I’m not sure what spurred an interest when I learned that an Australia-styled gastropub had opened in Shelter Island. Probably, I’d be just as keen for the arrival of a gastropub claiming any national character. …

There’s a new snack shack in Solana Beach, even if the physical shack itself is anything but new. Sindi’s Snack Shack recently opened within the “Detached Garage of Witmer Residence and Drug Store,” built in …

Just when I thought Stone Brewing had run out of surprises, the announcement reached my inbox: “Stone Brewing Announces Buenavida Hard Seltzer.” I looked at the date: April 1.Photograph Courtesy Stone BrewingHaha, Stone, you got …

When they arrive at the table, the rice paper wraps aren’t pre-made. The ingredients are laid out on separate plates: daikon, carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, and pineapple chucks on one; grilled pork topped with peanuts and …

It’s not a huge place by any means. The pandemic sidewalk parklet probably holds as many customers as the dining room, if not more. We’ve grabbed our seats out there, sunglasses on, to bask in …

One of the saving graces of pandemic summer 2020 was the emergence of Metl Bar: specifically, its talent for creating small batches of boozy ice cream. Often, they’re inspired by classic cocktails. So a negroni …

In my years covering local restaurants, I’ve witnessed San Diego foodies get excited about restaurants specializing in cheeseburgers, tacos, carne asada fries, ramen, sushi burritos, Neapolitan pizza, fried chicken, cupcakes, bone marrow, vegan brunch, and …

When students move back into University of San Diego dorms this fall, the home of the Toreros will feature a new set of official school beers. Torero Blue and Torero Bold are now the products …

Photograph by Matthew SuárezMost restaurants count on location, location, location to help make a name for themselves. Others make do with whatever space they’ve got. The restaurants featured here don’t necessarily operate in conventional storefronts, …

I’ve rarely given much thought to where cookies come from, and neither had the kid. But he could tell I hadn’t picked these up at the supermarket. “Where’d you get these?” he asked, a glazed …

The windows rattle when the trolley rolls past. Which isn’t surprising, given how the shape of the building is defined by the way tracks curl east coming out of Santa Fe Depot. They carve an …

There’s a good reason I have been writing about fried chicken over and over in the past year: it’s become more popular than ever. And not only because Nashville hot chicken has been having a …

Last October, when Chula Vista beer-maker Novo Brazil Brewing Co. took over the Ocean Beach taproom previously operated by Culture Brewing Co., it had a branding decision to make. The company has been brewing beer …

Elaborate, green and black graffitied monikers float like crumpled leaves through a landscape of clouded mountain peaks, pink cherry blossoms, and blue waterfalls. The vibrant mural covers the broad, flat side wall of stand-alone storefront, …

We pick up a bag of duck food along with our pedal boat rental, so as soon as we are out on the water, we aim for the first duck we see. It takes some …

A new documentary chronicles the history of brewing in San Diego, showcasing the ways the city became an outsized contributor to America’s craft beer culture. Beer City: San Diego was made by Aubree Miller and …

Part of the allure of the Irish pub is that they’re pretty much the same all over the world. Go to pubs in Paris, Melbourne, Hong Kong, and you’ll find the experience replicated over and …

It’s in Poway, but probably not the part of Poway you’re thinking of. Most who go to this southeasternmost corner, along Scripps Poway Parkway, are going to work, going to Costco, or passing through on …

San Diego city council closed its June 22 session with an adjournment in memory in honor of bartender Nate Soroko, who passed away unexpectedly last week at 39. The memoriam, read by council president pro …

“Can we have waffles for breakfast?” For months during the school year, these were the first words my half-asleep brain heard every weekday morning. Not good morning. Not how did you sleep? Just “Can we …

As the crow flies, the unincorporated community of Crest is more than two and a half miles from the nearest freeway. In actual driving terms, it’s closer to four. And not flat miles, either, but …

For five years, Susan McMillion and partner James Farnsworth have quietly been making and serving some of the city’s best kombucha out of their small shop, Bootstrap Kombucha. Operating on an industrial stretch of Pacific …

A Hillcrest favorite, Amarin Thai, closed last fall, after holding down its Richmond Street location for more than 22 years. Longtime fans of the restaurant may be pleased to learn that Thai food is officially …

The marketing cachet of Japanese-bred cattle seems to be rising. At least, I find myself writing about wagyu a lot more than I used to, as local restaurants and butcher shops embrace the notoriously marbled …

To follow through on their plan to open a brewery, Daren Rudy and Alex Kim were prepared to move to Reno, Nevada. “It’s a growing population, annually,” explains Kim, “and also a growing craft beer …

Breakdance with Olympic prospectsKearny Mesa/Old TownBreakdancing will be an official sport at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and local b-girls and b-boys have been practicing breakdance maneuvers in hopes of repping Team USA. Throughout the …

How’s this one for timing? Shannon Nault and Bobby Kokinda signed the lease for their first food-service business at the beginning of March, 2020. Let’s just say they wound up taking more time than they’d …

If not for the flat screen TVs and masked servers, walking into Bully’s East would feel like entering a time capsule. At the center of the dimly lit restaurant stands a grand mahogany bar, from …

Okay, so my go-to chili cheese fries spot wound up closing due to last year’s shutdown. Obviously, that’s a bigger bummer for the owners and staff of the departed Sister Ray’s restaurant than it is …

San Diego is about to get a first of its kind taproom dedicated to hard yerba mate. Actually, tap “room” is inaccurate. The bar being launched by Kové Hard Yerba Mate is being built entirely …

If there’s one thing I knew for certain heading into Burgeon Beer Company’s new downtown tasting room, it’s that the beer would be fantastic. That’s been the case with Burgeon beers, pretty much across the …

There is no shortage of good Mexican restaurants scattered among the 40 miles between my home and Chicken Lisa’s, but we press on. We think we’re getting close when we start to spot Escondido freeway …

For several years now, Narumi Sushi, at the Fletcher Hills end of La Mesa, has been a favorite of my family. We’ve gone there for birthdays, when out-of-town relatives visit — any occasion we decide …

Tickets are now on sale for a new downtown San Diego beer festival. This wouldn't have raised an eyebrow two years ago. It would have been unthinkable this time last year. But this year, as …

It was the first time I stepped onto the campus of the Town and Country since its 2020 renovation. As I remember it from my last pass through a couple years ago, the Mission Valley …

“These stories are not mine and I do not vouch for their accuracy.” That was the all-caps message in the Instagram bio of East Coast craft brewer Brienne Allan, as she used the platform to share …

There aren’t too many exciting things that can be said about sandwich shops these days. Most of them carry one of two or three deli meat suppliers — usually Boar’s Head or Dietz & Watson …

Here’s a surprising add to the list of things I never expected to do: agree to pay $18 for a cheeseburger, in Imperial Beach. Moments later, another: add a $10 side of fries. And, no, …

Could lightning in a bottle strike twice in the same strip mall? Back in late 2017, a small group, led by brother and sister Vinnie and Carol Pavan, co-founded Babe Kombucha. The craft kombucha maker …

Masks on, because I’m pretty sure this is what the CDC was talking about when it said vaccinated people could uncover in public spaces, except in crowded settings. It’s Saturday afternoon, and Liberty Station is …

In the Gaslamp, Fifth Avenue is still closed to traffic five evenings a week, including most of the day Saturday and Sunday. This has been happening since August, part of a bid to keep restaurants …

Now, some of you kids may be too young to remember, but there was a time when haze wasn’t the dominant characteristic of IPAs made in San Diego. See, this used to be a West …

On the approach to Jamul, Campo Road wends between tree and scrub-colored hill slopes, blithely rising and falling among rugged peaks and large clusters of boulders. Though fewer than 20 miles from the densest center …

This is a story I meant to write over a year ago, before I owned any masks. That’s roughly the time Tabu Shabu opened up in the North Park property that was the long, long …

I spotted the photo in a friend’s Twitter feed, and almost scrolled past. Another photo of a San Diego-rolled burrito, nothing new about that, right? But then the word lumpia caught my eye, and I …

Even if you’re a devoted San Diego beer fan, it wouldn’t be totally surprising if you were under the impression Align Brewing had closed its doors for good. Back in the spring of 2019, word …

After ten minutes waiting for the line in front of me to grow shorter, it occurs to me there are two distinct types of patient people. The first kind has what it takes to show …

Tuétano is the Spanish word for marrow, and bone marrow has a lot to do with the success of the San Ysidro taco shop, Tuetano Taqueria. Since opening in 2018, it’s been written about in …

There’s a conspicuous cocoa flavor running through the green mint ice cream, it’s nearly as rich as the chocolate chips scattered throughout. But behind the frozen dessert’s sweetness lurks the tonic burn of alcohol. Because …

It used to be a Grab & Go Subs shop, conveniently located between the freeway and the airport, making it easy to pick up sandwiches on your way to catch a flight. Now it’s a …