This summer, Troy Johnson, our restaurant critic, had to put his restaurant critiques on hold. According to a report by Yelp, 226 restaurants permanently closed between March 1 and July 10 in the San Diego area alone. Now is not the time to quibble over the finer points of dining out. Ever since, instead of criticism we’ve used those pages to share stories of our local restaurant owners and chefs, and give them a platform to express their hardships, successes, and any glimpses they catch of a silver lining. This month, Troy spoke with three restaurant owners in the Convoy District, the heart of Asian cuisine in San Diego.
We also postponed two of our annual features, Best Restaurants and Best of San Diego. Traditionally we’ve unveiled them every June and August, and we’ve been on the fence about whether it’s even appropriate to produce these issues in 2020. Ultimately, we decided to combine them both into this one special issue. There’s never been a more urgent need to celebrate and promote as many restaurants as we can. I hope you’ll read Troy’s thoughtful essay for more insight on why we continued this tradition, and enjoy the photography—creative director Sydnie Goodwin felt it only fitting to capture the meals in takeout boxes. For Best of San Diego and Baja, our contributing writers gave us plenty of reasons to celebrate our city: They found so many cool new attractions and creative activities that we can enjoy at an appropriate distance.
We’re also continuing the holiday tradition of our annual Charitable Giving Guide, which is bundled in this issue. Because so many San Diegans are struggling to put food on the table and afford their housing and health care, the nonprofits that provide these services are overextended and in greater need of funds. Turn to page 10 in the guide to see how even a $5 donation can make a difference, and to page 16 for uplifting stories on how locals are volunteering their time.
We hope this issue closes out 2020 with some inspiration to keep looking for the bright sides—new places to visit, local businesses and charities to support, or just new ways to connect with family and loved ones. It’s easy if you try!
Vegan dishes from The Plot in Oceanside
Anne Watson
