The beloved Bankers Hill institution, which has been serving locals since 1944, returns this Thursday, May 8, under new stewardship with vintage pricing on classic dishes to celebrate the next chapter in its 80-year legacy. The soft reopening will feature breakfast and lunch service from 7am to 3pm, with dinner service set to resume on May 19. In a gesture aimed at honoring long-time patrons and welcoming new guests, Hob Nob Hill is offering select menu staples at retro prices: buttermilk pancakes or French toast for just $3.95 and house-made corned beef hash for $5.45.
"The coffee is brewing," reads the reopening announcement posted on the restaurant’s Instagram. "Come early. Come hungry. Come be part of the next chapter."
The reopening comes two months after the restaurant temporarily shuttered following the retirement of longtime owner Tania Warchol, who ran the business for over 30 years. In early March, the property was sold to Douglas Hamm of Creative House, the hospitality group behind ventures like Nolita Hall and Lofty Coffee. While Hamm’s other projects have seen delays or prolonged development - including sites in Coronado, Little Italy, and the Manchester Financial Centre - the return of Hob Nob Hill marks a concrete step forward.
Originally opened as the Juniper Café in 1944 by Harold and Dorothy Hoersch, Hob Nob Hill evolved from a 14-stool lunch counter into a full-service restaurant that became a community anchor. It gained national attention with a 2008 appearance on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and has long been praised for its house-baked pies, corned beef, and homestyle hospitality.
The reopening signals continuity as much as change. According to the Instagram post, the new Hob Nob Hill will retain the "same classics you know and love," while reservations are now encouraged via the restaurant's website. The question of which longtime staff may return remains unclear, as employees were previously required to reapply for their jobs following the ownership transition.
Hob Nob Hill is located at 2271 First Avenue in San Diego's Bankers Hill. For more information, visit hobnobhill.com.
Originally published on May 4, 2025. Photo of sign from Dave DeCaro.
