After being sold earlier this year, San Diego's iconic Mister A's restaurant has temporarily shuttered and is using its traditionally slow summer months for an interior redesign.
Mister A's was founded in 1965 on the 12th floor of then-newly constructed Fifth Avenue Financial Center in San Diego's Bankers Hill by John "Mr. A" Alessio. Following Mr. Alessio’s passing, the restaurant was sold to experienced French restaurateur Bertrand Hug in 2000. At the time, Bertrand was making waves across the country for his French-inspired Mille Fleurs restaurant in San Diego's affluent North County community of Rancho Santa Fe. After taking ownership of Mister A's, Bertrand immediately began renovating the space and reopened in May 2000 with a joint birthday party for himself and Chargers' owner Dean Spanos, who shares his birthday. The restaurant eventually changed names to "Bertrand at Mister A's", but went back to Mister A's in 2015 in celebration of the establishment's 50th anniversary.
Earlier this year, longtime Mister A's manager Ryan Thorsen took over ownership of the iconic San Diego restaurant. The 34-year-old Thorsen began his tenure at Mister A's in 2010 after answering a Craigslist ad for a floor manager position and worked his way up to become the Director of Operations at both Mister A's and Mille Fleurs.
Earlier this year, longtime Mister A's manager Ryan Thorsen took over ownership of the iconic San Diego restaurant. The 34-year-old Thorsen began his tenure at Mister A's in 2010 after answering a Craigslist ad for a floor manager position and worked his way up to become the Director of Operations at both Mister A's and Mille Fleurs.
Mister A's closed as of July 5 and is expected to remain so until sometime this September. Thorsen will renovate the Mister A's space with the help of local designer and restaurateur Mauricio Couturier, who is the owner of Wolfie's Carousel restaurant in Little Italy and previously owned Bang Bang in the Gaslamp and El Camino in Little Italy. The plan is to update the dining room to have a retro brasserie feel with white, gold, walnut, blue, and soft gray accents and maximize the utility of the expansive outdoor patio space. The banquet room on the east side of the restaurant will be raised up to the level of the main dining room and a new 18-seat bar will be added, along with additional indoor and outdoor seating. The back of the house kitchen area will also receive a substantial upgrade, as will the restrooms. Longtime Executive Chef Stephane Voitzwinkler will continue his role running the kitchen and maintain an elevated French-inspired menu.
Mister A's is located at 2550 Fifth Avenue in San Diego's Bankers Hill community. For more information, visit asrestaurant.com.
Mister A's is located at 2550 Fifth Avenue in San Diego's Bankers Hill community. For more information, visit asrestaurant.com.
