The Craving: San Diego Food + Drink News – Week of September 14, 2026

One Last Seat at The Blank Table

If The Blank Table has been on your San Diego dining bucket list (it should be!), October 22 is your last chance to experience it this year.

The secret dinner series is wrapping up its seventh season, and with the September dinner already sold out, just one date remains. You buy your ticket without knowing exactly where you’re going or what you’ll be eating. The location is revealed just before the event, and each dinner is created for one night only.

Once you arrive, the mystery turns into a five-course dinner with cocktail pairings, bringing together a rotating cast of chefs, mixologists and local creatives around one communal table. For the October finale, the featured chef comes from one of Carlsbad’s most celebrated new restaurants, with the name still under wraps.

We love the idea behind these dinners: give up a little control, show up somewhere unexpected, and let San Diego surprise you. With September already spoken for, we wouldn’t wait too long on October.

📆 Thursday, October 22 | 6 PM
🎟️ $275 per person | Get your tickets

San Diego Restaurant Week Starts Sunday. Book Early.

San Diego Restaurant Week runs Sunday, September 13 through Sunday, September 20. More than 120 restaurants across 30-plus neighborhoods, Oceanside down to Chula Vista, running two-course lunches and three-course dinners from $30.

There are no tickets, which is exactly why this is a booking event and not a discount event. The rooms worth going to fill their Friday and Saturday seatings first, and the people eating well next weekend are the ones jumping on reservations today.

📆 Sunday, September 13 through Sunday, September 20
📍 120-plus restaurants countywide · reservations strongly recommended
🍴 See the participating restaurants and menus

Make Cloak & Petal Your Mexican Independence Day Plan

If you’ve been meaning to try MICHELIN Guide-recognized Cloak & Petal in Little Italy, this is the night.

Chef Robert Cassidy is pulling out a Tuna Zuke Wonton Tostada and an El Libertador Roll for one night only, and Bar Manager Johnny Perez is mixing three cocktails you won’t find on the regular menu – the Horchata Carajillo, Elote Colada, and a serrano-spiked El Grito. One night only, so you know what to do.

📆 Wednesday, September 16 | 4 PM
📍 1953 India St, Little Italy
🎟️ Make reservations

Tokyo Inspired, Gaslamplighter Crafted

Gaslamplighter is unveiling its new fall/winter cocktail menu and the inspiration comes straight from Japan. The new lineup pulls from the electric late-night bars of Tokyo and the artistry and precision of Japanese cocktail culture, translated into a collection of seasonal drinks crafted for the Gaslamp.

RSVP through the link below and you’ll get one complimentary cocktail from the new menu, on them.

📆 Friday, September 18 | 8 PM
📍 536 Market St, San Diego
🎟️ RSVP for a complimentary cocktail

Fridays on Fifth Goes Full Oktoberfest

Heavenly Bodega in Bankers Hill is bringing Munich to the patio this Friday – free tastings of Paulaner beers, including their seasonal Oktoberfest Bier from one of Germany’s oldest breweries, founded way back in 1634. Happy Hour runs the full stretch, so come early, grab a spot outside, and stay awhile.

📆 Friday, September 18 | Happy hour 4 PM – 7 PM | Free tastings 5 PM – 7 PM
📍 2765 5th Ave, Suite 10, San Diego

Dockside 1953 is Making Weekends (and Thursdays) Count

Bahia’s waterfront restaurant, Dockside 1953, has a full fall lineup. Weekend brunches cycle through two back-to-back themes – Hawaiian and Southern Jazz – each with live music and seasonal menus. Thursdays bring a new Date Night for two: grilled tomahawk steak, mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, rosemary butter, bread service, and cabernet sauce for $165.

📆 Hawaiian Brunch: Saturdays & Sundays through October 5 | Southern Jazz Brunch: Saturdays & Sundays, October 11 – November 9
🎟️ For reservations, call (858) 539-8755

Chef Alex Carballo Reimagines Nick & G’s for its Next Decade

Nick & G’s is getting a top-to-bottom renovation ahead of its 10th anniversary, and Chef/Partner Alex Carballo is leading the culinary refresh with a fresh California-Italian perspective.

The century-old building has quite the history, built in the 1920s by the Millar family before becoming home to Delicias and later Nick & G’s in 2017.

New Restaurants Opening in San Diego in 2026

24 new spots landed in our 2026 Openings Guide: Maranello (Little Italy), Sun Gold Point (Bird Rock), Rei do Gado (Gaslamp), Tierra y Mar (Funner), By The Sea (Coronado), CHAGEE Modern Teahouse (La Jolla), Candy Land Café (San Diego), MAKE Café (Normal Heights), Drums Beatstro Jawn (East Village), Board & Brew (Midway District), The Polished Pigeon (East Village), Moniker General (Downtown), Coffee Dose (Encinitas), SunLife Organics (Coronado), Silver Hoof Creamery (Old Town), Sugarfish (Little Italy), Anigma (Encinitas), Verise (Carlsbad), Georgette’s (North Park), Queenstown (Del Mar), An’s Gelato Gate D5 (Oceanside), Telefèric Barcelona (UTC), The Heritage Steakhouse (Santee), and Black Mizu Café (Little Italy) all got added to the running tracker.

Bookmark the post. It’s the master list of every notable opening, organized by month, updated at the start of each month so you always know what’s new and what’s coming.

ℹ️ Check out our full 2026 Openings Guide

Capital of Craft Beer Fest Takes Over Broadway Pier

Capital of Craft Beer Fest is taking over Broadway Pier for an afternoon that’s about as San Diego as it gets.

Every ticket comes with unlimited 2oz tastings from more than 70 local craft beers and a commemorative cup to take home, presented by 91X and the San Diego Brewers Guild.

The Main Stage keeps the energy going all day with live music from Agent 51 and 80s Resurrection, while local food vendors and artisan booths give you plenty to explore between pours. Want first dibs? VIP tickets get you in an hour early.

A portion of every ticket supports the San Diego Brewers Guild, so you’re backing the local beer scene just by showing up. Seventy-plus beers, live music, and San Diego pride, this is one Saturday worth clearing your calendar for.

📆 Saturday, September 19, 2026 | 12 PM – 4 PM
📍 1000 N Harbor Dr, San Diego
ℹ️ Read the full story

A New Bakery Opens in Mission Gorge

Mi Pan Bakery is opening its doors on Mission Gorge Road with a two-week soft opening – fresh bread, pastries, and coffee to start, with limited hours while the team settles in ahead of the grand opening. If you’re the kind of person who likes to say they were there from the very beginning, this is your window.

📆 September 23 – 27 | September 30 – October 4 | 8 AM – 12 PM
📍,6435 Mission Gorge Rd., San Diego

Bourbon by the Bonfire at Estancia La Jolla

Estancia La Jolla was a working horse ranch long before it was a resort, which is exactly the energy of its annual Whiskey & Wine Party. West Coast BBQ is the frame: Deep South smoke on the plate, Northern California wine country in the glass.

$95 covers unlimited food and beverage tastings for three hours, premium whiskey through personal-reserve bourbon, plus live music, bonfires, and valet. 21+.

Not up for the drive home? The Whiskey & Wine room package bundles two tickets with a room.

📆 Friday, September 25 | 6 PM – 9 PM
🎟️ Get your tickets
ℹ️ Read the full story

Cider, Schnitzel, and a Free Saturday at Bivouac

Bivouac Ciderworks is throwing a September Fest at the taproom with everything you want from a fall Saturday: cider, beer, brats, pretzels, schnitzel, games, and live music.

The whole thing is free to get into, which makes it one of the easiest calls of the weekend. The food runs until it’s gone, so come early, grab something good to eat, and bring your whole crew.

📆 Saturday, September 26 | 12 PM – 5 PM
ℹ️ Check out upcoming events here

Ada Limón, Dinner, and Art in Julian

The Ilan-Lael Foundation’s fourth annual Harvest Moon Dinner heads to the Julian back country, and the lineup is kind of a dream.

Ada Limón – the 24th U.S. Poet Laureate – takes the mic for a reading, then a silent auction opens on original works by the 2026 Visiting Artist Fellows. Dinner is chef-driven long-table-style with regional produce and wine pairings, and the property stays lit for wandering before we sit down.

Best part? Every ticket goes to the foundation’s artist programs. Throw a layer in the car and point east.

📆 Saturday, September 26 | 3 PM – 8 PM
📍 930 Orchard Lane, Julian
ℹ️ Read the full story

60+ Spirits Brands Pour Above the La Jolla Coast

17 years in, the San Diego Spirits Festival still books the best room in the city. The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego sits a block from the water, and the view does half the work.

Uncle Nearest, Condesa Gin, Dady’O Mezcal, Tanduay Rum, and Adictivo Tequila anchor the 2026 pour list, with boutique producers and craft distillers filling in around them. Tastings are unlimited, local restaurants handle the food, and live music runs both days.

📆 Saturday, September 26 & Sunday, September 27 | 2 PM – 5 PM
📍 700 Prospect Street, La Jolla
ℹ️ Read the full story

Ten Years and 100 Pours at the San Diego Sake Festival

The San Diego Sake Club is marking a decade by taking over JULEP Venue with more than 100 premium craft sake and shochu varieties from Japan and the U.S. Unlimited tasting is the whole premise, and the original festival cup goes home with you.

Brewers, brewery owners, and sake specialists are working the room, which is the fastest way to figure out what you like. Midway through, everyone gathers for the Kagami Biraki barrel opening and a pour of the year’s featured sake. Live performances run throughout, and food booths are on site.

General admission is $85. Nonbei ($110) opens the doors an hour earlier and adds a $10 food voucher. Only 30 VIP tickets ($350) are available, each with lounge access, premium pours, and nigiri from Soichi Sushi, San Diego’s Michelin one-star.

📆 Sunday, September 27 | 2:30 PM – 6:30 PM
ℹ️ Read the full story

Ponce’s is Turning 57 – With 1969 Prices to Prove it

Ponce‘s in Kensington is celebrating 57 years with a party and something you don’t see often: original menu offerings at 1969 prices. Fifty-seven years on Adams Avenue is no small thing. More details are still on the way, but the 1969 prices alone are reason enough to save the date.

If you’re new or have been going there for years, this is the one to show up for.

📆 Sunday, September 27 | 12 PM – 4 PM
📍 4050 Adams Ave, Kensington

20 Stops Down El Cajon Boulevard

One $40 ticket buys you the length of El Cajon Boulevard. The third annual Taste of College Area turns the stretch from 55th to 73rd into a self-guided route through 20-plus restaurants, pubs, coffee shops, and cafes, with Thai, sushi, Mexican, and poke sitting a few blocks apart.

Pokedon, BarLando, and Love Letters Pizza are in for the first time this year, so build your route to hit one of them early. Old Town Trolley runs the stretch for free, which makes the pubs fair game.

📆 Sunday, September 27 | 11 AM – 3 PM
ℹ️ Read the full story

Toast to Four Years at Mabel’s

Mabel’s Gone Fishing is turning four, and the North Park seafood spot is celebrating the right way: a proper anniversary dinner with pintxos, top-secret chef specials from the kitchen, and the full à la carte menu.

The Gin and Tonics will be flowing all night long. Four years in, and they’re still one of the best tables in the neighborhood.

📆 Monday, September 28
🎟️ Book your table

Five Days of Food, Wine, and Sports Icons in Del Mar

The Del Mar Wine + Food Festival is back for year four, coming in hot after Thrillist named it one of America’s best food festivals.

Co-founded by Alex Morgan, Drew Brees, Rob Machado, and Troy Johnson, this five-day celebration blurs the line between food festival, sporting event, and beachside block party, pulling in more than 10,000 people a year.

Expect Food Network and Top Chef favorites like Aarti Sequeira, Maneet Chauhan, and Buddha Lo, plus over 100 Cali-Baja chefs bringing serious heat.

The week builds through dinners, a celebrity pickleball tournament, and Rioja Uncorked before landing at the Grand Tasting at Surf Sports Park. And every bite gives back: proceeds benefit Feeding San Diego, which has already topped $100,000 raised since launch.

📆 Wednesday, September 30 – Sunday, October 4, 2026
ℹ️ Read the full story

Breaking Bread by the Sea at Coral Del Mar

Gather, Del Mar’s seaside dining series, is settling in at Coral Del Mar for one night of breaking bread by the water.

The evening opens with a welcome cocktail, then moves into a multi-course, family-style dinner crafted by Chef Jesus Baños, with each course paired with wine as golden-hour light sets the scene.

It’s built around a communal table, so expect real conversation alongside the food, the kind of night meant to linger past the last toast. Seats are intentionally limited to keep things intimate, so this isn’t one to sleep on.

Proceeds support the Del Mar Village Association, funding year-round programming, sustainability initiatives, and efforts that keep downtown Del Mar thriving. Reserve your seat and be part of a brand-new Del Mar tradition.

📆 Thursday, October 1 | 6 PM – 8:30 PM
📍 1247 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar
🎟️ Secure your spot

North Park’s Biggest Food and Drink Celebration is Back

Taste of North Park is back for its 15th year, bringing more than 50 food tastings and 15 beverage stops to one of San Diego’s favorite culinary neighborhoods.

Three ticket options make it easy to build your day: $50 for food only, $65 for food and sips, or $85 for a Shareable Sip Ticket with one food tasting and two drink cups to share.

Expect stops from names like Finca, Falafel Heights, Jeni’s Ice Creams, Mr. Moto Pizza, and North Park Beer Company, with the full lineup dropping the week of the event.

Beyond the bites and sips, the day rounds out with indie shop activations, live music, and local art scattered throughout the neighborhood. This one sells out every year, so lock in your ticket early.

📆 Saturday, October 3, 2026 | 11 AM – 4 PM
📍 3812 29th St, San Diego
ℹ️ Read the full story

The San Diego Coffee Festival Takes Over Broadway Pier

Broadway Pier has hosted plenty over the years. The San Diego Coffee Festival, back for a third year, turns it into the best-smelling room in the city, and the setup is simple. Buy a ticket, walk in, and the pours are included.

Modern Times Coffee, Ryan Bros Coffee, Cafe Moto, Parakeet Café, and Klatch Coffee are pouring, alongside smaller operations like Tyne Coffee Co. and 18 Cities Coffee Roasters. Tea and other non-coffee options are on hand too.

Tickets go by session, and early admission gets you in an hour ahead of everyone else. Live music runs straight through, food trucks park outside, and the break between sessions is when the roasters have time to talk. Bring your travel mug.

📆 October 10 – 11 | 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
📍 1000 North Harbor Drive, San Diego
ℹ️ Read the full story

LandShark Goes Haunted for Halloween

LandShark Bar & Grill at Margaritaville Hotel San Diego is going full haunted jungle this October. Lost Temple Tavern transforms the space into an abandoned tropical outpost overtaken by twisted vines, tropical skeletons, cursed castaways, and ancient relics.

Spooky cocktail and island-inspired food specials set the mood, and immersive details and photo-worthy moments are scattered around every corner – give yourself time to explore the whole space. It all runs daily, but comes especially alive after dark, when a live DJ kicks off Friday and Saturday nights. Come dressed in costume.

📆 October 10 – 31 | Daily from 7 AM | Live DJ Fri & Sat from 7:30 PM
📍 616 J St, San Diego

Busalacchi Turns 40 With a Brand-New Street Feast

Busalacchi Restaurants is turning 40, and they’re marking it with a brand-new tradition: The Feast, a massive street dinner debuting this October.

India Street closes from Fir to Grape, filling with long banquet tables and string lights for a night inspired by the Italian ritual of gathering around the table.

It celebrates 40 years of Busalacchi Restaurants shaping Little Italy. A reception hour brings grazing stations and live music, then a four-course family-style dinner by Barbusa takes over, wine included.

Want to go all in? VIP and Founder’s Table tickets add perks like an Aperol Spritz welcome, wine tastings, and reserved seating for eight. Proceeds benefit The Positive Movement Foundation, supporting San Diego youth through local schools.

📆 Sunday, October 11 | 5 PM – 10 PM
📍 1917 India St, San Diego
ℹ️ Read the full story

A New Chapter for Celebrate the Craft

Celebrate the Craft is back for year 23, and it’s not slowing down.

Set on The Lodge at Torrey Pines’ grounds overlooking the golf course and the Pacific, this outdoor festival brings together chefs, farmers, ranchers, vintners, and artisans for an afternoon built around California’s food and drink scene.

Fresh leadership from Executive Chef Eric Sakai and A.R. Valentien’s Owen Beatty headlines a lineup pulling from top Southern California and Baja restaurants, alongside pours from Chateau Montelena, DAOU, Ridge Vineyards, and more.

Storyhouse Spirits is even debuting a Torrey pines-infused gin for the occasion. New this year: a VIP add-on with wine blending, private tastings, and a floral station, plus a first-time partnership with the San Diego Food Bank, so every bite gives back too.

📆 Sunday, October 18 | 11:30 AM – 3 PM
📍 11480 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla
ℹ️ Read the full story

The Blank Table Closes Season Seven – Location Still a Secret

You won’t know where you’re going until the last minute. That’s been The Blank Table‘s whole thing for seven seasons, and the finale keeps it that way.

One night, one undisclosed space, a multi-course menu with cocktail pairings, and sound and design that keep reshaping the room as the evening goes.

Chefs, creatives, and community leaders at the same table, one more time. Tickets are $275.

📆 Thursday, October 22 | 6 PM
🎟️ Get your tickets
ℹ️ Follow their Instagram for updates

San Diego Food + Wine Festival’s Biggest Year Yet

San Diego Food + Wine Festival is turning 22, celebrating with the biggest shake-up in two decades. Grab your appetite, because this year’s Grand Weekend is going bigger than ever.

Over eight days, more than 11,000 food and wine lovers descend on a reimagined Grand Weekend presented by Southwest Airlines, complete with a new Icons + Legends opening night, fresh culinary districts like Smoke + Fire and Sweet Street, and Grand Tasting and Grand Fiesta joining forces for the first time on one waterfront weekend.

The lineup is stacked with Michelin and James Beard talent, from Suzette Gresham to Javier Plascencia, pouring alongside more than 800 wines and spirits, plus crowd favorites like “Chef of the Fest” and “Taco TKO.”

Beyond the tastings, standalone dinners honor everyone from Chef José Andrés to San Diego’s small farms, and the festival’s food recovery program keeps giving back through it all.

📆 Sunday, November 1 – Sunday, November 8 | 11 AM – 3 PM
📍 Multiple venues across San Diego
ℹ️ Read the full story

Unlimited Tacos in SDMA’s Sculpture Garden for Día de los Muertos

SDMA is turning its sculpture garden into a taco party for Día de los Muertos, and it’s a good one.

Local vendors – Blanco Cocina + Cantina, El Indio, Panama 66, La Puerta, The Craft Taco, and more – set up stations throughout the May S. Marcy Sculpture Court, with every ticket covering unlimited tastings plus a Panama 66 margarita, Mujeres Brew House beer, or agua fresca.

Both museums are free and open all day. Tickets go fast.

📆 Sunday, November 1 | 12 PM – 4 PM
ℹ️ Read the full story

Little Italy’s Pink Holiday Takeover Returns

Lala transforms into Lala-Land for the holidays – its annual takeover that swaps the usual restaurant look for bold pink Christmas décor, twinkling lights, and a photo-op around every corner.

The Italian-inspired menu and holiday cocktails are still there, making it an easy call for date nights, festive dinners, or just a very good drink with friends.

📆 Starting late November
🎟️ Book your table
ℹ️ See the full menu

The Team Behind City Tacos is Opening El Punto at Liberty Station

Gerry Torres, the owner of City Tacos, is bringing a new restaurant to Liberty Station this October. El Punto takes over an 8,800-square-foot space at 2885 Perry Road – indoor dining, covered outdoor seating, an enclosed off-leash dog park, and life-size lawn games, the kind of setup made for a long afternoon.

Executive Chef Eduardo Baeza, who has been cooking alongside Torres for 25 years, is leading the kitchen with a coastal Mexican menu: ceviche, oysters, tiraditos, full entrées, and the five standout tacos from the City Tacos lineup. Bar Director Rudy Corona is running a michelada bar. Brunch and a kids menu are in the mix, too.

📆 Opening October 2026
ℹ️ Read the full story