What to See at the WDC’s 2024 World Design Festival

Is there any food more quintessentially San Diegan than the California burrito? That was a rhetorical question since the French fry-stuffed, flour tortilla-wrapped torpedo of carne asada bliss came into being in the 80s (either invented by Lolita’s or Santana’s, depending on who you ask). But now, Vietnamese-Mexican pop-up Một Bánh Mì may be giving the longtime champ a run for its money.

Một Bánh Mì’s original California banh mi takes cues from both cultures, using traditional Vietnamese baguettes from Paris Bakery filled with carne asada and garnished with cilantro-jalapeno crema, Vietnamese mayonnaise, pickled vegetables, cilantro, cucumber, jalapenos, and of course, French fries.

“It’s so San Diego—it’s so us,” says Desmond Bui, pop-up founder and owner with partner Marisol Santiago. “It really encapsulates the Vietnamese-American and Mexican-American journey and identity here.”

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Both grew up in San Diego. Bui is Vietnamese. Santiago is Mexican-American. The sandwich makes utter personal sense.

Neither of them cooked professionally before launching Một Bánh Mì earlier this year, when they popped up for the first time at Convoy Rising for Lunar New Year. But after seeing the rise of the local Vietnamese coffee scene with shops like Saigon Coffee, Chance’s Coffee, and Em Coffee House, Bui knew there was an opportunity for a new generation to put a fresh spin on Vietnamese food in San Diego.

While there are plenty of places to grab a banh mi around town (K Sandwiches, Ba Le French Sandwich Shop, Lee’s Sandwiches, and so on), we’ve yet to hear of a California banh mi. Firsts are being firsted. 

“Banh mi is regarded by top chefs as the best sandwich in the world,” says Bui. (Side note: I concur.) And after discovering overlap between Mexican and Vietnamese cuisines through common ingredients like cilantro, lime, jalapeno, white onion, and pickled vegetables, they began planning a menu. 

Một Bánh Mì also serves Bánh Mì Đặc Biệt (Vietnamese cold cuts), Bánh Mì Thịt Nướng (grilled lemongrass pork banh mi), and Bánh Mì carnitas de hongos (mushroom pâté banh mi), along with some specials like Thịt Nướng tacos (grilled lemongrass pork) and hopefully soon, al pastor trompo banh mi (marinated pork shaved off a spit) and charcoal-grilled adobada.

Other banh mi shops Americanize names for English-speaking audiences—for example, listing “grilled chicken sandwich” instead of Bánh Mì Gà Nướng. Not Một Bánh Mì. If you’re not sure how to pronounce something, Bui says they’re happy to help. It’s an educational opportunity, he explains, as well as a chance for them to be “unapologetically Vietnamese and Mexican.” 

Part of the immersive experience is playing Vietnamese tunes from the ‘60s and ‘70s. 

“When you think of universal languages, what are ways when you travel or meet a different group of people that you can still find common ground and connect and feel like we’re a lot more alike than we are different?” Bui asks. “Food and music.” 

The musical element is part of Một Bánh Mì’s greater vision. They’d like to evolve into a lifestyle brand and media company, with merch, jars of pickled vegetables, you name it. Eventually, they’d like to open a brick-and-mortar somewhere in Mid-City. In the meantime, they’ll continue to pop up at places like Mixed Grounds and Chance’s Coffee, or wherever they can. (Bui called Provecho Coffee their “dream collab,” hint hint.) 

San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events

Beth’s Bites

• San Diego bartenders have been making serious waves over the past few years, and it looks like 2026 is carrying on that momentum. Dominique Muñoz, bar lead at Polite Provisions, just nabbed a top spot on Punch’s Best New Bartenders 2026 list. She’s hardly new to the game, having been behind the stick for nearly a decade and founding the Sirens and Spirits collective to elevate women and nonbinary bartenders in the industry, but it’s fabulous to see some (well-deserved) San Diego representation on the short list. Congrats to Muñoz—we can’t wait to see what you do next.
• Speaking of awards, Tribute Pizza just earned a prize of its own. The North Park pizza palace hit #38 on the 50 Top Pizza list this year (for the fourth year) right before its 10th anniversary on June 2. Here’s to another decade of delightful pies, ridiculously good Caesar salads, and the weird-to-have, but delicious-to-eat Sichuan spicy noodles.  
• But the recognition doesn’t stop there. San Diego’s only three-Michelin-starred restaurant Addison by William Bradley (which is freshly re-open after a thorough renovation) just made San Diego history by being the first restaurant in the city to make it on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 list at #31. Considering there are something around 70,000 restaurants in North America (if not more)—I’d say landing in the top 50 is pretty monumental. 
• San Diego has one of the highest concentrations of people in the African diaspora, including one of the nation’s largest East African populations behind Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. To celebrate the huge diversity of cuisines from countries like Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and beyond, head to the annual San Diego Soul Food Fest on August 1 at the North Park Mini Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Soul food’s roots come from the American South, where generations of enslaved people made do with what resources they had; today, it’s a celebration of culture, cooking, and community. I, for one, am salivating at the thought of getting some legit collard greens and fried catfish.  
• In lieu of catfish, I just might pop over to Bica in Normal Heights on June 20 for the Tuna Takedown, where chefs from Kingfisher, Mabel’s Gone Fishing, Ironside, À L’ouest, Fish Guts (plus a few more) will go full nose-to-tail on a 150-pound bluefin tuna. That’s about as fresh as it gets, and with beer, wine, and a DJ on top of that, I’m hard-pressed to make any other plans that night.

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].

June Gloom isn’t stopping San Diegans from making the most out of the month. There’s something for every music lover, from swaying to smooth jazz at The Rady Shell to rocking out at Slightly Stoopid’s Field of Dreamz Festival. Art enthusiasts can visit the Mingei for an exhibit showcasing Native American and Pacific Rim heritage, while foodies can try the latest fried fad at the San Diego County Fair. Whatever your interests, it’s time to text the group chat and make some plans. Here are all the best things to do in San Diego this month:

Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Month

13 & 14

World-class jazz musicians are returning to The Rady Shell for the San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival.

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13

“If you build it, they will come,” and so they shall to Slightly Stoopid’s inaugural Field of Dreamz Festival. The OB-native rock band will share the lineup with Stephen Marley, Sublime, Pepper, and more at Petco Park.

22

Khalid is headlining his first tour since 2019—this time for the R&B and pop showstopper After the Sun Goes Down—and he’s ready to dance through Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre.

Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Month

6/5–7/19

With a beat that can’t be stopped, New Village Arts will revive the joyful musical Hairspray, a fusion of teen pop stardom and racial integration in Civil Rights–era Baltimore.

6/13–9/13

Cat Gunn poignantly examines the impact of forced separation from ancestral lineage through If Only by the Light of a New Moon, their solo museum debut at ICA Central.

6/27–9/20

See lasting visions of cultural heritage via Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass, a traveling showcase for Native American and Pacific Rim glassmakers at Mingei International Museum.

More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Month

6 & 7

Proceed to Pride Month with the Out & Abt Festival, featuring a carnival-themed playground at The Soap Factory, an afterparty hosted by Gossip Grill, and the next day, a sapphic poolside bash at the Hard Rock Hotel.

6/10–7/5

Imagine and experience your favorite fairytale ending during the San Diego County Fair, which returns this summer with a new theme: Once Upon a Fair.

11 & 13

The return of the Switchfoot Bro-Am means two things: an elegant seaside fundraiser in North County and a free bash at Moonlight Beach full of sun, surf competitions, and live music.

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19–21

For the first time, NASCAR will start its engines in San Diego. Naval Base Coronado will host this one-of-a-kind racing spectacle to commemorate the U.S. Navy’s semiquincentennial.

25

Itadakimasu! In other words: Let’s eat! Sample, then rank, the best Pan-Asian dishes from local eateries at Julep Venue during SD Mag’s 21+ Omakase Open, done to support the Convoy District.

28

If you ever needed a reason to eat ice cream and gelato, here’s a charitable one. Raise money—one waffle cone at a time—for Feeding San Diego during this year’s Scoop San Diego festival.

San Diego is just out here minding its own business. It’s long been cast as Los Angeles’s less ambitious sibling—the chill one, the one who shows up late for dinner reservations in flip-flops with a few provocative opinions. Architecturally it’s often cast the same: secondary, derivative, a footnote to California modernism that seems to begin and end with the Stahl House (Case Study House #22). LA has Pierre Koenig, Craig Ellwood, John Lautner. San Diego has the original fish taco.

But this version of the story is redacted, metaphorically speaking.

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While the jazz hands of Hollywood and its hills cast a spell on historians and architecture buffs, San Diego had, and has, its own quiet evolution: It invented and reinvented itself through homegrown modernism, beginning with The Allen House (1907) in Bonita by Irving J. Gill.

“The biggest misconception is that San Diego was following Los Angeles,” says Keith York of Modern San Diego, one of the city’s top guides to modernist architecture. “Those who consider Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra as the fathers of Southern California Modernism often fail to recognize the outsize influence Gill and his buildings had on their work.”

A new book, The Distinct Modernism of San Diego—written by Mark Hargreaves and Hallie Swenson, published by York—focuses on eight architects who were born, raised, or built their careers in San Diego. It illustrates how the city wasn’t hosting weekend warrior architects on side quests. It was a staging ground for a less look-at-me modernism from luminaries like Gill, Lilian J. Rice, Richard Requa, Lloyd Ruocco, Frederick Liebhardt, Kendrick Bangs Kellogg, Sim Bruce Richards, and Cliff May.

“Absent the backstabbing competition for projects, a collegial group of architectural peers collaborated and maintained lasting friendships with one another as they designed in response to the temperate climate and slower economy,” York says.

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Largely unknown until the mid-1960s, Gill is a marquee name today. He arrived here from the East Coast at a moment when San Diego was still defining itself, which gave him the freedom to invent something new, experiment, rebel.

Instead of imposing the flourishes and frills of the time, he considered San Diego’s climate, light, landscape, history—the joie de vivre—and designed for this place. “[Architects of the west] must have the courage to fling aside every device that distracts the eye from structural beauty, must break through convention and get down to fundamental truths,” he once said, a sentiment that nails the un-ornate, total lack of pretension that’s defined San Diego people and culture.

And, lo, did Gill fling: His flat roofs, clean lines, and almost no ornamentation—though not necessarily modernism in the Eames or Eichler sense—foreshadowed what would later be called minimalism. Gill eventually became synonymous with the Los Angeles narrative, but broader architectural histories overlook the fact that his most progressive designs happened here.

Another key to San Diego’s architectural movement was Lilian J. Rice, who often worked behind the scenes with little credit. She was one of only about 10 women in America licensed as architects at the time. Even though she died from cancer at 43, she somehow managed to complete an estimated 170 projects in the region, many in Rancho Santa Fe.

Born and raised in National City, Rice also wasn’t importing ideas. She shaped her own based on her understanding of this region and her commitment to protect the natural environment. Her work has been categorized as Spanish Colonial Revival, but she wasn’t reviving as much as she was refining a style suited to our border region—serene, mirroring nature, beautiful.

“San Diego architects were designing for a way of life, not just a look,” says York.

Like Sim Bruce Richards, who was his own way of life. While Gill stripped away ornamentation and Rice focused on the peace of open spaces, Richards came along several decades later and went full emo. By then, modernism had grown deep roots; its steel-and-glass structures took themselves very seriously. Richards came to party.

An eccentric, unpredictable man with half a face (part of his jaw was removed following a bone infection when he was a child), his life was a jalopy of adventures. He was opinionated and passionate about design, music, texture—and he created what he called a “sensuous environment.” He wanted his clients and their guests to feel the spaces as much as to be in them, appealing to the visual, tactile, nasal (“a cedar house smells good”), auditory (“acoustically superior”), even taste. “Though, I‘ve never had a client lick my houses,” he once wrote.

Organic, woodsy, textured, aromatic—if you ever find yourself in a Sim Bruce Richards house, a licking impulse might not seem so outrageous.

Gill, Rice, Richards and the other architects in Distinct Modernism built a legacy in San Diego that resonates nationally. And the work of these heavy hitters isn’t stuck in an inaccessible collectors realm: This October, homes by Kellogg and Liebhardt will open to the public as part of the La Jolla Modernism Home Tour—an opportunity to experience it not as a museum relic or magazine image (ahem), but as something alive.

Modernism in San Diego was never about glamour or an intention to be iconic. What transpired here is more nuanced, more ingrained with a less shouty aesthetic. A very San Diego aesthetic.

Summer may technically be a month away, but San Diegans can tap into the summertime spirit as soon as this weekend. Outdoor explorations include the return of Summertime Spectacular at SeaWorld San Diego, along with another monthly edition of Fit Yoga at The Rady Shell. Those looking for full-day fun can try the Vista Strawberry Festival or the Santee Street Fair & Craft Beer Festival, both of which offer free admission and a full slate of activities. Or, plan a day at the ballpark to cheer on the Padres and hopefully see Fernando Tatis Jr. hit his first home run of the season (manifesting this one). 

Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend

ARTIFACT at Night: To Catch a Fish

May 21

As evidenced by the To Catch a Fish exhibition at Mingei International Museum, fishing is a significant element of culture, cuisine and everyday life on a global scale. For Thursday’s ARTIFACT at Night dinner, the 36th edition of the monthly series, seafood is all over the four-course menu, including roasted blue barramundi and squid stuffed with spicy Calabrian sausage. Reservations are $95 per person and come with optional beverage pairings. Seatings available are from 5-8:30 p.m.; menu modifications will not be accommodated. 

1439 El Prado, Balboa Park

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Santee Street Fair & Craft Beer Festival

May 23

Spend the day shopping, watching live entertainment, and tasting locally-made brews during the free Santee Street Fair & Craft Beer Festival. This Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., check out over three hundred vendors, complimentary workshops, live music, dance and street performances, a kids zone and the event’s inaugural classic car show at Trolley Square. As for the suds, 21+ attendees can purchase discounted pours and bring their dogs along too. Pre-sale drink tokens (five 16 oz. pours for $30) are available to purchase online.

Town Center Parkway & Riverview Parkway, Santee

Vista Strawberry Festival

May 24

Every May, Downtown Vista unearths the seeds of its bygone berry heritage. This Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., the free annual Vista Strawberry Festival will offer much more than just a chance to eat fresh fruit and decadent strawberry desserts—though both are certainly encouraged. The festival will feature over 450 vendors, live music, a youth film festival, a 5K race and kids runs (one mile and ¼ mile), and several contests, including prizes for those with the best strawberry couture and the biggest appetites for strawberry pies and sundaes. 

Main Street, Vista

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend

The Inaudible Ocean at Conrad Prebys Concert Hall 

May 20

Oceans cover more than two-thirds of the Earth, and their watery depths preserve much more than just marine creatures and aquatic mysteries. To composer Lei Liang and oceanographer Joshua Jones, the most fascinating thing concealed is the range of sounds, many of which are imperceptible to humans. Through The Inaudible Ocean, premiering this Wednesday at 7 p.m. at UC San Diego’s Conrad Prebys Concert Hall, audiences will be treated to the oft-hidden magic of underwater frequencies via a chamber music trio. General admission is $20 for this concert.

9410 Russell Lane, La Jolla

Russell Dickerson at Gallagher Square

May 21

Like all genres, country music is far from monolithic, and Russell Dickerson is a prime example of its versatility. Dickerson’s musical persona is that of a kind and reminiscent soul, musing on good times and crafting hard-to-forget hooks, like on his newest single “Boots” with Fetty Wap. Plus, when he hits the road, Dickerson embraces his lifelong love for wrestling, meaning fans will get to see him in full WWE garb during his RussellMania show this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Gallagher Square. Country pop crooner and prolific songwriter-for-hire Niko Moon will open the show. Tickets start at $54 for this concert. 

899 J Street, Downtown

American Football at The Observatory North Park

May 24

For nearly two decades, it looked as if American Football would be a one-album wonder, since the emo rock pioneers never reconvened for a follow-up. But since reuniting in 2014, the band has produced three new self-titled albums, and though they nearly broke up again in the making of their most recent offering, LP4, their music is still as sharp and emotionally devastating as ever. This Sunday at 8 p.m., they’ll play at The Observatory North Park with opener Mei Semones, a tonally opposite artist whose music explores J-pop, jazz and blissful indie rock. Tickets start at $35 for this concert; $1 from every ticket sold will go towards the artist nonprofit PLUS1.

2891 University Avenue, North Park

The Paper Kites at House of Blues San Diego

May 25

Sightsee, savor and catch a wide range of live entertainment this weekend in San Diego. Take advantage of the La Jolla Half Marathon and the La Jolla Historical Society’s Secret Garden Tour, each offering a scenic trip through the coastal community. Wine and dine with bottomless portions at the Cheese & Libation Expo, the 35th annual Mama’s Day and the return of the Over the Line Craft BeerFest. Plus, whether your heart lies in the theater (Purpose, Kim’s Convenience), the concert crowd (P!nk, MGK) or the unpredictable stage of the San Diego International Fringe Festival, there are numerous ways to be wowed. 

Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend

Cheese & Libation Expo

May 15-17

Treat yourself to a curated assortment of cheese, trinkets and bubbly beverages throughout the three-day Cheese & Libation Expo at BRICK Liberty Station. The expo will kick off Friday from 5-8 p.m. with an industry preview night and continue Saturday from 1-5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with boutique shopping, an all-you-can-eat (and drink) menu and goodie bags for attendees. Ticket options include individual session tickets ($82-$109), single-day kid’s tickets ($13) weekend passes ($162) and preview night entry ($135). 

2863 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma 

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Over the Line Craft BeerFest & OTL Tournament 

May 16 

Spend your Saturday on the beach with a local beer in hand during Old Mission Beach Athletic Club’s yearly Over the Line Craft BeerFest & OTL Tournament. Newbies, regulars and seasoned aficionados will go to bat this Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Mariner’s Point Park, with the BeerFest featuring live music, food trucks and unlimited pours from twenty craft breweries from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Ticket options include all-ages general admission ($6), 21+ BeerFest admission ($45) and tournament entry ($162), which comes with three festival wristbands.

1215 Mariners Way, Mission Bay

Mama’s Day

May 16

Mama’s Kitchen knows the importance of home cooking, which is why the nonprofit’s signature event serves a dual purpose: celebrating the city’s gastronomy and ensuring San Diegans experiencing chronic illness continue to receive home-delivered meals. This Saturday from 5:30-9:30 p.m., Mama’s Kitchen will hold its 35th annual Mama’s Day, a 21+ fundraiser with live entertainment, opportunity drawings and unlimited tastings from local chefs and eateries at Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Ticket options include general admission ($200) and VIP admission ($300), which includes entry to an exclusive drinks and hors d’oeuvres reception from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

1 Park Boulevard, Embarcadero

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend

Curebound Concert for Cures: P!nk at Petco Park

May 15

“Raise a Glass” to cutting-edge adult and pediatric cancer research this Friday (8 p.m.) during Curebound’s annual Concert for Cures. After Sir Elton John rocked Petco Park last May, this year’s headlining superstar will be P!nk, whose shows combine powerful vocals, nostalgic crowd pleasers and Cirque du Soleil-style theatrics for a scintillating experience. Tickets start at $56 for this concert; proceeds from this performance will go towards Curebound.

100 Park Boulevard, Downtown 

Free Music Festivals 

May 16 & 17

See a plethora of live music across a trio of free festivals this weekend. This Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Goldenpalooza returns to Golden Hill Recreation Center with live dance and musical performances, local food vendors and an array of free and paid activities; paid activity tickets ($5-$20) are available online. Then, several community bands will hit the Old Poway Park stage for the Community Band Festival this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Finally, on Sunday from noon to midnight, see student-run performances ranging from acoustic sets to after-hours DJ sets during The Arcades at UC San Diego’s Conrad Prebys Music Center.

The Arcades: 9410 Russell Lane, La Jolla | Goldenpalooza: 2600 Golf Course Drive, Golden Hill | Community Band Festival: 14132 Midland Road, Poway

MGK at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

May 17

Despite the two-middle-fingers-up approach that powers his bad boy persona, the artist MGK, formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly, longs for understanding. His decade-plus journey from hip-hop phenom to punk convert to revelatory pop rocker has led to Lost Americana, the latest chapter in MGK’s rebellious undertaking and a search for the freedom he’s always desired. This Sunday at 7 p.m., MGK will perform at the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre with special guests Wiz Khalifa and Beauty School Dropout. Tickets start at $35 for this concert. 

2050 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista