RESERVATIONS FOR 2023
NEW RESTAURANTS OPENING IN SAN DIEGO NEXT YEAR INCLUDE BARBECUE, TAPAS, SOUL FOOD AND MICHELIN-HOPEFUL FINE DINING
Nearly four dozen high-profile restaurants and bars are scheduled to open in San Diego County in 2023. Here’s a preview of what’s to come, from A to Z.
Alejandra’s Fine Food & Cantina, Carlsbad
In early 2023, Sandra DiCicco of Grand Restaurant Group will open this new upscale Mexican restaurant concept in the former Ignite Bistro space in Carlsbad in early 2023. The 5,600-square-foot indoor/ outdoor restaurant will have two bars. It’s the first of several planned Alejandra’s locations nationwide. 6996 El Camino Real, Carlsbad. alejandrascantina.com
Angelo, Point Loma
Next fall, the trio behind Point Loma’s popular Italian pasta house Cesarina — chef Cesarina Mezzoni, her husband Niccolò Angius and their business partner Giuseppe Capasso — will open their second Italian restaurant right across the street. Angelo will be a 2,000-square-foot Neapolitan pizzeria with an in-house Southern Italian artisan cheese factory. The partners also plan to eventually add a made-to-order cake bakery, gourmet retail shop and offsite catering company.
4160 Voltaire St., San Diego. instagram.com/cesarinapasta
Bivouac Adventure Lodge, North Park
Next fall, Bivouac Ciderworks founder Lara Worm will open this space next door to its existing tap room and brewery, which will triple its overall footprint. The Adventure Lodge will offer expanded seating, a members-only private tasting club, a general store selling chef-driven pantry items such as charcuterie boards, outdoor gear, apparel and more. 3980-82 30th St., San Diego. instagram.com/bivouacnorthpark
Blanco Cocina + Cantina, Coronado
Sometime in 2023, Fox Restaurant Concepts will open its second San Diego
County location of this Sonoran-style Mexican restaurant that specializes in shareable plates like cheese crisps, chimichangas, tiger shrimp fajitas and top-shelf margaritas. The first location opened in Fashion Valley in 2018. 1301 Orange Ave., Coronado. blancococinacantina.com
California English, Sorrento Mesa
In early 2023, Longfellow Real Estate and Del Mar celebrity chef Richard Blais are teaming up on this 6,000-square-foot, European bistro-inspired eatery. Located in Longfellow’s Biovista campus, the restaurant will serve an all-day menu of American and Great Britain dishes to both life sciences workers and the public. The restaurant will include a lawn lounge, veranda bar and indoor dining. 9276 Scranton Road, San Diego. biovistasd.com
Casa Gabriela, La Mesa
In January, Cohn Restaurant Group and local chef Gabriela “Gabby” Lopez will open this elevated Mexican restaurant in CRG’s former BO-beau Kitchen & Garden space. Born and raised in Tijuana, where she started cooking with family at age 8, Lopez said this restaurant will feature family recipes from her childhood as well as dishes he has developed over her 20-plus years as a San Diego private chef, consulting chef and founding chef at 2-year-old La Doña cantina in Ocean Beach. 8384 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. cohnrestaurants.com
Chick ’n Hawk, Encinitas
In the summer, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk and founding Jeune et Jolie chef Andrew Bachelier will launch their gourmet chicken sandwich shop in the former Fulano’s restaurant space in Encinitas. The restaurant will serve chicken items as well as fresh seafood and cocktails. In the meantime, the duo are hosting pop-ups around North County. 145 Leucadia Blvd., Encinitas. instagram.com/chick.and.hawk
Cork & Batter, Marina District
Next summer, BNG Hospitality of Los Angeles will open this baseball-themed restaurant and sports bar as the new anchor tenant at Seaport Village. The large project will include 8,000 square feet of indoor dining space, a 2,800-square-foot courtyard and a wrap-around patio. The menu will feature burgers, sandwiches, wings, salads, pasta and more. 807 W. Harbor Drive, San Diego. corkandbatter.com
Crack Taco Shop, Marina District
In late spring, this Mission Valley-based taqueria will open its second location in Seaport Village’s Lighthouse District. The fast-casual shops sell tacos made with Cardiff Seaside Market’s popular burgundy pepper tri-tip steak, better known as “Cardiff Crack,” along with other Mexican fare, beers, wine and sangria.
817 W. Harbor Drive, Suite D, San Diego. cracktacoshop.com
El Sueño, Old Town
In February, Pietro Busalacchi — who co-owns Trattoria Don Pietro in Old Town
— will open this lavish and large-scale, 6,000-square-foot restaurant with multiple bars and outdoor patios. Its tropical upscale look will be inspired by his travels in Mexico from Tijuana to Chiapas. El Sueño will be a service-forward restaurant offering late-night hours. 2836 Juan St.,
San Diego. instagram.com/elsuenosd
Finca, North Park
Next summer, Dan Valerino and chef Joe Bower of the Bottle Boon hospitality company will open this 90-seat California tapas restaurant and retail wine bottle shop. The restaurant will have an open kitchen with counter seating, a bar program highlighting sangrias, vermouth and Spanish and California wines, and a wine club program. 3805 Grim Ave., San Diego. bottleboon.com
Fisher’s San Diego, Little Italy
In the spring, Fisher's Group, an international restaurant chain, will open its first local location in the former Roma Urban Market in Little Italy. Chef-partner Nino Franco will be serving an avant-garde Mexican seafood style menu with dishes including tacos, chilaquiles, oysters and raw coastal seafood. 444 W. Beech St.,
San Diego. fishers-sandiego.com
Gaslamplighter, Gaslamp Quarter
In early 2023, fourth-generation San Diego bar owner Frankie Sciuto will open this upscale cocktail and karaoke bar. The bar will have an industrial 1920s design and will serve a small bites menu and cocktails, and will offer karaoke and live entertainment. It replaces Ciro's Pizzeria and Beerhouse. Sciuto owns Side Bar, which is next door to the new concept, and his family has owned the Lamplighter bar in Mission Hills for many years. 536 Market St., San Diego. thegaslamplighter.com
Gladstone’s, Marina District
In early 2023, this L.A. restaurant chain, with locations in Malibu and Long Beach, will introduce a new concept at San Diego's Seaport Village. This venue will serve classic seafood dishes, including fish plates, Maine lobster and more. It will occupy a new 9,684-square-foot building with a wrap-around patio that's part of an ongoing expansion at the bayside shopping center. 849 W. Harbor Drive,
San Diego. gladstones.com
Heritage Barbecue & Beer Co., Oceanside
On Jan. 15, the family behind this newly crowned Michelin Bib Gourmandawarded San Juan Capistrano craft barbecue eatery will open their second location in Oceanside, where co-owner and pitmaster Daniel Castilla recently moved with his family. It takes over the nearly 10,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Municipal Taco, where its onsite craft brewery will be helmed by former Pizza Port head brewer Mike Aubuchon. Heritage, with 20 taps in its full bar, will serve Texas-style barbecue, including smoked brisket, house-made sausage and ribs and specialty items such as brisket banh mi, pastrami tortas, chips and queso,
chili fries, smoked burgers and Texas foldovers. 2002 S. Coast Highway, Oceanside. heritagecraftbbq.com
Johnston’s, University Heights
In early 2023, John Pani of ELE Collective (Waypoint Collective, Park & Rec) will open this globally inspired, 3,500-squarefoot restaurant in the former Johnston's Variety Department Store, a five-and-dime store that opened in 1924. The menu by chef Peter Ziegler (Charles + Dinorah and Wolfie's Carousel Bar) will feature buttermilk fried chicken, confit garlic hummus with housemade za'atar naan, and yakitori-grilled meat, chicken and vegetarian skewers. 4628 Park Blvd., San Diego. elecollective.com
Kinme Omakase, Bankers Hill
In late February, Shihomi Borillo and Nao Ichimura of Azuki Sushi in Bankers Hill will open this intimate tasting-menu restaurant inspired by Kaiseki- and Edomae-style omakase restaurants as well as traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. The 900-square-foot restaurant will offer just two seatings each night for a max of 10 diners, who will be served an eightcourse menu featuring seafood from Japan's Toyosu fish market as well as from San Diego and Baja waters. There will be a sake sommelier, vintage Burgundy wines, Japanese whiskeys and matcha teas.
2505 Fifth Ave., San Diego. instagram.com/azukisushisd
Le Coq, La Jolla
Next summer, San Diego restaurateurs Brian Malarkey and Christopher Puffer
will open this French-inspired steakhouse in their former Herringbone restaurant space, which they opened in 2012 and sold two years later to a national hospitality group. They've reclaimed the 7,500-squarefoot space and will remodel into an elegant, modernist French space that will serve escargot, frisée salad, chateaubriand and other classic French fare. The name is inspired by the French dish “coq au vin.” 7837 Herschel Ave., La Jolla. puffermalarkeycollective.com
Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, Mira Mesa
In late 2023, this Costa Mesa-based casual American-style restaurant and sports bar chain will open its second San Diego County location in the Mira Mesa Market Center. Lazy Dog's menu includes sandwiches, burgers, pastas, entrée salads, pot roast, meatloaf, steaks and more. 10765 Westview Parkway, San Diego. lazydogrestaurants.com
Lola 55, Carlsbad
Around the end of February, Frank Vizcarra will open a second location of his Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded East Village taqueria in Carlsbad's The Beacon La Costa marketplace. Lola 55 is known for its gourmet tacos and inventive cocktails. The 3,365-square-foot location will have a cocktail bar, open kitchen and large patio. 7720 El Camino Real, Suite N., Carlsbad. lola55.com
Mak Mak Organic, Oceanside
In January, longtime local chef and restaurateur James Limjoco , who has roots in the local craft beer community, will launch this Asian street food eatery specializing in the Thai street food dish khao mun ghai, also known as Hainanese chicken. Mak Mak will make its own nonGMO tofu, hard seltzer and kombucha and will offer a cocktail program. 121 N. Cleveland St., Oceanside. makmakorganic.com
Malibu Farm, Marina District
Late next fall, chef Helene Henderson and her actor-director husband John Stockwell will open the ninth and largest location of their Malibu-born international restaurant chain in the former two-story, 14,000-square-foot Harbor House location in Seaport Village. After a major renovation, the property will have a full-service farm-to-table restaurant, an ice cream and espresso bar and a home goods store.
831 W. Harbor Drive, San Diego. malibu-farm.com/seaport-san-diego/
Moniker Coffee Co., Point Loma
In February, Moniker Group will open a new location of its Liberty Station-based Moniker Coffee Co. at the Craft Creamery, a multi-brand ice cream scoop shop in Point Loma. Moniker Group purchased Craft Creamery earlier this month and is remodeling the ice cream store to make room for the coffee counter. A grab-and-go retail space will also be added.
1302 Rosecrans St., Point Loma. monikercoffee.com/menu
Novo Brazil Brewing Co., Mission Valley
Next November, South Bay's Novo Brazil Brewing Co. will open its fifth location, and its first outside its home in South Bay, in the Westfield Mission Valley shopping center. Joining locations in Chula Vista, Otay Ranch, National City and Imperial Beach, the 350-seat Mission Valley location will have 60 taps serving all Novo products, including beers, kombuchas, spritzes and cocktails, as well as a menu with some Brazilian influences, including empanadas, wings, burgers, tacos, nachos, calamari and more.
1640 Camino Del Rio N., San Diego. novobrew.com
Old Harbor Distilling Co., Marina District
Next summer, this East Village distillery will open its first satellite tasting room and eatery concept in the old lighthouse building at Seaport Village. Dishes will include clam chowder, oysters and freshcatch fish and chips with beers and wine as well as cocktails featuring Old Harbor spirits that include vodka, gin and whiskey. 849 W. Harbor Drive, San Diego. oldharbordistilling.com
Parakeet Cafe, Carlsbad
In the spring, this six-store wellnessfocused café chain will open a Carlsbad location, along with locations in Beverly Hills, Brentwood and Newport Beach. Married founders Jonathan Goldwasser and Carol Roizen launched Parakeet in 2017 in La Jolla after their daughter's health issues led the family to switch to an organic, plant-based and juicing diet. House specialties include turmeric lattes, blue corn Belgian waffles, grain bowls, wild
salmon burgers and vegan and gluten-free pastries. 1935 Calle Barcelona, Suite 176, Carlsbad. parakeetcafe.com
Pitfire Pizza, Carlsbad
In early 2023, this Los Angeles pizzeria chain will open its first San Diego County location in Carlsbad’s Beacon La Costa center. Launched by the American Gonzo Food Corp. in Venice, Pitfire is known for its sourdough pizza crust, gourmet salads, craft beers and vegan and gluten-free options. The 3,500-square-foot Carlsbad location will have indoor and outdoor dining and full bar service. 7720-7790 El Camino Real, Carlsbad. pitfirepizza.com
Prince Street Pizzeria, Gaslamp Quarter
In January, Lawrence Longo will open the first San Diego County location of the New York City-based pizzeria chain famed for its traditional Neapolitan pizzas and its “SoHo Square” pizza slices. The Prince Street pies are known for their crispy, fluffy crust, house sauces and unusual topping combos. This location will offer takeout only. 415 Market St., San Diego. eatprincestreetpizza.com
Quixote, University Heights
In mid-June, CH Projects will reopen the 1940s-era Lafayette Hotel & Swim Club after investing $26 million in a top-to-bottom makeover. Among the hotel’s four new restaurants and bars will be this luxurious, 86-seat Mexican-inspired restaurant and agave bar. The menu will feature woodroasted meats and a wide variety of mezcals and tequilas. The interior will resemble a Oaxacan place of worship, with restored church altars, paneling and stained-glass windows. 2223 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego. instagram.com/thelafayette
Ramen King Keisuke, Del Mar
In early spring, this fast-casual Singapore-born ramen restaurant chain will open its first San Diego County location at the One Paseo center’s Plaza West. Founded by Tokyo chef Keisuke Takeda, Ramen King Keisuke is known for its tonkotsu bone broth, which is boiled for 10 hours, as well as its lobster broth ramen and mushroom broth vegan ramen. 3725 Paseo Place, San Diego. ramenking.co
Rancho Valencia Resort restaurant, Rancho Santa Fe
Around late summer, new executive chef Christopher Gentile will open this as-yet unnamed fine-dining restaurant in the former Veladora space at the Rancho Valencia Resort. The former chef for Avant at Rancho Bernardo Inn said the new restaurant will serve Spanish Mediterranean fare featuring ingredients from San Diego farms. The menu will offer a tasting menu option as well as tableside services. Bells and Whistles is redesigning the dining room to have an open kitchen and other features. 5921 Valencia Circle, Rancho Santa Fe. ranchovalencia.com
Roscoe’s House of Chicken ’N Waffles, Barrio Logan
Early in 2023, the first San Diego location
of this cult favorite Los Angeles soul food chain will finally open after years of delays. Roscoe’s owner Herb Hudson bought the Barrio Logan property in 2016, but planning, construction and pandemicrelated issues have delayed the muchanticipated debut. Founded in 1975 in Long Beach, Roscoe’s is known for its titular dish, as well as its chicken sausage, biscuits and gravy, banana pudding and Sweet Netta Ta Ta (sweet potato) pie.
1678 National Ave., San Diego. roscoeschickenandwaffles.com
Shorebird, Marina District
In late spring, this Newport Beachbased seafood restaurant company will open its third location in San Diego’s Seaport Village. Chef Jay Bogsinske’s menu features coastal and casual fare such as sushi, salads, sandwiches, tacos and seafood platters. The restaurant will occupy a new two-story, 2,270-square-foot building perched over the water in Seaport Village’s new bayside shopping expansion area. 849 W. Harbor Drive, San Diego. shorebirdca.com
South of Nick’s, Del Mar
In the spring, the founders of Nick’s Del Mar restaurant at One Paseo shopping center will open this Mexican-inspired sister concept in a retail space right next door. The Del Mar location will be the first South of Nick’s outlet. The menu will feature filet mignon taquitos, albondigas and chicken tortilla soup, birria tacos and seafood enchiladas. The bar program will feature margaritas, tequila flights, wines and Mexican and American beer. 3725
Paseo Place, San Diego. nicksrestaurants.com/south-of-nicks
Spill the Beans, Mission Valley and Ocean Beach
Later this year, Spill the Beans bagel and coffee shop will open two more San Diego County locations. Verant Group’s Spill the Beans was launched in 2017 in the Gaslamp Quarter, with a second location at Seaport Village in 2020. The restaurant’s specialty is fresh bagels and cream cheese spreads, breakfast sandwiches, bowls and a variety of coffee options. The Mission Valley location will open in the summer and the Ocean Beach location will follow in the winter of 2023. 525 Camino de la Reina, Mission Valley; 4827 Newport Ave., Ocean Beach. spillthebeanssd.com
Steak 48, Del Mar
In the spring, this high-end national steakhouse chain will open in the longshuttered Searsucker space at the Del Mar Highlands Town Center. Owned by the founders of the Mastro’s steakhouse chain, Steak 48 is an experiential steak and seafood spot that will offer multiple private dining rooms for special events, chef ’s table experiences, a glass-walled kitchen, a 3,000-bottle wine vault, and an in-house 28-day beef-aging program. Steak 48 has five locations nationwide, with Del Mar and Beverly Hills openings planned this year. 12995 El Camino Real, San Diego. steak48.com
Unnamed Common Stock projects, Bankers Hill & North Park
Anderson Clark and Brian Douglass, the partners behind Hillcrest’s Common Stock restaurant, will open two as-yet unnamed midcity culinary projects in 2023. In the spring, the former Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant space will reopen as as an 80-seat restaurant and bar serving chef Sam Deckman’s Southernstyle cooking. 2202 Fourth Ave.,
San Diego. In the summer, CS Hospitality will open a 120-seat hearthfocused restaurant in North Park with an open kitchen and wood-grilled menu by Deckman. 3376 30th St., San Diego. eatcommonstock.com
Unnamed pizzeria, University Heights
Next summer, a yet-to-be named woodfired pizza and amaro (Italian liqueur) bar will open in a 3,500-square-foot indoor/ outdoor space around the corner from Madison on Park restaurant. The concept is a collaboration between the team that owns Madison on Park and brunch spot Madi, and Cucina Migrante, a culinary events business owned by Sicilian chef Francesco Bonsinetto and marketer/event planner Adisa Ziric.1728-1732 Madison Ave., San Diego. cucinamigrante.com
Unnamed seafood eatery, Oceanside
By March, married Oceanside restaurateurs Davin and Jessica Waite will open a family-friendly seafood restaurant inside a kiosk at the end of the Oceanside Pier. The Waites now operate the sushi restaurant Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub and the plant-based restaurant The Plot, and they’re partners in the fast-casual seafood taqueria Shootz Fish & Beer, all in Oceanside. The tenant for the main restaurant at the end of the pier, replacing the Ruby’s Diner that closed in 2020, has yet to be unveiled. 1 Oceanside Pier, Oceanside. seabasstropub.com
Wildland and Lilo, Carlsbad
In the latter half of 2023, owner John Resnick and executive chef Eric Bost of Michelin-starred Jeune et Jolie and Michelin Bib Gourmand-honored Campfire restaurants in Carlsbad will partner up on two more concepts. Wildland and Lilo will share a 10,000-square-foot former hot rod repair shop across the street and a few hundred yards west of Jeune et Jolie. Wildland will be an all-day neighborhood cafe, bakery and bar serving fresh pastas, rotisserie meats and wood-fired pizzas. Lilo will be a 2,000-square-foot fine-dining restaurant offering a 22-seat chef ’s table experience featuring a coastal and seasonal multi-course tasting menu. 2598 State St., Carlsbad. instagram.com/johnresnick
Zytoun Gourmet Mediterranean, Marina District
In late spring, the owners of Aladdin Café in Clairemont will open this new full-service Greek and Mediterranean restaurant serving shish kebabs, hummus platters, salads, tabouli, falafel and more. It will open along the boardwalk in the Carousel District of Seaport Village. 849 W. Harbor Drive, San Diego. zytoun.com