The Craving: San Diego Food + Drink News – Week of June 29, 2026
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The Craving is ThereSanDiego’s weekly guide to what’s worth eating and drinking in San Diego right now. Every Tuesday, we surface new restaurant openings, standout happy hours, limited-time menu specials, and upcoming food events across the city – so you know what’s happening before everyone else does.
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This Week’s Feature
“What’s your favorite restaurant in San Diego?”
We were at the Blank Table dinner last week (a must-attend for great food—and even better conversation— in a unique setting) and asked the other foodies in attendance, “What’s your favorite restaurant in San Diego?”. Three out of four seated next to us gave the same answer: Juan Jasper.
We have to admit that we were a bit surprised. Golden Hill’s Juan Jasper flies under the radar…they aren’t one of those Instagram hot-spots that we all have a love-hate relationship with. Which is a big reason why they are at the top of so many people’s list.
No phone number. No reservations. No credit cards accepted (we told you this place is different). Just great wine, great food, and local neighborhood vibes—that’s what you can expect from Juan Jasper.
📆 No reservations
📍 1216 28th Street
ℹ️ Visit their Instagram profile
Insider Move
Visit Desserts by Clément’s New Location in Del Mar
If you follow him on Instagram, you already know that Clément is a genius at his craft—his awe-inspiring creations regularly break the Internet when the images and videos hit the feed.
Building off of his success in Pacific Beach, he’s opened a second location in Del Mar Plaza. Expect stunning French-inspired pastries, handcrafted mousse cakes, macarons, croissants, and the famous fruit-shaped desserts everyone is talking about.
📆 Open daily from 930am to 9pm
📍 1555 Camino Del Mar Ste 304, Del Mar, CA 92014
ℹ️ Visit their website
New This Week
Celebrate the Fourth With Festive Food and Drinks
Raise a glass and dig into patriotic specials at restaurants and bars across San Diego. From festive cocktails and barbecue feasts to waterfront dining and holiday celebrations, these limited-time offerings are the perfect way to savor the Fourth of July.
Here’s where to celebrate Independence Day – and America’s 250th birthday – around the city.
A Cafe With a Cause in Normal Heights
MAKE Projects has been running workforce development programs for refugee and immigrant women since 2017, and now they have a permanent home in Normal Heights. The new cafe and garden is a public restaurant and hands-on training ground where participants build real skills in agriculture, hospitality, and food prep.
Grand opening is free – Cold Cuts Vinyl Deli on the decks, complimentary bites and drinks, garden activities, a farmstand, and totes for the first 50 through the door.
📆 Sunday, June 28 | 9 AM – 2 PM
📍 4712 Felton St, San Diego
ℹ️ Read the full story
A Real-Life Candy Land is Opening in San Diego
Bucket Listers and Hasbro are turning the classic board game into a full-on immersive dining experience – and yes, San Diego is where it’s happening first, which feels right given this is where Candy Land was invented.
The setup involves wandering through larger-than-life sets like King Kandy’s Castle and Jolly’s Gumdrop Mountains, knocking out a Sweet Adventure Checklist, and decorating your own cookies along the way.
The menu leans into the theme with rainbow burgers, chocolate BBQ sliders, over-the-top milkshakes, and a shareable Chocolate River fondue. Cocktails and zero-proof drinks round it all out with colorful, interactive elements made for groups.
📆 Opening Thursday, July 9
ℹ️ Read the full story
A New Restaurant in Bankers Hill From Urban Kitchen Group
Tracy Borkum and chef-partner Tim Kolanko of Urban Kitchen Group are bringing a new all-day concept to the corner of Fifth Avenue and Laurel Street in Bankers Hill, directly across from their Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized CUCINA urbana.
The approximately 5,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor space has been vacant since the closures of Civico by the Park and Il Dandy. For Borkum, a longtime Bankers Hill resident, the project is personal – and the neighborhood is better for it.
Details on the name, concept, and design are still under wraps, with an opening anticipated in late 2027. The pedigree speaks for itself.
📆 Opening late 2027
📍 505 Laurel Street, San Diego
ℹ️ Read the full story
Two New Openings Are Adding Fresh Energy to East Village
East Village keeps evolving, and two recent openings reflect just how wide-ranging that growth has become.
Drums Beatstro Jawn brings authentic Philadelphia flavor to East Village, founded by West Philly native David “Drum” Curby. The pick-up-only concept specializes in cheesesteaks – the standout being the “Don’t Be a Jerk” Chicken Cheesesteak – and has already built a local following.
On the other end of the spectrum, The Polished Pigeon opens as a sober, community-centered gathering space designed around genuine human connection. Built for those in recovery, the sober-curious, and anyone looking for a social environment that doesn’t center around alcohol – it’s a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
New Restaurants Opening in San Diego in 2026
16 new spots just landed on our 2026 Openings list: 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.
Quick Bites & Special Offers
Bacari in North Park just refreshed its Mediterranean small-plates menu with dishes like a Turkish egg with herbed labne and hazelnut-pistachio chili crisp, a sabich with roasted eggplant and beet tahini, and a hibiscus-infused watermelon with whipped feta and urfa chili – plus a few returning favorites for a limited time. Book your table.
Solare in Liberty Station built a SpongeBob-themed prix fixe menu to go with The SpongeBob Musical running next door at Cygnet Theatre. The three-course dinner is $59 and runs through July 12, with dishes like Squidward’s Shell City Risotto with squid ink, mussels, and jumbo shrimp, Mr. Krabs’ Treasure Chest Ravioli with house-smoked Alaskan King Salmon, and a pineapple sorbet from Massi Gelati to finish. Make your reservations.
Vincenzo in Little Italy just launched a fresh pasta program. You can now watch through a glass window as pasta is pulled from the new in-house machine, twisted by hand, and hung to dry just feet from the dining room. The fresh pasta is available across select lunch and dinner menu items. Make your reservations now.
Old Town just got a new ice cream stand. Owner Daria Kim opened Silver Hoof Creamery, a woman-owned soft serve parlor built around a childhood fairytale and sourcing 100% all-natural California dairy milk from a family-owned dairy dating back to 1913. Flavors run from Vanilla and Chocolate to Ube, Matcha, and dairy-free options, served in cups, waffle cones, waffle bowls, or waffle tacos. Read the full story.
Mark Your Calendar & Make Reservations Now
Chef Akira Back Comes to Lumi for One Night
Lumi is bringing Chef Akira Back to San Diego for a one-night dinner on the rooftop this July. Back runs 30-plus restaurants worldwide, including Michelin-starred DOSA in London, and Lumi is his local expression of Nikkei cuisine – Japanese technique, Peruvian influence, and panoramic Gaslamp views.
The evening opens with a welcome reception of passed bites and a specialty cocktail, then moves into a multi-course seated dinner with featured sushi, nigiri, and a dessert finale. Back will be present throughout the night. Tickets are $150 per person, with an optional sake pairing for $35.
📆 Tuesday, July 14 | 6 PM
📍 366 Fifth Avenue, San Diego
🎟️ Make your reservation
Raise a Glass to Barbusa’s 10th Anniversary
Since opening in Little Italy in 2016, Barbusa has earned its place as one of San Diego’s most sought-after tables, and this July, the Busalacchi family is celebrating a full decade of handcrafted pastas, bold Sicilian flavors, and the kind of hospitality that feels personal rather than polished.
The family has been bringing Sicilian food to San Diego for more than 40 years, with Sicilian-born Joe Busalacchi Sr. founding the legacy and his sons now running four Little Italy concepts: Barbusa, Nonna, Lala, and Café Zucchero. Ten years in, it’s still one of the best reasons to make a reservation in this neighborhood.
📍 1917 India St, San Diego
ℹ️ Read the full story
Sip Into Summer at Margaritaville’s Sunset & Spritz Rooftop Party
The Fourth of July weekend kicks off a day early at Margaritaville Hotel San Diego, where the 5 o’Clock Somewhere rooftop bar is hosting Sunset & Spritz – a 21+ party with Gaslamp skyline views, a welcome La Marca Prosecco spritz, passed hors d’oeuvres, and a live DJ.
The DJ spins through 9 PM, the pool and cabanas are open, and the bar runs until 11. Early bird tickets are $25, going up to $30 the week of the event.
📆 Friday, July 3 | 6 PM – 11 PM
🎟️ Grab your tickets
ℹ️ Get all the details
Eat, Drink, and Give Back at This South Bay Summer Night
The EastLake Educational Foundation‘s Taste of EastLake is back at the Chula Vista Elite Training Center – the former Olympic Training Center – with 40+ local food and beverage purveyors, live entertainment, and a silent auction spread across a garden party-style evening.
It’s a 21+ event, and every dollar from ticket sales goes directly to technology and innovation programs for EastLake K-12 public schools. Tickets are limited and early pricing gives you a reason to act quick.
📆 Friday, July 24 | 6 PM – 9:30 PM
📍 2800 Olympic Pkwy, Chula Vista
ℹ️ Read the full story
San Diego Restaurant Week is Back – and It’s a Big One
San Diego Restaurant Week returns this fall with more than 120 restaurants across 30-plus neighborhoods offering exclusive two-course lunch and three-course dinner menus.
This year’s edition continues a collaboration with Specialty Produce to spotlight seasonal ingredients across select menus, and every reservation supports Restaurants Care – a nonprofit providing relief grants to California restaurant workers facing unexpected hardship. Reservations aren’t required, but book fast.
📆 Sunday, September 13 – Sunday, September 20
ℹ️ Read the full story
Looking Ahead
Telefèric Barcelona is Bringing Spanish Tapas to La Jolla
La Jolla is about to get a taste of Spain. Telefèric Barcelona is expanding to San Diego this spring with a new location at Westfield UTC, adding vibrant tapas and paella to one of the area’s go-to shopping and dining hubs.
Founded in Barcelona more than 30 years ago, the family-owned concept is led by the Padrosa family and a team of Spanish chefs. Known for colorful pintxos, signature paellas, and a curated Spanish wine list with more than 100 selections, Telefèric delivers a lively, communal dining experience that feels festive from the first bite to the last sip.
📆 Opening July, 2026
🎟️ Reservations coming soon
ℹ️ Follow here for updates
Cloak & Petal is Getting its Own Coffee Shop
We’ve got another reason to swing by Cloak & Petal. The Little Italy favorite is opening Black Mizu Café this summer, bringing a dedicated coffee concept right to the front of the restaurant.
The new spot will serve beans from Torque Coffee along with a simple menu that’s perfect for an easy morning stop or midday pick-me-up. Later this fall, Executive Chef Robert Cassidy will roll out a Japanese and Pacific Rim–inspired brunch, giving us yet another reason to linger.
Black Mizu will have its own entrance and large retractable doors that create an airy, patio-like feel. When the café isn’t open, the space will double as a private dining room – a smart move that keeps this Little Italy staple evolving.
📆 Opening summer 2026
ℹ️ Read the full story
An’s Gate D5 is Coming to Oceanside
An’s Gelato – two-time winner of USA Today’s 10 Best “Best Ice Cream Shop in America” – is opening its next concept inside the historic Top Gun House at Mission Pacific Beach Resort, right on the Oceanside waterfront.
Gate D5 transforms the 1888 cottage into a full airport terminal experience: walk through a “security” checkpoint, order at a flight-style counter, and choose between a “carry on” or “checked bag” serving size.
Seven rotating destination-inspired gelato flavors (think Milan pistachio) swap out every few weeks, alongside sorbetto, coffee drinks, and affogato. If you’ve been to any of their North Park, OB, Del Mar, or Petco Park locations, you already know this one’s going to be good.
📆 Opening summer 2026
📍 250 N Pacific St, Oceanside
ℹ️ Read the full story
A New White Tablecloth Steakhouse in East County
The Heritage Steakhouse is opening on the sixth floor of the Legacy Building at Lantern Crest this August, bringing hand-cut aged steaks and classic steakhouse dining to East County – accessible via glass elevator, with views to match.
Leading the kitchen is Executive Chef Meredith Manée, whose 25-year career spans Four Seasons, Hotel del Coronado, The Ritz-Carlton Maui, and The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe. Her approach is refined and ingredient-driven – minimal, sophisticated, and focused on letting the quality of the product speak for itself.
The menu centers on USDA Prime, Certified Angus, and Wagyu steaks aged a minimum of 28 days, sourced from select ranches and finished in a high-temperature broiler for a perfect crust. One of the more exciting restaurant openings in San Diego this year.
📆 Opening August 2026
ℹ️ Read the full story
Moniker General is Opening Downtown
Moniker General – the coffee and cocktail concept that helped shape Liberty Station and North Park into the neighborhoods they are today – is opening its third location on the ground floor of WEST, a new 37-story mixed-use tower in downtown San Diego.
The 1,830-square-foot space pairs Moniker Coffee Co.’s specialty coffee and café offerings with craft cocktails, wine, and beer from The Bar at Moniker General, built to flex from morning coffee through after-work drinks. True to form, every inch is being handled in-house – design, construction, and operations all by the Moniker team that’s been at this since 2010.
📆 Opening late 2026
ℹ️ Read the full story
Pear Plum is Bringing a World-Class Wine Program to a Neighborhood Café
Downtown San Diego has a new all-day café, specialty coffee shop, and wine bar opening steps from the New Children’s Museum and the waterfront.
Pear Plum owners St. Elmo and Christina Crawford are bringing a bottle list that reflects a lifetime of serious collecting – Bordeaux, Burgundy, rare vintages from the ’60s and ’70s, and pours from producers like Kistler, Taittinger, and Château d’Yquem, with glasses starting at $10. St. Elmo is a member of the Court of Master Sommeliers, which explains a lot.
They’re also pouring their own house wines made in partnership with Violin Wines in Oregon, named for their daughters. The food menu comes from the team behind The Handmade Chef Meal Prep Co. One to watch.
📆 Opening January 2027
ℹ️ Read the full story
See you there, San Diego!
