Michelin-starred chef Drew Deckman and a team of investors including Padres star pitcher Joe Musgrove are ready to unveil 31ThirtyOne bar & restaurant in San Diego's North Park.
If you frequent Baja California's Valle De Guadalupe, you've undoubtedly dined at the 11-year-old Deckman's En El Mogor, where Georgia-native Drew Deckman sources local, seasonal ingredients to make dishes that incorporate flavors from around the globe. Earlier this year, Deckman earned a Michelin star and a Green Star for his Conchas de Piedra restaurant and a Michelin Green Star for Deckman's en el Mogor. In 2003, he earned a Michelin star while at Restaurant Vitus in Germany.For nearly a decade, Chef Deckman has been tinkering with the idea of launching a San Diego restaurant, at one point coming close to opening a spot on the ground corner of the Structure Lofts Building on 5th & Upas in Bankers Hill until the deal fell through. Last year, Deckman took over the two-story space previously occupied by Hoxton Manor in San Diego's North Park to open a globally-inspired restaurant dubbed 31ThirtyOne (initially called Watershed).
For 31ThirtyOne, Deckman has put together a dream team, which includes longtime San Diego chef Rob Ruiz, who will run the restaurant's sushi & raw bar, and Chef Sam Deckman, Drew's son, who previously ran the culinary operations for the team behind Bankers Hill's Books & Records. One of the primary investors is also San Diego Padres All-Star starting pitcher Joe Musgrove, who is a native San Diegan.
The restaurant, designed by Workind Studio (known for Brian Malarkey's new Le Coq and Presto's Marisi, both in La Jolla), spans 4,200 square feet across three levels. The main dining area is complemented by a second dining room on the first floor, a private dining space on the second floor, and an open-air bar on the top level.
The menu will be filled with "Drew's food,"globally-inspired dishes incorporating rustic preparation techniques drawing inspiration from smoke and fire, as well as made using San Diego's thriving local seafood and seasonal produce. Dining experiences will include a 10-seat chef's counter with a $175 tasting menu, a $95 four-course prix-fixe dinner, and an ever-changing a la carte selection. The beverage program, curated by general manager John "JP" Prusinovski, will feature cocktails like the 4.9.21, an ode to the date of Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove’s historic no-hitter.
Deckman will source his produce from a small farm in Ramona and most of his meats will be raised in San Diego. His seafood will come from the waters off San Diego and Baja and 1% of 31ThirtyOne's monthly revenue will be donated to Zero Foodprint, a James Beard award-winning charity with the mission of helping the climate crisis by providing grants to farmers who use regenerative farming practices. In addition to a frequently changing food menu, expect 31ThirtyOne' to serve only local craft beers, regional wines from Mexico's Valle de Guadalupe up to Santa Barbara, and area-distilled spirits.
Deckman plans to livestream his kitchen activities on a YouTube channel, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look as he expedites dishes. He is also the host of a new docuseries, Ingrediente, set in Mexico and premiering on Amazon Prime Video this month. Based on the success of 31ThirtyOne, Deckman hopes to open more restaurants around San Diego County in the future.
31ThirtyOne is anticipated to open on Wednesday, August 14, at 3131 University Avenue in San Diego's North Park. For more information and to make reservations, visit the3131.com and check out the launch menu below.
