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According to county records published via sdfoodinfo.org, the Brigantine Restaurant location at 9350 Fuerte Drive in La Mesa was ordered closed on January 7, 2026, following a routine inspection that identified a range of compliance failures. The violations cited included improper food holding temperatures, food contact surface issues, out-of-compliance food storage practices, and deficiencies related to equipment and utensil storage. Most notably, inspectors flagged a major vermin violation, a designation that typically requires immediate corrective action and closure until resolved.
Temporary closures of this nature are not uncommon in the restaurant industry and do not necessarily indicate long-term operational issues. However, the La Mesa shutdown stands in sharp contrast to the inspection histories of other Brigantine locations, most of which maintain strong compliance records. For example, the group’s Del Mar restaurant at 3263 Camino del Mar, overlooking the Del Mar Fairgrounds and racetrack, received a perfect score of 100 and an A grade during its most recent routine inspection on November 18, 2025, with no violations noted.
The disparity highlights the decentralized realities of large restaurant groups, where individual locations operate under the same brand umbrella but face varying day-to-day management, staffing, and facility challenges. Still, the La Mesa closure arrives at a sensitive moment for the Brigantine Restaurant Group, which holds an outsized presence in San Diego’s dining landscape and is actively pursuing major redevelopment projects along the downtown waterfront.
Founded in 1969, Brigantine has grown into one of San Diego County’s most influential restaurant operators, overseeing more than 20 locations across multiple brands, including Brigantine Seafood & Oyster Bar, Miguel’s Cocina, Top Sail, Ketch Brewing, and The Fish Market. In recent years, the company has consolidated its footprint along the Embarcadero, operating the $25 million Portside Pier complex and proposing an additional $25.6 million redevelopment of The Fish Market property into a new multi-concept destination called The Landing.
That downtown expansion has positioned Brigantine as one of the dominant private players shaping San Diego’s bayfront dining scene, a role that has drawn both praise and criticism. While the group has emphasized investment, modernization, and public access improvements, it has also faced heightened scrutiny following past public health incidents and legal challenges tied to individual concepts within its portfolio.
Most notably, Brigantine has been entangled in ongoing litigation related to the 2023 E. coli outbreak at Miguel’s Cocina in 4S Ranch, an incident that sickened dozens and was ultimately linked to one confirmed death. That location permanently closed in November 2025 and quickly reopened as a branch of Mark Wahlberg’s Flecha Cantina, though the Miguel’s Cocina brand continues to operate several outlets elsewhere in the county.
County records require the La Mesa Brigantine to correct all cited violations and pass a follow-up inspection before it is permitted to reopen. This was ultimately completely quickly and the restaurant was able to re-open fully by the following day.
For diners, the incident serves as a reminder that health inspections remain one of the few transparent tools available for evaluating restaurant safety, regardless of brand reputation or longevity. For Brigantine, it represents a setback at a time when the group continues to expand its physical and economic footprint across San Diego, especially along the highly visible downtown bayfront.
For more information about Brigantine Restaurant Group and its locations, visit brigantine.com/our-family-of-restaurants.
Originally published on January 8, 2026.
Originally published on January 8, 2026.