James Thorp has done the bar and restaurant song-and-dance in downtown San Diego. He’s done it in Pacific Beach. He’s been all over San Diego, working in hospitality for decades. And this May he’s headed to Escondido with his latest project, Upper East (155 E. Grand Ave).
Thorp says Upper East will be a spot where both families and pets are welcome as well as late-night drinkers and diners, all in the middle of a neighborhood with huge potential. For being at the foothills of San Diego’s farmland, Escondido has never been a thriving restaurant scene. But with the county growing and people leaving the city center for the less impacted edges of the county, a rise seems inevitable.
Thorp says Escondido feels like North Park did when he was just getting started. “It kind of has this really nice, local feel to it,” he explains. Restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops keep popping up, so he wanted to make sure he got in while the gettin’ was good.
Courtesy of Upper East
Throp and his business partner John Haskett also own and operate Knotty Barrel Gastropub in Rancho Peñasquitos, which split from Knotty Barrel in East Village in 2020. They’d been looking for their next project, and Escondido’s reinvestment in the downtown area (called the Grand Avenue Vision Project) made it prime for a full-service restaurant with classic American cuisine, a full bar, and kid’s options.
The food draws inspiration from, well, everywhere—ahi poke stack appetizer, carnitas sandwich, fish and chips, and classics like burgers, wings, salads, and flatbreads. The 20-tap bar will feature mostly local beers as well as wine and cocktails that range from classic to more signature, with housemade syrups and fruit purees (like the Upper East Old Fashioned with Four Roses bourbon and an Italian orange liqueur).
After years in the biz, he says the area is ready for what he’s building. “We’re just really excited to come to Escondido,” he says. “We can’t wait to start being able to serve the community.”
After 12 years of distilling local rum, whiskey, and other small-batch spirits, Malahat Spirits officially closed its doors in Miramar. The tasting room has been marked “temporarily closed” for a few months, but the Malahat team made the official announcement last week in a short (but sweet) email to loyal patrons. Best of luck to Tom, Tony, and Ken on their next ventures.
Happily, Cutwater Spirits is still going strong, and recently partnered with Tajín—yes, that delicious chili and lime seasoning found in every self-respecting San Diegan’s cupboard. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in May, guests can sign up for a Tequila Season Pairing Tour using Tajín with Cutwater’s different spirits in drinks like margaritas, palomas and more. Sounds spicy. Sounds right up my alley.
Next week, Rancho Bernardo Inn will host a lineup of James Beard winners for their first James Beard Winners Food & Wine Festival, including Jimmy Schmidt (Best Chef: Greater Midwest), Alex Seidel (Best Chef: Southwest), Matt Vawter (Best Chef: Mountain States), plus mixologists and wine experts. The three-day festival kicks off May 2 with a six-course Chef Tour dinner. The masters will teach things (whether sharpening your knife skills or take a cocktail masterclass with mixologist Manny Hinojosa).
Sonny’s, the Brooklyn, New York-inspired pizza parlor brought to life by the team behind Madison on Park, is finally opening its doors on Wednesday, May 7. I got a chance to check out the menu, and let’s just say I’m fully ready to devour a large Smoke on the Water pizza (with mozzarella, rapini, Italian sausage, garlic, pecorino, basil, smoked provolone, and Calabrian chili) and a glass of natty wine like, yesterday.
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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.
