One of the most high-profile restaurant spaces in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter is preparing for another reinvention, this time tied to global boxing icon Canelo Álvarez. The former Blue Point Coastal Cuisine corner at Fifth Avenue and Market Street is now slated to become the flagship Gaslamp location of El Pastor Del Rica, the taco concept owned by Álvarez and his brother, Ricardo.
The massive downtown unit most recently housed Romanissimo Cucina Italiana, which recently relocated up the block to 644 Fifth Avenue after being acquired as part of a landmark deal led by Álvarez. According to a newly released statement, the original Romanissimo space was specifically selected for El Pastor Del Rica’s Gaslamp debut, positioning the project as a cornerstone of the brand’s U.S. expansion strategy.
SanDiegoVille previously reached out to representatives for El Pastor Del Rica, who confirmed Álvarez’s involvement while declining to provide details at the time. A press release now clarifies that the Gaslamp location represents the brand’s official launch in the district, following its first San Diego-area opening in Chula Vista, with long-term plans to expand to more than 100 locations nationwide.
The Chula Vista debut, which opened in December 2024 after years of anticipation, quickly became one of the South Bay’s most talked-about restaurant openings. Álvarez appeared in person to inaugurate the location, drawing hundreds of fans and turning the launch into a large-scale public event that underscored both his celebrity pull and the demand for his hospitality ventures.
Founded in Guadalajara in 2014, El Pastor Del Rica is known for its traditional al pastor carved from vertical spits, street-style tacos, quesadillas, and a high-energy, casual atmosphere rooted in Mexican street food culture. While the Chula Vista location operates at a neighborhood scale, the Gaslamp site is significantly larger and sits at the heart of downtown San Diego’s nightlife corridor.
That difference in scale has fueled speculation that the Fifth Avenue project could function as a hybrid bar-and-restaurant concept rather than a simple taqueria, though no formal renderings, permits, or operational details have been made public. Whether the Gaslamp location mirrors the Chula Vista format or introduces a more expansive model remains to be seen.
Álvarez has long maintained ties to San Diego, where he has trained extensively and previously owned property in Rancho Santa Fe. In recent years, the multi-division world champion has increasingly diversified beyond boxing, with hospitality emerging as a central focus of his post-fight business portfolio.
With Romanissimo’s relocation finalized, ownership confirmed, and expansion plans now publicly acknowledged, momentum appears to be building toward one of the Gaslamp Quarter’s most closely watched restaurant openings in years.
Founded in Guadalajara in 2014, El Pastor Del Rica is known for its traditional al pastor carved from vertical spits, street-style tacos, quesadillas, and a high-energy, casual atmosphere rooted in Mexican street food culture. While the Chula Vista location operates at a neighborhood scale, the Gaslamp site is significantly larger and sits at the heart of downtown San Diego’s nightlife corridor.
That difference in scale has fueled speculation that the Fifth Avenue project could function as a hybrid bar-and-restaurant concept rather than a simple taqueria, though no formal renderings, permits, or operational details have been made public. Whether the Gaslamp location mirrors the Chula Vista format or introduces a more expansive model remains to be seen.
The Gaslamp location of El Pastor Del Rica further cements downtown San Diego as a landing zone for prominent Mexico-based food brands. The trend began with Tacos El Gordo’s arrival and continued with the recent opening of Tacos El Franc nearby, both of which have drawn consistent crowds.
Álvarez has long maintained ties to San Diego, where he has trained extensively and previously owned property in Rancho Santa Fe. In recent years, the multi-division world champion has increasingly diversified beyond boxing, with hospitality emerging as a central focus of his post-fight business portfolio.
With Romanissimo’s relocation finalized, ownership confirmed, and expansion plans now publicly acknowledged, momentum appears to be building toward one of the Gaslamp Quarter’s most closely watched restaurant openings in years.
El Pastor Del Rica Taqueria & Bar is expected to open in late 2026 at 565 Fifth Avenue in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. For more information, follow @elpastordelrica on Instagram.
Originally published on January 26, 2026.