In Brandon Hampton’s dim office, a fan whirs and his pet snake—a black and white 7.5-foot-long Argentine Boa constrictor—lies coiled and unmoving in a huge glass case. “When we got her, she kept licking the heat lamp, so we named her Brick, because ‘Brick loves lamp,’” he explains, a nod to actor Steve Carell’s character in Anchorman.
We’re at Hampton’s workshop in an industrial part of Escondido, home of Meglio Knives, where Hampton works as owner and lead knifemaker. Right now, he’s got a 100-person waitlist for his custom knives. In a different universe, though, he might have been a lawyer. “I graduated and went to law school and failed out because all my notes were drawings of knives,” the North County native says.
To fund his undergraduate history degree at CSU San Marcos, Hampton took up work at Strider Knives during the late 2000s. The company amassed superlative status among the armed forces and tactical knife communities in the 20+ years Strider was in business.
Hampton worked primarily under Duane Dwyer, business partner of owner Mick Strider. “He’s a material science guy. He taught me application-specific uses for different types of steel,” Hampton recalls of his mentor. They still hang out and drink whiskey together. Before that, in high school, he sold kitchen knives at a mall.
Growing up, he often helped out around his family’s Italian restaurant in Escondido. His great grandparents ran Laura Scardino’s on Escondido Boulevard and 10th Avenue. It’s a mariscos spot now, but back in the 1940s, great grandma Laura sold pasta and lasagna out of her house. “Servicemen would walk by and smell her cooking,” Hampton shares.
The former Scardino family restaurant
In the ‘70s, they tore down the house and built two buildings: Laura Scardino’s the restaurant— where Hampton would spend much of his youth wandering into the kitchen— and a smaller residential house.
“I remember going back there and making garlic bread pizzas. I was not a thin child,” he admits. His Mexican-Italian mother and tias taught him to cook. When he’s not cooking or working these days, he’s roving the county for good eats, such as Lola55’s tacos and beans and Izola bakery’s Tahitian vanilla knots.
Hampton’s also got words for those who think of San Diego as anything less than a dynamic food hub. “I hear a lot of bougie chefs get really critical about the food scene in San Diego, and I’m like, ‘speak for yourself, man.’”
During Meglio’s infancy, Hampton cycled through a number of paying jobs. There were shifts at UPS, a 9-to-5 as an admissions counselor, and a stint at a medical device company. In between, he spent just as much time in his shop “grinding away til the wee hours.”
Back then, Hampton visited a lot of restaurants, pitching his wares one by one, asking for feedback and making some industry friends along the way. Though it took a while to get his knives into the chef community, his clientele now reads like a best of list, including Chef Tara Monsod of Animae and Chef Accursio Lota of Cori Pastificio in North Park, a 2020 Best Restaurant winner.
Meglio Knives Brandon Hampton
Meglio Knives, product
However, the admin required for custom orders can be overwhelming. So, once he gets through his waitlist, he’ll focus on his production line of chef’s and paring knives for everyone, not just professional chefs.
Unless of course, someone’s got a good challenge for him. Need a left-handed eel knife, for example? Hampton is in—as long as the knife actually gets used. “If you don’t use your knife, send it back,” he says. “I don’t want my knives in a safe.”
And although Hampton clocks in considerable elbow grease designing, grinding, and shaping metal, he doesn’t consider himself an artist, but a craftsman.
“I make a tool,” he says. Compared to art, which is meant for emotional evocation, he believes, “there’s definitely a wrong way to make a knife. If it doesn’t cut, I’ve failed in my task.” On the other hand, “Seeing [chef] Tara create what she creates and knowing that she’s got my 8-inch Gyuto in the back just tearing it up, and my offset fillet back there… ” Hampton trails off for a beat. That’s art.
Ligaya Malones grew up in Kaua’i, Hawai’i and is a San Diego-based writer covering the intersection of food, travel, and culture. Her work has appeared in publications including Food52, Condé Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet, and Salt & Wind Travel.
Garden Kitchen was special. During its seven-year run on a quiet street in Rolando, even the farmiest-to-table devotees were pointing to chef-owner Coral Strong and slow-clapping. When the restaurant’s lease was up without the option to renew, which forced her to close in 2022, Strong wasn’t sure what to do next.
Farm-to-table wasn’t new by any means—chef Alice Waters spawned the movement at her pioneering restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley in the early ‘70s, and many San Diego chefs did it right. But by the mid-2000s, the idea had been so co-opted by the mainstream that the meaning was almost completely lost.
“In the beginning, I used to get very honestly angry and upset when I would go to other restaurants that were claiming they were farm-to-table, but knowing some of the chefs or prep cooks inside [telling me] ‘Oh no, that comes from Restaurant Depot,’” she says.
Strong grew up in Cardiff before her parents moved the family to Costa Rica in 1989. They’d bounce between the two countries for months at a time, but when they lived in a motel by the beach while building their own house, she witnessed an incredibly tight-knit food culture. “As a Latin American country, everyone kind of cooks together,” she says. Everyone chopped, prepped, prepared, and served as a unit. “[That] definitely shaped my adolescence as to how I thought about food and the community of food.”
Photo Credit: Olivia Hayo
When her father, a commercial fisherman, brought the family back to San Diego, Strong leaned into an entrepreneurial streak, moving from coffee to accounting and eventually bartending to pay the bills. But food remained a passion, especially after she met her future husband, who introduced her to his Be Wise CSA and the wonderful world of truly fresh, farm-grown vegetables.
“We were just always disappointed with the vegetables out at restaurants and were like, ‘Why can’t they just make vegetables taste good?” she wondered. She realized that despite having more small farms than any other county in the country, most restaurants in San Diego simply weren’t using local ingredients.
So she decided to do it herself.
Strong opened Garden Kitchen without any formal culinary training—just a commitment to getting the freshest vegetables, meat, fruits, and other produce onto people’s plates. Her first chef quit within a month, telling her it was impossible. “So I got in the kitchen one day and said, ‘I can do this, let’s figure it out.’ I taught myself how to cook.”
She already had connections with farmers, fishermen, and ranchers, and designed a different menu almost daily based on what she could get. “My farmers sometimes delivered in the middle of dinner service,” she laughs.
Garden Kitchen lasted until after the pandemic, but before the current economy cut into already razor-thin margins. Could Garden Kitchen exist today? She’s not sure.
“The biggest thing right now is just looking at the finances and how expensive it is,” says Strong. “Obviously, the cost of food is up right now, gas is crazy right now… it just crushes you.” Despite that, she believes that committing to the true farm-to-table ethos is as easy as one decides to make it.
“If you think it’s hard to order directly from your farmer, if you don’t understand the absolute pleasure in doing that and you’d rather order from a computer, then that’s your own difficulty,” she says. “People say they’re into it, but are they willing to make the effort like I am, to drive an hour to go get my meat, or drive 35 minutes to go to my farm to go pick it up? I don’t know.”
Today, Strong works as a private chef, hosts pop-ups, and offers catering services, all still using seasonally available ingredients from San Diego. And while she has no intentions of opening another restaurant, she says we might see even more of her in the future.
“I have a large property [in Valley Center], and let’s say that there will be more of my food to come,” she promises.
Courtesy of Tajima Ramen
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Beth’s Bites
Dora is less than a year old, but already shaking things up—mostly, behind the bar. Bar lead Francesca Proietti Semproni (whose resume includes stints at Young Blood, Civico, and Rustic Root) launched what sounds (in my humble opinion) like an absolutely charming initiative called Nonna’s Recipe Book. Instead of picking your next drink off a menu, tell the bartender what you’re in the mood for, what you’re eating, and what flavors you tend to enjoy and they’ll whip up a unique concoction just for you. But wait, there’s more! Once the custom cocktail comes to life, the Dora team adds it into a living archive of recipes—a collection of guest-created drinks you can come back to again and again and again. In an age of algorithmic choices made for us rather than by us, I kind of love this analog vibe.
South Bay’s local coffee favorite Cafecito on Palm is doing the damn thing for number two. Cafecito on Park will open later this year near San Diego City College, bringing their signature espresso service closer to downtown. Hopefully, City College attendees can plan for their next finals week to be a little more java-driven.
It’s always 5 o’clock at Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp Quarter, and now, it’s perpetual summer as well with a slew of rooftop cabanas now available to the public. If you ask me, it’s just in time for the hotel’s Yappy Hour, hosted on the last Thursday of every month through October, where pups and people can kick back on the rooftop and enjoy dog-friendly (and people-friendly) menus, plus giveaways, leis, and more. If your dog likes to chill as much as you do, this might be the place to hang poolside this summer.
Time flies when you’re slurping noodles. Tajima Ramen just hit the big 2-5 and is marking the occasion with a month of specials, events, deals, and other giveaways throughout June. From June 1 to 7, head back in time with their Throwback Menu bringing back some old favorites, June 8 through 14, you can get any two ramen bowls for $25 or free extra noodles with your ramen (dine-in only), or from June 15 through 21, snag happy hour prices all day, every day. There’s even more on the schedule, so take a peek at your local shop’s calendar and enjoy the taste (and some prices) circa 2001.
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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 art of presentation. The Marine Room's chef Bernard Guillas prepares Alaskan halibut with red walnuts, quinoa, cara cara orange, and an absinthe infusion
The Marine Room’s Chef Bernard Guillas
The Marine Room’s chef Bernard Guillas prepares Alaskan halibut with red walnuts, quinoa, cara cara orange, and an absinthe infusion
The Marine Room’s Chef Bernard Guillas
The Marine Room’s chef Bernard Guillas prepares Alaskan halibut with red walnuts, quinoa, cara cara orange, and an absinthe infusion
The Marine Room’s Chef Bernard Guillas
The Marine Room’s chef Bernard Guillas prepares Alaskan halibut with red walnuts, quinoa, cara cara orange, and an absinthe infusion
The Marine Room’s Chef Bernard Guillas
Alaskan halibut with red walnuts, quinoa, cara cara orange, and an absinthe infusion
The art of presentation. The Marine Room's chef Bernard Guillas prepares Alaskan halibut with red walnuts, quinoa, cara cara orange, and an absinthe infusion
The Marine Room’s Chef Bernard Guillas
The Marine Room’s chef Bernard Guillas prepares Alaskan halibut with red walnuts, quinoa, cara cara orange, and an absinthe infusion
The Marine Room’s Chef Bernard Guillas
The Marine Room’s chef Bernard Guillas prepares Alaskan halibut with red walnuts, quinoa, cara cara orange, and an absinthe infusion
The Marine Room’s Chef Bernard Guillas
The Marine Room’s chef Bernard Guillas prepares Alaskan halibut with red walnuts, quinoa, cara cara orange, and an absinthe infusion
The Marine Room’s Chef Bernard Guillas
Alaskan halibut with red walnuts, quinoa, cara cara orange, and an absinthe infusion
Renewable energy companies building hundreds of power plants. Biotech startups using artificial intelligence to create personalized medicine for children with rare diseases. Hospitality companies quietly powering thousands of local events. Consumer brands growing from beach-town startups into national businesses. These are the kinds of companies driving San Diego’s economy today, and the businesses recognized at this year’s San Diego Business Impact Awards offer a snapshot of where the region is headed.
Hosted July 23 by San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and JPMorganChase, the second annual awards event honored four local companies for innovation, growth, and economic impact. More than 100 nominations from San Diego’s middle-market businesses were reviewed by a 10-person judging committee, with winners selected across four categories: startup, early-stage innovator, rising star, and established heavyweight.
Two-time honoree Jimbo Someck, founder of Jimbo’s organic grocery stores, also joined the event for a fireside chat on buying local, supporting emerging brands, and giving back to the community.
“San Diego’s strength comes from its makers and builders—the resilient people who endure great risks and overcome obstacles to build and scale a company,” says Aaron Ryan, San Diego Region Manager and Middle Market Banking at JPMorganChase & Co. “These awards aren’t just recognition; they spotlight the talent, grit, and innovation shaping our region’s future. By celebrating those who create and build, we foster connections and fuel the growth that keeps San Diego thriving.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Building the Infrastructure Behind Clean Energy
Heavyweight honoree SOLV Energy has grown alongside the country’s rapid investment in renewable power. “It’s an exciting time for SOLV Energy as we are experiencing significant growth,” says CEO George Hershman. “The business has doubled over the last year and has almost double-digit growth since its inception.”
The Rancho Bernardo-based company designs, builds, operates, and maintains utility-scale solar and energy storage facilities. Since its founding in 2008, SOLV Energy has built more than 500 power plants.
Growth has translated directly into hiring. About 200 employees work from the company’s local headquarters, including roughly 20 interns. “Our intern program is a big part of the way that we grow our workforce,” Hershman says. “Last year, 43 percent of our interns became full-time employees. We believe San Diego is a great community to build and grow a high-tech infrastructure and technology company because of the incredible workforce—the ability to attract top talent and draw from world-class universities.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Developing Medicine One Patient at a Time
Startup honoree La Jolla Labs is tackling one of medicine’s biggest challenges by developing personalized RNA therapeutics for patients with rare diseases—many of them children with neurological disorders like ALS. Using proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, the biotech company develops treatments tailored to each patient’s specific genetic mutation.
CEO Tamar Grossman says the recognition reflects how far the company has come despite limited resources. “We’re honored to be recognized for our ability to change and save patients’ lives and turn our lean startup into a clinical company with very minimal resources,” she says.
Grossman credits San Diego’s concentration of research institutions—including UC San Diego, the Salk Institute, and Scripps Research—with creating a pipeline of talent and collaboration. “San Diego is one of the world-leading centers for technology, genomics, and RNA therapeutics,” she says. “We have over 30 RNA therapeutics companies here, and we support each other and help with anything related to drug discovery.”
She says that collaborative spirit extends beyond formal partnerships. “You can walk around Torrey Pines, go into a café, and find colleagues from the industry and have an ad hoc conversation,” Grossman says. “That’s something very unique to San Diego.”
While Snake Oil Venue Company may not be a household name, chances are many San Diegans have attended one of its events. The early-stage innovator honoree has expanded from beverage catering and mixology consulting into venue management, operating Julep Venue in Mission Hills, Bramble Bay Venue in Imperial Beach, Vesper Venue, the Chapel at Liberty Station, and five outdoor venues throughout Liberty Station—more than 500,000 square feet of event space altogether.
“We do a lot of launch parties for corporations and new products,” says CEO Mike Esposito. “I really like working on the entrepreneur side of things, where new businesses are entering the San Diego market and looking to make a splash.”
Snake Oil has executed more than 16,000 events, employed more than 1,000 people, and partnered with more than 900 local vendors, including caterers, florists, photographers, entertainers, and other hospitality businesses. The company also works with many of San Diego’s nonprofits, museums, and cultural institutions. “We get to celebrate people’s most important moments,” Esposito says. “Whether that’s a wedding, celebration of life, or quinceañera, we’re fortunate to be involved in the community in so many different ways.”
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
Growing a Beach-Town Brand into a National Business
Rising star honoree ALOHA Collection is proof that a simple idea can grow into a thriving company. Founded by two roommates who wanted a better way to carry wet swimsuits after a day at the beach, the lifestyle brand has grown into a business while maintaining strong year-over-year growth.
Now headquartered in Carlsbad, ALOHA Collection employs more than 100 people and operates its California flagship store in Encinitas, which is slated for a remodel. With roots in Hawaii, the company is known for its lightweight, splash-proof travel bags that have become a familiar sight on beaches in San Diego and beyond.
“‘Aloha’ is part of our name, but it’s also how we move through the world,” says CEO Lynna Barnard. “It’s how we show up for people, the way we travel, the way we give back.” Since day one, the company has maintained a 5 percent giveback to Hawaii conservation efforts, contributing millions of dollars over the years.
“I think what’s so inspiring about ALOHA Collection, and the founders in particular, is when you dream big, those dreams can come true when you work hard and trust in the universe,” Barnard says. “It’s inspiring to be a role model for other people wanting to start businesses from humble beginnings. Start small and watch it grow.”
Together, businesses like these form a cornerstone of San Diego’s economy—not only through the jobs and revenue they generate—but through the local workers they hire, vendors they support, and investments they make in the region. Their growth doesn’t happen in isolation; it ripples outward, strengthening the broader business community and the people who call San Diego home.
For years, writers (even me, I’ll admit) have spilled gallons of ink lauding San Diego’s up-and-coming dining scene. No, we’re not Los Angeles’ little sibling. Yes, we’re more than fish tacos—and have been for a while. We hosted this year’s California Michelin Guide ceremony. Southern California’s first three Michelin-starred restaurant (Addison by William Bradley) calls San Diego home. I think it’s safe to say we’re not on the way—we’ve arrived.
If anyone needs more proof that San Diego has truly made it to the world’s stage, all you need to do is look toward downtown’s newest arrival: Zuma, the globally-acclaimed contemporary Japanese restaurant and izakaya.
Located inside The Guild Hotel, Zuma San Diego is the sixth US outpost of the London-born brand, which now includes restaurants in destinations like Bangkok, Thailand; Ibiza, Spain; and Cannes, France. And there are on the way, including Saint Barth in the Caribbean; Los Cabos, Mexico; and its very first pop-up in Japan this winter.
Each Zuma outpost has its own local flair, but share a few key elements no matter where it is in the world: a large, energetic bar area; an open sushi counter; and Zuma’s signature robata grill.
Rainer Becker and Arjun Waney founded Zuma in Knightsbridge, London, in 2002 after Becker spent six years cooking in Tokyo, connecting Japanese elegance with vibrant design. After opening locations in Miami, New York City, Las Vegas, Boston, and Vail, vice president of operations Nick Fielding says San Diego felt like a natural fit.
Courtesy of Zuma
“There’s something uniquely special about San Diego in terms of energy and culture,” he says. “You’ve got a city that is extremely, extremely well versed in culture, in food, in hospitality, in luxury. It’s a quiet luxury, which is very much in keeping with what we believe in.”
The Guild Hotel makes sense as the host location. The historic Italian Renaissance property dates back to 1924, featuring a European-style courtyard, plush lobby, and an abundance of restored original details, like 1920s-era tilework.
One important note: while guests can access Zuma via the hotel lobby, the restaurant has its own dedicated entrance located on Columbia Street. And if you want the full Zuma experience, that’s where you’ll want to start, promises Fielding.
Courtesy of Zuma
“The entrance is a big part of the arrival experience,” he says. Upon entry, guests walk through an elongated tunnel made from solid teak before arriving at an oversized boulder wall. Each stone has been hand-cut and carved by a team of artisans in Mexico, with a design meant to reflect the rugged California coastline. Next steps guide you across a Japanese garden–style walkway among a Zen pebble garden (inspired in part by the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park) straight to the indoor-outdoor bar made with hand-cast resin panels designed to emulate the sunset over the ocean.
As for the patio, it’s a jungle out there—literally. Luscious greenery and towering palms drape across the space to create a secret tropical garden framed by hand-carved, uplit teak screens from Indonesia. By design, there’s no question it’s a Zuma restaurant, but the San Diego location’s style rotates around five pillars, according to the restaurant group’s head of design, Lucy Robinson.
Courtesy of Zuma
One: embracing a sense of understated luxury. Two: highlighting the year-round climate with a 50/50 indoor/outdoor split of the space. Three: blending local architectural details (like the botanical garden references) with Japanese aesthetics. Four: creating a bespoke palette of bold pinks, oranges, and yellows inspired by minerals found in coastal stones along the coast. Five: Creating a vibrantly energetic space (a goal for every Zuma location).
Inside, the robata grills crowns the center of the dining room, featuring a Japanese paper hood and fire element-inspired resin wainscot base to create a striking tower of red, yellow, and orange. “We always try to bring the four elements into our projects, which are fire, water, wind, and earth,” explains Robinson. San Diego also features Zuma’s first ice box centered on the sushi counter. “It’s almost like on an island—a big lit-up ice block, which will be chipped down to make the base of our sushi platters.”
The 1,591-square-foot dining space seats 221 guests, with a natural flow between the two—another nod to the nearby coast. From hand-woven details by an artist in Germany to the granite tiles on the walls, scale, pattern, texture, and color are everywhere.
That’s true for the plates as well. Head chef Briant Arciniega’s menu features all Zuma’s big hits—spicy beef tenderloin, saikyo miso-marinated black cod, barley miso-marinated baby chicken, as well as signature sushi and sashimi options, and robata dishes like grilled scallop skewers, beef with shishito pepper and smoked chili soy, jumbo tiger prawn with yuzu pepper, and ribeye with wafu sauce and garlic crisps.
Courtesy of Zuma
Beverage-wise, the menu follows the same diversity of flavors and price points to offer high-end staples, but remain approachable, says Fielding. Expect concoctions like a Japanese margarita made with Mijenta blanco tequila, mezcal, yuzu, orange, and yuzu koshu, opt for an easy-drinking Sapporo pale lager, ask the lead bartender Eric Howell for a wine recommendation, or explore the sake selection.
At minimum, expect vibes. Robinson says the Zuma team has watched certain San Diego restaurant groups go all-in on experiential, eye-popping, energetically-designed spaces. “We wanted to make sure we stood out when coming into the area,” she says. When you have to compete with things like speakeasies-within-speakeasies and man-made barside beaches of imported Turkish sand, you better bring it.
Zuma San Diego opens at The Guild Hotel (500 West Broadway) on August 10. Initial operating hours are seven days a week for dinner service. Reservations are now open.
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.
William Wordsworth’s 1807 poem “By The Sea” paints a glorious picture of a coastal sunset, elegantly describing the serenity that can only be found upon an ocean’s sandy shores.
It is a beauteous evening, calm and free, The holy time is quiet as a Nun Breathless with adoration; the broad sun Is sinking down in its tranquility
And as a San Diegan, I often have to pinch myself. We’re spoiled by this breathtaking beauty each day. Come August 12, Coronado will have a new place from which to soak in the Pacific’s peacefulness: By The Sea. Created by the team at Black Swan Hospitality (Nolita Hall), Doug and Lara Hamm brought to life a Mediterranean-meets-San Diego oasis influenced by their travels through the French Riviera, Italy’s Amalfi Coast, and the Greek Isles. (It’s not the first time the couple drew inspiration from the Mediterranean coast—their wedding took place on the island of Capri, their daughter’s namesake.)
Opening the 6,500-square-foot, second-story restaurant took longer than expected. First announced three years ago, the Hamms worked with Loren Wynn and Mellissa Ramos—their own in-house design studio (Creative House)—alongside Tecture (Lucien, Anigma Encinitas, Bivouac Ciderworks, George’s at the Cove) to create a space that feels more like a coastal villa than spartan dining room.
Guests enter via a cobblestone staircase to a light-drenched dining room and outdoor patio shaded by a eucalyptus wood trellis. Windows dot nearly every wall below the high ceiling of hand-stained willow reed thatching and exposed wood beams. “We have a beautiful lounge area with some textures such as velvet and marble,” says Lara. Everywhere feels organic, with materials like white oak and Italian limestone flowing throughout the open concept and semi-private dining areas.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
The curvaceous travertine bar seats 24, while the 11 outdoor tables and 44 indoor tables and banquettes hold an additional 254 guests. It’s not quite oceanfront, but the peekaboo water view and floor-to-ceiling glass pocket doors allow the nearby sea breeze to drift across the dining room. (And if you’re the type of perpetually cold person once the mercury falls below 72, never fear—the outdoor fireplace and built-in heaters will keep you comfortable all year round.)
With a name like By The Sea, one can safely assume seafood features heavily on the menu. Executive chef Alex Carpio utilizes plenty of local produce and catches, with starters like scallop crudo, tuna tartare, octopus with crispy potatoes, and calamari fritti. The rest of the menu is broken into salads, vegetables, pastas, and mains, with standouts like a beet salad with feta, kale, orange, and charred lemon vinaigrette; Moroccan-spiced carrots served with lemon yogurt, mint, and parsley; classic linguine and clams with garlic, tomato, and parsley; a lamb cavatelli with fennel, chives, and breadcrumbs; grilled branzino with tahini and Castelvetrano olive tapenade; grilled half chicken with celery, cucumber, and a Calabrian chile vinaigrette; steak frites; and pan seared scallops with pickled peppers, basil, dill, and aioli.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
Lara says there was one non-negotiable item for the menu: a dramatic seafood tower. Built for 2-4 guests or 4-6, each option comes with a collection of fresh oysters, shrimp, tuna tartare, scallop crudo, and caviar, with lobster and crab claws available on the larger size.
And if you’re curious about exploring the world of caviar, you’re in luck. Doug says they’re building a tasting menu of different spirits to pair with various caviars under bar manager Andrew Phillips’ purview.
Photo Credit: Kimberly Motos
Phillips’ drinks menu uses housemade syrups and fresh-squeezed juices, encapsulating both classic cocktails as well as signature inventions like All That Glitters with Cazadores Reposado, Xila Licor de Agave, Chinola Passionfruit liqueur, vanilla, and lime; Sea Glass with Dewar’s scotch, Haku yuzu vodka, green tea, vanilla, lemongrass, apple, lime, and clarified milk; and The Mariner with Appleton Signature & Reserve Rums, Ron Zacapa 23, Chinola Passionfruit, Aperol, pineapple, lemon and orgeat. Wine pairings are curated by the directors of operations Daniela DiGregorio and Gina Martinez, spotlighting small, organic producers from around the world as well as a selection of high-end Champagnes.
Lara describes By The Sea as “a place to linger together,” with director of hospitality and general manager Heather Roberto overseeing every aspect of the low-key feeling of the space. The restaurant may be European-inspired, but the Hamms say it’s wholly Coronado.
The Hamms moved to the Crown City at the end of the pandemic after years in bustling Little Italy. “Within a few weeks of moving here, we felt the magic,” says Doug. Now, they get to be a part of building it up—CH Projects’ Baby Grand hotel is across the street and the Hotel del Coronado sits just down the block. “We’re happy to be part of the scene, and we hope it continues to grow,” he says. “That’s what makes Coronado so special.”
By The Sea opens August 12 at 1300 Orange Avenue, Coronado. Initial hours of operation are Wednesday and Thursday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4 p.m. to midnight; Sunday and Monday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.; closed Tuesday. Weekend brunch and extended hours to come soon. (Subject to change.)
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.
From advancements in cellular biology and molecular research to innovations that deepen our understanding of complex biological systems, biotechnology continues to influence how researchers explore some of science’s most important questions.
While major discoveries often capture headlines, the process behind those breakthroughs receives far less attention. Scientific progress depends on a vast network of researchers, laboratories, manufacturers, and specialized organizations working together to support ongoing investigation and discovery.
The Growing Importance of Biotechnology
In recent years, biotechnology has moved beyond the walls of research institutions and into mainstream conversation. Increased access to scientific information, educational content, and expert commentary has sparked growing public interest in the biological sciences.
Topics once discussed primarily within academic circles are now reaching broader audiences through podcasts, documentaries, digital media, and online communities. As a result, more people are developing an appreciation for the research, experimentation, and innovation that drive scientific advancement.
This growing visibility has transformed biotechnology from a largely specialized field into a subject of interest for educators, innovators, investors, and curious observers alike.
The Hidden Infrastructure Behind Discovery
Scientific breakthroughs often capture public attention, but the infrastructure that makes those breakthroughs possible rarely receives the same recognition. Behind every new discovery are years of investigation, testing, analysis, and refinement.
Behind nearly every research project is a network of laboratories, suppliers, technical specialists, and research-focused organizations working together to support scientific exploration. Laboratory infrastructure, specialized materials, quality standards, and reliable methodologies all contribute to the integrity of the research process.
When these foundational elements are in place, researchers can focus on generating insights, exploring new ideas, and building upon existing knowledge. Although much of this work occurs behind the scenes, it plays a critical role in helping science move forward.
Why Discovery Depends on More Than Researchers Alone
As biotechnology continues to evolve, research-focused organizations have become increasingly important contributors to the broader scientific ecosystem.
Among them is NewBioRx, a company operating within the biotechnology and life sciences sector. Like many organizations operating within the broader research ecosystem, NewBioRx contributes to the network of suppliers, laboratories, and scientific stakeholders that help support ongoing research efforts.
As scientific research becomes increasingly sophisticated, organizations that help support the research environment contribute to a culture where innovation can continue to thrive. Their work may not always be visible to the public, but it forms part of the foundation that enables scientific progress.
Why Science Is Reaching Wider Audiences
One of the most notable developments in recent years has been the growing public fascination with science and human biology.
Scientific concepts that were once primarily discussed within research settings are now reaching wider audiences through educational content, podcasts, digital media, and online communities. People are becoming increasingly interested not only in scientific outcomes, but also in the process of discovery itself.
The growing visibility of science has also created new connections between scientific communities and broader audiences. Individuals who operate across multiple worlds—including fitness, media, and life sciences—have helped introduce scientific topics to audiences that may not have engaged with them previously.
One example is Sam Sulek, co-founder of NewBioRx, whose involvement across fitness culture and the life sciences sector reflects the growing intersection between public curiosity and scientific exploration.
As co-founder of NewBioRx, he has helped champion a research-focused approach to scientific inquiry while supporting broader conversations around scientific literacy and discovery.
As scientific discovery becomes increasingly collaborative, public attention is beginning to extend beyond individual breakthroughs and toward the broader ecosystem that makes those breakthroughs possible. From researchers and laboratories to the organizations that support them, scientific progress remains a collective effort built on curiosity, expertise, and long-term commitment.
