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How Monarch Del Mar Became a North County Icon

Co-owner Drew Vick stops by to take us through his journey of opening one of North County’s most transformative restaurants

By Jackie Bryant December 5, 2024

How Monarch Del Mar Became a North County Icon

NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDES Know the Neighborhood Where to eat, where to drink, and what it's like to live there. EXPLORE THE GUIDES

This week’s Happy Half Hour is a tale of food, community, and grit. Drew Vick, co-owner of Monarch Del Mar, takes us through his incredible journey of opening one of North County’s most transformative restaurants in the middle of the pandemic—complete with personal tragedy, a 75-year-old arm-wrestling for a half-million-dollar investment, and bringing a once-doomed Del Mar rooftop to life.

We also cover Canelo Alvarez’s U.S. taco debut with El Pastor Del Rica in Chula Vista, the triumphant reopening of Convoy dim sum legend China Max post-fire, and San Diego’s holiday dining scene—from igloos at Lake San Marcos to Brad Wise’s festive lunches at Fort Oak.

About Jackie Bryant

Jackie is a long-time freelance journalist covering cannabis, food/restaurants, travel, labor, wine, spirits, arts & culture, design, and other topics. Her work has been selected twice for Best American Travel Writing, and she has won a variety of national and local awards for her writing and reporting.

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