Whisknladle Hospitality knew this when the group designed and opened Gravity Heights’ 12,000-square-foot brewpub in Sorrento Valley five years ago. Investing in the beer from day one, Whisknladle managing partner Arturo Kassel partnered with brewmaster Skip Virgilio of AleSmith fame to develop a world-class beer program.

Kassel also built an elevated food program with culinary director and business partner Ryan Johnson, crafting a menu that far outshines the bowls of dry pretzels and microwaved hot dogs ubiquitous with the bars of yesteryears. Gravity Heights has pops of color and natural light. It has sleek wood and iron patio furniture. There are ferns in macrame hangers and quippy sayings spelled in neon lights. It has kale on the menu, for Pete’s sake. It’s nice. 

That investment is paying dividends. On Wednesday, April 17, Gravity Heights will open its second location at in Mission Valley. Kassel says the expansion has always been the goal, despite the three years it took to find the right next space. Opening three, four, or five locations may one day be in the cards. “No question, we have long-term aspirations of filling that void of the small, independent, Southern California brewpub,” he adds.

Gravity Heights Mission Valley sprawls over 9,000 square feet with seating for 260 guests. Half of the space is the outside patio—an intentional choice. “That’s where the magic happens,” Kassel says. Unlike in Sorrento Valley, there’s no brewhouse at the new location. However, Whisknladle worked with architecture firm PGAL for the seventh time to create a space from the ground up and hone in on every detail. “Wherever you are, the energy will be great. It’s just really well-laid-out,” he promises.

The menu is largely the same at both locations, but executive chef Jordan Beall (Whiskladle, PrepKitchen) heads up the kitchen in Mission Valley. Kassel says they plan to tweak the offerings over time as they get a feel for what the neighborhood wants. One big difference, he notes, is the move from a wood-fired pizza oven in Sorrento Valley to a gas-powered one in Mission Valley.

“That’s kind of forced us to change the style of pizza, so we’re doing more of a New Haven–style, and we’re really happy with the results,” he explains. Expect the same craft beers, too, especially the Hazy IPA June Gloom, which Kassel says is a best-seller. “At this point, Gravity Heights is synonymous with June Gloom,” he laughs. “It’s definitely a standout.” 

He hopes the new location provides an oasis in a sea of primarily corporate chain restaurants. “We’re just happy to add to the conversation regarding independent restaurant hospitality groups in the area,” he says. Reservations are not required, but they are now available for both locations. 

Gravity Heights Mission Valley opens Wednesday, April 17, at 525 Camino de la Reina, Suite 101.

The post First Look: Gravity Heights’ New Mission Valley Location appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Oceanside-Based Urban Winery Expands to Vista This Spring

For the past decade, Skip and Maureen Coomber have been making wine in San Diego. In 2019, the pair opened up Coomber Craft Wines tasting room in Oceanside, and this year will be expanding to downtown Vista with about 20-30 wines to taste. 

General manager of Coomber Craft Wines Will Burtner describes the vibe of the Vista space as “industrial elegance” with the structure’s steel beams exposed overhead, concrete floors below and lots of wood throughout, playing up the 100-year-old building’s original charm. 

As far as a wine style, Burtner says they tend to produce wines that are more fruit-driven, California-style but aren’t too sweet. When the tasting room opens in the spring, they’ll have wine tasting options on the menu, regular live music outdoors, and outside food vendors for bites. Similar to their Oceanside location, they will also have “lockers for locals” which allows wine club members to keep three wine bottles in a locker at the space and drink it on-site without a corkage fee. 

Spill the Beans Coffee Shop Opens in Mission Valley

Spill the Beans opened up their third San Diego location in Mission Valley just before the start of the new year, following their Gaslamp and Seaport Village outposts. With an emphasis on the perfect breakfast pairings: coffee and pastries, the coffee shop will continue serving freshly made bagels topped with their homemade cream cheese flavors like wasabi, ginger, and white truffle.

Other menu options include bagel sandwiches like the San Diego breakfast sando featuring two over-medium fried eggs, pepper bacon, American and pepper jack cheese, and cayenne aioli. 

And, of course, the coffee. The team whips up their own handcrafted, specialty lattes like their blondie mocha, a spin on a blondie bar, with white chocolate sauce, brown sugar-macadamia syrup, espresso and milk. They also have your traditional beverages available like cappuccinos, lattes, cold brew and teas. The Mission Valley location has both indoor and outdoor seating.

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

Karl Strauss recently released its first zero-proof beer, the non-alcoholic Red Trolley, a spin on their original Irish-style red ale that typically has an ABV of 5.8 percent. The NA brew is available only in January at Karl Strauss locations. 

Del Mar’s Beeside Balcony is hosting a five-course tasting menu on Wednesday, January 10 alongside Napa Valley’s Huneeus Wines, pairing dishes like shrimp pesto gnocchi and beef tenderloin alongside one of the winery’s Quintessa Red wine selections or Flowers Chardonnay.

The post Where to Eat in San Diego: Restaurant Openings & News (Jan. 1–7) appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Civita Park

Courtesy of Sudberry Properties

Like many young professionals, I lived in San Diego’s Mission Valley in my early 20s. For someone my age and income in the late 1990s, it was either there or Pacific Beach, where the raucous nightlife made the neighborhood stink of beer, puke, and Lysol.

By contrast, Mission Valley was just the right kind of boring. We had a one-bedroom, 700-square-foot apartment with a balcony in a stucco megacomplex near what was then Qualcomm Stadium. On game nights, we could watch the fireworks from the parking lot. It was easy walking distance to a convenience store, a bar, or Mexican food, close to the trolley, and hemmed in by easy-access freeways to our day jobs. We didn’t try to meet our neighbors. We weren’t looking for art, culture, or community. It was a way station along the route of San Diego living. It was a functional place, once full of dairy farms and gravel quarries.

But everyone has to grow up someday. And perhaps Mission Valley is experiencing its own coming of age. Under construction throughout its 2,400 acres are an array of residential, retail, and commercial projects that could make the area more of an entity. Bulldozers and graders are prepping the foundation for a new, multi-billion-dollar kind of valley—a walkable, bikeable, riverside utopia. That is, if the renderings pan out.

Signs of Maturity

Mission Valley – illustration 2

Illustration by Sol Cotti

At the geographic midpoint of San Diego, Mission Valley has long been at the center of urban development. When highway improvements began to crisscross the floodplain of the San Diego River in the 1950s, shopping malls, big-box retailers, hotels, and car dealerships all staked their claim.

Now it’s peppered with multifamily housing. The neighborhood is projected to grow from 11,200 to 39,200 housing units by 2050 under a community plan last updated in 2019. For perspective, that’s 580 units a year, in a valley about six miles across east to west, two miles north to south. Its boundaries are generally considered to be Friars Road on the north, San Diego River to the east, the slopes of the valley on the south, and I-5 on the west.

As plans go, the idea is to build more medium- and high-density housing that seamlessly mixes with trendy stores, restaurants, and office buildings while being more pedestrian friendly and close to public transit. You’ve heard it before—a village concept where people can “live, work, and play.”

Where the San Diego River slices through on its way to the ocean, city planners hope to scrub its reputation for accumulating trash and floodwaters to instead serve as a welcoming nature preserve for active and passive recreation. Some of those river improvements are being made in cooperation with the developers erecting billion-dollar master-planned communities along the river’s edge. In turn, the new communities could help chip away at San Diego’s everlasting housing needs.

SDSU River Park Hike and Bike Trail

Courtesy of Carrier Johnson

“I would say the perfect word to describe Mission Valley is ‘growth.’ We have thousands more units coming online in the next five years,” says Raul Campillo, the city councilmember representing district 7, which includes Mission Valley.

“Tourism, sports, and nature—those are the sort of cohesive community building blocks that we’re going to see out of Mission Valley.”

What’s Going Up

Among the largest new residential projects is Civita, 230 acres off Friars and Mission Center roads that was formerly a sand and gravel quarry. The development has been carving its way down the slopes of Mission Valley since 2010 and will ultimately include 4,780 housing units, but it’s still years from completion.

Colton Sudberry, CEO and president of Sudberry Properties, Civita’s master developer, says the project is “maturing into the energetic urban village that we envisioned when we partnered with the Grant family, which owned the property since the early 1900s.” Over 2,700 residences in the community have already become available to buy or rent. Another 337 will follow this year, and construction will begin on The Row at Civita, a mixed-use shopping center with stores, restaurants, and a hotel

Then there’s Riverwalk San Diego off Friars and Fashion Valley roads, where the existing golf course will be turned into 4,300 homes on 200 acres. The first phase of construction is set to begin in April  2022, and the course will continue operation with fewer holes for the next five years or so.

You’d be forgiven if you couldn’t tell the difference between some of the many new smaller apartment complexes on your drive to the mall. They’re packed close to one another and similarly modern in architectural design and color schemes. Visible from westbound I-8, The Townsend is finishing up 267 apartments where the Witt Lincoln car dealership used to be; leasing could begin this spring. It’s next door to Metro Mission Valley, completed in 2018 as Millennium Mission Valley, which brought the neighborhood 291 apartments where Bob Baker Ford used to be. Across Camino de la Reina from the former San Diego Union-Tribune building, the new Alexan Gallerie apartment complex brings 284 apartments to the block.

The mix of compact housing types entering the marketplace—from million-dollar detached homes to modest apartments—could attract a diverse array of students, families, and seniors, according to Campillo. San Diego’s Inclusionary Affordable Housing Ordinance requires all new residential and mixed-use developments set aside at least 10 percent of their rental units as affordable (as defined by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development benchmarks related to the county’s median income). For instance, apartments in Civita’s newer Siena senior complex start at $468 a month.

“I think we’re going to see an increase in all demographics over the next ten years as Mission  Valley is developed,” Campillo says. “It’s centralized, so I imagine we’re going to see a lot of different folks looking here.”

Making the Grade

The biggest and most anticipated project breaking ground here is SDSU Mission Valley, on the 166-acre site of the former stadium and its parking lot. The multiphase project will include a 1.6 million-square-foot research and innovation district, a $310 million sports venue big enough for a crowd of 35,000, and more than 4,600 residential units on regraded land alongside the San Diego River. It could take 10 to 15 years and $3.5 billion, and would prove a striking new facet of Mission Valley’s character.

“This is obviously a major change from what the site used to be,” says Gina Jacobs, the development’s associate vice president. The land has living memory as a sports venue, but before that it was a dairy farm, part of the Spanish mission, and ancestral home of the Kumeyaay people. “Mission Valley is growing in a way that maybe hasn’t been envisioned before. We’re really trying to create something unique where all the pieces work together and to the benefit of the greater region.”

The first completed piece of the project will be Snapdragon Stadium, set to open September 3 with the San Diego State Aztecs football season-opener against the University of Arizona Wildcats.

Even the Snapdragon name is a nod toward modernization. San Diego–based tech giant Qualcomm held the naming rights for the previous stadium from 1997 to 2017. Qualcomm now has a 15-year, $45 million deal to name the new stadium after its mobile platform brand Snapdragon, used for smartphones, gaming devices, and virtual reality headsets.

Snapdragon Stadium

Courtesy of Gensler

Snapdragon Stadium is designed to accommodate college and high school sports, international soccer matches, concerts, and festivals; and it’s being built with energy-efficient and eco-conscious principles in mind, aiming for potential LEED Gold certification.

To divert waste from the landfill, construction is reusing as much of the old stadium as possible. Jacobs walked me through a bird’s-eye view of the site in a recent Zoom call. Pointing to a pile of gray debris, she said, “That is actually the old stadium crushed up into aggregate that we’re going to be using as road base, fill, and other hardscape aspects on the site. We recycled probably 90 percent of the old stadium in total.”

The concrete will live on as the foundation for picnic tables or flagstone-style pathways. Some of the old steel and rebar will be reused or recycled. The 16-foot bronze statue of San Diego Union sportswriter Jack Murphy and his dog Abe will be brought back, too. Signage throughout the SDSU Mission Valley project will recognize some of the culturally significant aspects of the land, Jacobs says. “We’re trying to recognize the past but bring it into the future.”

The Denizens

Some 26 years ago, Ian Linekin and his business partners knew Mission Valley was primed for growth.

“This is our first and only location,” says Linekin, managing partner for McGregor’s Bar & Grill. “We picked this location because it was—and is going to be—a third of a mile from a major venue.”

Mission Valley – illustration 1 – bike

Illustration by Sol Cotti

Linekin grew up in San Diego, and remembers when Mission Valley was a dairy farm he could see from I-8. When McGregor’s first opened in the 1990s, there weren’t as many condominiums, so there were fewer residents and less traffic.

“The neighborhood was less populated, and there was definitely less competition,” Linekin said. “And the Padres were down the street.”

MacGregor’s, which is in a shopping center on Mission Road just over I-15 from the SDSU project, is a popular hangout for neighborhood residents, local office workers—and these days, construction workers from nearby work sites. People come in for  a burger and a beer, play darts and pool, and watch games on about 30 TVs inside and outside the 6,000-square-foot bar.

When the Padres moved downtown and the Chargers defected for Los Angeles, many thought McGregor’s would suffer. However, given that the handful of home games would draw customers in for a drink just an hour before or after, Linekin says the impact was minimal.

“If anything, we got busier,” he says. “If you base your business on just when there are games, you’ve got a bad business model.”

The new stadium should bring a fresh mix of sports fans to McGregor’s. From Linekin’s perspective, any new bars or restaurants within the scope of SDSU Mission Valley are welcome additions to the neighborhood.

“We’re stoked. It’s fantastic,” he says. “Competition is good. It keeps you on your feet.”

Down by the River

Redevelopment in the Mission Valley area means losing its golf course, but city planners hope to trade Riverwalk’s manicured greens for improvements along the biodiverse San Diego River. It runs 52  miles through the county from its headwaters near Julian, but its flow hasn’t always harmonized with Mission Valley’s urban development.

Developers are incorporating the river and the natural environment around it into their projects as key selling points. Riverwalk San Diego is set to include 97 acres of primarily passive-use open space—in other words, parks. Natural open areas for play, picnics, and bird-watching. SDSU Mission Valley will have 80 acres of community parks and open space.

And the projects are required to account for flooding. Riverwalk’s plans include improvements to Fashion Valley Road to reduce flooding, which happens just about every winter. SDSU Mission Valley’s grading plan and storm drains are designed to collect rainwater in filtration basins rather than letting it run across concrete and into the river untreated. “We’re really building the environment to help create a more natural space to support flooding if and when it occurs,” Jacobs says.

Environmental groups, government agencies, homelessness task forces, and residents have been collaborating to preserve and protect the San Diego River since at least 2001, when the San Diego River Park Foundation formed in response to a massive sewage spill into the river.

The larger, long-term regional plan envisions a San Diego River Park trail for hiking and biking from the mountains to the beach, with artwork, benches, and educational elements along the way. Councilmember Campillo serves on the state’s San  Diego River Conservancy governing board and is chair of the Mission Trails Regional Park Task Force. He says big improvements along the river will take a decade or more.

Mission Valley – illustration 3

Illustration by Sol Cotti

In the meantime, San Diegans can look forward to construction beginning in the next year or two on a river education center on 17 acres at Qualcomm Way and Camino del Rio North. The first phase of the $4.8 million concept will include an outdoor stage with seating for 100 students, a butterfly garden, and hands-on interpretive elements.

“The idea is to have kids out there in nature near the river; they can use microscopes to look at different organisms and plant species from the area,” Campillo explains. “We are protecting the environment and providing Mission Valley residents—and all of San Diego—with exciting, nature-based walking paths and preserving the plant species, animal species, and water quality for all of San Diego.”

The post Mission Valley Is Finally Growing Up appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Reasons to Love San Diego / Feature

Graphic by Tania Roulston

People Still Gave Back, and They Gave More in 2020

From April through September 2020, the average quarterly gift from San Diego households increased to $432, from $374 the previous year. Not only did our residents give back more, but the causes they supported shifted, too. A poll by the University of San Diego showed that over 50 percent of people who donated money chose issues they felt were the most pressing: food security, helping essential workers, and social and racial justice. For example, the annual Pack the Pantry food drive, organized by the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, saw a record donation amount (around $50,000), which provided 90,000 meals to community college students at 10 campuses. Here’s hoping this spirit of giving continues into 2021.

Source: 2020 Annual Report, State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy in San Diego; University of San Diego

Reasons to Love San Diego / Social Activism

San Diego Steps Up for Social Activism

We can thank our Gen Z-ers and millennials for the “cancel 2020” memes that got us through last year, but when it came to social justice, they also took more concrete action.

Because the beach is always open and the culture trends in the direction of mellowness, San Diego is often miscast as disinterested in the hard conversations the country has about justice. But the younger generations helped organize more than 45 peaceful protests countywide last summer in response to the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black citizens at the hands of the police.

The county’s first major protest was in La Mesa on May 29: Dozens of demonstrators assembled outside La Mesa Police Department headquarters after a viral video showed the forceful arrest of an unarmed Black man at the Grossmont Transit Center. On December 9, a city review panel upheld the firing of the officer and on January 4, 2021, the officer was charged with filing a false report. On May 31, a 25-year-old Black woman organized several hundred protestors at the Hall of Justice, marching through downtown San Diego.

But some of the largest protests came in early June. Hundreds joined a caravan from La Jolla to City Heights, National City, and Otay Mesa. Over 2,000 demonstrators marched from the San Diego Police Headquarters to North Park on June 4 and two days later, another 3,000 people gathered at the County Administration Center.

Many of these protests stood in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, which advocates for nonviolent civil disobedience as a response to racist and violent acts against the Black community. Law enforcement agencies across the county took action, most notably by banning use of the carotid restraint, which is similar to the restraint that led to Floyd’s death. The protests also spurred the passage of Measure B, which establishes an independent review commission on police practices. Measure B passed with 74.6 percent of the vote.

Reasons to Love San Diego / Sweep the Shelters

Photo courtesy of the San Diego Humane Society

Staying Home Helped Sweep the Shelters

With their favorite humans spending much more time at home, our four-legged friends were loving the lockdown. And for those who were still waiting for a home, San Diegans helped sweep the shelters with a record number of new fosters and adoptions at the start of the pandemic. “This county has always been there for animals, but especially so during the shutdown,” says San Diego Humane Society President and CEO Dr. Gary Weitzman. The humane society’s four campuses were virtually cleared last March, when their head count of 3,000 decreased to under 1,000 and 65 percent of their animals went into foster care. And our pets aren’t the only ones to reap the benefits: While the pandemic takes a heavy toll on our mental health, Weitzman suggests that animals are a major cure for the quarantine blues. “We’ve had less animal surrenders, more fosters, and can really feel the love San Diego has for its animals.”

Coronado Bridge

Photo courtesy of the Port of San Diego

Light Testing Began on the Bay

For nearly 15 years, the port has been developing a permanent light installation for the Coronado Bridge that will change colors to reflect what’s happening in the city, much the same way the Empire State Building does for New York—celebrating holidays, sports teams, or visits from international representatives. The project made a huge leap last year when the Port of San Diego temporarily installed 170 lights to gather information on the engineering, design, and sustainability of the project. For longterm associates—like Yvonne Wise, the port’s director of the Waterfront Arts & Activation department, and Commissioner Marshall Merrifield, who spearheaded the fundraising campaign—the test was the result of years of hard work. The next steps are to raise more money (a humble $13 million) and work with an artist on the design.

Chula Vista Rolls Out the Red Carpet for All

When life gave Chula Vista lemons, they made lemonade for their new neighbors. The “Lemon Capital of the World” was recently named the most welcoming city for immigrants in the US by the New American Economy Cities Index. This index analyzes immigrant integration on an economic and local-policy level to find insights on how cities can maximize the potential of their newcomers—to become US citizens, small-business owners, and homeowners. Chula Vista landed perfect scores in government leadership, economic empowerment, inclusivity, job opportunities, and civic participation. It’s been a fast and steady climb to the top for the county’s second-largest city, which ranked third on the index in 2018 and moved into second place in 2019. It was a pretty sweet note in an otherwise sour year.

Reasons to Love San Diego / COVID-19

Our Local Biotech Industry Tackles COVID-19

It’s the news we’ve all been waiting for: A mass rollout of COVID-19 vaccines is underway. But San Diego local Jaime Yslas already got vaccinated—at least, he thinks he was.

After reading that Latinos and seniors have been underrepresented in coronavirus research, Yslas figured that he checked all the boxes, so he signed up for a double-blind study in which two-thirds of participants received AstraZeneca-­Oxford’s vaccine. In November, he stood in a Chula Vista parking lot beside a bloodmobile that’d been converted into a mobile clinical trial site. “You have to step forward, or we’re never going to find the answer,” he says.

San Diegans have also been stepping forward for clinical trials of the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. All three local studies, overseen by UC San Diego, were part of a larger international bid to test whether the vaccines are safe and effective for all.

San Diego has been at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 from the start, with a robust strategy of testing, contact tracing, and hatching potential vaccines. “The amount of innovation that’s come out of San Diego is broad and deep,” said Tim Scott, a biotech executive who has tracked local COVID-19 initiatives through a taskforce for the trade group Biocom.

Hologic’s San Diego facility has cranked out tens of millions of tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and the company is ramping up production, thanks in part to a $119.3 million US government contract awarded in November.

“The vast majority of all our molecular diagnostics kits—not just for COVID-19—are made here,” says Hologic spokesperson Suzanne Clancy, who notes that the Massachusetts-based company has 1,100 employees right here in San Diego. “We benefit from the excellent talent pool and thriving life sciences industry in the area.”

Testing demand outpaced supply in San Diego last summer, as it did in many places. To help ease the crunch, the county’s public health department signed a contract with a startup best known for genomics. Helix, an offshoot of San Diego genomics giant Illumina, has raised more than $350 million to study the genetics of large populations to discover new ways to diagnose and treat disease. In a pandemic pivot, the company’s San Diego lab set out to process more than 100 million COVID-19 tests a day for health systems, employers, governments, pharmacies, and other organizations. In order to scale up, Helix was one of the first to win emergency approval from the Food and Drug Administration for a COVID-19 test that directly sequences genetic material, increasing the company’s testing capacity. Other companies rely solely on commonly used PCR instruments that amplify genetic matter to process nasal swab tests.

Researchers have also looked to our smartphones and wearables, like Fitbit, for potential ways to rein in the virus. In a study published in the October issue of Nature Medicine, Scripps Research found that pairing data from wearable devices with symptom self-reporting did a better job of predicting the virus’s spread than either method alone. Last summer, Scripps recorded 35,000 people in the ongoing study, with an eye toward 100,000 participants.

Before a statewide rollout in December, UC San Diego piloted an app, CA Notify, that uses a smartphone’s Bluetooth capability to tell people when they’ve been exposed to someone who was later diagnosed with COVID-19.

As of press time, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have received US approval. San Diego–based Arcturus Therapeutics and Inovio Pharmaceuticals are still in clinical trials with their vaccines and are being watched closely. Each vaccine works in different ways, meaning one may prove to be best for older adults, for instance.

Only time will tell how the vaccines fare, but San Diego’s exhaustive efforts to fight the virus have helped give the county, and the country, an extra dose of what we need most—hope.

We Elected Our First LGBTQ Mayor and Mayor of Color

When Todd Gloria was in the fourth grade at Hawthorne Elementary, he was a finalist in the school’s “Mayor for a Day” essay contest. “I believe the prompt was about building a better city and my response was about more homes and transit for San Diegans,” Gloria says. “I haven’t changed much over the years.” Three decades after entering that contest, Gloria was sworn in as San Diego’s mayor in December.

Todd Gloria

Photo courtesy of Todd Gloria

Gloria’s win is a historic one, as he’s the first openly LGBTQ person elected to serve in the city’s highest office. Today, just three of the eight most populous cities in the country, San Diego included, have elected an openly LGBTQ mayor: Houston (Annise Parker) and Chicago (Lori Lightfoot, in 2019).

The rainbow ceiling isn’t the only one Gloria shattered: He’s also the city’s first mayor of Asian, Latino, and Native American heritage.

During his inauguration, which was done virtually (another first for the position), Gloria said, “As a kid who grew up in Clairemont, I didn’t see people who looked like me leading practically anything—let alone the eighth largest city in the United States. But today, I stand before you as the first person of color and LGBTQ person to ascend to our city’s highest office.” His nephews and nieces watched him get sworn in on TV from their living room, and they dressed up for the occasion.

For his first 100 days in office, Gloria said he’s prioritizing the public health crisis and economic fallout caused by COVID-19, housing issues, homelessness, and the city’s Climate Action Plan, the first incarnation of which he drafted while serving as interim mayor from 2013 to 2014.

Reasons to Love San Diego / San Diego Metropolitan Transit System

Photo courtesy of San Diego Metropolitan Transit System

We’re Moving Into the Fast Lane

Like the so-called sunshine tax, San Diego’s disjointed public transportation has long been considered part of the cost of living here. But there are smoother roads ahead, with the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System laying the final tracks for its $2.1 billion Mid-Coast Trolley Extension from Old Town to University City, with service to begin later this year. It’s the largest light rail extension in the city’s history, adding nine newly constructed stations and a fleet of 45 shiny new trolleys to its roster.

Reasons to Love San Diego / Building Boom

The Building Boom Hasn’t Stopped

As of last fall, there were 14 new construction projects downtown alone, including more than 3,000 new apartments. There’s also major housing projects underway in Kearny Mesa (442 units), UTC (over 400 units), and the massive development at Town & Country resort in Mission Valley (over 800 units). The Riverwalk project in Mission Valley is also finally breaking ground this year: When it’s complete, the 195-acre neighborhood will have over 4,000 new homes.

COVID Collabs

No sector felt the impact of the shutdown more than San Diego’s small businesses. But where there were struggles, there was just as much support. Last year saw a wellspring of collaborative efforts from restaurant, event space, and retail shop owners helping one another stay open. It took some creativity, but the results just go to show that even during the most dire circumstances, community always comes first.

When Natalie Mitchell and Violet Navarrete faced a series of setbacks shortly after opening their clothing and gift store Timshel Shop—repeated flooding on top of the pandemic, to give you an idea—they made the difficult decision to permanently close their doors. But when they turned to online sales to keep them afloat, fellow female-owned home goods shop Thread Spun had a different idea. They’d had their own experience with flooding (all three owners refer to one another as “floodies,” for flood buddies), and they offered Timshel a long-term pop-up space inside their own store. Over last summer, Timshel donated 20 percent of their pop-up profits to local organizations and raised over $1,000. “Our community may look different now, but we’ve been blown away by the support and lasting relationships we’ve built,” Mitchell says. “Collaborating with other small businesses has been an integral part of building our community.”

Reasons to Love San Diego / COVID Collabs

Photo courtesy of Cucina Urbana

Community was always key for Gaslamp Tavern, a relaxed downtown bar popular for its good drinks and happy hour deals before 2020. But the pandemic’s toll on the restaurant industry encouraged owners Estela and Rick Borba to pursue an idea that had been brewing for years. To amplify their offerings and rally behind small pop-up eateries, the duo transformed the tavern into Gaslamp Tavern & Food Hall. Now housing Ghost Fried Chicken, San Diego Tuna Company, and Tacos el Tuerto, the food hall gave emerging businesses a home while bringing more dining options to downtown.

Cucina Urbana has been a vital player in that scene for years, but they struggled last summer when they were unable to create an outdoor dining space (while permitted) due to the layout of their restaurant. Their neighbors, Julep Venue, already had a string of successful virtual events under their belt when they reached out about a backup plan. “We have two large patios that were sitting there unused,” says Julep’s founder and managing partner, Michael Esposito. “It just seemed like the obvious choice to give Cucina Urbana that space.” Over one weekend, the teams got together to work out the logistics of Camp Cucina, a blend of Julep’s eye for design, Cucina’s food, and Snake Oil Cocktail Company’s craft libations. “Everyone has had their own unique challenges during this time,” Esposito adds. “If you can come together to solve those challenges with another business, it’s an absolute no-brainer to do it.”

The post 10 Reasons to Love San Diego appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Addison

Addison and chef William Bradley are bringing the flavors of San Diego’s only Michelin-starred restaurant into the comfort of your own home. Available for pickup Thursday through Sunday, the four-course menu features seasonal local ingredients. The package is available for $89 per person, with the option to include wine selected by Addison’s wine director, Victoria O’Bryan. Schedule your pickup time through Resy.

5200 Grand Del Mar Way, Del Mar | 858-314-1900

Bleu Bohème

Bring the classic flavors of France into your home this holiday season with Bleu Bohème. The complete menu will be available to order, including their signature mussels and the rest of their expansive menu of classic French cuisine made with fresh Southern Californian ingredients. Bleu Bohème also offers a list of wines and signature cocktails to go. Curbside pickup and free delivery within two miles of the restaurant will be available on their website from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

4090 Adams Avenue, Normal Heights | 619-255-4167

Busalacchi Restaurants

Barbusa, Nonna, and Zucchero have teamed up to offer a to-go menu that highlights favorites from each restaurant. The menu includes three courses for $20, with the Busalacchis’ famous garlic bread serving as a starter, then your choice of two salads, five pastas, and the option to add extra sides, mains, desserts, and wine. Each meal is designed to feed one person, and the minimum order is two meals. Takeout orders can be placed daily from 4 to 8 p.m. All orders will be available for pickup from Barbusa; you can also get delivery through DoorDash.

1917 India Street, Little Italy | 619-238-1917

Café Gratitude San Diego

For those who want to trade in the holiday ham for something plant based, Café Gratitude San Diego has flavorful pies and sides for preorder. They’re offering seasonal, family-style specials like cranberry-roasted butternut squash and garnet yams. For the ones who like sweet treats, try the gluten-free maple pecan spice cake or mocha cheesecake. Order your choice of holiday pies and sides online or in-store by December 20 and plan to pick up on December 23 by 9 p.m.

1980 Kettner Boulevard, Little Italy | 619-736-5077

Cardellino

You can still enjoy a prime rib dinner this holiday without even changing out of your pajamas. Cardellino’s holiday takeout meal includes a 12-ounce slice of prime rib, mixed greens salad, truffled mashed potatoes, green beans almondine, horseradish cream, and jus. Dinner is $45 per person, but you can add on something sweet and something to sip on for an additional cost. Place your order by December 21 and pick up on December 24 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Cardellino. Preorders can be placed online.

4033 Goldfinch Street, Mission Hills | 619-600-5311

El Cruce + 241

This Chula Vista eatery will offer a series of to-go packages to pair with their to-go beer crowlers and bottles of wine from Baja. Order the Birria Tacos Family Pack, which includes 10 hand-pressed tortillas, birria, black beans, and all the fixings for $30. Or choose the Three for $40 special, which includes your choice of three signature dishes. El Cruce will be open on Christmas Eve, and orders can be placed in person and online.

241 Third Avenue, Chula Vista | 619-474-2244

DZ Akin’s

If you’re looking for a family-size meal with all of the fixings, then give DZ Akin’s a call to place your order. They’re offering either a ham or turkey feast complete with sides, rolls, and dessert. The turkey feast starts at $199, the ham feast at $225, with each meal serving 10 to 12 people. Order at least 24 hours in advance to secure your holiday dinner and pick up on Christmas Eve before 3 p.m. and New Year’s Eve/Day before 8 p.m.

6930 Alvarado Road, La Mesa | 619-265-0218

Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa

Feel like Santa Claus when you walk through the door with this special holiday package filled with delicious to-go items from Greenfinch at Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa. The restaurant is offering a special 11-course dinner on Christmas Day that serves four to six people. The dinner comes with appetizers, entrées, sides, and something sweet to end the night. The meal is $350, and you can pick up your package between 12 and 5 p.m. on December 25. Call the restaurant to place your order.

9700 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla | 858-550-1000

Fortunate Son

James Tran and Olivia Beall

Fortunate Son

Fortunate Son, CH Projects’ newest venue, is honoring the takeout tradition of ordering Chinese on the holidays by offering their full menu to go. The restaurant will be open from 4 to 10 p.m. on Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day; orders can be placed by calling the restaurant or via their online order form.

2943 Adams Avenue, University Heights | 619-391-3766

Hotel del Coronado

Though the holidays look different this year, especially at the Hotel del Coronado, you can still enjoy a Christmas dinner to eat at home. Parking is validated, so plan a few extra minutes to stop in and take a look at The Del’s lovely interior before you pick up your holiday feast. The menu for four people includes lovely entrée options, decadent sides, and a yummy dessert to finish off the night. Order online by 3 p.m. on December 18 for pickup on December 23, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

1500 Orange Avenue, Coronado | 619-435-6611

Mille Fleurs

Craving some French classics to enjoy in the comfort of your home? Try Mille Fleurs’ new three-course takeout meals. The menu changes weekly and is offered Wednesday–Sunday, 4–8 p.m. The restaurant has also moved their wine cellar online, so you can order a bottle to toast alongside your meal. Cheers!

6009 Paseo Delicias, Rancho Santa Fe | 858-756-3085

Moniker General

Enjoy an at-home celebration with Moniker Cocktail Co.’s boozy bundles. The baskets change every week, so keep an eye out for your favorites or try something new. If you want to upgrade your kits, you can order additional wine varieties, too. Orders must be submitted each week by Wednesday at 4 p.m. for free Friday delivery throughout Point Loma and Ocean Beach or for pickup at Moniker General.

2860 Sims Road, Liberty Station | 619-255-8772

Mongolian Hot Pot

Mongolian Hot Pot is bringing their classic hot pot experience to your home with their takeout kits. Each kit includes different meat options, sauce, veggies, homemade noodles, and their house soup base. Families can also purchase a stove-and-pot set with their food, and the kits can feed anywhere from two to six people. Prices range from $45 to $120, with the option for more add-ons.

4718 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, Clairemont | 858-274-2040

Parc Bistro

Put a French twist on your occasion and call Parc Bistro to place your order for the holidays. Each package serves two people with a menu of coq au vin, baked salmon, or filet mignon in addition to appetizers, sides and, of course, dessert. The packages range from $100 to $150 and are available for preorder now over the phone. Pickup times are December 24, 25, or 31 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

2760 Fifth Avenue, Bankers Hill | 619-795-1501

Pendry San Diego

Provisional Kitchen at the Pendry San Diego is offering their Pancakes and Pajamas holiday brunch event to go on December 19. This brunch takeout kit will include cooked pancakes, colorful toppings, and a pair of complimentary children’s holiday pajamas from P.J. Salvage for all hotel guests.

550 J Street, Gaslamp Quarter | 619-738-7000

Pho Ca Dao Vietnamese Kitchen (Mission Valley)

Enjoy a family meal from Pho Ca Dao this holiday season. Offered for groups of two or four, the meals are packed with their most popular items—including pho, appetizers, and rice dishes—for a delicious, no-brainer dinner. The meals range from $25 to $65. Orders can be placed in person or over the phone daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

2647 Fenton Parkway, Suite D104, Mission Valley | 619-684-5129

Puffer Malarkey Collective

Enjoy an herbaceous, locally sourced, family-style Christmas Eve feast with chef Brian Malarkey’s Herb at Home. For Christmas Eve, menu items include American wagyu sirloin, braised local pork belly, pesto white beans, and dessert. The New Year’s Eve spread includes white truffle mashed potatoes, pink peppercorn-crusted filet mignon, and dessert. Guests can preorder their dinner on OpenTable. Pickup will take place at both restaurants the afternoon of each holiday.

2210 Kettner Boulevard, Little Italy | 610-955-8495

131 D Street, Encinitas | 760-704-8300

Ranch 45

Ranch 45’s à la carte pickup menu allows you to fully customize your holiday feast. With choices like herb-crusted prime rib, smoked turkey leg, smoked Cornish game hens, roasted broccoli with Parmesan and garlic, and olive oil smashed potatoes, it’s hard to say no. Dessert will also be available to purchase. The Solana Beach butcher shop and eatery will be accepting orders up to 48 hours in advance. Place your order online or over the phone.

512 Via de la Valle, Solana Beach | 858-461-0092

Rancho Bernardo Inn

Rancho Bernardo Inn has put together some seasonal dishes for takeout so you can still celebrate the season even at home. The menu includes lobster bisque, watercress and grilled endive salad, a 10-ounce grilled prime ribeye, and dark chocolate mousse. Preorder by December 22 at 12 p.m.

17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive, Rancho Bernardo | 888-976-4417

Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa

Take the hassle out of the holidays and order the Holidays to Go feast from Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa. Order before 5 p.m. on Friday, December 18 and pick up your meal on Christmas Eve between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Choose from menu items like prime beef tenderloin, lobster bisque, and truffle mac and cheese, along with a selection of wine pairings.

5921 Valencia Circle, Rancho Santa Fe | 858-756-1123

Rusticucina

Eckis Marketing

Rusticucina

Give your home Christmas meal a Sicilian twist with Rusticucina’s holiday menu, which includes short ribs, cannelloni pasta with roasted chicken, and dessert. Each order comes with a full panettone! Preorders can be made by phone or through the website and are accepted until December 24. The restaurant is also offering gift baskets with savory treats to send to your loved ones.

3797 Park Boulevard, Hillcrest | 619-684-5129

Tamales Ancira

Indulge in a holiday tradition with some tamales from Tamales Ancira. You can order a dozen for $25 or order the party pack of 50 tamales to freeze for later. Call in your orders over the phone and check in on their social media for special offers and deals throughout the holiday season.

2260 Main Street. Suite 17, Chula Vista | 619-424-3416

Teriyako & Bao

Hiba Khalid

Teriyaki & Bao

Teriyaki & Bao brings some holiday cheer this year with their holiday bao bun special. December 21–January 4, order their snowman bao buns filled with fresh sliced bananas and nutella. The restaurant is open regular hours even during the holidays, and is currently offering takeout and delivery through their website and third-party apps.

711 Grand Avenue, Carlsbad | 760-637-5737

Tribute Pizza

North Park’s Tribute Pizza is continuing their curbside pickup this holiday season with meal specials for the family. Feast on wood-fired porchetta or a vegetarian lasagna with add-ons like Brussels sprouts, potatoes au gratin, and spiked eggnog. Place an order online for pickup on December 23 or 24.

3077 North Park Way, North Park | 760-637-5737

Villa Manila

The Filipino holiday meal to go from Villa Manila in National City comes with à la carte items like bibingka, halaya, and buko pandan salad. Orders can be made online or over the phone and must be placed at least three days in advance. Pick up anytime between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

500 East Eighth Street, National City | 619-477-8512

Vistal

The waterfront InterContinental San Diego will be offering a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day takeout dinner from their signature restaurant, Vistal. The meal includes an entrée, sides, and gravy for $32 per person. Guests also have the option of adding on a soup or crème fraiche option for $9 per person. Orders, which will be available for pickup from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christmas, can be placed by calling the restaurant or by emailing [email protected].

901 Bayfront Court, Embarcadero | 619-535-0485

The Westgate Hotel

For those who don’t want to cook during the holidays, but still want to bring a little fanfare to the dinner table, The Westgate Hotel is offering a four-course dinner for two. The meal includes a porcini mushroom and chestnut soup, salad, 16-ounce Angus beef tenderloin, and dessert. The price for this upscale dinner at home is $138. Call the hotel or order through this online link before December 22. Pickup is December 24 or December 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

1055 Second Avenue, Downtown | 619-238-1818

Jenna Miller is a freelance writer. Her website is jennaruthmiller.com.

Ranch 45

Maraelia Romaine

The post Order Holiday Takeout from These 27 San Diego Restaurants appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Cloak & Petal

Cloak & Petal is giving back to front-line workers and first responders with dinner packages fit for every occasion. There are three to choose from, which send two, three, or four meals to those essential workers, respectively. The Notorious has light bites and cocktails, the Emperor’s Bounty adds sake bombs and crunchy rolls to that menu, and the Kaiju Feast bumps it up to a sushi platter and six cocktails of choice.

1953 India Street, Little Italy

Jaunt Coffee Roasters

The Mira Mesa coffee shop looked to their tight-knit community for help finding ways they could give back. The result is a “Post-It forward” initiative, where you can purchase an extra drink for someone in need in addition to your own. That someone can come in, take a drink order from the wall of Post-Its, and bring it to the counter to receive it for free. It’s a simple gesture, but one that owner Jimmy Silva says was a no-brainer: “Without the support of this community we wouldn’t be able to continue to be open and overcome the challenges that COVID-19 has brought.” Jaunt Coffee Roasters is also doing a 12 Days of Giveaways promotion on their Instagram page for more ways to spread some holiday cheer.

8680 Miralani Drive, Suite 134, Mira Mesa

Madison

During this difficult time, Madison is giving 100 percent of their gross revenue—not profit—to their staff, donating gift card sales to them, and has set up a GoFundMe where donations will be quadruple-matched by the owners. The University Heights restaurant began this initiative at the beginning of the pandemic, before the restaurant was able to reopen in adherence to state guidelines over the summer. Support their efforts by ordering takeout directly through the restaurant or through third-party apps for delivery.

4622 Park Boulevard, University Heights

Rise & Shine Hospitality Group

Rise & Shine is looking out for San Diegans who’ve been hit by the recession. Anyone who was laid off during the pandemic can head down to Breakfast Republic’s Mission Valley location between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. every day to receive a free prepped dinner. Over the past few months, the restaurant has made 6,479 meals and raised over $50,000 through Rise & Shine’s nonprofit organization. Haven’t been laid off? If you have the means, why not order your next breakfast to go from them?

1570 Camino de la Reina, Mission Valley

Rollin’ Roots Food Truck

In addition to serving up some delicious vegan food (see: Spicy Boy sandwich) made from all fresh, organic ingredients, this food truck is making its mark by putting community first. When you order something for yourself, ask for a Veggie Gang Meal to receive a free meal for someone in need. Owner Avonte also offers a pay-what-you-can option to combat the stigma that vegan food is only for those with higher incomes. If you want to help support his efforts you can purchase a meal to go, donate money to their Venmo account, or donate fresh veggies and produce for their free meal service.

8040 Armour Street, Kearny Mesa

Trust Restaurant Group

Looking for ways to help the restaurant industry? Buy a hospitality worker a steak dinner through Rare Society’s Industry Steak Night To-Go Edition. Every Wednesday, Trust Restaurant Group turns out these meals for workers to pick up at a prescheduled time. Last week they sold out at 200 meals; they hope to serve 300 next week. Help them reach their goal or, if you’re a hospitality worker, see how you can redeem your dinner. The dinners are reserved on a first-come basis.

4130 Park Boulevard, University Heights

Madison in University Heights

Haley Hill

The post Support These 6 Local Businesses That Are Giving Back appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Bates Nut Farm

Now–October 31

Bates’ beloved pumpkin patch is back with all of their annual activities, including hayrides, a straw maze, a petting corral, and a massive selection of pumpkins and gourds to explore. Take your pick from the pumpkin patch and refuel in the picnic area with plenty of food and beverage options for everyone in your group.

15954 Woods Valley Road, Valley Center

Drive-Thru Scream Zone: Roadkill

October 1–31

The Scream Zone’s reimagined annual event brings the haunts and horrors right to your car. In a completely drive-thru experience, guests will weave their cars through a mile-long path filled with zombies, killer clowns, and figures from some of Hollywood’s most iconic horror films—Freddy and Jason included.

2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar

Fright Fest Weekend at The Moonlight

October 8–10

Moonlight Amphitheatre is making a return just in time for the witching hour with a three-day fright fest. Catch outdoor movie screenings of Halloween favorites like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Hocus Pocus, and Poltergeist. Screenings are capped at 100 people with social distancing rules in place, so plan to purchase your seats early!

1250 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista

Ghosts & Gravestones

Hop onto the Trolley of the Doomed and take a tour of San Diego’s most haunted sites. From the Whaley House to Pioneer Park, the tour shares the stories of the city’s eerier history and the haunted spirits who still live there. The tours are operating at 50 percent capacity to provide plenty of space for social distancing.

4008 Twiggs Street, Old Town

A Grand Halloween

October 31

The Manchester Grand Hyatt is offering its guests three spooky encounters to explore during their Halloween staycation. First, the trick or treat trail will line the hallways of the hotel’s event space with cobwebs, pumpkins, and booths to pick up sweet treats like candy and toys. Then, head to the fourth floor pool deck for an outdoor movie experience featuring a Halloween favorite. Lastly, families can make their way to the hotel rooftop for Halloween-inspired arts and craft activities and a sweeping view of the city skyline.

1 Market Place, Downtown

Halloween at the Grand

October 30-31

Visit the Fairmont Grand Del Mar this Halloween for a spooky staycation fit for families. On Friday, The Grand will host an outdoor screening of Hotel Transylvania alongside gooey s’mores for some fun treats. On the big day itself, bring the little ones along the hotel’s candy trail with live pumpkin carving, glow golf, and, of course, plenty of candy to grab! For the adult crowd, your ‘treat’ comes in the form of specialty cocktails inspired by the fall season. Costumes recommended! For hotel guests only.

5300 Grand Del Mar Court, Del Mar

Halloween Movie Nights

October 30-31

Join the Hilton Garden Inn Del Mar for a perfectly spooktacular Halloween movie weekend. The family-friendly event will feature four showings of Halloween classics and animations like Beetlejuice and Hotel Transylvania. To enjoy alongside your movie, treat yourself to buttery popcorn, nachos, hot cider, and adult beverages for those 21 and up. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time!

3939 Ocean Bluff Avenue, Del Mar

Halloween Trail at Petco Park

Halloween Trail at Petco Park

October 23-November 1

Join the Padres at Petco Park for safe and spooky Halloween festivities all week long. Bring the little ones in costume on a socially distanced, one-way pumpkin patch. As you wind through the trail, you’ll stop at themed booths for candy, toys, and surprise character visits. The 21+ crowd looking for something spookier can stick around for the Halloween Trail After Dark, with an outdoor movie experience showing Halloween favorites like Hocus Pocus, Scream, and Beetlejuice. The event will also offer a themed market with festive treats, merch, and snacks.

100 Park Boulevard, Petco Park

Hallo-Wine Fall Festival

October 24

Home Start’s 13th annual fall festival is taking the virtual stage this year with an evening of interactive tastings, trivia games, a silent auction, and inspiring speeches all from the comfort of your own home. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to child abuse prevention and provides family strengthening services to those in need. Order a Feature Tasting Box, which comes with selections from food ad drink vendors like Bekker’s, Bivouac, Trevi Hills Winery, and more. Or go VIP to get the tasting box delivered to your home with a few extra bonus gifts.

Haunted Aquarium Remix

October 1–31

Birch Aquarium is taking its haunted house outdoors with new animal encounters and spooky activities in the aquarium’s Tide Pool Plaza, Smargon Courtyard, and Education Courtyard. Little ones can explore kelp mazes and use a discovery booklet to learn about the creepy critters that live underwater.

2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla

Hornblower’s Floating Cinema

October 29

A tour and a movie? Yes, please! The Hornblower’s floating outdoor cinema has been given the Halloween treatment with a showing of Beetlejuice. Enjoy an evening out on the water with stellar views, delicious food (including popcorn—a movie must), and, of course, a fun movie. This three-hour experience runs twice each week and reservations are required.

1800 North Harbor Drive, Hornblower Landing

Mr. Jack O’Lanterns Pumpkin Patch

October 3–31

This La Jolla pumpkin patch has adapted its format to offer new options for pumpkin picking. This year, in addition to visiting the patch in person, you can also select your pumpkins through contactless curbside pickup, online ordering, or delivery. Need help styling your selection? You can also pick up decorating and carving kits to have all the tools you need to perfect your pumpkin.

6710 La Jolla Boulevard, La Jolla

Pumpkin Station

October 1–31

Pumpkin Station’s Bonita, Mission Valley, and Rancho Bernardo locations are open this Halloween season. Take part in the time-honored tradition of picking your pumpkin straight from the farm and enjoy extra activities for the family like corn mazes, hayrides, petting zoos, and more.

5354 Sweetwater Road, Bonita

1640 Camino del Rio North, Mission Valley

13421 Highland Valley Road, Escondido

SeaWorld Spooktacular

SeaWorld Spooktacular

Friday–Sunday, October 2–November 1

Candy trails, scavenger hunts, tasty treats—SeaWorld Spooktacular is packed with fun family-friendly events all month long. Take the little ones in their costumes to trick or treat, or go on a hunt for pumpkins hidden throughout the park. Kids can enjoy new tasty treats like caramel-dipped apples and pumpkin cheesecake, while the over-21 crowd can check out pumpkin ales and specialty fall cocktails.

500 Sea World Drive, Mission Bay

Mr. Jack O’Lanterns Pumpkin Patch

The post Updated! A Guide to Halloween 2020 in San Diego appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Born and Raised

When you first walk into this Little Italy steakhouse, the swanky decor and white-tuxedo-clad waiters make you feel like you’re stepping into The Great Gatsby—then all the framed portraits of famous rappers bring you back into the modern era. Indulge your Roaring Twenties fantasies with caviar service and refreshing cocktails along with dry-aged, bone-in rib eye and wagyu steaks on their rooftop patio. During happy hour, the popular waffles and caviar and martinis are sure to make you feel as luxurious as the ambience.

1909 India Street, Little Italy | 619-202-4577

The Butcher Shop Steakhouse

This classic steakhouse has brought San Diego a taste of the Windy City for over two decades. Signature dishes include Angus prime rib au jus with creamed horseradish, aged steaks and chops charbroiled over a mesquite wood-fire grill, and the staple dessert at any steakhouse: a classic crème brûlée. In addition to the USDA Prime steaks, their menu also features veal, chicken, lobster tail, king crab legs, and shrimp entrées.

5255 Kearny Villa Road, Kearny Mesa | 858-565-2272

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse

With sweeping views of the downtown waterfront, this two-story restaurant at the InterContinental hotel is a stunning steakhouse scene. But don’t just go for the view—cozy up on the patio while you enjoy the rib eye that’s been dry aged for 45 days, a must-try menu item. If the bayside view gives you an especially nautical craving, treat yourself to a seafood tower, which comes with chilled lobster tails, iced jumbo shrimp, oysters on the half shell, Alaskan king crab legs, bloody mary clam shooters, jumbo lump crab, and their signature sauces. And, of course, the temperature-controlled wine walls are a nice touch.

901 Bayfront Court, Embarcadero | 619-272-5060

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar

If you’re looking for somewhere to take your special date on a Tuesday night, try the three-course dinner for two, which features a 35 ounce tomahawk paired with two salads, two sides, and two desserts. Indulge in their chocolate lava cake, which has a rich, gooey center of Callebaut Belgian chocolate. And what’s a date without a little wine? Called the Fleming’s 100, this award-winning wine program offers 100 premium selections by the glass.

8970 University Center Ln., La Jolla | 858-535-0078

Fogo de Chão

The fare here is inspired by the kitchen tables of Southern Brazil. Enjoy the churrasco experience, where fire-roasted cuts of meat are presented on skewers and carved at the table. Choose from 14 different meats and an array of Brazilian side dishes, like warm pão de queijo (cheese bread), crispy polenta, mashed potatoes, and caramelized bananas.

668 Sixth Avenue, Gaslamp Quarter | 619-338-0500

Greystone Prime Steakhouse and Seafood

Greystone truly goes beyond by offering three different wagyu options, from Australia, Japan, and the US. As if that weren’t enough, they also feature an eclectic variety of proteins, including elk, wild boar, bison, locally caught ahi, Chilean sea bass, and live Maine lobster. Top it all off with Greystone’s infamous Bloody Truffle, a bloody mary concocted with their house-made truffle mix and topped with freshly shaved truffle dust.

658 Fifth Avenue, Gaslamp | 619-232-0225

Hunter Steakhouse

Finally, a steakhouse located somewhere outside of downtown. For over fifty years, Hunter Steakhouse has made a name for itself in Mission Valley as the “the best prime rib in town.” See for yourself whether they live up to their reputation by trying their award-winning house specialty prime rib, herb crusted, slow roasted, and served au jus with creamed horseradish sauce. They serve prime rib for both lunch and dinner, so there’s no excuse to miss out. Choose from classic sides like New England clam chowder and au gratin potatoes.

2445 Hotel Circle Place, Mission Valley | 619-291-8074

Huntress Steakhouse

What could be better than steak and whiskey? Japanese steak and whiskey—and this modern steakhouse offers one of the largest collections of Japanese whiskey brands in California. Their steak selections include a 45-day dry-aged porterhouse and A5 Japanese wagyu, the highest grade. Other menu items range from seared wagyu sashimi to Spanish charred octopus. Order an ice-cold concoction from their Toki Japanese highball machine to top it all off.

376 Fifth Avenue, Gaslamp Quarter | 619-329-4868

Harbor Float, a pop-up restaurant from Island Prime

Island Prime / C Level

Island Prime and C Level are local landmarks known for stunning views overlooking the city skyline and Coronado. While Island Prime’s doors are temporarily closed, pop into their new pop-up restaurant, Harbor Float, the open-air venue located right next door to Coasterra. Dine on the water while enjoying seared sea scallops or Australian rack of lamb. C Level’s patio is open and serving the regular menu. Try the lobster and fontina BLT: lobster and whitefish salad on jalapeño-cheddar sourdough, served with lobster bisque.

880 Harbor Island Drive, Harbor Island | 619-298-6802

Larsen’s Steakhouse

You know a steakhouse has a dedication to quality when it requires a highly skilled butcher to be at the location at all times to monitor airflow, temperature, and humidity—which is exactly what Larsen’s does. Before digging into your main meal, linger a bit in the appetizer section, where you can find dishes like hamachi crudo with orange, grapefruit puree, pesto, and crispy sage. Along with wet- and dry-aged beef, Larsen’s also offers specialty cuts, like veal chops, boneless braised short ribs, and kurobuta pork chops. If you’re in the mood to wine and dine, they offer 300 wines, 30 by the glass.

4301 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla | 858-886-7561

Lou & Mickey’s

Lou and Mickey’s

With a patio surrounded by palm trees and a view of the convention center, this surf ’n’ turf joint features a classic steakhouse menu, offering entrées such as an 18-ounce New York strip done “Kansas style,” grilled mahi mahi, and pasta carbonara. Complement your main meal with other, lighter bites like scalloped potatoes and crab bisque. Don’t fret if you can’t make it for dinner—many of the entrées are also served during lunch.

224 Fifth Avenue, Gaslamp Quarter | 619-237-4900

Rei do Gado

Rei do Gado prides itself for being the only Brazilian steakhouse in San Diego with a mesquite charcoal grill. As another authentic churrascaria, they serve various cuts of meats grilled in a skewer for an all-you-can-eat barbecue night out. Join them Tuesday to Thursday nights for their dinner special and enjoy a 10-meat rodízio, complete with side dishes and one complimentary glass of red or white wine.

939 Fourth Avenue, Gaslamp Quarter | 619-702-8464

Born and Raised

The post 13 Steakhouses with Outdoor Patio Dining in San Diego appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Chapulines Taco at Aquí Es Texcoco

Aquí Es Texcoco

Lamb barbacoa is a vaquero icon. Traditionally they’d slow-cook the lamb in pits dug into the earth until the meat was as tender as a college freshman in poetry class. No one does it better than Aquí. I’ve taken people here for their birthdays and changed lives.

520 Broadway, Chula Vista

Fernandez

One of the best birrias on the planet. The line spills into the parking lot and the church down the alleyway in Nestor. Oder the taco queso extremo—house-fried tortilla, stained sunset red by that spicy, peppery birria consomme (broth), topped with melted cheese and moist, fall-apart birria beef that’s been crisped and browned on the griddle. Add hot sauce, chopped onions and cilantro, a dash of lime. Order a big batch of birria, take it home, batch it out in your freezer, and eat it whenever happiness is a pursuit.

2265 Flower Avenue, Nestor

Grilled Yellowtail Taco at Galaxy Taco

Galaxy Taco

Everyone knows George’s: One of the best chefs in the country, in Trey Foshee. That modern dining room overlooking La Jolla Cove. That rooftop patio doing the same. This is their gourmet taco offshoot under the command of Foshee’s longtime right-hand woman, Christine Rivera. Non-GMO blue corn masa for the tortillas, housemade salsas and cremas and condiments that are exactly as good as you’d expect them to be from Top Chef–caliber chefs. You’re also right by La Jolla Shores—take some tacos and craft cocktails to go. (Please note: I’m not suggesting you drink your cocktails on the beach, as that would be illegal. I am definitely not suggesting that.)

2259 Avenida de la Playa, La Jolla

Las Cuatro Milpas

Sydney Prather

Las Cuatro Milpas

Cash only. People are known to have tacos for breakfast here. What you have is 87 years of taco tradition: Margarita Hernandez opened it in 1933, and generations of her family have kept the legend alive. It’s usually women running the fryers, where they fry up your tortilla to-order. The red, chile-flecked grease will run down your arm as you eat it. Leave it there for a few days to remind you of this good moment.

1857 Logan Avenue, Barrio Logan

Lola 55

Their business model makes no sense to me. They’ve got a top-notch chef in Andrew Bent (ex–Tender Greens, did a stint at Noma’s pop-up restaurant). He uses the highest-quality ingredients, goes the extra mile in preparation (he smokes his carnitas, for example) and somehow only charges $3–$4 for each of them. Try the pork belly al pastor—achiote pork belly, mesquite pineapple, frisée, topped with cilantro crema.

1290 F Street, Downtown

Puesto

Puesto

A San Diego family started this operation years back and now they’ve exploded. I gotta be honest; in the beginning, I loved their better-taco concept more than I loved their tacos. I think they struggled to translate great homespun tacos on such a large volume. But that’s changed. The quality has gotten better every year under chef Luisteen González and now they are excellent. The key, of course, is that cheese frico (cheese toasted into a crispy, caramelized disc) instead of the yawn of bagged shredded cheddar.

5010 Mission Center Road, Mission Valley

¡Salud!

¡Salud!

The stars of Barrio Logan were closed for much of the pandemic, but now they’re open. Ernie Becerra’s family has been in the barrio since the early 1900s, and he’s known as one of those dudes who helps other neighborhood businesses. The kind of guy you feel good about supporting. And of course their tacos are delicious: Try the Barrio Taco with carne guisada topped with beans, nopales, and sour cream.

2196 Logan Avenue, Barrio Logan

Tacos El Gordo

Their al pastor isn’t the only great one in San Diego. We are a city built of tacos (and beer, and tourists), after all. But you can’t really judge other al pastors until you’ve had El Gordo’s—that spit-grilled pork marinating and shaved off constantly, all day, for the massive line that awaits it.

689 H Street, Chula Vista

Tuétano

Located on a quaint little street in San Ysidro, this tiny yellow taco shop is where chef-owner Priscilla Curiel made the bone marrow taco famous in all the lands. You get a corn tortilla stuffed with birria (a legendary Mexican beef stew meat… see my list of the best birria places in the county). Lording over the taco is a prehistoric shank of bone with a stick in it. Dig around for the marrow, spill it onto the taco. It’s nature’s meat butter, and delicious on a spiritual level.

143 West San Ysidro Boulevard, San Ysidro

Stingray Taco at TJ Oyster Bar

TJ Oyster Bar

Their original location could fit about half a human at a time, and you’d often go in and see them with a pile of octopi, tenderizing them one by one. Their tacos (and their smoked tuna fries) became such a local legend that they eventually opened a huge space just a block down.

4246 Bonita Road, Bonita

Squash Blossom Taco at Lola 55

The post My Favorite Taco Shops in San Diego appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Where We Will Live – Steve Matsumoto

“Encinitas”

“With an influx of infrastructure, vogue businesses, and new housing options, Encinitas continues to be one of the hottest markets in San Diego. Home buyers are flocking to the ever-evolving beach city, and median home prices have increased 41.8 percent in 92024 since 2015. The revitalization of the downtown area enhanced the array of boutiques, restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops. New businesses and office spaces dot the 101. A recent SANDAG project added bike paths and pedestrian walkways, increasing walkability. Stellar schools, picturesque beaches, and a relaxed vibe make Encinitas a popular destination in today’s market.”

—Steve Matsumoto, broker, Compass

Where We Will Live – Tommy Walker

“Paradise Hills”

“The neighborhood of Paradise Hills has seen a significant jump in sales. The average across San Diego County is a 21.6 percent increase, and Paradise Hills has seen a 37.5 percent increase. It’s an up-and-coming neighborhood, as it’s in a central location in South Bay. The community comes together three times a year to put together events for the neighborhood. New businesses like Project Reo Collective (a community arts collective and café), as well as seasoned local businesses like Babycakes, are calling Paradise Hills home. People also visit to see the murals, and there’s the House of Boxing gym, which Canelo Álvarez frequents prior to main events.”

—Tommy Walker, broker, Willis Allen

Where We Will Live – Jennifer Wu

“Oceanside”

“With new breweries and restaurants opening up along the coastal business areas, more people are enjoying the living space and culture. Both active service members and veterans are seeking their first home or step-up home here. The median home price in 2018 for a detached three-bedroom, two-bath home in Oceanside was $515,000. As of 2019, a similar property now costs $543,750. These price points, coupled with the growing food and retail culture, make Oceanside the most affordable coastal living in San Diego County.”

—Jennifer Wu, broker, Harcourts Pinnacle

Where We Will Live – Jean Rivaldi.jpg

“Rolando Village”

“This neighborhood borders La Mesa and is bounded by 68th Street on the west, El Cajon Boulevard to the north and University Avenue to the south. The area is seeing a lot of new buyers due to turnover of older homes. Being on the outside of San Diego creates more affordable opportunities and slightly bigger homes for less. With La Mesa’s burgeoning restaurant scene nearby, this is an attractive option—especially for people who are looking to buy and may have been renting in the urban core area of San Diego.”

—Jean Rivaldi, owner, Community Realty

Where We Will Live – Ami Lewallen.jpg

“Mission Valley”

“Get excited, Mission Valley homeowners! The future of Mission Valley is looking up. The San Diego City Council is adopting the Mission Valley Community Plan. Not only can we expect a surge in housing inventory, and an increase in sales price for the location, we can also expect pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly pathways, more parks, and overall better amenities for the community. Considering this revitalization project and the residential population’s expected 248 percent increase, there’s no better time than now to be a homeowner in Mission Valley.”

—Ami Lewallen, owner, Red Rhino Realty

Oceanside, California

The post Where to Live Next in San Diego appeared first on San Diego Magazine.