SanDiegoVille

Harley Gray Kitchen & Bar To Close After 12 Years In San Diego's Mission Hills As La Puerta Owners Buy Building

After 12 years as a neighborhood anchor in Mission Hills, Harley Gray Kitchen & Bar is preparing to serve its final meals as the property has been sold to the owners of neighboring La Puerta.

The first California outpost of Big Chicken, the fast-casual fried chicken concept founded by NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, is officially open in San Diego - but there’s a catch: you’ll need special access to get in.

San Diego has no shortage of bakeries, but a new micro-operation is quietly winning hearts across the county with something harder to find: true East Coast Italian cookies made the old-fashioned way. Penny’s Pantry, a custom-order micro-bakery run by longtime San Diegan and Connecticut native, is quickly becoming a word-of-mouth holiday favorite for anyone craving authentic pignoli cookies, rainbow cookies, or nostalgic Italian sweets that rarely make an appearance this far west.

Long Story Irish Pub, the five-year-old neighborhood gathering spot on Voltaire Street in Point Loma, is asking the San Diego community for help after posting an emotional video to Instagram on Tuesday in which owner Kyle Schubert warns that the business may not survive without an immediate boost in support. The six-minute message - the most candid public statement the pub has released since opening in 2021 - lays bare the financial strain facing the popular Irish bar and the team behind it.

Swami’s Café and its sister restaurant Honey’s Bistro have been ordered to pay $650,000 to settle a federal sexual-harassment and retaliation lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, concluding a two-year legal battle that has cast a long shadow over the San Diego–based chain. A federal judge approved the consent decree Monday, confirming sweeping reforms across all nine Swami’s locations and Honey’s Bistro, even as the former manager publicly assumed to be at the center of the allegations continues to deny any wrongdoing.

The long-dormant Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes brand - founded in San Diego in 1978 and shuttered nationwide in 2020 - may finally be plotting a comeback to the city where it all began. This weekend, the chain’s official Sweet Tomatoes Instagram account posted a cryptic, wizard-themed poem that sent longtime fans into an immediate frenzy, with many speculating that a return to San Diego is imminent.

Rumors are swirling that Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, the iconic Tennessee-based restaurant chain known for its homestyle comfort food and nostalgic gift shops, may be planning to open its first San Diego County location.

It's December, which means the holiday season has officially arrived in San Diego, and the county is bursting with celebrations of every kind. From classic tree lightings and glowing neighborhood displays to live comedy performances, community fundraisers, concerts, and one-of-a-kind local traditions, here is the ultimate list of over 100 events across the county to end 2025.

Tender Hooligan, the San Diego South Bay record-store-meets-izakaya concept that opened last summer to significant anticipation, is now embroiled in a bitter internal dispute as one of its majority owners prepares to file a lawsuit alleging severe misconduct by a fellow partner.

North County San Diego is about to welcome a bold new culinary destination as Grand Restaurant Group prepares to debut NÓMADA, a reimagined Mexican restaurant guided by acclaimed local chef Alex Carballo and set to open in early 2026.

Nearly a year after announcing its expansion from a wildly popular farmers market operation into a full-scale brick-and-mortar, Marigold Bagels is finally ready to open its first shop in San Diego's North Park.

San Diego's Trust Restaurant Group has quietly unveiled its newest project, Carlo - a speakeasy-style, Roman-inspired cocktail bar in Mission Hills - marking one of the company’s most secretive and theatrical openings to date.

A new giraffe was born at the San Diego Zoo on Sunday morning, bringing a welcome moment of joy to an institution that has endured one of its most challenging years in recent memory.

A wave of confusion spread through Coronado on Saturday night after multiple social media posts claimed there had been a shooting at The Henry, the popular all-day restaurant and bar located along Orange Avenue. The rumors circulated rapidly through local Facebook groups, prompting concern among residents and diners before police issued a formal clarification.

The internet has found its latest conspiracy theory, and - perhaps unsurprisingly - it centers on Guy Fieri. After a bizarre one-two punch involving a million-dollar tequila heist and a freak injury that left him temporarily wheelchair-bound, social media has spun itself into full-blown Flavortown noir. Social media is convinced the Mafia is involved, Twitter is joking about “cartel tax,” and one viral post even shows the cast of The Sopranos looming over the camera with the caption, “POV you are Guy Fieri.”

San Diego may not get snow, but the region still embraces the magic of winter with one of its most beloved seasonal traditions: outdoor ice skating. For 2025, pop-up rinks are returning to beaches, resorts, fairgrounds, and community hubs across the county, offering San Diegans a chance to trade palm trees for twinkle lights and glide their way into the holiday spirit.

The SoNo Fest & Chili Cook-Off returns to North Park on Sunday, December 7, bringing with it one of San Diego’s most spirited and community-driven holiday traditions.

This is the weekly list of San Diego County restaurants and food facilities that have faced temporary closures and downgraded status due to health inspections from November 21 - 27, 2025.

The holiday season has arrived, and once again San Diego’s bars, restaurants, and hotels are going all-in on festive décor, twinkling lights, and over-the-top winter whimsy. Whether you’re craving a cozy corner for a holiday cocktail, a full-blown Christmas-themed pop-up, or simply want to soak in some seasonal cheer, more than 40 venues across the county have transformed themselves into merry, magical escapes.