A wood-fire dining collaboration between award-winning celebrity chef Michael Mina and renowned restaurateur, chef, cookbook author, and television host Ayesha Curry, International Smoke has shuttered its San Diego restaurant after less than three years in business.
Originally started as a pop-up in San Francisco in 2016, International Smoke is a chef-driven wood-fire cooking concept based around a menu of smoke-infused dishes. The 6,200-square-foot Del Mar location, located in the One Paseo development, was Mina and Curry’s fourth location when it unveiled in summer 2019. The Houston location has since closed and the Del Mar branch ended its run this week, leaving Las Vegas and San Francisco outposts as the last that remain.
International Smoke’s parent company, the MINA Group, issued a statement blaming the pandemic as the cause for the closure of the 228-seat restaurant. The company has indicated optimism of returning to San Diego with a different restaurant concept.
"Since the outset of the pandemic, business has been down significantly, and it truly saddens the team to make the difficult decision to close doors," read the statement issued by MINA Group. "MINA Group does, however, remain involved in the market and will continue to seek out opportunities to find another home for a concept to return to San Diego in the future."
International Smoke was one of the first restaurant tenants signed on to open at the modern One Paseo development. There is no word what will replace International Smoke within the complex.
International Smoke was located at 2287 Del Mar Heights Road, unit 1, in San Diego's Del Mar/Carmel Valley area. For more information, visit internationalsmoke.com.
International Smoke was located at 2287 Del Mar Heights Road, unit 1, in San Diego's Del Mar/Carmel Valley area. For more information, visit internationalsmoke.com.
