Bull Taco is back. San Diego’s surf-punk taco shop—where culinary school-style tacos meet paper plates and zero pretension—is ready to unveil their newest location on 101 N. Coast Hwy in Leucadia (the former Jamroc 101 spot, next to Encinitas Surfboards). We’ve got the first photos below.
And, breaking news: Yesterday, they signed a deal to move into the unit above Prepkitchen in Del Mar.
Bull Taco’s a bit of a local icon, so why are they “back”? Because, noticed or not, they haven’t been doing hyper-creative tacos for quite some time. In 2009, Greg Lukasiewicz and his brother started Bull in the tiny snack bar at the San Elijo Campgrounds. With some plastic chairs on a patio overlooking the surf, they cranked out foie gras tacos, lobster tacos, uni and curry tacos. They tinkered with ghost pepper, then the hottest chili pepper in the world. Before they knew it, the line for their tiny taco stand was 20-deep. To meet the demand, they had to cut back on the creativity.
“When we got into the volume game, it got too hard to control,” says Lukasiewicz. “Now we’re definitely going back to the exotic stuff. Now the locations can handle it.”
Exotic and experimental is Lukasiewicz’ game. He opened his first restaurant—the French bistro Devon, in Monrovia—in 1996 (he’s owned 11 altogether). His approach was to hire top sous chefs, including one from Thomas Keller, and get creative. They tinkered with molecular gastronomy and foraged for their own produce long before it was a thing. After 17 years, Lukasiewicz plans to turn Devon into a Bull Taco later this year.
Sounds like Bull is set for rapid expansion. For each new location, Lucasiewicz wil partner with a top surfer or skater (surfers Jay Adams and Nathan Fletcher are partners at the Oceanside and San Clemente locations, respectively). At Encinitas, it’s pro skater Bucky Lasek. There’ll be tiles made from recycled skateboards, a wall of self-serve craft beer, ostrich tacos, and top-notch sashimi similar to their popular Oceanside joint, Wrench & Rodent.
“Like Wrench & Rodent, but on a much smaller scale,” he says. “On that long counter, there’ll be a person doing ceviche. Maybe throwing a French or Italian accent—ahi with truffle vinaigrette. A buerre blanc. White wine reductions. One grilled lambchop on a plate. I don’t want to say tapas, but we’ll have steamed mussels and clams, maybe just a single bite of grilled lobster.”
Diners will even be encouraged to cook at the restaurant, a sort of coup de Bull. The group also now has their own farm in Bonsall where they’re growing the Trinidad Scorpion—the hottest chili pepper in the world. At their Oceanside location, they’ve built a garden in the back (one of the few food gardens in San Diego with a skate ramp in it) with some of the hottest, rarest chile peppers in the world.
So, yeah, Bull Taco is back.
“I was going to call the Leucadia location Bull Tacobertos,” jokes Lukasiewicz. “I like change. I like experimentation. Maybe we’ll do a super high-end menu one day or just invite high-end chefs to take over our kitchen for specials once a week.”
If your dopamine rush comes from stepping into an experiential esoteric escape that also serves cocktails, then the newly-opened Anigma might just be up your alley. Brought to life by the owners of The Roxy Encinitas and Roxy on Broadway in Denver, Encinitas’ new hidden cocktail lounge spirals around the idea that nothing is quite as it seems. Stepping into the moody 47-seat space, which is tucked behind the retail store Archive, should feel like an out-of-this-world experience, says Paula Vrakas, one of the four partners behind Anigma.
Vrakas worked with architecture and design firm Tecture—which designed restaurants like Lucien, Haven at Fox Point Farms, and Kettner Exchange—to concoct an environment that begins when guests walk through the secret portal into a world of velvety folklore and myth. No two experiences will be identical, she promises.
“The concept itself is a changing concept, and so this sort of mysticism, the occult, or these dark arts, they’re ever-changing within themselves,” she explains. “So we can lean in…. at any given moment without completely changing the entire concept. That’s actually what we intend to do.”
If this sounds very abstract, that’s okay. Let’s center ourselves around the cocktails, which are very real and created in part by bar lead Sam Reinke.
Initially, there will be around 16 cocktails (and a few mocktails) in three sections. “Archive” features traditional drinks like Old Fashioneds and Manhattans, while “Myth & Memory” offers rotating cocktails inspired by Southern California folklore, like the monster of Proctor Valley Road or the legend of Charles “The Rainmaker” Hatfield.
Photo Credit: Gretchen Dunn
But the menu starts with “Sigils,” four drinks that break down Anigma’s logo into its individual features: the Celtic Knot, the tria prima (the Latin philosophy of three foundational elements of alchemy being salt, sulfur, and mercury), the All-Seeing Eye of Providence, and the Alchemist’s Stone. The ingredients in each reference key aspects of each concept; for example, the Alchemist’s Stone (sometimes called the Philosopher’s Stone) is made with red powder to mimic the same flaming hue of the legendary item. The Eye of Providence includes carrot juice, an ingredient rich in beta-carotene that also happens to be excellent for eye health.
The fifth drink, called “Anigma” and based on the logo as a whole, will never be listed. “But if you ask, you can find out,” promises Vrakas.
Since the concept is meant to be cocktail-forward, only a few small bites will be available, like chocolate-covered strawberries and wasabi pea pub mix. “It’s fancy snacks,” laughs Vrakas. But considering how Encinitas’ dining options have upped their game as of late, she says focusing on providing a high-end cocktail experience will fill a void in the area not yet overwhelmed with similar choices. Once inside, it’s an intimate space, with seating for 47 guests over 800-square-feet lit by candles and cocooned with dark velvet curtains sewn by Vrakas’ mother.
For now, Anigma is reservation-only, but will likely introduce opportunities for walk-ins in the future. In the meantime, expect surreality and perhaps a bit of discombobulation, says Vrakas. “It’s just meant to [feel] like, ‘Wait, where was I? Where was that? And how do I get back?’”
Anigma opens May 28 at 517 S. Coast Hwy 101 in Encinitas. Hours are Wednesday, 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday 5 p.m. to 10:30 pm; and Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m..Closed Sunday–Tuesday.
Rendering courtesy of JG Color by Design
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Black Mizu Café Opening Inside Cloak & Petal
Call it the Michelin effect—after earning Michelin recognition in December, Cloak & Petal in Little Italy is ready to expand its Japanese-inspired offerings by launching a coffee shop-slash-cafe experience this August.
Called Black Mizu Café, the 1,000-square-foot space situated within Cloak & Petal will serve Torque Coffee and Compa Coffee beans and Asa Bakery pastries, as well as Japanese comfort food dishes like a tamago sandwich, bánh mì panini, edamame hummus toast, and various parfaits. Signature drinks include specialties like a honey yuzu sparkling matcha, cherry blossom latte, white miso caramel latte, and a cardamom cinnamon latte. Next spring, Black Mizu will also launch a Pacific Rim-inspired brunch menu by executive chef Robert Cassidy.
With space for 25 to 30 guests, the Japanese-meets-Scandinavian minimalist design will also be able to accommodate a private dining space for Cloak & Petal during non-café hours. Managing partner Cesar Vallin anticipates the initial hours of operation will be daily from 6:30 or 7 a.m. through around 2 p.m., with extended hours on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays until approximately 9 p.m. It’s not a pop-up, per se, but it’s certainly a creative way to make the most of the restaurant’s off-hours floor space.
After nearly four decades in Del Mar, Pacifica Del Mar announced it will close its doors at the end of their lease this December. No one knows yet what will replace it, but whatever comes next has some pretty big culinary shoes to fill. Side note: thank you to the PDM team for the multi-month heads up before closing! There’s nothing worse than finding out your favorite spot closed yesterday, so plan your last hurrah (or hurrahs) accordingly.
El Pueblo officially opened at 564 Pearl Street in La Jolla this week, which is good for two reasons. One, that old Jack in the Box was a mega-eyesore and two, now we can all get $1.39 fish tacos that much easier. Win win! Hours are 6 a.m. to midnight daily, and yes, that means you can get a breakfast burrito before the sun is up.
A Roman-style pizza place with wine, beer, and a small market coming to La Mesa? Yes, please! Pinsarella Market is slated to open late this year at 8131 La Mesa Boulevard (the former Kratom Kava Bar space) and if successful, may be the first of many across San Diego. If that’s a pizza-eating challenge, I happily accept.
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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.
Later this year, Marbella Oyster Bar will be added to that roster when it opens in the space that formerly housed Peace Pies, just behind Coast Thai-Way.
Marbella is the first restaurant for owners—chef Armando Martin del Campo and Jhonathan Velazquez. Martin del Campo went to culinary school in Mexico before working his way through kitchens in Mexico and the US. His vision for the restaurant is simple food prepared elegantly and served without pretension.
Oysters, of course—but also simple seafood dishes prepared with Japanese, French, and a touch of Mexican techniques. Ceviches won’t be too spicy, Martin del Campo says with a slight laugh. There will probably be at least one steak dish, thanks to his 13-plus years of exporting beef over the border.
Expect Spanish bomba rice, tacos made with non-GMO corn tortillas, crudo, sashimi, salads, and ceviches. For the maximum freshness of seafood, Martin del Campo says they plan to use the ikejime technique. The traditional Japanese method isn’t seen too often in local restaurants, because it’s not easy to master and it takes more work—but it’s widely considered one of the most humane ways to process and prepare fish. In ikejime, a spike is driven into the fish’s spinal cord, killing it instantly. The method reduces stress in the fish, which reduces the release of lactic acid (which harms texture and flavor); it prevents muscle spasms an rigor mortis (also bad for texture) and preserves ATP (adenosine triphosphate, a naturally occurring building block of umami).
lunch and dinner will feature a Euro-centric wine list sprinkled with a few US and Mexico options. Decor of the indoor-outdoor space will be minimalist, seating about 30 people in shades of beige, white, gray, and brown. “In San Sebastian, you go into all these [seafood] places… it’s like, yeah, they’re pretty, but it’s about just the food,” says Martin del Campo.
There will be an open-seating seafood bar with front-row seating for the seafood prep. “In Mexico, you go to a taco stand and you just eat it in the bar by yourself and you just move,” he explains.
Del Campo hopes Marbella is the first of several. “I want to create a restaurant group,” he says, perhaps expanding to a more fine dining approach in the future.
“It took me so many years to have my kitchen in San Diego, up north in Encinitas,” Martin del Campo explains. “I feel more prepared and blessed and experienced and mature in other ways… the timing was just perfect.”
Marbella Oyster Bar will open in August or September 2026 at 133 Daphne Street in Encinitas.
A shadow is looming over National Burger Day on May 28. Ground beef prices hit record highs this year, up 77 percent since January 2020 and double what they were in 2013. The Washington Postreports that the cost of beef brisket is up 28 percent from last year, leading to menu price increases and even restaurant closures across the barbecue belt of Texas. San Diego burger joints are feeling the beef-lation as well, and with summer burger season just around the corner, the outlook feels as gloomy as the May Gray skies. So if you notice that the price of your favorite burger has gone up a couple of bucks, be kind—it’s an unavoidable reality of today’s economy, and one the whole industry is facing together.
Courtesy of Little Italy Association
Beth’s Bites
First came Carlo in Cardellino, now Trust Restaurant Group is keeping the “hidden” bar concept going with the now-open Georgette’s at À L’ouest. Up the spiral staircase lies a cocktail bar designed for the curious, the travelers—basically anyone with a penchant for the mysterious, or if you’re just thirsty. Reservations are a must, and after peeking at the menu, I’m salivating for the Core Memory with bourbon, Calvados, lemon, Carondelet, and egg white. (Calvados, the apple brandy from Normandy, France, is my weakness… hint hint).
Wellness center by day and non-alcoholic lounge by night, Andreane is now open at 1050 Garnet Avenue, Suite A in Pacific Beach. Guests can grab a matcha post-sound bath or imbibe on mocktails after dark—either way, I, for one, am glad to see the sober bar movement continuing to grow.
Be there or be hungry—the annual Taste of Little Italy returns June 16 and 17! There will be pizza. There will be pasta. There will be live music. There will be belts ready to burst. Eat your way through nearly two dozen restaurants and wear loose pants (take it from someone with experience).
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 maxim is “everything in moderation,” but I make an exception for pizza joints, especially when they’re run by an Italian native known for his mastery of wood-fired Neapolitan pizza. Later this month, Encinitas will be the home of Isola Pizza Bar’s third location when it opens at 569 South Coast Highway 101.
Chef/owner Massimo Tenino hails from the Liguria and Piedmont regions in northwestern Italy, where his nonna taught him the art of cooking and set him and his brother Paolo Carlo down similar tracks (him in the kitchen, his brother as a winemaker for Pietro Rinaldi Winery in Alba, Piedmont). He opened the first Isola in Little Italy in 2012, followed by La Jolla in 2016, so it hasn’t been a rapid-fire expansion plan—but rushing has never really been the Italian way.
Like the other Isolas, food will center around the wood-fired oven. It’s used for everything from pizza to roasting vegetables, firing seafood, finishing meat, calzones, and goes along with housemade items like cheese, from-scratch pasta and sauces. As an added brother bonus, the wine program features Pietro Rinaldi wines produced exclusively to pair with Isola’s menu. Along with core menu items, Tenino says he plans to introduce some location-specific specials, like a seafood risotto, gnocchi pasta with eggplant and smoked mozzarella, and housemade ravioli with ricotta and spinach.
Courtesy of Isola Pizza Bar
Pizza is still the star of the show, made with double-zero flour imported from Naples, which gives the dough the ability to stretch without tearing for that signature Neapolitan airiness. It’s fermented for 48 hours to develop a deeper flavor and allow for a better gluten structure, then fired at 900 degrees in the fiery oven for char and chew. Then it’s topped with things like smoked mozzarella, parma prosciutto, or chile calabrese.
Eventually, Tenino says the Isola team plans to open a guest house and cooking school in the Piedmont wine region of Italy, to teach guests how to prepare local dishes and learn about the local wine scene. Whenever this pizza-wine pilgrimage from San Diego to Italy happens, I humbly volunteer as tribute.
Isola Pizza Bar will open at 569 South Coast Highway 101 on April 30, 2026.
Courtesy of GoodBar
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
New Blood Behind The Bar At GoodBar
At one point or another, every regular at every bar at least wonders what it would be like to run the place. But for Fonda and Todd Erwin and Kayla Kersey, they don’t have to wonder anymore. The former regulars at GoodBar are now running the show at the Point Loma watering hole.
Both born and raised in Point Loma, they raised their family in Temecula until 2017 when they decided to come home—landing about two minutes away from GoodBar. Needless to say, they were frequent visitors, Fonda laughs. Buying a bar wasn’t exactly part of their retirement plan, especially after the pandemic. But one night, she and Kersey discussed the possibility of buying a place (Fonda’s an event planner, and Kersey has bar and hospitality experience).
They don’t plan on making many changes—especially not the Philly cheesesteaks, Fonda promises. They’ll start showing more Padres games as well as Phillies and Eagles games, and maybe expand the hours. But for the most part, the trio is enjoying the YOLO lifestyle of non-retirement. “I don’t have any reason to be sitting at home,” says Fonda. “This was never in the plan, ever… [but] it is an absolute perfect fit.”
Courtesy of Tony’s Jacal
Beth’s Bites
Speaking of mo’ pizza mo’ happiness, Pizza Cassette is now open in Pacific Beach! Jimmy Terwilliger’s New York-meets-Italian style of pizza is not trying to be authentic Neapolitan, but if you’ve had the chance to swing by their permanent pop-up at The Gärten, you’ll know it’s authentically delicious.
80 years of Tony’s Jacal in Solana Beach is a mega-milestone to celebrate! All the way back in 1946, Tony and Catalina Gonzales opened the Mexican restaurant in the quiet beach community. Today, the family carries on the tradition with the same recipes (plus a few more). I’ll raise a margarita to the next 80 years.
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.
Stake Chophouse & Bar isn’t your average steakhouse. Blue Bridge Hospitality’s Coronado outpost is a modern interpretation of a big-city steakhouse nestled in the heart of the small coastal community. The team at Stake has reimagined the whole steakhouse experience. By prioritizing a seasonal farm-to-table sourcing philosophy, a personalized guest experience, and unique service touches, like a formal steak presentation and a bespoke knife selection process, Stake distinguishes itself in a sea of steakhouses.
Exceptional steaks, including Wagyu from Japan, Australia, and the U.S., and fresh seafood flown in daily form the core of Stake’s culinary identity. The menu features a five-course omakase-style steak experience highlighting house favorites, plus an array of cuts, and classic steakhouse staples—think a wedge salad, baked potato, or pasta carbonara—refined for a contemporary palate without losing their traditional appeal. Stake focuses on seasonal sourcing from the region’s best family farms and specialty purveyors, and incorporates intentionally unexpected touches to create something truly unique.
“I challenge our chefs and myself to take it a step further in sourcing,” says Chef Ronnie Schwandt. “It’s important to us to highlight different farms, unique one-off farms—whether it’s cattle, strawberries, a local fisherman or from anywhere in the United States, we’re always trying to find that niche.”
Beyond the menu, Stake emphasizes outstanding service, says Vinny Spatafore, Director of Hospitality Operations. Staff maintains detailed notes, allowing them to remember guests by name, recall previous orders such as a favorite martini (also memorable for the customer since it’s served in an extra tall, distinctly-shaped glass), and celebrate special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.
“When you have those points of topic that you remember about a guest, they appreciate that,” he says. “Our servers are really good with that—we have a couple servers who have been here since the beginning and they’ll remember somebody from years ago, their name, their kids’ names, where they live. I’m really thankful to have a great front of house staff.”
Award-winning wines, rare whiskeys, special events, and a complementary black car service that provides transportation for guests throughout Coronado add to Stake’s appeal.
Schwandt stresses that Stake offers more than a meal; they aim to give patrons something unforgettable.
“It starts when you walk up the stairs and are greeted by the hostess—that sets the tone for the night. Then you’re greeted by a server, who may know you by name, and can guide you through the menu and curate as they get to know you,” says Schwandt. “Most people leave kind of blown away; they leave feeling like they just had an experience. That’s the goal, right? Whether you’re serving smash burgers or high-end steak, you want somebody to leave thinking, Wow, that was awesome.”
But Leucadia? It hasn’t topped the list—yet. Stella Bayphouthongkham hopes to change that with a new Lao-Thai restaurant called Coast Thai-Way, slated to open late summer at 698 N. Coast Highway 101.
“Life was going too good,” she laughs. “So I was like, ‘Why don’t we throw it all in again and start another restaurant?’”
Courtesy of Coast Thai-Way
Coast Thai-Way’s menu centers around the idea of remixing Bayphouthongkham’s mother’s recipes from Laos and making them approachable for the coastal community by using Southern California ingredients, like non-GMO, organic, seasonal produce whenever possible, and meats like pasture-raised chicken and grass-fed or grass-finished beef. Everything at Mekong and Coast Thai-Way is cooked in non-GMO avocado oil as well, she explains, and with the new restaurant being so close to the ocean, she plans to focus on more seafood-centric dishes for a different spin.
Lao people first came to San Diego en masse 50 years ago in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, and Bayphouthongkham herself emigrated from Laos 36 years ago. “They call us ‘The 1.5 Generation,’ where we came when we’re really little, but this is all we know,” she says. Since then, she’s seen people outside the Lao community start to embrace the cuisine, but there is still plenty of opportunity to educate.
She’ll start off easy, by offering “familiar” dishes like pad thai and various curries. But Coast Thai-Way will also feature nam khao tod (crispy rice salad), khao soi (Northern Thai curry noodle soup), and a Thai beef noodle soup—probably without the traditional pork blood, she laughs. It’ll also offer matcha as a hat tip to the space’s former life as a cafe, plus local beer and natural wines to (hopefully) surprise some guests with how well the cuisine pairs with different beverages. And in low-key Leucadia, she thinks people will be pleasantly surprised.
“This food, it doesn’t have to be just quick takeout,” she promises. “People can come and enjoy it in a way that they never thought they could… I love the idea of people coming in and expecting one thing and getting another.”
Coast Thai-Way will open at 698 N. Coast Highway 101 in Leucadia by early summer 2026. Soft opening hours will be Wednesday through Monday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner (closed Tuesdays).
Courtesy of Taste of East Village
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Beth’s Bites
If there’s one thing that I will repeat ad nauseum in my food writing, it’s that San Diego has the most small farms than any other county in the country. I really don’t know if people appreciate how incredible that is! Whether you do or don’t, an opportunity to enjoy the bounty of our local farms is coming up on Thursday, April 30, during Graze at the Fields at the Carlsbad Flower Fields. Join the San Diego County Farm Bureau and a bonanza of local farmers, chefs, beverage makers, and other local agricultural organizations to eat, drink, and celebrate all things rooted in San Diego’s soil. The 21+ event is limited to 300 people, and looking at the vendor list, is basically a gathering of the top ag minds in the U.S.
For something a little more citified (but just as delicious), mark your calendars for May 13-14 for the 4th annual Taste of East Village. Between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. both evenings, over 25 restaurants around East Village will open their doors to meandering munchers aiming to taste all the apps, desserts, and other food and drink specials offered for the event. Yes, the neighborhood is highly walkable, but might I suggest a rideshare for making your way home?
North Park real estate (usually) doesn’t stay empty for long, and 3914 30th Street is no exception. The former home of Common Table, which recently vacated to take over the Coin-Op kitchen as 86’d, will soon be home to the second location of Pizza on Pearl, a La Jolla pizza joint that opened in 2009. I’m of the opinion that more pizza is always the right move, so we’ll see how they do when they open—and what North Park thinks.
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.
Despite some preemptive eulogizing, the latest Brewers Association statistics estimate that though craft beer’s national volume is down 5 percent, it’s still a $72.5 billion industry. It ain’t going anywhere; just normalizing.
In San Diego, it seems like the ones who are chugging mightily along are the ones who offer more than just beer. Craft Coast, for instance. The brewery and taco stand opened its first brewpub in Oceanside in August 2020 and its second in San Marcos in April 2024. Both locations feature their own beer and Baja-style tacos, mulitas, and bowls.
Blake Masoner, one of the three co-founders with Lars Erickson and Brian Gillen, says he and his partners built a business plan on the premise of caring equally about the quality of the beer as the tacos. Food is no longer an option for a fledgling brewery’s survival. It’s essential.
“The days of business park breweries are limited, I think,” he says, noting they intentionally keep it simple.“In-N-Out doesn’t give everything to everybody for a reason, because they’re good at what they’re good at.”
His time at Pizza Port’s brewery was inspiration—a business model that survived on craft beer and pizza since the ’80s.
Craft Coast has had a successful five years in North County, where all three founders are lifelong locals. After one failed attempt to snag a spot in Encinitas in 2021 (followed by a successful bid in late 2023), they’ll open its first spot in the neighborhood this summer at 476 S. Coast Highway 101 in the former Filiberto’s space where the owners spent many late nights filling up on tacos.
The roughly 3,000-square-foot indoor and outdoor space (located directly underneath the Encinitas arch) will open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with possible late-night hours on weekends. The dozen or so taps will include Craft Coast’s five core beers (Agua Baja Mexican lager, Shootz Mahalo hazy IPA, Old West American IPA, XPA extra pale ale, and Sunset Market prickly pear sour with a rotating fruit) along with other collaborations and seasonals, plus canned and bottled non-alcoholic options and a selection of recently released to-go cans.
Expect the same food menu as the first two locations, plus a fully built-in salsa bar (my literal dream) designed by Ralitsa Kombakis of Studio Rallou. If the name sounds familiar, she also designed the soon-to-open À L’ouest French brasserie by chef Brad Wise (Trust Restaurant Group) in North Park.
Masoner says while the team likes to grow slowly, they’re committed to prioritizing their home zone of North County. If (and when) they open another brewpub, this is where they hope to stay.
“We’ve spent a lot of time living in Encinitas,” he says. “We always said if this building ever comes up, we should get it and do something. Then we established Craft Coast and here we are, five-and-a-half years later.”
Craft Coast opens this summer at 476 S. Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas.
When Matteo (somewhat suddenly) closed in South Park in December, it already had a succession plan in place. Angela Catania, who owns nearby Carbon Angela’s Kitchen, took the keys and announced Bedda in January. Bedda, which means “beautiful” in Sicilian, will not be an Italian restaurant—so don’t expect pizza or pasta, but do expect all-day dining, plus a deli and market and nighttime bar with cocktails and wine. Personally, I’m always glad when an uber-visible corner restaurant doesn’t stay empty for too long. I’m already counting down to its opening in mid-February.
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.
While glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agents have been used to treat Type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, their recent emergence as weight-loss wonder drugs marked a new frontier in medicine. But their effectiveness has left some patients wondering what to do once they’ve reached their goal. Stopping the medication could mean regaining some, if not all, of the weight. A Scripps Clinic internal medicine physician recently conducted a small study of whether GLP-1 patients who had reached their goal weight could maintain that weight by taking their regularly prescribed injection every other week instead of weekly. Spoiler alert: 30 of 34 patients did. Read more about the study here and what that may mean as pharmaceutical companies roll out oral GLP-1s.
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