SanDiegoVille

San Diego's 50-Year-Old Kobey's Swap Meet Fights For Survival As Mayor Gloria's Controversial $4.2 Billion Midway Rising Project Moves Forward

San Diego is preparing to hand over control of nearly 49 acres of publicly owned land for a $4.2 billion redevelopment backed by a billionaire sports team owner and championed by Mayor Todd Gloria. But amid the promises of a gleaming new arena, thousands of apartments and sprawling public parks, one of the city's longest-running family businesses has been left fighting for its future.

A new Mexican restaurant has opened in the former home of La Playa Taco Shop, bringing fresh life to a Mission Boulevard storefront that became the center of a heartbreaking community story after its longtime owner was detained by federal immigration authorities and deported to Mexico.

Just three months after San Diego's legendary Brick By Brick music venue closed its doors following more than three decades of hosting rock and metal acts, its longtime Bay Park home is preparing for an unexpected revival. The building will reopen as The Chevelle, a new live music venue and sports bar that aims to preserve the property's hard-rock heritage while introducing electronic dance music, upgraded production and a broader entertainment lineup.

A popular breakfast cafe, a Clairemont Mesa matcha shop and several Mexican restaurants are among nine San Diego County food establishments ordered temporarily closed or downgraded following health inspections from November 6 through November 12, 2026, with inspectors citing violations ranging from vermin infestations and sewage disposal problems to unsafe food temperatures and contaminated food-contact surfaces.

Another independent San Diego restaurant is preparing to close its doors, as Ju-ichi, the contemporary Japanese restaurant and sushi destination in the city's bustling Convoy District, has announced it will permanently cease operations on Saturday, November 21, ending a culinary venture that began during the COVID-19 pandemic and evolved into a full-service dining establishment known for creative sushi, elaborate seafood presentations and intimate chef-driven experiences.

Two chefs whose culinary careers have taken them through some of New York and San Diego's most acclaimed kitchens are preparing to open a restaurant of their own in downtown San Diego. Husband-and-wife team Neale Holaday and Ross Garcia, both veterans of North Park's Mabel's Gone Fishing, are bringing their longtime dream to life with Prauper House, an all-day café, restaurant and natural wine bar expected to open in East Village in early 2027.

One of Southern California's most recognizable doughnut chains is continuing its expansion across San Diego County, with Los Angeles-born Randy's Donuts announcing plans to open a new location in La Jolla in 2027. The forthcoming shop will mark another step in the company's ambitious regional growth strategy, which began with the arrival of its first San Diego outpost in 2023.

One of San Diego's most recognizable restaurants is back in business after an unexplained four-month closure, with a new leadership team taking over operations of the 50-year-old 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant in Kearny Mesa. The revival comes amid changes to the company behind the historic aviation-themed establishment, which has also faced employment-related complaints and litigation stemming from its previous management.

The San Diego Zoo has announced the sudden death of Inhlonipho, a 15-year-old African savanna elephant known as "Nipho," marking another heartbreaking loss for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance following a string of deaths involving some of the institution's most recognizable animals over the past year and a half.

After 27 years of serving coffee, breakfast and conversation to generations of North Park residents, one of San Diego's longest-running neighborhood coffeehouses says it is being pushed out of its longtime home. Santos Coffee House, a fixture on Thorn Street since the late 1990s, has launched a public campaign to save its business after learning that its landlord reportedly intends to let its lease expire rather than negotiate a renewal, allegedly to accommodate the expansion of a neighboring hair salon.

Looking to enjoy Thanksgiving in San Diego without spending the entire day in the kitchen? Whether you're planning an elaborate holiday dinner, a waterfront brunch, a lavish resort buffet or simply picking up a fully prepared feast to enjoy at home, San Diego County has no shortage of ways to celebrate. Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26, and more than 100 restaurants, hotels, resorts, markets and bakeries throughout the region are rolling out special menus, holiday packages and takeout offerings. Options range from a $16 Thanksgiving plate at a Mission Beach sports bar to an extravagant $475 tasting menu at the county's only three-Michelin-starred restaurant.

The mystery surrounding the abrupt transformation of San Diego's Ferrari-inspired Maranello restaurant has taken another turn, with confirmation of a trademark dispute involving the legendary Italian automaker and new questions about a restaurateur who has denied any involvement in the Little Italy establishment despite appearing in a televised feature about its opening.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and San Diego restaurants are serving up the holiday's most comforting flavors without the cooking, cleanup or family drama. From towering turkey sandwiches piled high with stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce to inventive seasonal creations, more than 20 Thanksgiving-inspired handhelds are worth loosening your belt for this November.

A San Diego steakhouse is turning to social media for help identifying a customer it says paid for a meal with counterfeit $100 bills, allegedly leaving the restaurant several hundred dollars short. The Remy Cocktails & Meat in Mission Valley has published an image of the individual and is asking anyone who recognizes him to contact the business directly.

Tijuana-born Taquería Tijuanazo expands to San Diego's South Bay, taking over the former Birria Kings location in National City.

After sitting empty for eight years, one of Hillcrest's most conspicuous vacant restaurant spaces is finally preparing to welcome diners again. Josie's, a sprawling new American diner from the San Diego restaurant group behind Madi, Sonny's Pizza and the recently shuttered Madison on Park, is scheduled to open Thursday, November 12, bringing old-fashioned comfort food, family recipes, house-baked pies and eventually an evening supper club atmosphere to the former Panera Bread space at The Hub Hillcrest.

A waterfront branch of a popular pizza chain, a North County Cajun seafood destination and other eateries across San Diego are among the nine food establishments ordered temporarily closed or downgraded following health inspections from October 30 through November 5, 2026.

Modern Times Beer was once one of San Diego's most recognizable craft breweries, with wildly decorated tasting rooms, ambitious expansion plans and a loyal following. Today, the brand is caught in a bewildering web of ownership arrangements, licensing agreements, shuttered establishments, wage disputes and competing explanations about who was actually running what. And while the company's current chief executive insists that troubled businesses operating under the Modern Times name were somebody else's responsibility, new disclosures suggest the corporate relationships are considerably more complicated than customers were ever led to believe.