turquoise, checkerboard, and terrazzo to feast your eyes on. Owners Stirling and Benny Walter designed the breakfast and lunch menu to use organic ingredients whenever possible and make everything from scratch, including breakfast sandwiches, salads, bowls, and a full espresso menu.
Courtesy of La Valencia
Beth’s Bites
San Diego classic La Valencia Hotel is hitting 100 years. Dubbed the Pink Lady for her antacid-colored blush exterior, the hotel kicks off centennial celebrations on May 28 with the launch of 1926 Social Club, a Roaring Twenties-themed weekly event on the Med Patio each Thursday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Expect Prohibition-era cocktails (always felt like an oxymoron to me, but I guess cocktails were being sipped behind well-placed walls), plus a limited-time Centennial prix-fixe menu for two by executive chef Ernest Lopez.
When does Chef Aidan Owens sleep? On top of being the culinary director for Herb & Wood and Herb & Sea, he appears on the new Survivor-meets-Iron Chef series Chopped: Castaways, which premiered on the Food Networkon May 12. Owens is competing for a $100,000 prize through physical and cooking challenges against 11 other chefs on a remote island, and with judges Marcus Samuelsson, Gabe Bertaccini, and Maneet Chauhan at the head of the table. This might be the show that actually gets me to watch reality TV.
Anyone of a certain age who grew up in San Diego has probably spent at least an afternoon or two in El Cajon’s Parkway Bowl, sucking down soda and crushing nachos between gutter balls. The dated destination finally got a long-overdue facelift and reopened earlier this week—with 68 redone bowling lanes and the new Parkway Social restaurant which boasts a full bar, axe throwing, and golf simulators. Twenty more refreshed bowling lanes are on the way, plus pool tables—but based on the first pictures, it’s about to regain its title as the de facto destination for kid’s birthdays and Friday night family fun.
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.
Consider this your annual reminder that Mother’s Day is not the time to improvise. What’s in: roses, peonies, and a card attempting to summarize a year’s worth of gratitude in three paragraphs or less. What’s out: pretending you “didn’t know it was this weekend.” In a city currently operating at full brunch capacity, San Diego responds as it always does—oceanfront tables, excessive buffet spreads, and sparkling wine refills. Whether it’s waffle stacks, chilled seafood displays, or carving stations doing the most, these San Diego restaurants have you covered.
All moms deserve elegance on Mother’s Day. Celebrate a beachfront with a beautifully timeless and tasteful brunch at the Crown Room in Hotel del Coronado. Indulge in options like lemon vanilla pancakes with berry compote paired with crispy bacon, made-to-order omelets or your very own egg benedict station, shucked oysters, whole in-house smoked brisket, Peach Melba Verrine, and more. Guests over 21 can enjoy a complimentary glass of Champagne.
Price: $235 per adult | $125 per child (6 – 10) | Ages 5 and under are free Hours: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Address: 1500 Orange Ave, Coronado Reservations: Hotel del Coronado
Oceana Coastal Kitchen
Mimosas, marina views, and a Mother’s Day where the only thing on the agenda is enjoying it? We’ll cheers to that. Located at the Catamaran Resort, this Mother’s Day brunch literally has it all, from sushi rolls and nigiri to a charcuterie spread stacked with salumi, prosciutto, cornichons, pepperoncini, cherry peppers, and grainy mustard, plus waffle and omelet stations, cedar-planked salmon, and panko and herb-crusted mac and cheese. Kids can also create a bouquet for Mom that’s just chaotic enough to be adorable.
Price: $120+ per adult | $60+ per child (5 – 12) | Ages 4 and under are free Hours: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (last seating at 2 p.m.) Address: 3999 Mission Boulevard, San Diego Reservations: Oceana Coastal Kitchen
Mother’s Day at Arlo transforms into an enchanted garden that’s equal parts lush and indulgent: a raw bar, fresh salads, delicate pastries, 12-hour braised short ribs, roasted prime rib, and Szechuan pepper–crusted swordfish from the Santa Maria grill. Spoil moms, grandmas, aunts, and every beloved mother figure with live music, a roaming mimosa cart, floral bouquets, and of course, a little retail therapy courtesy of the Kendra Scott trunk show—necklaces, bracelets, earrings, or, let’s be real, all of the above.
Price: $99 per adult | $40 per child (5 – 12) | Ages 4 and under are free Hours: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Address: 500 Hotel Circle N, San Diego Reservations: OpenTable
Rumorosa
Forget the CVS roses (respectfully). Rumorosa’s Mother’s Day brunch is back for its third year, pairing complimentary flowers with sun-drenched marina views. It’s coastal-modern meets Baja soul, where the food is bright and very much not an afterthought. Last year’s spread leans into Carrot Cake Waffles, a made-to-order omelet station, Café de la Olla French Toast, Roasted Lamb Tostadas, and other “yes, I’ll have everything” moments.
Price: $90 per adult | $40 per child (5 – 12) Hours: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Address: 1380 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego Reservations: OpenTable
Tidal
A boozy brunch overlooking Mission Bay with Mom? Say less. Celebrated at Tidal with a lavish spread of cheeses and charcuterie, a seafood bar stacked with oysters, shrimp, crab legs, and ahi specialties, and chef-attended carving stations with slow-roasted prime rib. Made-to-order omelets and pancakes, maple-glazed pork belly, roasted Baja grouper, vibrant seasonal salads, and brunch classics round it out, finishing with an abundant mini dessert selection.
Price: $125 per adult | $50 per child (5–12) | Ages 5 and under are free Hours: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Address: 1404 West Vacation Road, San Diego Reservations: OpenTable
Animae
Mother’s Day at Animae is anything but expected. Tucked into the Marina District, this world-class steakhouse leans West Coast with a playful Asian twist. This year, treat Mom to a dim sum–style experience: a slightly more elevated, endlessly flowing take on the buffet, where indulgent small plates arrive tableside, perfectly complementing the Art Deco interiors and designed to be picked at, shared, and fully obsessed over. It’s less set menu, more choose-your-own flavor adventure.
Price: $104 per person Hours: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Address: 969 Pacific Hwy, San Diego Reservations: OpenTable
Isabella Dallas is a freelance writer for San Diego Magazine and the Arts and Culture Editor at The Daily Aztec in her final year at San Diego State University. She previously worked as an editorial intern for SDM, but when she’s not writing, you can find her trying the best coffee spots in SD, devouring the latest rom-coms, and indulging in anything and everything pop culture.
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.
An ancient man walks across the back patio like he doesn’t want to break his own merchandise. His are bones made of heirloom calcium and galvanized steel by an older god who didn’t cut corners or outsource the work to Taskrabbit gods. There’s an unofficial mayoralness to his arrival. You can tell he’s come here through many iterations of America, many presidents and their varying levels of sanity and impulse control. By now, the sacrament of his body is at least 10 percent Tobey’s corned beef hash, his DNA a genetic Slinky of skillet bacon.
He appears to have been military, probably served in the Vietnam War or the Civil War. The young woman patiently helping him to his table (she’s at least 60) loudly tells the server—and all of us—that he is 102 years old. We nod and smile in respect. He successfully sits (hero knee bones do it again!) and looks happy as a man who outlived his enemies. My 4-year-old son throws something on the floor—a toy, a pancake, my will to go on—and playfully barks something managerial (“Dad! Pick it up!”—which he always says with a Brooklyn patois, I have no idea why or how). The man smiles and laughs at our little scene like it’s the best 37,254th day of his life.
Perched on a mesa, Tobey’s 19th Hole is his kinda place. From here, the grass spills forever until it collides with distant trees and frames San Diego’s majestic, underfunded Downtown skyline. A jumbo jet slows on descent directly overhead, like a movie scene that’s trying too hard. This place—his place—with its unmatched view is one of the last affordable eateries in one of the least affordable cities in America.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
To understand Tobey’s, you have to understand the historic everyperson charm of Balboa Golf Course. World War I ended in 1919. Flappers were dipping the chiffon of gender norms in kerosene. Jazz was carbonating the culture’s bloodstream. The war’s need for better machines funded the assembly lines of the auto industry, so horses’ time on roads came to a rapid end. With new car-based freedom came the untethering of Americans to their homes. Exploring the city and returning at a reasonable time was no longer a huge pain in the ass. Day trips were not only easier, but a new hobby. And so we got the rise and feasibility of large places to gather as a group (parks, museums, concert halls, auditoriums, golf courses). More than anything, though, after four years of war we had some pent-up play in us.
Professional sports weren’t really a thing in the US yet, but they were teeing up. The first dreams of “going pro” were being hatched. And golf, at least back then, was a sport for people of a more common musculature. A sport where drinking highballs and smoking Chesterfields and socializing about Amos ’n’ Andy and “commies” were part of the rule book. The PGA was formed in 1916, and the postwar economic boom funded golf courses all over the US. Between 1920 and 1930, the number of golfers in the country doubled to 500,000.
By the time Balboa opened in 1919, San Diego had three courses: San Diego Country Club (founded in 1897, near the modern-day site of the Old Globe), Coronado Country Club (1906), and Point Loma Golf Club (1914). Balboa, however, was the first city-owned, municipal course open to the public. Built for $1,845 (about $35,000 in today’s money), it wasn’t pretty to start—called “the rock pile,” the fairways were made of dirt, and greens were oiled sand. But it broke open the local floodgates on the sport. Slammin’ Sam Snead, renowned for the most technically perfect golf swing in history, would eventually set the course record here in 1943: a 60 (12 under par), which still stands.
He probably celebrated with a beer and a club sandwich at Tobey’s.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
In 1934, the city granted its first food concession permit to Chester and Lois Tobey, who opened a hot dog stand here on top of the mesa, about 100 feet above the course’s two most crucial holes—the first and the 18th. Ninety-two years later, the place looks and feels like it’s been here that long.
The adjacent clubhouse, lined with photos of club champions and icons, wooden curios filled with old trophies, has a historical ghost-townness to it. Through the double doors lies Tobey’s—now owned by the fourth generation family member, Chris Tobey, a great grandson. The day-to-day soul of the place is Dalia Parsley, who’s worked here for 30 years and runs the joint.
Tobey’s is not a diner, but it’s got big diner energy. Diners are open all hours of the day and night, whereas Tobey’s is only open for breakfast and lunch. It closes somewhere between 5 and 6 p.m. (the city requires they close when the golf course does)—which is a light crime against humanity. With that epic view—the sun setting over the skyline—I propose a city charter requiring Tobey’s stay open for an hour after sundown. And that we’re all mandated to gather here at designated intervals.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
The tables here are formica. No artisan was burdened in the making of them. The décor wasn’t made by a designer who studied under the designer who designed that famous restaurant with the emu-feathered lamp and tables made of recycled Priuses. The chairs are the metal-boned, vinyl- cushioned stalwarts of every illicit card room and bingo hall. Any modernization efforts seem to stop at adding a couple TVs. Tendrils of a plant wind their way across the overhang between the bar counter and the dining room. A wall of framed photos depicts generations of Tobeys through the ages.
A round of golf at Balboa is only $39.50 for locals with a resident card ($29 for seniors), which makes it one of the most affordable and accessible courses in history. And so the crowd at Tobey’s tends to be a grand mix of people who have not yet upended the earth and shaken all its money free—college kids, entry-level workers, people from industries not properly appreciated (teachers, nonprofiters, off-duty cooks, military, childcare heroes), people who are smart with their money, and long-timers navigating the disbursement of their life savings while trying to have a little fun.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
People like those at the table near us, who give off a hard days’ work vibe as they share a decent amount of light beer—served in police siren-blue Bud Light pitchers (Tobey’s does have some local craft beers like Stone and AleSmith). People like the elderly couple by the window sharing a Suntide mimosa, staring at the view, giving the impression that a good portion of their love was conjured in those seats. Tobey’s also has cocktails, like a bloody mary and a vodka cran.
For breakfast, the corned beef hash and eggs is a good choice, the cured meat minced and crisped and tossed with the tater shreds—next to the ever-dependable two eggs over easy. White-bread toast arrives with that perfect light-brown sandpaper crisp. No one knows how to toast white bread like a diner (or diner relative). It’s not house baked rye or ciabatta or brioche evenly spread with a compound butter of thyme, citrus zest, and activated charcoal that’s been blessed by Nancy Silverton. It’s the thin supermarket toast that built America, with the delicious yellow stain where a pre-cut pad of butter clearly lived its utilitarian life before it melted and left a shadow, like a butter beauty mark.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
Chicken-fried steak, and biscuits and gravy are breakfast staples. The chili has those large-format shredded cheddar pieces grated and hermetically sealed before arrival at the place of business. For lunch, the club sandwich is just about perfect. I’d argue that artisanal bread has no place in the club sandwich arts; the architecture requires thin-sliced white bread with ample squish for proper mouth-cramming. No one wants your rosemary sourdough in this.
Is there some wrongheaded instinct in us that looks at Tobey’s and thinks, “Oh, man, if only we could add some badass wallpaper and tassels and statement art, and turn that patio into a fern circus listening bar with fire features and negronis—something to do justice to that view?” Or, “If only they had central air conditioning or the desire to use it, or a fan or two?” Or, “Maybe just some mood lighting and a single negroni?”
There is. And that would ruin everything. The magic of Tobey’s is the family, the Dalia, the socioeconomic welcome mat of an honest club sandwich on humble white bread and the only reasonably priced drink within 600 miles. A place where an ancient man can feel at home and enjoy the view.
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.
San Diego matcha craze initially sparked when San Diego’s first dedicated matcha cafe, Holy Matcha, opened in North Park in 2017, followed by specialty retailers like Paru, shops like Matcha Cafe Maiko and Asa Bakery, and pop-up concepts like Hey Midori. But unlike specialty coffee shops, matcha is still far from hitting a saturation point in the local beverage market.
That’s why Lauren Thiemthath, Bao Doan, and Phat Lu launched Labora Cafe last fall in Convoy District. “We saw a gap in the market,” explains Thiemthath. The San Diego natives also operate Urban Bubble, a cafe specializing in Taiwanese snacks and drinks, so they have a good sense of what people are thirsty for.
Photo credit: @contentbylens
Apparently, it’s matcha, because after only having been open for around six months, Labora is already poised to open a second location in the heart of North Park this fall—hopefully by September, if all goes well, says Thiemthath. “North Park felt like a natural next step,” she says, pointing to the plethora of cafes, but relative dearth of matcha-focused outlets (Holy Matcha excluded, of course), especially ceremonial-grade matcha.
The 1,800-square-foot corner suite at 2899 University Avenue next to The Observatory will emulate the same minimalist-modern aesthetic as the Convoy location and offer the same core drinks like the signature Banana 53 matcha and Vienna latte, but will expand to include some new menu items, seasonal specials, some location-specific exclusives, and hopefully some collaborations with local pastry chefs. The North Park location may also focus more on espresso and Vietnamese coffee offerings, but it’ll all depend on what the community asks for, says Thiemthath.
But matcha fever is just getting hotter. Thiemthath says that ultimately, Labora hopes to open five more locations in San Diego before expanding to Orange County. It seems that matcha mania is just getting started.
Labora Cafe will open at 2899 University Avenue in fall 2026.
Courtesy of Panda Fest
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Beth’s Bites
Baseball is back, baby! And what is a baseball game without enjoying a cold one (or two) while watching our Padres trounce the visiting team? Stone Brewing’s new taproom inside Petco Park is now open in the upper level bar next to section 309, making it easy for people who wanted to save money on seats to spend it on suds instead. I’ll cheers to that.
Yes, the pandas are back at the San Diego Zoo, but if you want to celebrate the cuddly Chinese treasures without waiting in a line of sweaty tourists, mark April 25 and 26 on your calendar. That’s when Panda Fest, the country’s largest Asian food festival, is coming to San Diego for the first time. Waterfront Park will become a panda paradise with over 80 food and drink vendors and plenty of panda-themed fun for all ages. By complete coincidence, I happened to be in Tokyo during the Ueno de Panda Chinese New Year Festival this year, and I can confidently confirm that these panda folks take having a good time very seriously (but I encourage you to find out for yourself).
Mama’s Kitchen’s 35th annual fundraiser Mama’s Day kicks off on Saturday, May 16, but you can save $50 on early bird tickets if you snag yours before April 5. Join vendors like Maya’s Cookies, Athletic Brewing Company, Sally’s Fish House & Bar, and more to help raise money for Mama’s Kitchen to keep up their mission of delivering (to date) nearly million made-from-scratch, medically-tailored meals to San Diegans in need. This year, their goal is to raise $158,000 for 31,600 meals, so why not enjoy an evening at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront and do some good at the same time?
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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.
National Philanthropy Day, presented by PNC Bank, Celebrates the Best of Philanthropy in San Diego
The 53rd Annual National Philanthropy Day Takes Place on November 21. Join us from 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the new Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center!
Once yearly, AFP San Diego joins with others worldwide to celebrate National Philanthropy Day (NPD), a special day set aside to recognize the great contributions of donors and nonprofits that enrich of our community and the world. San Diego’s NPD is one of the largest and most successful in the U.S., attracting nearly 900 participants, including philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, CEOs, board members, development professionals, and business, community, and civic leaders.
Sponsorship proceeds from National Philanthropy Day are reinvested in education, training, scholarships, career development, and the advancement of fundraising professionals throughout San Diego. These resources and training provide fundraising professionals with the tools necessary to support our region’s diverse array of nonprofit organizations, which rely on charitable giving for close to half of their annual revenues.
The National Philanthropy Day Honorees are selected by the NPD Honorary Committee, a group of highly respected, diverse nonprofit and business leaders. Our 2025 Honorees include:
Outstanding Development Emerging Leader – Taylor Thompson Self-Nominated
Outstanding Development Professional – Sharyn Goodson Nominated by: AJ Steinberg & Jeanne Schmelzer
Outstanding Organization for IDEA – Accessity Self-Nominated
Outstanding Philanthropic Institution – Life Science Cares San Diego Nominated by: Blair Search Partners
Outstanding Philanthropist – Dan & Phyllis Epstein Nominated by: CSU San Marcos & KPBS
Outstanding Student Volunteer – Camden Hall Nominated by: Curebound
National Philanthropy Day San Diego provides an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of giving and to celebrate the selfless contributions of individuals and organizations across the region. We look forward to celebrating with you!
Sponsorship opportunities and individual tickets are available. Please visit www.afpsd.org for more information.
