Set inside one of the city’s most architecturally distinctive hotels, Bonne Vie reflects the Westgate’s long-standing commitment to design and craft. The space is the vision of San Diego designer Jacoi Mann, who merged European elegance with contemporary comfort. Deep blue and gold details, earth-toned textiles, velvet seating, and a warm glow from low-hanging chandeliers create an atmosphere that feels intimate without being formal. Ornate accents, custom Sapele tables with marble and granite tops, and polished brass touches give the dining room a sense of permanence and intentionality.
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The adjoining bar offers a more intimate tone - a compact, design-forward corner meant to draw guests in for cocktails, conversation, and pre-theater drinks. Even the tableware, from Steelite china to carefully selected flatware, is chosen with an eye toward both aesthetics and sustainability.
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At the center of Bonne Vie is Executive Chef Fabrice Hardel, a classically trained French chef with more than three decades of international experience, including time spent in Michelin-starred kitchens in France, Luxembourg, the U.K., and the U.S. Hardel has helmed the Westgate’s culinary program since 2001 and now leads Bonne Vie alongside Food & Beverage Manager Mary Watson, a hospitality veteran with over 20 years of restaurant and event management experience.
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The menu embraces modern interpretations of French brasserie fare, grounded in precise technique but uplifted by local, seasonal ingredients from partners such as Vesta Produce and Santa Monica Seafood. Diners can expect dishes like Burgundy escargot bathed in garlic-parsley butter, French onion soup simmered slowly for richness, and Icelandic cod meunière served with potato purée and brown butter sauce. California influence appears throughout the menu as well, including a banh mi–style fried chicken sandwich with kimchi and sweet chili aioli, and a braised short rib presented with roasted parsnip mousseline.
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Beyond its food, the restaurant is designed as a social anchor for the Westgate - a place as suited for a celebratory dinner as it is for a quiet weekday breakfast, pre-theater cocktails, or a lingering lunch. The hotel describes Bonne Vie as a spot where “everyday moments are enriched by good food and genuine connection,” signaling an effort to appeal equally to hotel guests and downtown locals.
Bonne Vie Brasserie & Bar is located inside The Westgate Hotel at 1055 Second Avenue in downtown San Diego. For more information, visit westgatehotel.com.
Bonne Vie Brasserie & Bar is located inside The Westgate Hotel at 1055 Second Avenue in downtown San Diego. For more information, visit westgatehotel.com.
Originally published on November 19, 2025.
