Hearing word of a new restaurant opening in the neighborhood has been a bright spot these days, so the fact that four new eateries (plus a returning longtime favorite) set up shop in Point Loma’s Liberty Public Market is cause for celebration. Slurp restaurant debuted with Singaporean street food like roasted duck noodle soup and curry puffs, Tortas el Chapulin is slinging traditional Mexican sandwiches and Cubanos, and Rad Burger is the latest concept from the duo behind Mastiff Sausage Company.
Con Pane, which has been making traditional French breads and pastries and deli sandwiches for 20 years, was saved from having to permanently shut its doors when Cohn Restaurant Group purchased and reopened the business. It’s still in Liberty Station, and the menu stays true to founder Catherine Perez’s recipes—try the Almost Grilled Cheese with Brie and Gorgonzola on toasted rosemary bread.
Set to open next month in the market is chef Phillip Esteban’s first brick-and-mortar restaurant, White Rice, which serves Filipino-style silog bowls: garlic-fried rice topped with lechon, barbecued chicken, or grilled eggplant, with a sous-vide egg. A lineup of new cuisines, plus free parking? We haven’t been this excited to head to Point Loma in a while!
A box of candy may be a foolproof Valentine’s Day gift for a loved one, but this year, why not say “I love you” with gourmet confections that are made locally from scratch? A gift tin or box from Maya’s Cookies, filled with soft-baked brown sugar butterscotch, chocolate chip s’mores, or white chocolate macadamia cookies, is sure to impress. The cookies have been popular in San Diego ever since founder Maya Madsen debuted them at the Little Italy Farmers’ Market back in 2015—they sold out on the first day, turning Madsen’s baking hobby into a full-time gig.
Last summer, the bakery’s website was flooded with orders thanks to the nationwide movement to support Black-owned businesses, and the boost in sales helped her open her first retail space in the Grantville neighborhood. The new shop carries over a dozen different cookie flavors, and the entire inventory is completely vegan—but lots of non-vegans are fans of the baked goods, too. A percentage of all sales go to two of Madsen’s favorite charities: Detour Fancy, a leadership academy for young women; and the Farm Animal Refuge in East County. Sweet!
Coming Soon
Fairer Trade
Although succulents, lemons, and avocados thrive in San Diego’s climate, one crop that isn’t prolific here yet is coffee. Just a handful of small coffee farms exist in the county—including one in Oceanside owned by singer Jason Mraz—but a new farm that sprouted in San Marcos hopes to change that. Bluetail Coffee Grove has been in the works for two years, and founder Kyle Rosa has plans to grow the coffee line, called Breakers Coffee Company, commercially. Before that’s fully up and running, you can taste the line of small-batch coffees, like the Cardiff Campfire blend, at Breakers Coffee and Wine when it opens at the Del Mar Highlands Town Center this spring. The café will be in the mall’s Sky Deck and will have patio seating where you can linger over coffee and wine flights, along with a walk-up counter for those on the go.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
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 DiegoUnion 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.”
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, 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.
Renewable energy companies building hundreds of power plants. Biotech startups using artificial intelligence to create personalized medicine for children with rare diseases. Hospitality companies quietly powering thousands of local events. Consumer brands growing from beach-town startups into national businesses. These are the kinds of companies driving San Diego’s economy today, and the businesses recognized at this year’s San Diego Business Impact Awards offer a snapshot of where the region is headed.
Hosted July 23 by San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and JPMorganChase, the second annual awards event honored four local companies for innovation, growth, and economic impact. More than 100 nominations from San Diego’s middle-market businesses were reviewed by a 10-person judging committee, with winners selected across four categories: startup, early-stage innovator, rising star, and established heavyweight.
Two-time honoree Jimbo Someck, founder of Jimbo’s organic grocery stores, also joined the event for a fireside chat on buying local, supporting emerging brands, and giving back to the community.
“San Diego’s strength comes from its makers and builders—the resilient people who endure great risks and overcome obstacles to build and scale a company,” says Aaron Ryan, San Diego Region Manager and Middle Market Banking at JPMorganChase & Co. “These awards aren’t just recognition; they spotlight the talent, grit, and innovation shaping our region’s future. By celebrating those who create and build, we foster connections and fuel the growth that keeps San Diego thriving.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Building the Infrastructure Behind Clean Energy
Heavyweight honoree SOLV Energy has grown alongside the country’s rapid investment in renewable power. “It’s an exciting time for SOLV Energy as we are experiencing significant growth,” says CEO George Hershman. “The business has doubled over the last year and has almost double-digit growth since its inception.”
The Rancho Bernardo-based company designs, builds, operates, and maintains utility-scale solar and energy storage facilities. Since its founding in 2008, SOLV Energy has built more than 500 power plants.
Growth has translated directly into hiring. About 200 employees work from the company’s local headquarters, including roughly 20 interns. “Our intern program is a big part of the way that we grow our workforce,” Hershman says. “Last year, 43 percent of our interns became full-time employees. We believe San Diego is a great community to build and grow a high-tech infrastructure and technology company because of the incredible workforce—the ability to attract top talent and draw from world-class universities.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Developing Medicine One Patient at a Time
Startup honoree La Jolla Labs is tackling one of medicine’s biggest challenges by developing personalized RNA therapeutics for patients with rare diseases—many of them children with neurological disorders like ALS. Using proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, the biotech company develops treatments tailored to each patient’s specific genetic mutation.
CEO Tamar Grossman says the recognition reflects how far the company has come despite limited resources. “We’re honored to be recognized for our ability to change and save patients’ lives and turn our lean startup into a clinical company with very minimal resources,” she says.
Grossman credits San Diego’s concentration of research institutions—including UC San Diego, the Salk Institute, and Scripps Research—with creating a pipeline of talent and collaboration. “San Diego is one of the world-leading centers for technology, genomics, and RNA therapeutics,” she says. “We have over 30 RNA therapeutics companies here, and we support each other and help with anything related to drug discovery.”
She says that collaborative spirit extends beyond formal partnerships. “You can walk around Torrey Pines, go into a café, and find colleagues from the industry and have an ad hoc conversation,” Grossman says. “That’s something very unique to San Diego.”
While Snake Oil Venue Company may not be a household name, chances are many San Diegans have attended one of its events. The early-stage innovator honoree has expanded from beverage catering and mixology consulting into venue management, operating Julep Venue in Mission Hills, Bramble Bay Venue in Imperial Beach, Vesper Venue, the Chapel at Liberty Station, and five outdoor venues throughout Liberty Station—more than 500,000 square feet of event space altogether.
“We do a lot of launch parties for corporations and new products,” says CEO Mike Esposito. “I really like working on the entrepreneur side of things, where new businesses are entering the San Diego market and looking to make a splash.”
Snake Oil has executed more than 16,000 events, employed more than 1,000 people, and partnered with more than 900 local vendors, including caterers, florists, photographers, entertainers, and other hospitality businesses. The company also works with many of San Diego’s nonprofits, museums, and cultural institutions. “We get to celebrate people’s most important moments,” Esposito says. “Whether that’s a wedding, celebration of life, or quinceañera, we’re fortunate to be involved in the community in so many different ways.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Growing a Beach-Town Brand into a National Business
Rising star honoree ALOHA Collection is proof that a simple idea can grow into a thriving company. Founded by two roommates who wanted a better way to carry wet swimsuits after a day at the beach, the lifestyle brand has grown into a business while maintaining strong year-over-year growth.
Now headquartered in Carlsbad, ALOHA Collection employs more than 100 people and operates its California flagship store in Encinitas, which is slated for a remodel. With roots in Hawaii, the company is known for its lightweight, splash-proof travel bags that have become a familiar sight on beaches in San Diego and beyond.
“‘Aloha’ is part of our name, but it’s also how we move through the world,” says CEO Lynna Barnard. “It’s how we show up for people, the way we travel, the way we give back.” Since day one, the company has maintained a 5 percent giveback to Hawaii conservation efforts, contributing millions of dollars over the years.
“I think what’s so inspiring about ALOHA Collection, and the founders in particular, is when you dream big, those dreams can come true when you work hard and trust in the universe,” Barnard says. “It’s inspiring to be a role model for other people wanting to start businesses from humble beginnings. Start small and watch it grow.”
Together, businesses like these form a cornerstone of San Diego’s economy—not only through the jobs and revenue they generate—but through the local workers they hire, vendors they support, and investments they make in the region. Their growth doesn’t happen in isolation; it ripples outward, strengthening the broader business community and the people who call San Diego home.
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.
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.
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.”
After 11 years, two locations, and myriad construction delays, chef Phillip Esteban’s dream is finally coming true. San Diego Mag’s “Chef of the Year, 2020” is soft-opening his California-style deli Wildflour Delicatessen at the end of the month with the grand opening planned for March 7.
The San Diego born-and-raised chef has pedigree—starting at David Chang’s Momofuku in NYC, then coming home at Cork & Craft, then R&D chef of CH Projects. He opened his own thing with casual Filipino spot White Rice during the pandemic, dabbled in Japanese with Weapon Ramen. But he’s been sketching this full-service, big-dream restaurant for over a decade.
Esteban always envisioned creating an all-day escape—basically, where he would want to hang out at any given point during the day. Wildflour is that, but with the luxury (and inconvenience) of being 11 years in the making. So his vision has matured and adapted to current food culture (tinned fish is having a moment, to be sure.)
Plus, it gave him time to assemble an A-team. Esteban is exec chef, with chef de cuisine Kareine Elecanal (former pastry chef at Animae and Herringbone), beverage director Will Pidd (ex-Bottlecraft and Stone Brewing), bar manager Johnny Alejo as bar manager, Jocelyn Farinas on coffee service, and Paco Sanchez as GM.
All-day means breakfast, so they’ll start with a full coffee program from Provecho Coffee in Barrio Logan, fresh-baked breads, pastries, and small plates like steak tartare and eggs on toast. Lunch is cheese boards, cured meats, and sandwiches (classics like mortadella on focaccia, but Esteban will lean into coastal Spain, approachable lunch wines, and bites to share). All the menus, especially dinner, are plant heavy. “I love vegetables—we should eat healthy!” says Esteban.
Seafood and meat will be from local and sustainable producers such as Thompson Heritage Ranch—like braised octopus with confit fingerling potatoes, olive oil, and Espelette pepper; Thompson’s famous pork; whole grilled fish with chermoula; and spatchcock chicken with za’atar and piri-piri sauce. Most plates are meant to be shared. And kids aren’t just welcomed, but catered to.
“We do actually have a children’s menu that’s not just haphazardly put together,” he assures me. “Someone like myself that has a family, I want to see kids in there all the time.”
At a reasonable 4,200-square-feet, Wildflour feels massive with most of the seating outdoors on the front patio (fits 72), an indoor banquette dining area (48), the bar (another 12), plus a deli counter for to-go options, coffee bar, small shop, and shared courtyard with Carruth Cellars. It’s designed by Arch5 Design Studio (Glass Box in Del Mar, Cherryfish in Pacific Beach). The small shop sells a collection of their curated goods and provisions—tinned fish, salt cures, jams, herbs, small snacks.
Esteban’s particularly geeked about their pine needle picnic baskets made in Tijuana, which guests can bring to refill with the rotating meal of the week, plus wine, plates, and cutlery for two. Liberty Station is one giant picnic and park space on the water, so getting a roast chicken and bottle of natural wine on a Saturday feels right.
Back to the vibes. The airy and contemporary design nods to the rich history of the location, utilizing different shades of blue as an homage to Liberty Station’s naval history. Formerly the Naval Training Center (NTC), the area was the jumping-off point for thousands of Navy recruits from 1923 until closing in 1997. His own father went to boot camp there, and Esteban himself went through ROTC on-site as well. Being able to fulfill his longtime dream at this particular location led him to look back at his own chef’s journey.
“[In my] 20s, it was really about just learning as much as I can,” says Esteban. “Thirties were about building myself as a chef. Now, in my 40s, it’s like you’ve, quote-unquote, attained these goals. What are the next benchmarks?”
It’s been a lot to bite off, he admits. But worth it, he says. “It’s a long time coming. I want to create this and have this space be here for future generations.”
Wildflour Delicatessen opens February 2025 (2690 Historic Decatur Rd., Liberty Station) and will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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 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.
From advancements in cellular biology and molecular research to innovations that deepen our understanding of complex biological systems, biotechnology continues to influence how researchers explore some of science’s most important questions.
While major discoveries often capture headlines, the process behind those breakthroughs receives far less attention. Scientific progress depends on a vast network of researchers, laboratories, manufacturers, and specialized organizations working together to support ongoing investigation and discovery.
The Growing Importance of Biotechnology
In recent years, biotechnology has moved beyond the walls of research institutions and into mainstream conversation. Increased access to scientific information, educational content, and expert commentary has sparked growing public interest in the biological sciences.
Topics once discussed primarily within academic circles are now reaching broader audiences through podcasts, documentaries, digital media, and online communities. As a result, more people are developing an appreciation for the research, experimentation, and innovation that drive scientific advancement.
This growing visibility has transformed biotechnology from a largely specialized field into a subject of interest for educators, innovators, investors, and curious observers alike.
The Hidden Infrastructure Behind Discovery
Scientific breakthroughs often capture public attention, but the infrastructure that makes those breakthroughs possible rarely receives the same recognition. Behind every new discovery are years of investigation, testing, analysis, and refinement.
Behind nearly every research project is a network of laboratories, suppliers, technical specialists, and research-focused organizations working together to support scientific exploration. Laboratory infrastructure, specialized materials, quality standards, and reliable methodologies all contribute to the integrity of the research process.
When these foundational elements are in place, researchers can focus on generating insights, exploring new ideas, and building upon existing knowledge. Although much of this work occurs behind the scenes, it plays a critical role in helping science move forward.
Why Discovery Depends on More Than Researchers Alone
As biotechnology continues to evolve, research-focused organizations have become increasingly important contributors to the broader scientific ecosystem.
Among them is NewBioRx, a company operating within the biotechnology and life sciences sector. Like many organizations operating within the broader research ecosystem, NewBioRx contributes to the network of suppliers, laboratories, and scientific stakeholders that help support ongoing research efforts.
As scientific research becomes increasingly sophisticated, organizations that help support the research environment contribute to a culture where innovation can continue to thrive. Their work may not always be visible to the public, but it forms part of the foundation that enables scientific progress.
Why Science Is Reaching Wider Audiences
One of the most notable developments in recent years has been the growing public fascination with science and human biology.
Scientific concepts that were once primarily discussed within research settings are now reaching wider audiences through educational content, podcasts, digital media, and online communities. People are becoming increasingly interested not only in scientific outcomes, but also in the process of discovery itself.
The growing visibility of science has also created new connections between scientific communities and broader audiences. Individuals who operate across multiple worlds—including fitness, media, and life sciences—have helped introduce scientific topics to audiences that may not have engaged with them previously.
One example is Sam Sulek, co-founder of NewBioRx, whose involvement across fitness culture and the life sciences sector reflects the growing intersection between public curiosity and scientific exploration.
As co-founder of NewBioRx, he has helped champion a research-focused approach to scientific inquiry while supporting broader conversations around scientific literacy and discovery.
As scientific discovery becomes increasingly collaborative, public attention is beginning to extend beyond individual breakthroughs and toward the broader ecosystem that makes those breakthroughs possible. From researchers and laboratories to the organizations that support them, scientific progress remains a collective effort built on curiosity, expertise, and long-term commitment.
