In San Diego, where fall hovers in the mid-70s and roasting a turkey in a warm SoCal kitchen isn’t for the faint of heart, Thanksgiving takes on a whole new meaning. Fittingly, the city offers a cornucopia of restaurants for the holiday where chefs mix local California freshness with influences from around the world. Whether you’re gathering for a festive restaurant dinner or celebrating at home, there’s no shortage of options: prix fixe multi-course menus and lavish buffets to mouthwatering sit-down feasts and Michelin-approved take-home meals. This year, let San Diego’s natural beauty and culinary creativity do the work for you. Here are 30 of the city’s best spots serving Thanksgiving dinner in San Diego this year.
If you’re looking for traditional flavors with a coastal twist, then swing by George’s at the Cove for their ocean view Thanksgiving prix fixe menu. For over 40 years, the award-winning culinary team has wowed guests with locally sourced dishes and unbeatable sunset views…and this Thanksgiving is no exception. Chefs Trey Foshee, Masa Kojima, and Anna Adams are serving up an elevated classics, from roasted Diestel turkey with cranberry cornbread stuffing and smoked potato purée to sweet potato casserole and cheesecake topped with salted crème fraîche whip and pepita brittle.
Escape to Rancho Bernardo Inn’s picturesque gardens and rolling hills for a Thanksgiving dinner that has something for every mood. Guests can choose from an elegant buffet in the Aragon Ballroom, a carefully curated four-course dinner at Avant, or enjoy a cozy three-course meal at Veranda. Every option is thoughtfully prepared with Thanksgiving classics, seasonal highlights, and the warm flavors of fall, making it the quintessential setting to reminisce with family and friends in the Inn’s serene and scenic surroundings.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | Aragon Ballroom at 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | Avant at 4-8 p.m. | Veranda at 1:30 a.m.-9 p.m
Price: Aragon Ballroom: $145 per adult, $60 per child | Avant: $125 per adult, $65 per child | Veranda: $75 per adult
Address: 17550 Bernardo Oaks Dr, Rancho Bernardo
Le Coq
For a lavish feast, Le Coq is offering its French-Asian twist on Thanksgiving classics featuring a four-course menu with tuna crudo with chili tamarind, lamb chops with sorrel and grape, and a turkey roulade with cranberry sauce and fried sage. Seasonal sides like pomme purée and roasted acorn squash round out the spread, while decadent desserts such as chocolate mousse cake or Mont Blanc make for a sweet ending to your festive gathering.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | 1 p.m.–7 p.m.
Price: $107 per adult | $42 per child
Address: 7837 Herschel Ave, La Jolla
Old Hickory
At Old Hickory Steakhouse you can harness the beauty of modern California architecture for the finest Thanksgiving dining. Overlooking the Chula Vista Bayfront, they’ll be offering a refined three-course menu with options like chestnut agnolotti, bouquet of lettuces with honey whipped ricotta, prosciutto-wrapped turkey breast, dry-aged prime rib, or Chilean sea bass. And, end the meal with indulgent desserts including pumpkin pie, chocolate cinnamon millefeuille, or even a sweet potato ice cream sundae. Don’t miss out, grab your seat here.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | Time details coming soon
Price: $95 per adult
Address:1000 H St, Chula Vista
Provisional Kitchen at The Pendry
“Dine Diego,” are you ready for Thanksgiving twice this year? Dive into the season with a culinary celebration for a cause at the Pendry’s Chefsgiving dinner on Nov. 13. This community-centered evening supports the San Diego Food Bank and is hosted by San Diego Magazine’s co-owner and content chief Troy Johnson, featuring some of the city’s top culinary talents, including chefs from Provisional Kitchen, Ember & Rye, 31ThirtyOne, Serea, and more. Tickets include a $30 donation to the San Diego Food Bank and artfully arranged wine pairings. Reservations are required, so grab yours ASAP.
If you’re looking for round two, the Pendry is keeping the Thanksgiving spirit alive on Nov. 27. Executive chef Brandon Sloan at Provisional Kitchen will craft a specialty three-course prix fixe menu perfect for friends and family. Reservations are required for this experience as well.
Date & Time: Chefsgiving: Nov.13 at 6 p.m. | Thanksgiving Dinner: Nov. 27 from 2-4:30 p.m.
Price: Chefsgiving: $150 per person (ages 21+) | Thanksgiving Dinner: $100 per adult, $40 per child
Address: 425 Fifth Ave, Gaslamp Quarter
Lilian’s at Rancho Santa Fe
Lilian’s offers a storybook Thanksgiving dinner featuring tender roasted turkey, buttery mashed potatoes, savory and sweet stuffing, and pumpkin pie. With a four-course menu and flexible seating options, it’s perfect for family, friends who want a classic celebration without lifting a finger.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | 1 p.m.-8 p.m.
Price: $175
Address: 5951 Linea Del Cielo, Rancho Santa Fe
Mister A’s
Give thanks with a side of San Diego skyline at Mister A’s, the iconic 12th-floor dining destination where its views make indulging in extra pie feel effortlessly glam. On November 27 only, start with appetizers like Vidalia sweet onion soup and baked carbonara mac & cheese. Then move into mains such as herb-crusted lamb loin with squash purée or an 8 oz prime beef filet, alongside sides like truffle fries and more. Oh, and did I mention the pumpkin sticky toffee pudding and apple cranberry cobbler? Mister A’s three-course prix fixe has it all. Reservations are open now.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | 12 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Price: Buffet: $110 per person
Address: 2550 Fifth Avenue, Ste 406, Bankers Hill
Sea & Sky
Take your Thanksgiving to the next level at Sea & Sky, where breathtaking ocean views meet a meticulously crafted two-course experience with dessert. Partake in a culinary journey through the freshest seafood and locally sourced ingredients with dishes like fairy tale pumpkin soup, grilled apple and Pt. Reyes blue tart, or baby kale salad piled high with local pear, serrano ham, and spiced candied pecans. Then choose your main event: heritage roasted turkey with all the classics, coffee-dusted filet of beef, grilled red snapper, or butternut squash Casareccia pasta, all paired with family-style sides. Top it all off with pumpkin pie or mixed berry crostata with pistachio gelato and you’ve got a Thanksgiving worth savoring.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
Price: $85 per adult | $50 per child
Address: 7955 La Jolla Shores Dr, La Jolla
Café Sevilla
Experience Thanksgiving “from another feather” at Café Sevilla, where Spanish flair meets holiday tradition. Enjoy a three-course menu featuring Thanksgiving classics with a Spanish twist, from champiñónes y crema soup, Spanish beer-glazed duck, and pumpkin empanadas. These bold, flavorful dishes are available all day, either à la carte or as a full menu (dinner menu also available). Reservations aren’t required, but you won’t want to miss the authentic Spanish ambiance, tapas, Spanish wines, and refreshing sangrias, all bringing the flavors of Spain to your Thanksgiving table.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | All day
Price: $49.50 per adult
Address: 353 Fifth Ave, San Diego
Herb & Wood
For a rustic Thanksgiving that doesn’t involve doing the dishes, join celebrity chef Brian Malarkey’s flagship for a traditional menu featuring shrimp cocktail with smoked sauce, beef tartare, pork belly with roasted apple and squash purée, lamb lollipops, and roasted turkey with all the classic sides. Secure your spot, sit back, and enjoy a timeless yet approachable fall celebration.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | 1 p..m.-7 p.m.
Price: $92 per adult | $38 per child
Address: 2210 Kettner Blvd, Little Italy
Animae
At Animae, Thanksgiving takes on a new form where sleek modern design meets culinary theater. Chef Tara Monsod brings her Filipino-American perspective to the holiday with a four-course feast featuring scallop crudo, duck confit arroz caldo, soy-glazed turkey roulade, and pumpkin and coconut profiteroles. Make this year a futuristic take on Art Deco, where time and space feel suspended. The full menu and reservations are available now.
Skip the hours of prep and cooking (that feel like days) this Thanksgiving and treat yourself to bold Indian flavors at Charminar in San Diego. While the exact menu changes each year, past holiday offerings have included traditional dishes and special weekend treats like Goat Dum Biryani and Tandoori Fish Pomfret. Follow along online for this year’s holiday menu and special offerings, perfect for adding spice to your Thanksgiving table.
Date & Time: Nov. 27
Price: To Be Confirmed
Address: 6755 Mira Mesa Blvd Ste 111, San Diego
Giardino
The 2025 Critics’ Pick and Runner-Up for The Best Restaurant in Lemon Grove, Giardino is a casual Italian-inspired cucina where San Diegans gather for fresh, flavorful classics from across Italy. This Thanksgiving, enjoy a three-course preset menu for $55 per adult, with a kids’ menu available for $19. Secure your spot early and check its website to view the full menu with details coming soon.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | 12–8 p.m.
Price: $55 per adult | $19 per child
Address: 7067 Broadway, Lemon Grove, San Diego
Courtesy of Catamaran Resort
Thanksgiving Buffets in San Diego
Brickmans Restaurant and Bar
Skip the stress of cooking this year and let Brickman’s do the work. Its Thanksgiving Day Buffet at Lakehouse Resort features a towering spread of fall classics like apple cider and clove-glazed ham, citrus maple–glazed salmon, lemon oregano seasonal squash, mini corn dogs for the kids, and more, all accompanied by live music on the patio and in the dining room. Gather with family and relax with serene lakeside views; it’s a chaos-free yet classy way to celebrate. Reservations are now available.
Thanksgiving at The Del is the kind of holiday scene that belongs in a rom-com: Seaside windows, families dressed in their fall best, and a table that feels straight out of a dream. Dine in the beautifully restored Crown Room and Coronet Rooms, or the Ocean Ballroom (home to a newly uncovered 1888 fresco mural) and enjoy a lavish buffet of favorites, regional specialties, and mouthwatering desserts.
Beneath the Crown Room’s 33-foot sugar pine ceilings and chandeliers designed by The Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum, guests can savor every bite surrounded by the hotel’s signature grandeur. After dinner, explore the resort’s “A Holiday in Oz” celebration, complete with oceanfront Skating by the Sea, thousands of twinkling lights, and stunning seasonal décor. The menu is coming soon, but reservations are open now.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | Crown Room at 12:30-7 p.m. | Ocean Ballroom at 1-6 p.m.
Price: Adults: $274.25 (prices increase by $25 on Nov. 1), $125.36 per child (ages 5–12)
Address: 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado
Rumorosa
A Cali-Baja Thanksgiving? Sign me up. At Rumorosa’s bountiful buffet overlooking the water, expect Turkey Al Pastor, Rumorosa paella, specialty cocktail stations, and all the festive favorites imaginable. Even add in an Apple Cider Hot Toddy or Ferrero Rocher martini for a chef’s twist on tradition. Reserve your table for a flavorful holiday celebration on Harbor Island.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | 12 p.m.-5 p.m.
Price: $89 per adult | $45 per child
Address: 1380 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego
Rancho Valencia
Thanksgiving at Rancho Valencia is a full-on family affair. The buffet features a legendary raw bar, carving stations, and endless seasonal favorites, plus a dessert spread that’s as rich as it is impressive. Kids can roam the lawn with a petting zoo, bounce house, carriage rides, face painting, and arts and crafts.
Maybe you prefer to celebrate at home. Thanksgiving To-Go lets you bring the feast to your kitchen table. Order online by Nov. 21 for pickup on Nov. 26 for a dinner serving four or more, with oven-ready dishes including Diestel Farms herb-brined, free-range turkey, plus vegan and gluten-free options, all designed for effortless holiday entertaining. Call 858-759-6246 to reserve.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Price: Thanksgiving buffet: $245 per adult, $95 per child (ages 3–11) | To-Go: $350 minimum order
Address: 5921 Valencia Cir, Rancho Santa Fe
Ember & Rye
At Ember & Rye, Thanksgiving starts at brunch overlooking the 18th green at the Arnold Palmer–designed Aviara Golf Club. Guests can enjoy poached jumbo shrimp, Peruvian ceviche, lobster roll verrines, and a rotating selection of sushi and sashimi, followed by carving stations featuring cedar-plank Ora King salmon, and mala-spice crusted prime rib. Hot dishes and sides include brown butter sweet potato tartlets, roasted root vegetables, veal scallopini with shaved truffle, and charred lemon chicken gravy. The dessert spread is equally insane with pumpkin pies, pistachio orange blossom tartlets, raspberry lime cheesecake, and pumpkin macarons.
If breakfast isn’t your thing, swing by the vintage clubhouse in the evening for dinner specials of smoked turkey with yuzu cranberry sauce or Kurobuta porchetta with Wagyu tallow gravy. Finish with pecan pie drizzled in maple passionfruit caramel and served with brown butter ice cream.
Date & Time: Nov 27 | Brunch: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. | Dinner: 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Price: Brunch: $165 per adult, $65 per child (ages 2-12) | Dinner: À la carte
Address: 7447 Batiquitos Dr, Carlsbad
ARLO
The 2025 Reader’s Choice winner for Best Hotel Restaurant, ARLO, is hosting an all-day Thanksgiving buffet where you can chow, sip, and catch every NFL play without missing a bite, whether you’re inside or out on the patio. Start with Agrumato and Aleppo pepper poached shrimp or a roasted butternut bisque before digging into the carving, Santa Maria, pasta, and plancha stations. Expect rosemary-crusted prime rib, butter-roasted turkey thighs, pan-seared Skuna Bay salmon, and sides like chestnut and sage stuffing and buttery mashed potatoes. And if you’ve still got room, don’t pass up the apple pie, just one of several dessert options. RSVP for your plate.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | 12p..m.-8 p.m.
Price: $95 per adult | $45 per child under 12
Address: 500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego
The Lodge at Torrey Pines
Celebrate Thanksgiving with the smoky flavors of The Grill at Torrey Pines. From chimney-roasted turkey with traditional fixin’s to pumpkin pie with candied cranberries and whipped crème fraîche, plus chimney-smoked carrots, creating your own staple feast is a breeze. Your chair (and plate) are ready for a dinner to remember.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | 5 p.m.-10 p.m.
Price: Buffet: $75 per person
Address: 11480 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla
Fairmont Grand Del Mar
Thanksgiving at Fairmont Grand Del Mar is an experience made for indulgence. Choose between Amaya’s refined three-course tasting menu or the Grand Ballroom’s lavish family buffet, both set against the resort’s elegance. Amaya’s menu leans sophisticated, with scallop ceviche, rosemary turkey roulade, and black pepper king salmon, followed by pumpkin crémeux or apple tarte Tatin.
The buffet features baked brie with Grand Del Mar honey, vibrant winter greens with roasted squash and persimmons, a raw bar of Carlsbad oysters and citrus ceviche, and even carving stations with prime rib, porchetta, and roasted turkey. Whichever you choose, this is Thanksgiving served with a touch of style.
Price: Amaya: $175 per adult, $75 per child (ages 3–12) | Ballroom & Solana Buffet: $195 per adult, $85 per child (ages 3–12)
Address: 5300 Grand Del Mar Court, San Diego
Vessel – Kona Kai
This year, let executive chef Ethan Brown do the cooking while you soak up the Vessel waterfront. Let the morning unfold over a buffet brimming with mini crab cakes and prime rib with horseradish cream or settle in for a refined prix fixe dinner featuring pumpkin velouté, Chioggia beet salad, turkey roulade, salmon en croûte, and an array of desserts from pumpkin and Southern pecan to chocolate peanut butter and classic apple pie. With flavors that nod to tradition but carry chef Brown’s signature finesse, this is Thanksgiving done effortlessly and deliciously. Reserve your table here.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | Buffet 11 a.m.–4 p.m. | Prix fixe 5–9 p.m.
Price: Buffet: $89 per adult, $39 per child (ages 5–12), free for kids under 5 | Prix fixe $55 per adult, $19 per child
Address: 1551 Shelter Island Dr., San Diego
The Bahia Resort Hotel
Spend Thanksgiving by the water at Dockside 1953, where the celebration comes with panoramic Mission Bay views and more dining options than you could possibly taste in one sitting. Dockside 1953 has a holiday-themed brunch followed by a signature dinner with à la carte offerings and a traditional turkey plate.
Want to sample it all? Don’t worry, the Thanksgiving Buffet Feast in the Mission Bay Ballroom features oysters with apple mignonette, a build-your-own poke bowl, apple cider and citrus-brined turkey breast, seafood or pumpkin risotto, tender beef medallions, and desserts like coffee and pumpkin pie crème brûlée, all paired with a complimentary glass of bubbles. Families can also climb aboard the Thanksgiving Day Cruise for a festive spin around Mission Bay complete with face painting, balloon art, and holiday crafts for the kids. For any additional questions, call them at (858) 539-7634.
Price: Brunch and Dinner à la carte | Buffet: $115 per adult, $50 per child (5–12), complimentary for ages 4 and under | Bay Cruise: $24.05 per adult, free for ages 0–4
Address: 998 W Mission Bay Dr, San Diego
Courtesy of Juniper & Ivy
Thanksgiving Take-Home Meals in San Diego
Juniper & Ivy
Spend Turkey Day at home with Juniper & Ivy. Back by popular demand, their highly anticipated Thanksgiving Take-Home packages deliver a no-fuss feast featuring fresh ingredients and elevated flavors that have made Juniper & Ivy a San Diego favorite. This year, the culinary team is putting a chef-driven spin on holiday classics while keeping the flavors you know and love. Every hyper-local, show-stopping dish comes ready to heat and serve, taking the stress out of hosting so you can actually enjoy the day (outside of the kitchen). Last year, packages sold out fast, so bookmark this page and snag yours in time.
Elevated comfort food meets seasonal at Great Maple’s Thanksgiving pickup. This modern American eatery has crafted a sustainably sourced, crave-worthy Dinner Box featuring fall squash soup with caramelized apple and toasted hazelnuts, thyme-rosemary roasted turkey breast with pan gravy, maple mash yams with golden raisins, an all green apple margarita for two, and pumpkin pie with a gingersnap graham cracker crust.
Founded by award-winning restaurateur and San Diego native Johnny Rivera, Great Maple brings Michelin-guide flair right to your home. The Hillcrest spot is also offering Thanksgiving 2025 whole pies, ready for pickup. Pick one, or both—either way, it’s a Thanksgiving win.
Pre-order a pasture-raised, naturally-fed turkey from Diestel Farms at The Wise Ox in North Park or La Costa this Thanksgiving. Birds come 16–18 pounds and can be paired with homemade gravy, meat butters, Italian sausage, and a pumpkin or apple crumble pie by executive pastry chef Jeremy Harville. How it works: Place a $50 deposit (open now) to reserve your bird and pick it up at the shop the week of Thanksgiving, starting Tuesday, Nov. 25 through Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Price: Turkeys $8.99/lb | Pies $35 each
Address: North Park: 2855 El Cajon Blvd | La Costa: 7755 El Camino Real
Tribute Pizza
Tribute Pizza might just make pizza a mandatory dish at every Thanksgiving table. Last year, owner Matthew Lyons served two versions of Thanksgiving dinner: a comforting vegetarian option featuring a decades-old family recipe for a savory cheese and nut loaf, and an all-natural turkey breast lightly smoked and roasted in the wood oven. Both were paired with porcini mushroom gravy, Aunt Lynette’s Southwest stuffing, wood-fired focaccia with butter, and an organic greens and walnut salad. While this year’s menu is still being finalized, Tribute Pizza is expected to offer a Thanksgiving dinner package in 2025. Keep an eye on its website and socials to snag your pre-order spot for a casual yet elevated holiday feast at home.
Date & Time: Thanksgiving Dinner Pre-Orders TBD
Price: TBD
Address: 3077 North Park Way, Suite 100, San Diego
Mama’s Pies
San Diego’s sweetest tradition is back. Mama’s Pies, the annual Thanksgiving bake sale from Mama’s Kitchen, returns for its 21st year, each pie funding 12 healthy meals for locals facing critical illness. Choose from pumpkin, traditional apple, pecan, Dutch apple, or the oh-so-secret mystery flavor, back by popular demand. Pies are $35 and on sale through Nov. 21 (or until they sell out) on its website. With pickup on Nov. 26 at nine sites across the county. With help from some of the city’s top culinary names—Sugar & Scribe, Bahia Resort Hotel, MIHO Catering, and more—Mama’s Pies proves that doing good can taste even better.
The charmingly chic neighborhood restaurant Finca is preparing a family-style feast to-go, taking all the work out of menu planning on the stress-cooking-induced holiday. The Thanksgiving spread is intended to feed 3 to 4 people, and chef Joe Bower and the culinary team are including whole roasted duck and leg confit with black pepper honey glaze, potato dauphinoise with parmesan cream, local honey nut squash with Calabrian chile, lemon, and almond crumble, rosemary duck gravy, and fresh baked Parker House rolls. Plus, all dishes will be par-cooked and sent with warming instructions. Meals will be available to reserve via OpenTable soon!
Date & Time: Pick up Wednesday, Nov. 26 | 12p.m.-6 p.m.
Price: $165 per family-style feast
Address: 3066 North Park Way, San Diego
Courtesy of Pop Pie Co.
Local Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving
Pop Pie Co.
What’s better than a cozy Thanksgiving? One that smells like turkey pot pie straight out of the oven. Pop Pie Co.’s Thanksgiving tradition is back, and it’s basically the shortcut to an at-home holiday feast. Last year’s menu brought pumpkin cream cheese, vegan apple cranberry ginger, and salted caramel apple crumble pies that had San Diegans lining up early. This year, expect the same mix of sweet, savory, and everything in between. Grab them hot and ready, or take them home frozen to bake once the food coma wears off.
Date: Pies available during business hours leading up to and on Thanksgiving Day.
Price: Check their website starting November 1 for this year’s price breakdowns
Addresses: 4404 Park Blvd. Suite A | 4195 Voltaire St. | 829 Garnet Ave. | 1517 30th St. | 2956 Roosevelt St. #3, Carlsbad
A true San Diego classic, Big Kitchen Café has been a South Park staple for over 40 years. Run by Judith “Judy the Beauty on Duty” Forman, this neighborhood spot is built on fresh ingredients and local love. With house-baked muffins and coffee cake, honey-baked hams, and freshly roasted turkey, Big Kitchen feels like a hug from Golden Hill itself.
Regular’s favorites include Whoopie’s Breakfast (eggs, bacon, potatoes, toast, and fresh orange juice), Nova’s Favorite (spinach, eggs, and cheese with fruit, tortillas, and salsa), and Judy’s Favorite Scramble with spinach, mushrooms, and sherry. Pancakes come piled high with chopped walnuts, strawberries, or creamy peanut butter. So if you’re looking for a Thanksgiving brunch out without the green bean casseroles, Big Kitchen Café is your place.
Date & Time: Nov. 27 | 8 a.m.–2 p.m. (normal business hours)
Isabella Dallas is a freelance writer for San Diego Magazine and the Arts and Culture Editor at The Daily Aztec in her final year at San Diego State University. She previously worked as an editorial intern for SDM, but when she’s not writing, you can find her trying the best coffee spots in SD, devouring the latest rom-coms, and indulging in anything and everything pop culture.
You have to be crazy or a genius to name a restaurant Fish Guts. You have to be even crazier to open a restaurant that holds maybe two dozen people at a time—if you don’t mind elbowing one other while scarfing down some of the best fish tacos in San Diego.
And yes, “best” is a relative term. But in Fish Guts’ case, it’s for real—and that’s saying something in a town literally world-famous for fish tacos.
Ever since Pablo Becker opened up his diminutive eatery in 2023 at the corner of Logan Avenue and Sampson Street in Barrio Logan, Fish Guts has been named one of the city’s best new restaurants in 2023, Critic’s Pick for the best fish tacos in San Diego in 2024, 2025 and 2026, as well as readers’ top pick in 2024. It’s like if Rubio’s married into the royal family.
Most of his ingredients come straight from the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean, which happens to be down the street. His de espada (blackened swordfish) taco is the stuff of legend. He’s kept Fish Guts operating at an elite level, which tends to happen when you work for five years in Chicago under chef Richard Sandoval (who, by chance, is also his cousin) and open an ahead-of-its-time high-end modern Mexican restaurant in East Village (El Vitral Restaurant & Tequileria, 2009-2013).
Now Becker is branching out again, opening two new concepts in Barrio Logan this fall.
The first will be upstairs from Fish Guts, which at one point was destined to become an intimate omakase counter. Santo Poco will be a lunch-only sandwich shop, offering takeout and delivery (no dine-in), and the sandwiches will be a little Mexican, a little French, a little Italian, a little from Chicago, a little from New York. Basically, a bunch of different styles all on really, really good bread.
“There’s probably going to be a Cuban-style sandwich in there with a touch of Mexican, some cold cut Italians, too, putting my touch on them,” he says. “That’s what I feel like is my style of cooking.”
Things will be traditional, but inventive. Like his fish & chips taco at Fish Guts: two classic dishes, one killer mash-up. There will also be a hat tip to the late, great Anthony Bourdain, a sandwich called the Antonio Bourdain.
The second will be across the street from Fish Guts in the former Lia’s Lumpia space. Concrete Cowboy will be a taco-driven joint on the same wavelength as Fish Guts (keep it simple, keep it special), but featuring land animals rather than sea brethren. Think tacos made with duck confit, ribeye, pork belly, skirt steak.
The inspiration behind Concrete Cowboy comes from Becker’s father, a lifelong Western obsessive, despite growing up in Mexico City’s urban metropolis. “He always liked that cowboy life, that vibe,” he says. “I always say ‘Dad, you just grew up in the wrong city.”
He’s aiming to open Santo Poco in October and Concrete Cowboy in November. Neither require massive renovations, and while the former Lia’s Lumpia space will keep the cabin-esque aesthetic, he’s creating more of an adobe-style exterior and an interior lined with Western-themed wallpaper and taxidermied animals. He’ll also tweak the bar layout to move from a fast-casual feel to full service.
Local designer Dane Danner is designing both spaces and visual direction for menu layouts, logos, and packaging, going for low-key, but high on vibes. Once Concrete Cowboy opens, Fish Guts will temporarily close to remodel the space to switch its white palette for a warmer feel, plus introducing a refreshed menu featuring some new tacos and other items.
Could another Fish Guts be on the way somewhere else in San Diego? Not likely, says Becker. “Fish Guts is cool, “ he says. “I feel once you start branching out, it’s more forced, not as organic.” So for now, count on Becker staying in the neighborhood.
Santo Poco opens for lunch daily October 2026, 2222 Logan Avenue (above Fish Guts). Concrete Cowboy opens Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner November 2026, 2219 Logan Avenue.
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
Ten years ago, restaurant design centered around sleek minimalism. Fonts lacked serifs, clean lines dominated, and any manufacturer that made globe-shaped chandeliers must have made an absolute killing.
Things have changed since then, and Jeff Fink says it’s time for Madison on Park to glow up. On September 7, Madison will temporarily close its doors for a top-to-bottom renovation of the space and concept. Fink hopes to reopen this fall ahead of the busy holiday season, with a new look he calls moody mid-century maximalism.
“We have to take into consideration what’s going on culturally,” he says. When Madison first opened, TikTok wasn’t a thing in the U.S. and craft cocktails felt relatively cutting-edge. Today, he sees a resurgence in the vintage look, handmade goods, and low-to-no ABV drinks dominating menus everywhere.
Courtesy of Madison on Park | Photo Credit: Andy McRory
Fink and his partner Matt Sieve have already dabbled with that sort of motif at Sonny’s Pizza, their Brooklyn-inspired joint around the corner. Fully half of the cocktail menu is made up of spritzes, mocktails, and Negronis. Madison 2.0 will take it further.
The new concept doesn’t have a name yet—Fink says they have to feel out the vibes as they make progress with the design. “The name comes when you see it appear,” he says. But he has a few design elements in mind: things like more artwork and more uplighting. “Not cluttered and overstuffed… I want to keep it intimate, sexy, and immersive.”
Madison rightly earned its rep as one of the best-dressed eateries in San Diego, nabbing an Orchid Award for interior design its first year. The returning designers Anna and David Sindelar originally transformed the space from weird padded walls and fake greenery at Lei Lounge into a mid-century modern wonderland, complete with a signature arched ceiling and geometric patterns aplenty. Michelin-recognized chef Mario Cassineri (Ciccia Osteria, Bice Ristorante) built a menu heavy on Mediterranean flavors mixed with California classics.
The new menu shouldn’t feel completely jarring, but will take cues from Fink’s recent travels in Spain with his family. Expect shareable plates with lighter ingredients. “Americans eat way too much, and our portions are way too big,” he says. “I like the idea of smaller plates, healthier plates, and being creative… I’d rather see 15 items on the menu that are all less than $20 so that I can try different ones.” Bar manager Danny Kuehner will continue developing craft cocktails and mocktails for the new venture, as well as curating a selection of wine from Europe and locally.
Courtesy of Madison on Park | Photo Credit: Haley Hill
This isn’t the only project on their plate. Besides running Sonny’s in University Heights and Madi in Normal Heights, later this fall, Fink and Sieve will also open Josie’s, a modern all-day, Midwestern-style diner inspired by Sieve’s Minnesota roots. Like all their restaurants, it’ll hold a special part of their families’ legacies—something Fink hopes people feel as soon as they enter.
“You walk into Sonny’s, you’re like ‘Oh, Jeff’s at home,’” Fink laughs. “[Josies’] will be ‘Matt’s at home.’” The next version of Madison? We’ll have to wait and see.
Madison on Park will temporarily close on September 7 until October (barring any unexpected delays). Keep up with the newest updates on Madison’s Instagram.
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Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
When I was pregnant, my food craving was singular and intense. If I didn’t eat at least one thing doused in cinnamon every day (ideally, more than one), I was—to put it gently—a complete monster.
Since then, my obsession has tempered somewhat. But cinnamon buns still perch high on my top treats list, so I’m always on the lookout for the next great place to indulge. IMO, The Huddle in Mission Hills’ mondo cinnamon roll remains top-tier, but after eyeing the ooey, gooey goodies from Sinner Buns, we might have a contender.
Originally from Ukraine, Daria Nadar had already done everything one can do at a bakery—business operations, wholesale contracts, actually baking, you name it—so during the pandemic, she started dabbling with perfecting her cinnamon rolls. After she got a couple fans over social media, she threw her first pop-up to see how they’d be received. She sold out.
After a few false starts with a couple storefronts and business deals, Nadar officially launched Sinner Buns in October 2025 with her partner Filipe Pazi. After making it through an unexpectedly hectic season stuffed with holiday orders, the team closed temporarily to get everything in line and reopened this April. Business has remained in full swing ever since.
There are only so many ingredients in a cinnamon roll, but “the process is what makes it special,” she says, adding they use fresh yeast rather than powder and a 48-hour process for each batch of brioche dough made to order. (Thus the need for pre-orders.) Customers can preorder until Thursday each week for pickup Friday, Saturday, or Sunday from Sinner Buns’ ghost kitchen at 780 Hollister Street, just east of Imperial Beach.
You can also catch her at various pop-ups around San Diego. Eventually, Nadar opens to offer nationwide shipping (once she figures out the logistics and quality control) and one day, her own storefront.
But it’ll be on her terms, not the whims of social media. “We already learned how to not only rely on virality of the product, because you go viral and then it fades,” she says. “It’s a slow burner, and I know eventually, it’s going to grow much more.”
Courtesy of San Diego Spirits Festival
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Beth’s Bites
Get spirited away at the 17th annual San Diego Spirits Festival. If you understood that reference, I regret to inform you that it is not a Studio Ghibli watchathon, but it’s still a win with a bonanza of craft makers pouring libations at the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla for two full days. On September 26-27, try sips, glugs, and guzzles from brands like Condesa Gin and Uncle Nearest (with some bites to wash it all down, of course). Could you ask for a more picturesque venue? Spoiler alert: no.
You love to see a longtime employee take the reins of a beloved local institution. That’s exactly what happened at Konito’s Cafe in Pacific Beach, which is currently transitioning to Pablo’s Cafe, which is now under new ownership. (Yes, his name is Pablo.) Will their breakfast sandwich still slap? Guess we’ll have to go find out.
I’ve yet to visit Tigawok, the small California-based chain serving mini bowls like Kung Pao chicken and Mapo tofu. But the latest storefront (and the first in San Diego) is now soft open in La Jolla, and it’s only a matter of time before their Sichuan shredded chicken gets in my belly.
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
Implementing a farm-to-table model hardly deserves acknowledgement these days. It’s not a stretch. It’s not innovative. “It’s the bare f**king minimum,” says Herb & Sea‘s executive chef Aidan Owens.
When I arrive at the Encinitas restaurant, I’m ready to talk sustainability, farm-to-table stuff, with Owens. “Did you see the chin on that?” he says of the extra big jiggly chin on the sheephead that just arrived with the day’s fresh catch. I did. It was Jay Leno adjacent.
I learn quickly that he somehow oozes both charm and stone-cold honesty. Maybe he could construct a new dish with chin goo, like he did when he had a bunch of tuna scraps and voila’d it into a smooth and crowd-pleasing ‘nduja. “I want to know what’s in there,” he says.
Courtesy of Herb & Sea
The instinct to look closer, to dig into what others might discard, says a lot about the chef’s approach. I guide him back to our topic, but he has something else on his mind. “We’re overcomplicating food—what happened to just cooking good food and having fun with it?”
Owens grew up on a farm in Byron Bay, Australia, where sustainability wasn’t a concept you chat about so much as a way of life. Think dirt roads, backyard chickens, pulling vegetables straight from the ground, and a mother who believed that if you couldn’t pronounce the ingredients on a package, you shouldn’t eat what was inside.
Food wasn’t precious or performative. Making it was what you did because you were hungry and that’s still what inspires Owens today. “I like to cook good food because I like to eat good food,” he says.
His approach to sustainability at Herb & Sea began so naturally that it felt just like instinct. “I was just like, ‘Let’s order food from the people who live and work here,’” he says.
Courtesy of Herb & Sea
And why wouldn’t he when lives in San Diego? Cities all over the world vie for our goods. Our tuna is sent overseas. Our spiny lobsters hit dinner plates in China and Japan. Not to mention California’s producing a third of the country’s vegetables and three-quarters of its fruits and nuts.
“Why would we outsource when it’s all here?” Owens asks.
Sustainability, in this context, is about cooking what exists in abundance, nearby, right now. “I love the local fish here. It’s f**king delicious and San Diego citrus, I mean, it is so f**ing good,” he says.
Instead of importing ingredients, Owens also looks for nearby alternatives. “You can find really cool things in the local waters,” he says, pointing out that stingray cheeks taste similar to scallops.
Courtesy of Herb & Sea
Whatever he finds in that sheephead chin might just be the next substitute for marrow. But to make this work, it means getting diners amped up about the slightly unfamiliar.
Tasting menus, where diners are completely in his hands, become an opportunity to gently push boundaries. “I’ll serve mackerel, because people think they hate it,” Owens says, noting that the abundant local fish can have some fishiness. “But when it’s fresh, it’s arguably one of the best fish in the ocean.”
He also tweaks the language on the menu so people might feel more compelled to give dishes a try without preconceived notions. He might use “lengua” instead of “tongue.” “Whelk” instead of “snail.” When he puts “stingray throat” on the menu, he disarmingly calls it “skate.”
To reduce waste, scraps aren’t always discarded but rather turned into something new. Sometimes they’re smoked, cured or fermented. Apples going bad turn into apple ponzu. Lemons turn to marmalade, which stretches their usefulness far beyond peak season. “And it’s super tasty on our pizza,” he says.
What makes the food even richer, is the relationships he’s built with farmers. Though it didn’t always feel natural, Owens sought personal connection first. He recalls approaching a fisherman at the Tuna Harbor Dockside Market. “I was awkward,” he says. “I went up to him and said, ‘I like your fish.’”
Owen’s is now so close to his suppliers—like fishermen Ryan Sebo and Joe Daly—that he gets texted pictures of fresh catches right as they flop on the boat. The messages always ask if he wants first dibs. “I say yes to a lot of fish,” Owens says, noting that Herb & Sea can go through 2,000 pounds of seafood a week.
Courtesy of Herb & Sea
The next evolution of sustainability, in his view, will be chefs working directly with producers such as his alliance with Sebo, cutting out middlemen and purveyors where possible. “It will put more money in the pockets of the people doing the work,” he says.
It will mean that chefs can’t just know their local farmers and producers, but they’ll choose to work with the ones who have the best practices. Dining and sustainability will become much less about the final plate. “It will be more about the impact that plate has on the Earth,” he says.
Ultimately, he believes sustainability doesn’t need to be loud. It doesn’t need hashtags. It just needs to be honest.
“We aren’t saving lives. We’re feeding people good food,” he says.
And yet, in feeding people well—simply, thoughtfully, responsibly—something meaningful happens. Guests leave satisfied. Ingredients are respected. Local ecosystems are supported and food returns to what it has always been at its core: nourishment, pleasure, and a quiet reflection of the place it comes from.
When San Diego launched Micro Enterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKO), it changed everything. Riverside County first established the experimental program in 2019, with San Diego introducing its own countywide pilot program in 2022 and granting it permanent status in 2024. The new category allowed people to launch at-home retail food operations—basically, home restaurants—with special requirements and restrictions to ensure food safety and smooth operations. Over two dozen counties across California have since adopted their own versions with over 1,200 permits issued, around 100 of them in San Diego alone.
Some have a dizzyingly long waitlist (Warung RieRie), others are still getting their name out there (The Hidden Gazebo Eatery), and still others use MEHKO for pickups rather than fully opening their home as an onsite dining facility. Love Pupusas falls into that category.
Yanira Majano came with her family from El Salvador to the United States when she was 11 years old, bringing a love of cooking and desire to share the country’s cuisine along with her. “There’s a lot of similarity [between Salvadoran food and] Central, South America, even Baja Mexico,” she says. Salvadoran cooking tends to be less spicy than some Mexican cuisines, with an emphasis on ingredients like corn, staples like yucca root (cassava), meats like crispy pork (chicharrón), and sides like curtido, a tangy cabbage slaw that’s typically either naturally fermented or vinegar-based.
And of course, the signature dish of El Salvador—pupusas.
In San Diego, Salvadoran food lacks the widespread availability of other Latin American cuisines like Mexican or Peruvian food, but Majano says she’s seen pupusas gain popularity over the past few years. But she likes to think her recipes, which have been passed down by her mother and kitchen partner Martha, contain a certain special something.
Some pupuserías use rice flour to create the handheld stuffed tortillas, but she prefers the more traditional gluten-free corn flour. Still, it’s what’s inside that really counts. “That’s where we put our own touch,” she explains. Most of Majano’s pupusas come with cheese and different fillings like carnitas, black beans, mushrooms, or zucchini, but she also offers vegan options. Every one comes with a side of curtido and salsa, each made fresh daily.
Showing people the magic of home-cooked food might not have been possible without the MEHKO program or The Cook Alliance, a MEHKO support and advocacy coalition. Opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant requires a huge amount of start-up capital—at least six figures, generally. Not exactly pocket change. “But when the MEHKO program started in 2022, I said, ‘Oh my God, this is for me,’” says Majano.
Now with four years under her belt, she says she’d love to bring Love Pupusas to more food festivals, host more pop-ups, and eventually open a food truck to keep serving the humble dish of her homeland, taking pride in every bite. “[I put] a lot of love in everything I do. You see it when you taste the food,” she promises.
Pre-order Love Pupusas for next day pickup in Rancho Peñasquitos between noon and 5 p.m.
It’s not the end of the road for Catalina Offshore Products—just the end of an address. The local family-owned fish market announced that come September, they are moving from their longtime location in the Morena District to The Old San Diego Seafood Building at 1842 McKinley Avenue in National City. Normal business operations will resume in October with the same retail market fully stocked with premium seafood and local catches, so it’s not goodbye, it’s just “see you later.” (And yes, 5202 Lovelock Street is still open until moving day.)
Don’t come at me with complaints about autumnal seasonal creep—I got an email this week about holiday shopping. In August. In comparison, the 2026 release of Karl Strauss Oktoberfest seems right on time. For the 38th year in a row, ahead of the Munich-inspired festivities, the 5 percent ABV malty amber lager is now available in bottles, with draft coming to the brewpubs in September. Despite the lack of chill in the air, there’s no reason why your fridge can’t be stocked with this frosty German delight.
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
The folks at Kairoa Brewing Company must never be lonely. It seems like there’s always a local pop-up or event at the University Heights space, from Bincho Taco slinging Japanese coal-fired tacos on the rooftop patio every Tuesday to Yipao Coffee serving coffee from a window on the ground floor. Later this year, the New Zealand-inspired brewery will bring yet another resident into the fold—Mon Chourie is launching its first bakery counter service window along Park Blvd.
Mon Chourie owner and baker Kelly Kim first started selling her Korean-style cream puffs at farmers markets and places like Pizza Kaiju, Pho Ga Go, and Mixed Grounds, collaborating with a myriad of other makers (like Amor ice cream and Ming Oun’s) before nabbing a regular spot at Michi Michi Bakery every Wednesday. San Diego Magazine readers even voted Mon Chourie the Best Pop-Up for 2026.
In French, the word for an airy puff pastry is “choux,” which is pronounced generally the same way as “syu,” the Korean word for the same item. (Both sound like “shoe.”) Mon Chourie plays with both iterations with a dash of whimsy by referencing the song My Cherie Amour by Stevie Wonder, which translates to “my darling love.”
As long as all the permits and inspections move forward without issue, Mon Chourie should open in Kairoa before the busy holiday season. She’ll continue appearing every Wednesday at Michi Michi and other pop-ups in the meantime. Once open, expect best-selling flavors like the savory potato croquette (a collaboration with Karanchi chili crisp) and a sweet Dubai chocolate choux au craquelin, a version of puff pastry with a delicate cookie crust.
Classic cream puffs are fluffy, softs and often filled with custard cream in the United States. “What makes a difference for us is we use a very light version of diplomat cream, which is my mom’s recipe,” she explains. Diplomat cream is a lighter French pastry cream that uses whipped cream for a lighter, airier end result.
Choux au craquelin’s signature crunchy top comes from adding a thin disc of cookie-like dough on top of the pastry, which crackles as it bakes, leaving a thin layer of crispiness atop the final product. “It contrasts with the creamy, fluffy cream inside, so it gets that better, deeper texture experience,” she says.
Courtesy of Kelly Kim
Along with her popular cream puffs and her bite-sized “mini-choux” options, Kim is also planning on offering more of a newer-to-her item: salt bread, a rich butter pastry topped with sea salt that originated in Japan, but went completely viral in South Korea. There are a few places to get it in Los Angeles and New York, “but I know that a lot of people here are interested in trying out new stuff, or maybe they had it in Korea or Japan, and they came back, but they couldn’t find it anymore,” says Kim. At first, she didn’t really get why it was so popular. Then she tried it in South Korea earlier this year.
“I was in love,” she laughs. “This is what the hype is about.”
Ideally, Mon Chourie will eventually open its own storefront and introduce more events in North County to satisfy demand. “I would also love to have our own drink program that reflects what’s popular in Korea,” she says. And to mark two years of puffy pastry prosperity, Mon Chourie is throwing a two-year anniversary party at Easy Does It (5375 Kearny Villa Rd., Suite 112) on Tuesday, August 25 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. with drink specials like a misugaru latte (a Korean roasted multi-grain powder with espresso), a DJ, photo booths, special ceramic merch created by local ceramicist Whale Tran, and a few other vendors. Get there early.
Mabel’s Gone Fishing has always supported the arts—see their Fishbowl Artist Series—and they’re keeping things going this month with The Studio Table, an immersive dining event on Saturday, August 29 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Barrio Logan-based ceramic studio Tao of Clay. For $160, guests can slurp down oysters and other Spanish-inspired pintxos, Basque ciders, cocktails, and take home a handmade oyster bowl made with reclaimed oyster shells. Gratuity is included for this 21+ event, so be prepared to slow down and enjoy the tangible fruits of nature.
City Tacos keeps moving and shaking, and the restaurant group’s next landing place is Liberty Station. El Punto by City Tacos is slated to open in October in the former El Jardin space (2885 Perry Road, Suite 102). Once destined to become another Lola55 outpost, the space will now become a full-service, family-friendly, and dog-friendly restaurant with seafood, tacos, cocktails, and more.
For as many closings as we’ve seen over the past year, restaurant openings seem to be back on track. The long-awaited Honor Bar finally opened its doors in Del Mar this summer, and Soul Sip in North Park is soft open from 4 p.m. to midnight daily. Still on the way are The Shackhouse by Julian Beer Company (slated to open by Labor Day) and Sprouts Farmers Market plans to open in the former Pancho Villa’s building in North Park this October. (La Mesa is still waiting patiently for Stella Jean’s and Pop Pie to make their debuts.)
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
National Philanthropy Day, presented by PNC Bank, Celebrates the Best of Philanthropy in San Diego
The 53rd Annual National Philanthropy Day Takes Place on November 21. Join us from 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the new Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center!
Once yearly, AFP San Diego joins with others worldwide to celebrate National Philanthropy Day (NPD), a special day set aside to recognize the great contributions of donors and nonprofits that enrich of our community and the world. San Diego’s NPD is one of the largest and most successful in the U.S., attracting nearly 900 participants, including philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, CEOs, board members, development professionals, and business, community, and civic leaders.
Sponsorship proceeds from National Philanthropy Day are reinvested in education, training, scholarships, career development, and the advancement of fundraising professionals throughout San Diego. These resources and training provide fundraising professionals with the tools necessary to support our region’s diverse array of nonprofit organizations, which rely on charitable giving for close to half of their annual revenues.
The National Philanthropy Day Honorees are selected by the NPD Honorary Committee, a group of highly respected, diverse nonprofit and business leaders. Our 2025 Honorees include:
Outstanding Development Emerging Leader – Taylor Thompson Self-Nominated
Outstanding Development Professional – Sharyn Goodson Nominated by: AJ Steinberg & Jeanne Schmelzer
Outstanding Organization for IDEA – Accessity Self-Nominated
Outstanding Philanthropic Institution – Life Science Cares San Diego Nominated by: Blair Search Partners
Outstanding Philanthropist – Dan & Phyllis Epstein Nominated by: CSU San Marcos & KPBS
Outstanding Student Volunteer – Camden Hall Nominated by: Curebound
National Philanthropy Day San Diego provides an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of giving and to celebrate the selfless contributions of individuals and organizations across the region. We look forward to celebrating with you!
Sponsorship opportunities and individual tickets are available. Please visit www.afpsd.org for more information.
