America’s Pizza Slowdown Is Real. In San Diego, The Price Tag Is Part of the Story

In San Diego, a city that still reveres great pizza, the highly-publicized national pizza slowdown isn’t about losing appetite so much as losing the sense that pizza is the obvious, affordable choice when a single pie can now cost as much as an entire night of takeout.

From The Pit To The Press: A Year Of Becoming A Culture & Music Reporter In San Diego - 2025 In Review

In 2025, I turned a lifetime of attending live performances into a deliberate practice of cultural reporting, using concerts and theater not just as entertainment, but as a way to understand what truly resonates and why. What follows is my recap of the 50 concerts, comedy shows, plays, and musical theater productions I attended in 2025, alongside the moments that reshaped my taste and sharpened my instincts.

What Are Those Giant Tumbleweeds Taking Over San Diego's Mission Bay? Here’s What’s Behind The Post-Storm Phenomenon

Following the first significant rainstorms of 2026, residents walking along San Diego's Mission Bay and surrounding shoreline paths have been greeted by an unusual sight: massive, tangled tumbleweeds scattered across the sand, bike paths, and bay edges, in some cases piled several feet high. Photos shared across social media show the dry, spiky masses clustered near storm drains, trash cans, and low-lying shoreline areas, prompting confusion and speculation about where they came from and whether they pose an environmental concern.

Are Paint Chips From Filippi’s Pacific Beach Location Ending Up In San Diego Storm Drains? Reddit Post Sparks Environmental Questions

A viral Reddit post accusing the Filippi’s Pizza Grotto Pacific Beach location of washing paint chips into San Diego storm drains, and potentially toward the ocean, has ignited a heated online debate, raising broader questions about stormwater regulations, contractor practices, and how quickly public outrage can outpace verified facts.

Owner Of San Diego's Decades-Old La Playa Taco Shop Deported Following ICE Detention

The owner of La Playa Taco Shop, a decades-old Mexican food institution in San Diego's Pacific Beach, has reportedly been deported following his detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, marking a devastating turn in a case that sparked widespread community concern and support late last year.

REVIEW: Duran Duran Prove Endurance Is The Ultimate Flex At San Diego's Viejas Arena

With MTV officially shuttered in 2026, Duran Duran’s San Diego stop felt like a living counterargument to the idea that pop relevance expires with its platforms. At Viejas Arena, the band delivered a kinetic, visually rich performance that affirmed their status not as relics of the MTV era, but as victors who long ago transcended it.

A Viral Reddit Confession Has Sparked A DoorDash Boycott And Reignited Fears About The Gig Economy’s Darkest Algorithms

A viral Reddit post claiming to expose how a major food-delivery app profits from “priority” and “driver benefit” fees without paying drivers a dime has exploded into a national flashpoint, racking up more than 80,000 upvotes and fueling calls to boycott DoorDash and similar platforms. While the anonymous allegations are unverified, the thread has reignited long-simmering fears about opaque gig-economy algorithms, dynamic pricing, and whether convenience culture is quietly being engineered to squeeze both workers and customers.

Doc Holliday’s Bar & Grill Saunters Into San Diego’s Old Town

A new Old West–themed bar and restaurant has quietly entered San Diego's Old Town. Doc Holliday’s, the latest concept from restaurateur Pietro Busalacchi and the team behind Trattoria Don Pietro, El Sueño, and Tako Vibrant Sushi, has officially soft opened, with a full grand opening planned for February 1.

Frida’s Express Opens in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, Bringing More Tijuana-Style Street Tacos To Downtown

Frida’s Express has officially opened its doors in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, expanding the growing Frida’s Taqueria brand. The new fast-casual outpost quietly began serving customers in recent days, marking the latest taqueria concept rooted in Tijuana-style street food to enter the now-saturated downtown market.

San Diego’s 70+ New Bar & Restaurant Openings Of 2025

Meet the ultimate guide to 70-plus bars and restaurants that opened across San Diego County in 2025 - including two Tony Hawk-backed eateries, buzzy Asian imports, several highly-rated bagel shops and plenty more.

Morrissey Cancels San Diego Show Yet Again, Cementing His Status As Live Music’s Most Reliable No-Show

San Diego fans hoping that the third time might finally be the charm are once again left empty-handed as Morrissey has officially canceled his January 6, 2026 performance at the San Diego Civic Theatre - a show that itself had already been postponed from May 1, 2025. 

San Diego Restaurants Closures & Downgrades This Week (December 26 - January 1) Due To County Health Department Inspections

This is the weekly list of San Diego County restaurants and food facilities that have faced temporary closures and downgraded status due to health inspections from December 26, 2025 - January 1, 2026.

San Diego’s 70+ Most Shocking Bar & Restaurant Closures Of 2025

If 2025 was a year of ambition, momentum, and long-awaited openings across San Diego’s dining scene, it was also - quietly, steadily, and sometimes shockingly - a year of collapse. Here we highlight San Diego's more than 70 most shocking bar & restaurant closures of 2025.

Newly-Installed Meters Around San Diego's Balboa Park Vandalized With Foam And Feces Days Before Paid Parking Launch

Just days before the City of San Diego was set to begin enforcing paid parking around Balboa Park, newly installed parking meter kiosks along Sixth Avenue were deliberately vandalized in what appears to be a targeted act of protest against the city’s expanding parking enforcement regime.

Kettle On Founder Planning Oceanside Expansion With ‘Kettle On Coast,’ Taking Over Longtime Petite Madeline Bakery Space In San Diego's North County

A North County San Diego café appears to be poised for a new chapter, as public records show that Kettle On Coast will soon open in the space long occupied by Petite Madeline Bakery & Patisserie in downtown Oceanside. 

San Diego's Nearly 100 Bar & Restaurant Openings You Need To Know About For 2026

San Diego’s dining scene isn’t just booming in 2026, it’s evolving. From splashy hotel restaurants and chef-driven tasting counters to neighborhood cafés, several food halls, and fast-casual imports with cult followings, the coming year is set to reshape how (and where) we eat across the county, as dozens of projects are finally inching from rumor to reality. Check out this ultimate guide to San Diego County's more than 80 most-anticipated restaurant openings of 2026. 

Sprinkles Cupcakes Shutters All Locations, Ending Era For San Diego’s La Jolla Store And Cupcake ATMs

The cupcake boom that once helped define a generation of American dessert culture has officially come to an end. Sprinkles Cupcakes has permanently closed all of its locations nationwide, including its sole remaining San Diego storefront in La Jolla, along with the brand’s once-iconic cupcake ATM machines that previously operated at Fashion Valley Mall and in Little Italy.

New Eastern Mediterranean Restaurant From Puesto And Marisi Team, Ikaria Slated To Open In La Jolla In 2026

A major new restaurant project is quietly taking shape in La Jolla, where the family-owned hospitality group behind Puesto and Marisi is preparing to launch Ikaria, an ambitious Eastern Mediterranean-inspired dining destination scheduled to open in summer 2026.

Chef-Driven Handmade Pasta Shop Pastaria Vivi Set To Open In Encinitas Village In 2026

A new chef-driven pasta destination is taking shape in San Diego's North County, where Pastaria Vivi is preparing to open a brick-and-mortar location focused on handmade Northern Italian–style pasta, housemade sauces, and an Italian specialty market designed for both casual dining and take-home meals.