The address at 2259 Avenida de la Playa has become something of a cautionary tale for the George’s team. Galaxy Taco, launched in 2015 with a highly publicized masa program and guest chef collaborations, never resonated with diners enough to justify its steep costs. In 2021, it was swapped out for Sandpiper, a neighborhood-focused California grill anchored by oysters and a wood-burning hearth. Despite solid culinary credentials, Sandpiper struggled to build momentum, hampered by a quieter location away from La Jolla Village foot traffic and a concept that never clicked in the way its flagship restaurant has for decades.
The decision not to renew the lease has been in the works for months, with industry chatter about its closure circulating since at least April. It underscores the difficulty of translating George’s enduring success into satellite ventures. While George’s at the Cove remains a defining restaurant in San Diego dining, both Galaxy Taco and Sandpiper reflect the risks of expansion - even for the city’s most celebrated operators.
Foshee, however, pushed back on the notion that the projects should be viewed as failures. In an email to SanDiegoVille, he noted that the lease for the space actually runs through December 31 and said the decision not to extend it was influenced by his own milestone birthday.
"I’m turning 60 and did not want to re-up another 10-year lease," Foshee said, adding that he looks back on both Galaxy and Sandpiper with pride. He pointed out that Galaxy was one of only a handful of restaurants in Southern California to make its own masa from scratch - alongside Taco María in Orange County - and that both ventures trained and employed hundreds of workers while surviving the COVID-19 crisis.
"Your article makes it sound like we failed. I feel anything but," Foshee wrote. "A white guy known for fine dining opening a Mexican place in the Shores the same year Bracero opened, changing to Sandpiper after the pandemic due to obvious cost issues and employing and training hundreds of industry folks I look at as a success."
In its final weeks, Sandpiper is nodding to its past with a $28 taco-and-margarita special and offering half-off all wine bottles. After November 1, the property will once again sit vacant, leaving La Jolla Shores to wonder what, if anything, can succeed in the footprint where two high-profile projects have now come and gone.
In its final weeks, Sandpiper is nodding to its past with a $28 taco-and-margarita special and offering half-off all wine bottles. After November 1, the property will once again sit vacant, leaving La Jolla Shores to wonder what, if anything, can succeed in the footprint where two high-profile projects have now come and gone.
Originally published on October 1, 2025. Information first reported by Pam Kragen of the San Diego Union Tribune.
