Health is our most precious commodity and, in a city praised for its active lifestyle, San Diego knows its worth better than most. We’re privileged to be residents of a city at the forefront of medical technology and sciences, with a breadth of local providers bursting with pride to ensure those superior services are available for all San Diegans in need of care. From family doctors to niche specialists, the below faces show off the best in San Diego medical and dental care, no matter what service you require. Invest in your health with this guide of consummate professionals.
Margo Aura Emami, MD
AURAE MD Aesthetics & Regenerative Medicine
“It’s essential to truly know and understand someone as the cause of any skin concern is often much more than skin deep.”
When you enter AURAE MD Aesthetic & Regenerative Medicine, your mind suddenly clears as you inhale scents of rosemary, mint, and lavender. Calming music and gentle hues of pink, green, and gold instantly inspire and uplift. It’s nothing like your standard doctor’s office. Instead, you’ve landed in a space where you feel not only cared for, but cared about.
Dr. Margo Aura Emami, Harvard-trained and the founder of AURAE MD Aesthetic & Regenerative Medicine, has over 30 years of experience in direct patient care and fellowships in aesthetics, regenerative, and anti-aging medicine.
Aesthetics is the practice of medicine and Dr. Emami treats it as such, consulting with and personally treating every patient. Helping everyone from working professionals and busy parents to celebrities, athletes, and multi-generational families, Dr. Emami provides minimally invasive, comfortable treatments, which result in little to no downtime and transformative, natural results.
She ties the most efficacious face and body skin rejuvenation techniques together, helping patients address laxity, collagen-stimulation, wrinkles, pigmentation, stubborn body fat, and even muscle toning and pain management.
Dr. Emami is a true artist with nonsurgical face- and neck-lifts and the first in San Diego to offer the “Energy Lift,” the newest non-surgical alternative to a facelift, utilizing Quantum RF, the latest in radiofrequency technology to simultaneously tighten skin, melt unwanted fat, and lift.
Known for her outstanding empathy, Dr. Emami advocates in the best interest of her patients. She is part of each patient’s journey every step of the way, ensuring they feel confident, vibrant, and beautiful in every stage of life.
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9850 Genesee Avenue, Suite 840 La Jolla, California 92037 858-461-8543 auraemd.com
United Medical Doctors
Mark Schultzel, MD, MBA; Matthew M. Schultzel, DO; Daniel Burgess, DO; Melody Hermel, MD
“We’re grateful to be a part of the UMD family, empowering and partnering with each patient to take back their health.”
As one of the largest independent, multispecialty private practices in Southern California, United Medical Doctors (UMD) boasts over 35 specialties, 50 locations, 200 providers, and 10 ambulatory surgery centers. Within San Diego County, UMD has expanded to include 15 dedicated care clinics, multiple imaging centers, and two ambulatory surgery centers, with additional expansions underway in Carlsbad, Encinitas, La Jolla, and Kearny Mesa. Employing only the “best-of-the-best” physicians with dedicated areas of expertise, UMD is proud to spotlight four physicians in San Diego County who earned Top Doctor designations this year:
Dr. Mark Schultzel is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in conditions of the shoulder and elbow including sports injuries, fractures, arthritis care, and complex nerve injuries. Skilled in minimally invasive arthroscopic procedures and shoulder arthroplasty, he proudly works alongside his identical twin brother, Matthew, who is also part of the UMD family.
Dr. Matthew Schultzel has extensive training in minimally invasive general and colorectal surgery. He provides top-level care by employing the newest technology and advanced treatment modalities. He is recognized as the highest-volume robotic general and colorectal surgeon in Southern California.
General Surgeon Dr. Daniel Burgess works alongside Dr. Matthew Schultzel and specializes in acute care surgery, advanced wound care, and vascular access, with expertise in minimally invasive and robotic surgery techniques.
As an integrative cardiologist, Dr. Melody Hermel combines traditional and alternative approaches to treat high cholesterol, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, cardiac arrhythmia, congestive heart failure, and women’s heart disease. She uses her unique background to empower patients to prevent cardiovascular disease.
With expansive services, top-notch physicians, and the most advanced caliber of care available, UMD is San Diego’s one-stop choice for personalized preventive care and a healthier tomorrow.
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Dr. Hermel, Cardiology: Encinitas, La Jolla | 760-230-2256
Dr. Mark Schultzel, Orthopaedic Surgery: Kearny Mesa. Encinitas | 858-526-3842
Dr. Matthew Schultzel and Dr. Burgess, General and Colorectal Surgery: Encinitas, La Jolla, Carlsbad | 858-207-3117
“Your health narrative is not just a story; it’s a powerful tool to transform your life.”
Dr. Karanbir Brar understands how frustrating the model of medicine where doctors scurry in and out of appointments every 15 minutes can be—for both patients and physicians alike. That’s why he offers something different: Healthcare that’s personalized, rather than transactional. A board-certified internal medicine physician, Dr. Brar devotes the necessary time and understanding to get to know his patients and their health needs. He approaches healthcare as being about prevention, overall well-being, and long-term health outcomes. And when a patient needs to reach him, they don’t get stuck calling a larger medical call center; they’ll have a direct number to the office that accepts calls and texts.
With experience in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living facilities, Dr. Brar can provide comprehensive care that addresses multiple aspects of a patient’s health as a primary care provider. But one of Dr. Brar’s most unique, innovative offerings is his executive medicine practice. Services provided in this executive medicine practice include a comprehensive executive healthcare evaluation including 150 cutting edge lab/urine tests, EKG, PFTs, ABI as well as unlimited Fit3D scans.
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700 Garden View Court, Suite 208A Encinitas, California 92024
2424 Vista Way, Suite #105 Oceanside, California 92054
“My practice specializes in non-surgical treatment of joints and spine disorders, using patient’s own cells, which are the powerhouse of healing and regenerative properties.”
Dr. Navneet Boddu is a specialist in regenerative medicine. He is triple board-certified in pain medicine, anesthesiology, and echo-cardiogram with more than 25 years of experience.
At Advanced Pain and Regenerative Specialists, Dr. Boddu provides personalized treatments for his patients’ spine and joint disorders. Using the latest medical technology and evidence-based cellular therapies, like autologous bone marrow, fat stem cells, and other biologics, Dr. Boddu uses the patient’s own cells to regenerate and heal joints, tendons, ligaments, and spine disorders.
Dr. Boddu is a five-time Top Doctor in pain medicine and anesthesiology in San Diego County. He is a contributing author of chapters about nerve blocks and interventional pain injections in the textbook Interventional Orthopedics Procedures. He also co-authored chapters in the Textbook of Regenerative Medicine. He conducted FDA-authorized umbilical cord stem cell treatments for patients with severe COVID.
Dr. Boddu is an anesthesiologist at Scripps Medical Center in Encinitas. He is a member of the scientific board at Therapeutic Solutions International Inc., a biotech company and industry leader in stem cell, exosome, and immunotherapy technologies. Dr. Boddu was chairman of the anesthesiology department at TriCity Medical Center from 2015 to 2017. Prior to that, he was chairman at Providence Mission Hospital Laguna Beach where he practiced pain medicine and anesthesiology. He enjoys surfing and hiking.
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2125 S El Camino Real, Suite 200 Oceanside, California 92054 760-429-7172 advpainandregen.com
Dermatologist Medical Group of North County, Inc.
Robert Scheinberg, MD; Susan Shimomaye, MD; Alice Liu, MD PhD; Sherry Rotunda, MD; Michelle Jackson, MD; Alina Goldenberg, MD MAS; Susan Detwiler, MD; Christine Finnin, MD; Alexandra Edelman, MD; Rosina Lin, MD; Tyler Werbel, MD; Mitzi Bray, PA-C; Amanda McConnell, PA; Melissa Janovitch, PA-C
“Our entire team at DMG looks forward to welcoming you and working together to optimize your skin health.”
Dermatologist Medical Group of North County (DMG) is proud to be the home of the most top doctors in the dermatology field in San Diego. We are humbled to receive this recognition by our colleagues. Our practice’s consistent commitment to professional, personalized, friendly, and compassionate care is who we are in our community.
DMG has served San Diego for over four decades at our state-of-the-art offices in Oceanside, Encinitas, and Carmel Valley. Our patients can rely on caring, personalized treatments provided with respect and integrity in a comfortable atmosphere. Plus, we conveniently offer telehealth appointments from the comfort of patients’ homes.
We provide comprehensive treatment and preventative care for skin cancer as well as other dermatologic conditions such as acne, alopecia, psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, and autoimmune disorders. Additionally, DMG offers cutting-edge clinical trials to bring groundbreaking treatment options to our patients. DMG offers custom comprehensive patch testing for allergic contact dermatitis and metal hypersensitivity. DMG’s medical professionals are skilled in cosmetic procedures including rejuvenating dermal fillers, neuromodulators, chemical peels, and more.
Our entire team at DMG looks forward to welcoming you and working together to optimize your skin health. To the generations we’ve cared for, thank you for the opportunity to serve you.
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3613 Vista Way Oceanside, California 92056
1200 Garden View Road, Suite 108, Encinitas, California 92024
11943 El Camino Real, Suite 220, San Diego, California 92130
“I take a ‘less is more’ approach when it comes to cosmetic enhancement, helping rejuvenate my patients’ natural beauty.”
Dr. Gwendolyn Henao is the owner and medical director of Dolce Vita Aesthetic Medicine a boutique, concierge-style practice that offers patients the most advanced, minimally invasive options in aesthetic medicine. With a warm bedside manner and commitment to listening to patients—never pushing products or procedures on them—Dr. Henao works with her patients as a partner, helping develop customized treatment plans that allow them to reach their goals with natural-looking results.
Dr. Henao is joined at Dolce Vita Aesthetic Medicine by physician assistant Teri Pearce and esthetician Eva Bautista, who is board certified in advanced aesthetics, a lash specialist, and a certified massage therapist. This team of kind, skilled practitioners, along with a luxurious but comfortable office and thoughtful staff committed to providing excellent customer service, make Dolce Vita Aesthetic Medicine a premier luxury medical practice in the heart of Rancho Santa Fe. It offers all of the latest, most effective lasers, injectables, and more for pigmentary issues, rosacea, collagen plumping, fat reduction, and muscle sculpting, among many other treatments.
Dr. Henao completed her residency in OB/Gyn while also training with plastic surgeons during and after residency. In practice for almost 20 years, she has tailored her practice over the last 14 years to focus on cosmetic medicine and the latest innovative techniques. She loves helping patients discover the best versions of themselves.
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5531 Cancha de Golf, Suite 101 Rancho Santa Fe, California 92091 858-832-8404 dolcevitamd.com
Choll W. Kim, MD, PhD
Excel Spine Center
“Success in spine surgery comes from a relentless commitment to excellence, treating every patient like my own family.”
Dr. Choll Kim is transforming spine surgery in San Diego with his expertise in minimally invasive techniques. A Harvard graduate, Dr. Kim is a world leader in Laser Endoscopic Spine Surgery (LESS), offering patients faster recovery and less pain. His innovative approach allows most patients to walk within an hour post-surgery and return home the same day.
Excel Spine focuses on VIP services, where a real person answers the phone within one to two rings, and appointments are available within a few days—either in-person or virtual, depending on your convenience. Treating every patient like family, Dr. Kim provides his personal cell number to ensure they receive the support they need throughout their treatment. The office’s VIP services include virtual consultations, tailored treatment plans, and a team dedicated to patient well-being.
Dr. Kim’s dedication to improving lives extends beyond surgery, guiding patients through every step of their recovery. For those seeking top-notch, state-of-the-art spine care with a personal touch, Dr. Choll Kim at Excel Spine is the trusted choice in San Diego.
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6719 Alvarado Road, Suite 304 San Diego, California 92120 619-344-6918 excelspine.com
Abhay Gupta, MD, FACS
Gupta Plastic Surgery
“When I go to work, I have the opportunity to really make a difference in my patients’ lives. That’s what inspires me.”
As the medical director of Gupta Plastic Surgery, Dr. Abhay Gupta is one of San Diego’s most respected plastic surgeons. With more than 25 years of experience, he’s nationally recognized for his skill in aesthetic surgery, breast surgery, and cancer reconstruction. But he’s just as well-known for his calm, reassuring bedside manner and for the commitment he shows to his patients. “I pride myself on being up-front and honest, really listening to my patients’ needs, and offering all the options—even if that means no surgery at all,” he says.
Dr. Gupta’s goal is always to treat the whole patient, helping to restore not only their appearance but also their confidence. Highly skilled in all areas of plastic surgery, he offers a range of reconstructive and cosmetic services with a commitment to optimal results and patient safety. He also makes sure to stay apprised of the latest proven techniques in the field, regularly presenting his own experience and research findings at national and international meetings. Above all else, Dr. Gupta is driven by a passion for helping people heal after illness or injury and truly changing their lives.
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10672 Wexford Street, Suite 275 San Diego, California 92131 858-621-6000 guptaplasticsurgery.com
Amanda Holden, MD
Holden Timeless Beauty
“The best part of my job is inspiring others to be best versions of themselves.”
Holden Timeless Beauty, powered by Alpha Aesthetics, is a leading destination for Botox and dermal fillers in Southern California. With four locations across San Diego, including a newly opened clinic in Mission Valley, the company offers a warm, welcoming environment where patients receive top-tier care from a compassionate medical team. At Holden Timeless Beauty, the focus goes beyond just achieving physical results; it’s about boosting patients’ confidence and enhancing their inner glow.
The clinic’s ethos is shaped by Dr. Amanda Holden, the founder, CEO, and medical director. Dr. Holden’s mission is to help patients “hold time back” and age differently through innovative medical aesthetics. She collaborates closely with each patient to develop customized treatment plans, ensuring natural-looking results that enhance individual beauty.
Dr. Holden, a San Diego resident for nearly 40 years and a UCSD alumna, brings a wealth of expertise to her practice. Double board-certified in emergency medicine and medical aesthetics, she is also a respected educator and speaker at national aesthetics conferences. Her leadership extends to roles as clinical faculty for the Aesthetics Industry Association and the Aesthetic and Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress (AMWC), solidifying her reputation as a leader in the field.
Call us at 760-652-3953 to enjoy 20% off any treatment that’s new to you, valid until December 31, 2024!
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711 Center Drive, Suite 106 San Marcos, California 92069 760-274-3160
Dr. Harish Hosalkar (weLL known as “Dr. H”) has a core philosophy when it comes to his practice: “Life is motion, and motion is life.” Renowned in his field, Dr. Hosalkar brings nearly 30 years of medical expertise to his practice, coupled with an unsurpassed level of compassion. The Hosalkar Institute, under Dr. Hosalkar’s leadership, features multiple subspecialty physicians, surgeons, clinical programs, and ancillary services, and is a regionally, nationally, and internationally acclaimed institution providing excellent care and treatment.
Dr. Hosalkar is affiliated with numerous hospital systems, including Scripps, Sharp, and Paradise Valley Hospital, where he serves the role as director of the joint preservation program, the traumatic brain injury deformity correction program, the limb-lengthening and deformity correction program, and the amputation prevention program at one or more of these institutions.
A nationally and internationally acclaimed orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Hosalkar is honored to consistently be recognized as one of San Diego’s Top Doctors since 2016. He is known for combining leading-edge techniques with traditional methods to help patients enjoy a pain-free life. “I feel a great sense of accomplishment in assisting fellow humans with their musculoskeletal ailments and helping them return to their life and function while controlling or eliminating their pain.”
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2323 E 8th Street #103 National City, California 91950
2023 W. Vista Way, Suite C Vista, California 92083
Mickey S. Coffler, MD FACOG; Michael D. Wittenberger, MD FACOG
“IVF is the forefront of science. That’s where we want to be, making sure that your care is very well coordinated and that our patients get the most successful possible outcome.”
HRC Fertility stands out as an industry leader in the field of assisted reproductive technology. With over 35 years of experience and a dedication to exceptional patient care, the physicians are known for their compassionate and personalized approach. HRC Fertility has earned its positive reputation of world-class care by helping hopeful parents build their families.
Dr. Mickey S. Coffler and Dr. Michael Wittenberger are the two physicians that drive the two San Diego clinics’ success.
Dr. Coffler, a distinguished specialist in reproductive endocrinology, is deeply committed to helping patients achieve their dreams of parenthood. His extensive training and experience make him a leading figure in the field.
Dr. Wittenberger, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and obstetrician/gynecologist, brings over 15 years of expertise to the table. Known for his gentle, compassionate care and collaborative approach, he excels in addressing a range of reproductive issues from infertility to fertility preservation and restorative surgery.
When your dreams of starting a family require the support of caring and experienced fertility experts, HRC Fertility offers the dedicated and individualized care you need to make your dreams come true.
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9339 Genesee Avenue, #125 San Diego, California 92121
6183 Paseo Del Norte, Suite 270 Carlsbad, California 92011
“It’s an honor to work with all of my patients, helping them live healthy, fulfilling lives.”
Dr. Ankur Bindal is the CEO, founder, and president of KAB Medical Group Inc. (KMG Psychiatry), an integrative psychiatry practice that helps individuals heal and discover their strengths. Dr. Bindal provides compassionate, individualized care plans for every patient that comes to his door and takes special pride in addressing the mental health needs of underserved populations.
A trained physician with nearly 20 years of experience in medicine, Dr. Bindal is a board-certified psychiatrist and board-certified sleep specialist. He helps individuals experiencing anxiety, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorders, among other conditions, and also specializes in treating depression and PTSD for military personnel. By combining traditional treatments, such as medication management and counseling services, with state-of-the-art, innovative treatments, including Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy and intranasal Ketamine (Spravato) treatment, Dr. Bindal strives to provide patients with the best possible results.
For three straight years, Dr. Bindal has been named a Diamond Circle Provider, which is awarded to the highest volume TMS practices, and also received the Outstanding Leadership Award and the Outstanding Corporation Award by Health Conference 2.0. He serves on multiple boards for AI companies, is a commercial real estate entrepreneur, and is an appointed board member of the Department of Consumer Affairs’ Structural Pest Control Board.
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765 Third Avenue, Suite 100 Chula Vista, California 91910
6496 Weathers Place, Suite 100 & 110 San Diego, California 92121
1968 Via Center, Suite 100 Vista, California 92081
“We believe constant learning will improve the lives of our patients, setting them up for long-term health and wellness.”
Kaizen Brain Center is a collaborative, neuroscience-based, data-driven brain center focused on improving brain health. Originally established to help patients with traumatic brain injuries and concussions who weren’t receiving proper care, today the facility has expanded its services to all areas of brain health, treating numerous neurological and psychological conditions. And in providing these services, Kaizen’s specialists are able to help improve the overall wellness of each of their patients.
No matter what brings someone to Kaizen Brain Center, they’ll receive personalized care of the highest level from specialists with advanced training and in-depth experience in brain health care. The center’s name, Kaizen, comes from the Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement through constant learning, and it uses this philosophy in its approach to helping patients, emphasizing continuous improvement and the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of care.
Kaizen Brain Center’s specialists consider each patient from multiple perspectives, allowing them to make thorough and accurate diagnoses while avoiding common misdiagnoses of complex disorders. In this way, Kaizen is able to provide life-changing care, improving the brain health of patients by translating the latest evidence-based research into high-quality clinical practice and concierge patient care.
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4180 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 240 La Jolla, California 92037 866-277-2659 kaizenbraincenter.com
La Jolla Cosmetic Laser Clinic
Nasrin Mani, MD
“What I enjoy most is helping patients achieve their skincare and cosmetic goals.”
Founded by Dr. Nasrin Mani, a board-certified ophthalmologist and subspecialist in vitreoretinal surgery, La Jolla Cosmetic Laser Clinic specializes in non-surgical treatments and state-of-the art medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology in a comfortable and welcoming environment. With expertise in fully ablative skin resurfacing lasers, Dr. Mani combines a gentle touch and artistic eye with the most advanced technology available. Her treatment options can tighten, lift, and refine skin texture for a more youthful appearance—without incisions.
Dr. Mani’s exceptional team includes board-certified dermatologist Dr. Faryal Siddiqui, who joined the clinic in 2021 and offers full medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology services. In 2024, the practice welcomed double board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon Dr. Solomiya Grushchak who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer, procedural dermatology, and laser surgery, along with all cosmetic injectables using a conservative, “less is more” approach. Patients at La Jolla Cosmetic Laser Clinic also enjoy the expertise of Tammy Harrignton, RN, and nurse practitioner Brianna Baldwin.
An international aesthetic lasers leader, Dr. Mani been named a San Diego Top Doctor for over a decade. As accomplished as she is humble, her goal has never been to earn accolades; it has always been to help others.
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7720 Fay Avenue La Jolla, California 92037 858-225-8380 lajollalaser.com
La Jolla Vein & Vascular
Nisha Bunke, MD, FAVLS, RPhS
“We empower and educate patients every day regarding treatment options, guidance on conservative care, and prevention.”
The award-winning vein specialists at La Jolla Vein & Vascular (LJVV) are the region’s leading comprehensive vein and vascular center, offering patient-centered, compassionate care. Their physicians have helped thousands of patients achieve lasting relief for varicose veins, spider veins, and venous ulcers as well as solutions for common vein and skin conditions.
LJVV Medical Director Dr. Nisha Bunke was the first physician in the U.S. to complete a fellowship specifically in vein disorders supported by the American Vein and Lymphatic Society. She is also the co-editor of The Vein Book, the authoritative and most comprehensive medical textbook that exists for venous disease. Her associate, Dr. Amanda Steinberger, is a Harvard-trained, board-certified vascular and interventional radiologist who is respected across the field.
La Jolla Vein & Vascular is the longest-practicing dedicated vein clinic in San Diego since 2010, the only clinic that offers all treatment modalities for varicose veins, and the first dedicated vein clinic to earn vein center accreditation. Its team of specialists has transformed over 15,000 legs to date. With locations in La Jolla and Vista and always-improving services —the Vista location recently opened a cosmetic laser vein clinic and added a dermatology division—LJVV is proud to continue serving the needs of San Diegans.
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9850 Genesee Avenue, Suite 410 La Jolla, California 92037-1212
906 Sycamore Ave, Suite 100 Vista, California 92081
“I restore function and strength to the human body.”
Dr. Kristopher Downing is honored to be named a 2024 Top Doctor in San Diego Magazine. As an orthopedic surgeon, co-founder, and co-managing partner at Ortho 1 Medical Group in San Diego, Dr. Downing holds board certifications in orthopedic surgery and hand/upper extremity surgery from the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. He is an active member and fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH).
Dr. Downing uses his expertise to perform surgeries including trigger finger release, endoscopic carpal tunnel release, endoscopic cubital tunnel release, thumb basilar joint reconstruction, and anatomic and reverse total shoulder replacement. His surgical acumen also extends to arthroscopic surgery on the shoulders and wrists, a minimally invasive technique that results in less pain and downtime than traditional open surgery.
Recognized as a compassionate and patient-focused surgeon, Dr. Downing’s goal is to help his patients recover from injury using the least invasive methods possible. His meticulous care has helped countless patients return to the activities they love without pain or restricted mobility. In many ways, performing orthopedic surgery is in his blood—he comes from a family of carpenters and considers himself a craftsman much in the same way. “While my father and brother build and repair homes, I restore function and strength to the human body.”
Grant Seiden, MD; Payam Moazzaz, MD; Erik Stark, MD; Andrew Hartman, MD
“We restore your function, strength, and confidence.”
At Orthopedic Specialists of North Count, exceptional care is driven by a commitment to advancing orthopedic medicine. Dr. Erik Stark, Dr. Andrew Hartman, and Dr. Grant Seiden bring extensive expertise to the treatment of sports and upper extremity injuries, utilizing leading-edge surgical techniques.
Dr. Stark specializes in knee and shoulder surgery, with a focus on sports medicine, while Dr. Hartman excels in shoulder and upper extremity procedures, and both integrate biologic augmentation to optimize patient outcomes.
Dr. Seiden, renowned for his proficiency in elbow, hand, and wrist surgery, brings precision to every procedure. His published research in tendon, nerve, and muscle surgery highlights his dedication to advancing the field.
These physicians’ own athletic experiences deepen their understanding of their patients’ journeys, helping them restore function, strength, and confidence.
Dr. Payam Moazzaz, a spine surgeon with over a decade of experience, is a pioneer of robotic spinal surgery in San Diego. Having performed over 800 Mazor robotic spinal surgeries—more than any surgeon in California—Dr. Moazzaz restores spinal alignment and patient well-being by utilizing the latest advancements and minimally invasive techniques.
Together, these doctors blend surgical innovation with compassionate care, empowering patients to overcome challenges, regain mobility, and embrace life with renewed vigor.
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6121 Paseo Del Norte, Suite 200 Carlsbad, California 92011 760-724-9000 orthonorthcounty.com
Reproductive Partners Fertility Center—San Diego
V. Gabriel Garzo, MD; Jamie Stanhiser, MD, MSCR
“Every fertility story is unique. At Reproductive Partners Fertility Center—San Diego, patients receive the individualized care to meet their needs.”
For 25 years, Reproductive Partners Fertility Center—San Diego (RPSD) has provided hope and innovation in fertility care. As one of the first IVF centers in San Diego in 1998, RPSD has consistently led the way in helping families grow.
In 2000, RPSD was the first fertility clinic in San Diego County to deliver a baby after Preimplantation Genetic Testing for genetic mutations (PGT-M), setting a new standard in genetic screening. In 2012, RPSD became the first clinic in the county to deliver a baby following oocyte freezing, subsequent thawing, fertilization, and embryo transfer. And behind all of RPSD’s advancements and successes is its team of skilled physicians.
Dr. V. Gabriel Garzo is a co-founder of RPSD and has helped it become one of the largest fertility centers in San Diego with an outstanding record of success. He’s known for his warm nature and commitment to providing patients with support, compassion, and hope.
Dr. Jamie Stanhiser helps patients achieve their dreams of starting families by providing empathetic, whole-person care. She has a particular passion in family building for LGBTQ+ and single parents by choice, as well as for individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and amenorrhea.
RPSD knows fertility treatments can be filled with challenges, hope and, ultimately, endless joy and is committed to helping patients every step of the way.
“Recent research in rheumatology is significantly impacting treatment plans.”
Rheumatology Center of San Diego combines cutting-edge medical treatments with a holistic approach to patient care. Dr. Tania Rivera and her team’s approach extends beyond conventional treatments to incorporate nutrition, physical therapy, and mental health support to address the whole person, not just the disease. Patient education and empowerment are central to their philosophy, ensuring that every individual is fully engaged in their care plan. This comprehensive, compassionate approach delivers superior outcomes and enhanced quality of life for patients.
“Recent research in rheumatology is significantly impacting treatment plans, particularly with the development of targeted biologic therapies and Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors,” says Dr. Rivera. These advancements allow for more personalized treatment, targeting specific pathways involved in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. “Our rheumatology practice uses the latest evidence-based approaches to provide patients with the most effective, tailored treatments available.”
Dr. Rivera and her rheumatology practice are committed to serving the community by providing care to patients in need, often seeing them pro bono. This compassionate approach ensures that those who might otherwise go without essential treatment can still receive the specialized care they deserve.
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1656 Bernardo Center Drive, #220 San Diego, California 92128 858-336-2810 rheumsd.com
Srinivas S. Iyengar, MD, FACS
San Diego Eyelid Specialists
“We provide the highest level of expertise in EYELID SURGERY in San Diego with natural-looking results.”
Consistently recognized by his physician peers as a top doctor in San Diego, Dr. Srinivas S. Iyengar has earned many prestigious accolades and awards—but his amazing results speak for themselves. A glance at his popular Instagram showcases why those in the public eye, including celebrities, athletes, models, and other top professionals, trust Dr. Iyengar with their eyelids. Perhaps most notable are the numerous physicians, including dermatologists and plastic surgeons, who have sought out his expertise over the last decade for their own eyelids.
When considering eyelid surgery, skill, training, and experience make all the difference, and seeing a true eyelid expert optimizes safety and aesthetics. With a focused area of expertise, Dr. Iyengar is a remarkably skilled plastic surgeon who performs eyelid surgery every day in his office and fixes many of the complications from eyelid surgery in Southern California.
Committed to giving back, Dr. Iyengar also dedicates his time to caring for the most complicated eyelid injuries and is recognized internationally for his volunteer work as one of the only Americans to serve on the DC-10 Orbis Flying Eye Hospital.
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8950 Villa La Jolla Drive, B206 La Jolla, California 92037
477 North El Camino Real, Suite A304 Encinitas, California 92024
Ramin Raiszadeh, MD; Paul D. Kim, MD; Sunil Jeswani, MD; Sabareesh Natarajan , MD; Jeffry Mercado, MD; Matthew Michel, MD
“We have some of the most talented neurosurgeons and spine surgeons in the country performing all major types of surgery related to the neural axis,”
Everyone visiting the Spine and Brain Institute of San Diego receives innovative, advanced care Dr. Ramin Raiszadeh, president and co-owner, is a board-certified orthopedic spinal surgeon and expert in his field. His passion is performing disc-replacement surgery for neck and low-back arthritic problems and always provides compassionate, top-tier care.
Dr. Paul D. Kim, co-owner, treats complex cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine disorders. He uses nonsurgical and minimally invasive, innovative surgical approaches to help patients, providing honest, well-informed care. He is also a board-certified orthopedic spinal surgeon.
With a thoughtful, attentive approach, Dr. Sunil Jeswani treats complex cranial and spinal disorders, including brain tumors, endoscopic pituitary surgery, surgical treatment of cerebral aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations, and spinal deformities and spinal tumors.
An expert in vascular disease and brain tumors, Dr. Sabareesh Natarajan is one of few highly skilled neurosurgeons with dual board certification in neurosurgery and neurointerventional surgery in Southern California.
With a compassionate approach, Dr. Mercado combines traditional and regenerative therapies, such as X-ray-guided, minimally invasive interventional procedures and injections to help patients.
Dr. Matthew Michel provides personalized, cutting-edge care. He joins the Spine and Brain Institute of San Diego after completing an elite spine fellowship at UC San Diego.
These physicians are honored to provide patients with honest, well-informed, compassionate care.
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6719 Alvarado Road, Suite 308 San Diego, California 92120
1671 West Main Street, Suite A El Centro, California 92243
2125 Citracado Parkway, Suite 310 Escondido, California 92029
6185 Paseo Del Norte, Suite 140 Carlsbad, California 92011
“Our top priorities are safety, comfort, effective treatment, and results that look and feel natural.”
Imagine actually looking forward to a cosmetic dentistry appointment! It’s possible when you’re a valued patient at La Mesa’s Sutra Dental Spa and Coronado Dental Group. “Enjoy a period of blissful relaxation while we maintain the health of your teeth and gums and the aesthetics of your smile,” says Jimmy C. Wu, DDS, one of San Diego’s most respected cosmetic dentists. “Our top priorities are safety, comfort, effective treatment, and results that look and feel natural,” says the nationally recognized Dr. Wu. “We’re proud to offer the most advanced dental technologies and techniques available in a calming, even meditative, environment.” Sutra Dental Spa and Coronado Dental Group offer a wide range of services, including restorative options, such as dental implants, cosmetic treatments like porcelain veneers and teeth whitening, and routine dental care. “Dentistry has always been thought of as something you have to do versus something you want to do,” Dr. Wu says. “My goal is to change that perception.”
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Sutra Dental Spa
851 University Avenue, Suite 206, La Mesa, California 91942 619-589-6060
Coronado Dental Group
1301 Ynez Place Coronado, California 92118 619-435-6227 | sutrads.com
Jason D. Toranto, MD
Jason D. Toranto, MD, FACS
“By really listening, we can understand patients’ needs and use this to achieve the results they both want and deserve.”
Dr. Toranto is not just a doctor, but a listener. Because he believes that understanding each patient’s story is pivotal to providing the best care, he takes his time to appreciate their needs and works with them to develop a unique, collaborative plan to meet their goals. This is one of the numerous reasons why Dr. Toranto has been recognized as a Top Doctor in San Diego six times.
As a dual board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon and the chair of the Department of Surgery at Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla, Dr. Toranto is highly regarded for his expertise and attention to detail, particularly in complex and challenging cases. Whether it’s advanced reconstructive surgeries like Mohs or cranioplasties, or aesthetic procedures, Dr. Toranto’s goal is to create positive, life-changing outcomes for his patients. He employs both invasive and noninvasive techniques, always with the aim of delivering results he and his patients co-developed.
Dr. Toranto believes that every patient deserves to be heard and treated with compassion, and his approach to care is rooted in this philosophy.
Outside of his practice, Dr. Toranto enjoys spending time with his family, sailing, fishing, watching college football, and exploring San Diego with his wife and two children.
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5395 Ruffin Road, Suite 102 San Diego, California 92123 858-266-0575
Jason M. Phillips, MD, MBA, FACS; Aaron Boonjindasup, MD, MPH
“Urology San Diego’s Top Doctors focus on the patient, creating personalized and collaborative treatment plans backed by leading minimally invasive technology.”
At Urology San Diego, Top Doctors Jason Phillips and Aaron Boonjindasup provide state-of-the-art urological treatment through minimally invasive procedures. With an emphasis on the full spectrum of urological care, Urology San Diego urologists have been awarded the Top Doctor Award since 2020.
“Our most important goal is to optimize patient outcomes by working with our patients in a partnership to find the right solution,” says Dr. Phillips, who achieved the first designation as a UroLift Center of Excellence in San Diego. “Both us as physicians, as well as our entire staff, get to know our patients and their expectations to ensure that our care helps patients achieve their goals,” adds Robotic Chair Dr. Boonjindasup.
Specializing in Da Vinci robotic surgery and other minimally invasive technologies, as well as co-chairing the robotics committees at Tri-City Medical Center and Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas, both Dr. Boonjindasup and Dr. Phillips are known for their outstanding commitment and care for their patients.
Urology San Diego stands as a trusted and reliable team that believes the patient’s quality of life comes first. Urology San Diego proudly serves the following North County hospitals: Tri City Medical Center, Scripps Encinitas Hospital, Palomar Medical Center Escondido, and Palomar Medical Center Poway.
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3907 Waring Road, Suite 4 Oceanside, California 92056 760-295-9984 | urology-sd.com
Vimal I. Nanavati, MD, FACC, FSCAI
Advanced Heart Care, Inc.
“At the end of the day, it’s about trusting your doctor to prioritize patients’ care as his or her primary consideration.”
Dr. Vimal Nanavati, an Interventional Cardiologist, is dedicated to preventive cardiology. He provides a wide range of noninvasive services, including EKGs, echocardiograms, pacemaker checks, and advanced lipid testing. He also offers EECP, a noninvasive treatment for chest pain, and office-based vein treatments. For invasive care, he performs procedures like angioplasty, stent implantation, and pacemaker insertion. Dr. Nanavati’s patient-centered approach ensures personalized, attentive care. “After 22 years in San Diego, my practice continues to grow because I listen carefully and treat my patients like family.”
Dr. Nanavati is a Diplomate in Interventional Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases, currently serving as Chief Medical Officer at Advanced Heart Care, Inc. He is a Fellow of the Society of Cardiac Angiography and Interventions and the American College of Cardiology. He has held key leadership roles, including Chief of Cardiology and Chief of Staff at local Hospitals. He is Course Director for “Best of Cardiology Trials” and “Advances in Medicine and Surgery.” and has conducted Cardiology Journal club since 2005.
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11939 Rancho Bernardo Center Drive, Suite 120
Rancho Bernardo, California 92128
180 Otay Lakes Road, Suite 110, Bonita, California 91902
“When you pay attention, listen, and stay the course, you can really make a difference in people’s lives.”
Dr. Nassir Azimi treats every patient like family. The award-winning, triple Ivy League educated, quadruple board-certified interventional cardiologist doesn’t consider his work to be treating an organ system; instead, he treats the whole person. By really listening and paying attention to his patients—and looking beyond the lessons in medical books when necessary—he’s able to find answers to problems his patients have struggled with for years, helping them find relief and heal. Dr. Azimi is motivated by a relentless desire to make a difference in his patients’ lives, and every day he goes to work with the goal of doing exactly that.
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8911 La Mesa Boulevard, Suite 101 La Mesa, California 91942
Kai Zu, MD; Reema Batra, MD; David Bodkin, MD; Igor Medic, MD
“Extraordinary cancer care, close to home.”
Cancer Center Oncology Group provides a healing, calming atmosphere that gives patients access to advanced treatment during some of their most vulnerable moments. The only oncology/hematology center in East County, its patients come from all over for state-of-the-art treatments, including immunotherapy and chemotherapy.
The compassionate team of seven includes four physicians and three physician assistants who are easily accessible. The team conducts weekly multidisciplinary conferences to review new patient cases and assure the best care for each individual. There is also an in-house pharmacy and a 25-chair infusion room.
They accept almost all insurances, with in-house financial counseling available. Cancer Center Oncology Group is with you every step of the way, helping you navigate this difficult time.
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5555 Grossmont Center Drive, La Mesa, California 91942
Most homeowners want two things before they commit to a remodel: a realistic sense of cost and a clear picture of what the finished space will look like. Milan Design + Build helps deliver both through its online remodeling estimator and personalized design consultations, supported by a showroom experience and 3D renderings.
“The online estimate gives homeowners a starting number in about a minute, and the showroom and 3D renderings let them see materials and layouts before anything is built,” says David Noriani, CEO of Milan Design + Build. “Keeping design, permits, and construction with one team helps us manage expectations and keep everyone working toward the same vision.”
Courtesy of Milan Design
Modern design is a particular focus for Milan, with an emphasis on clean lines, natural light, functional layouts, and carefully selected materials. The team adapts each design to the homeowner’s lifestyle and the character of the property. Milan Design + Build combines thoughtful design with construction expertise, creating spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful.
The online estimator covers kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, full-home remodels, and ADU construction. At Milan’s showroom on Carroll Road, visitors can review real materials, finishes, and design options, meet the design-build team, and discuss project scope, budget, and timing. Consultations can also be held virtually for homeowners who prefer to start remotely.
At Milan Design + Build, one integrated team works on the entire project. Design and construction aren’t divided between separate firms. The process begins with a consultation and feasibility review, followed by design, space planning, and 3D renderings developed from detailed measurements and digital scans. The team also coordinates architectural plans, structural engineering, city approvals, and material selection, with construction overseen by a dedicated project manager.
Homeowners can explore their remodeling options, get an initial estimate, or request a design consultation at MilanBuild.com.
A clinical trial for an innovative new type of replacement heart valve that doesn’t require open-heart surgery saved John Rufo’s life. The 65-year-old biomedical engineer had been living day to day with severe aortic regurgitation, which forces the heart to work harder and weaken over time. Without replacing the aortic valve in his heart, John wouldn’t have survived long. But complications from an open-heart surgery more than a decade prior made a second open-heart surgery impossible. The new device and the Scripps cardiologists who helped bring it to market gave John and his family new hope. Click here to read more of John’s story.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
Philanthropists and Scientists Join Forces for a Bold $55 Million Campaign
La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) is going public with a bold bet: a $55 million campaign to propel medical research into a new era. The Campaign for LJI will fuel discovery, empower scientific innovation, and expand the impact of immunology on human health.
The Institute quietly kicked things off in 2023, guided by its Board, campaign volunteers, and early believers. Nearly 80% of the $55 million goal is already in hand. Now LJI is opening the doors and inviting the whole community to carry their visions across the finish line and back discoveries that change how LJI researchers understand, treat, and prevent disease.
And there’s a bonus. To mark the public launch, LJI Board member and Campaign Honorary Chair Anthony R. Carr is offering a special matching gift so new donors can double their impact. Full details are here.
The Promise of Immunology
Immunology has already rewritten human history. Advances in immune science helped wipe out smallpox, pushed polio to the brink of elimination, and revolutionized how we prevent and treat infectious disease. Today, immune-based therapies are opening doors for patients with cancer, autoimmune disorders, and other serious illnesses once considered untreatable.
For nearly four decades, LJI scientists have stood on the front lines, driven by one insight: the immune system shapes disease in virtually every organ in the body. By decoding how the immune system works and how to harness it to prevent and treat disease, LJI researchers are chasing the Institute’s ultimate mission: Life Without Disease®.
To make that mission real, the Institute pairs world-class scientists with cutting-edge technology, speeding up breakthroughs and turning discoveries into transformative new therapies that ease suffering worldwide.
The Campaign for LJI supercharges that momentum, uniting the vision of the Institute’s scientists with a community that believes in research. Focused on advancing LJI’s most promising areas of study, the campaign aims to help build a future free from the burden of disease, a goal that demands bold ideas, lasting partnerships, and generous philanthropic support.
The Campaign for LJI will advance research across three critical pillars:
1. President’s Priority Fund. Flexible, unrestricted dollars let big ideas move now, not later. Scientists can launch high-risk, high-reward projects, bring experts together across disciplines, build transformative technologies, and train tomorrow’s scientific leaders.
2. Center for Sex-Based Differences in the Immune System. Male and female immune systems don’t respond the same way, and LJI researchers are tracing the fundamental differences down to individual cells and molecular pathways. The Campaign will speed up this pioneering work, revealing hidden drivers of disease and paving the way for more precise, biologically informed therapies for autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, cancer, and beyond.
3. Center for Vaccine Innovation. Immunologists, bioengineers, and vaccine experts are teaming up to design the next generation of vaccines and immune-based therapies. With donor support, LJI scientists can engineer longer-lasting and more personalized vaccines, pinpoint the cellular mechanisms driving protective immunity, and refine delivery methods to prevent autoimmune disease and treat cancer.
A Lasting Impact
As the campaign enters its public phase, LJI welcomes new partners and supporters to join this landmark initiative. Community support is essential to accelerating scientific discovery, and there are many meaningful ways to help shape the future of immunology. Donors may direct their gifts to any campaign priority or other area of interest. As a comprehensive campaign, all gifts to LJI count toward the campaign goal, regardless of designation. Join the campaign, and multiply your impact with our limited-time matching opportunity.
Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education at Scripps Clinic recently received a $12.7 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to investigate whether they can transform stem cells into tissue that can repair some types of knee injuries. Currently, if a patient has lost most, if not all, of the cartilage in their knee, then their doctor will recommend a total joint replacement. Joint replacement is safe and effective, but patients who’ve only lost part of their cartilage often don’t qualify. A stem cell-based treatment would provide these patients an option that doesn’t involve donor tissue. Click here for more on the preclinical trial process.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
The recently opened Lusardi Tower at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas is a state-of-the-art addition to the hospital staffed by dedicated team members who’ve helped make Scripps one of the nation’s leading healthcare systems. Complementary to that medical excellence, the Lusardi Tower also represents the latest expansion of the Scripps Arts for Healing Program. The philanthropic initiative strategically places nature- and community-based artwork throughout the hospital to support health and well-being. Both Scripps Encinitas and Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla have healing arts programs as part of new building projects and growth on the campuses. Click here to read more about the Healing Arts Program and how residents from a nearby retirement community showed their support.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
From century-old Craftsman homes to vegan fantasy bars, dive bars, and a tiki room built for exactly two people, this is one of San Diego’s great little neighborhoods
You may not realize it, but Balboa Park is bigger than Central Park (in fact, 1.5 times larger). Pressed right up against its southeastern edge is a little architecture farm built on old trolley bones, where houses look like someone was collecting architectural styles and local businesses are still run by people who seem personally invested in keeping this place interesting.
This is South Park.
To understand why it feels the way it does today—less like one commercial strip and more like a handful of tiny villages—you have to go back to the trolley.
How the Trolley Built South Park
The land that became the original South Park Addition (the subdivision’s original name) was surveyed in 1870 and officially filed in 1890, but the neighborhood really started becoming a neighborhood in the early 1900s. The Bartlett Estate Company began developing and marketing the tract in earnest around 1906, pairing lots and new homes with something extremely useful if you lived outside Downtown in the horse-and-buggy era: an electric streetcar.
On May 1, 1906, the South Park and East Side Railway made its first trip. Developers didn’t just build near transportation; they helped pay for the transportation, then used it to sell the dream. Downtown had industry, noise, and congestion. Out here were palms, sidewalks, utilities, room to breathe and a four-cent ride back to the city.
It worked. Homes began filling in around the streetcar route, and little commercial clusters grew around the places where people got on and off. That transportation pattern is still written into South Park’s geography. Some of the neighborhood’s odd street geometry is also due in part to the trolley—the old line cut across parcels instead of politely obeying the grid, leaving behind pieces of land that later businesses learned to build around. Places like Station Tavern sit on the former easement and station site of San Diego’s No. 2 trolley line.
Then San Diego went big for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in neighboring Balboa Park. The exposition transformed much of the park and helped push the city through another burst of building and growth. South Park was right there to absorb some of that momentum.
And the people building houses here had taste.
Walk the residential streets now and it can feel like somebody planted an architectural sample garden: Craftsman, Prairie, Mission Revival, Tudor Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival. Creedence Clearwater Revival. All the revivals. The neighborhood includes work by Irving Gill, one of the defining architects of early modern California; Gill-designed Prairie homes still stand along Granada Avenue.
The city formally designated the South Park Historic District in 2017, recognizing roughly 400 properties and a period of significance stretching from 1906 through 1949. In other words, a lot of what makes the place feel old is actually old.
While the trolley eventually disappeared, the basic idea behind it didn’t. South Park is still a neighborhood organized around little pockets of human activity: a couple blocks where you can buy a record, drink a beer, find a 60-year-old lamp, eat a vegan burger beneath gothic beasts, browse a bookstore, and walk home past a century-old Craftsman.
The 30th-and-Fern area may be the clearest example. Several surviving buildings there date to South Park’s early development, including the old Fire Station No. 9, Rose Grocery building, and Burlingame Garage. What began as infrastructure for a young streetcar suburb became the neighborhood’s commercial heart.
That history is also partly why buying a house here can be competitive. There isn’t some endless supply of vacant land waiting around the corner for another subdivision. Much of the neighborhood filled in generations ago, and the architecture itself is part of the appeal.
San Diego Mag’s been documenting the city for 78 years. And we’ve been looking for a partner who loved the city enough to help us tell its stories. Redfin is that partner. They’re helping us tell the story of some of the city’s most unique neighborhoods. They launched Redfin Early Access this year to get their people in first and to see certain coming-soon and exclusive listings on Redfin before they appear on other major real-estate sites.
First up: South Park.
Here are some of the people and places worth knowing here:
Whistle Stop Bar
Big Kitchen Cafe
Start with Judy “the Beauty” Forman, because it’s difficult to explain South Park without her. The former social worker bought Big Kitchen in 1980 and turned a neighborhood breakfast joint into a gathering place for artists, musicians, activists, politicians, eccentrics, and pretty much anyone who needed somewhere to belong. As Judy puts it, “I built this for people who others passed over.”
One of those people was a young single mom named Whoopi Goldberg, who worked as a dishwasher here before the WhoopiGoldberg part of her career happened. Today Big Kitchen still serves breakfast and lunch Thursday through Monday.
3003 Grape Street
Whistle Stop Bar
Whistle Stop reopened in 2001, right as South Park’s little independent-business ecosystem was finding a new generation. Owner Sam Chammas—also connected to Live Wire and, later, Station Tavern—helped turn it into the kind of neighborhood bar where the calendar can jump from a DJ night to live bands to some strange communal event nobody at a normal sports bar would propose.
The room still has that laid-back, slightly sweaty house-party quality. Check what’s happening before you go, because Whistle Stop changes personality depending on the night: sometimes neighborhood beer, sometimes everyone dancing beneath the disco ball like work tomorrow was canceled.
2236 Fern Street
Station Tavern
Station Tavern may be the most literal example of old South Park becoming new South Park. It opened in 2009 on land once crossed diagonally by the No. 2 trolley line, and architect Lloyd Russell incorporated that history into the design rather than pretending the weirdly shaped lot wasn’t weirdly shaped. The project won the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s Grand Orchid Award the same year it opened.
Sam Chammas built the place as an open-air burger-and-beer spot with big communal tables, a backyard, room for kids, and room for dogs. It still works exactly that way: get a burger, get the tots, let everybody spread out, stay awhile.
2204 Fern Street
Kindred + Throne Room
Kindred arrived in late 2015 looking nothing like the beige-and-leafy vegan restaurant stereotype. The place went full gothic fever dream—heavy music, wild cocktails, decadent plant-based food—and eventually collected national vegan accolades plus local Restaurant of the Year and design honors.
And in 2026, it got even weirder. Hidden behind a chain-mail passage inside Kindred is Throne Room, a medieval-fantasy cocktail chamber whose mythology grew out of a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired map the Kindred team created for a 2017 Coachella pop-up. The 90-minute experience has scroll menus, plant-based mezze, cocktails and zero interest in pretending restaurants need to behave normally.
1503 30th Street
Bad Madge & Co.
Vinyl Junkies Record Shack
Vinyl Junkies has good music-scene DNA. Founder Eric Howarth previously ran indie label Hi-Speed Soul, whose roster included acts like Nada Surf and Swervedriver, then teamed with Casbah owner Tim Mays after the pair had spent years putting on Vinyl Junkies record swaps.
They opened the South Park brick-and-mortar shop in 2017, and it remains a buy-sell-trade temple for people who understand that owning music on a physical object is irrational in exactly the right way. Go flip through the new arrivals. Leave holding something you had absolutely no intention of buying.
2235 Fern Street
Bad Madge & Co.
Bad Madge is what happens when “vintage store” doesn’t quite explain the situation. Owner Tanya McAnear and her team fill the shop with furniture, clothing, barware, records, art, jewelry, collectibles, and various objects that seem like they may know things about their previous owners. The shop opened in 2011 and has made reuse and upcycling part of its identity ever since. Go in without looking for anything specific—specificity will only slow you down.
2205 Fern Street
Thread + Seed
Across the neighborhood’s vintage-and-vinyl universe sits Thread + Seed, a local boutique built around clothing, denim, gifts, and personal styling. Its South Park shop has an especially deep denim program—petite, tall, wide-leg, straight, flare—and the store also offers one-on-one styling built around color and body type. In other words, this is where you go after deciding the jeans currently on your body have betrayed you. South Park understands that sometimes personal renewal begins with pants.
2220 Fern Street
The Book Catapult
Seth Marko started The Book Catapult as a book blog in 2006. In 2017, he and his wife, Jennifer Powell, turned it into an actual bookstore in South Park, specializing loosely in fiction, local interest, and children’s books while maintaining the more important bookseller skill: putting something into your hands that you didn’t know you needed.
There are staff picks, author events, signed books, and the dangerous possibility of walking in for one title and emerging with four. Because no one ever died thinking, “I shoulda read less.”
