Hidden Cash Craze Hits San Diego: Inside The Rise Of Local Money-Drop Accounts Fueling Frenzy

San Diego has officially joined the nationwide “cash drop” phenomenon sweeping cities from Boston to Atlanta, where social media creators hide stacks of money in public places and post cryptic visual clues for followers to race out and find them. 

Ranch 45’s Former Chef-Owners Taking Over Encinitas’ Chiko Space For New Culinary Project ‘Blank Slate’

Encinitas’ dining landscape is preparing for a significant transition as Aron and Pam Schwartz, the husband-and-wife restaurateurs formerly behind Ranch 45 in Solana Beach, move toward opening a new concept in the longtime Chiko space on North Coast Highway 101.

Giraffe Appearance At North County San Diego's Orfila Vineyards Sparks Outrage, Membership Cancellations, Federal Complaint, And Intensifying Welfare Concerns

A weekend promotion at Orfila Vineyards & Winery ignited a storm of criticism across San Diego after the historic Escondido winery hosted a live giraffe on its property Saturday afternoon, drawing crowds — and immediate condemnation — from residents, animal-welfare advocates, and longtime wine club members.

Reports of “Coronado Grinch” Stir Concern After Series of Strange Encounters Near Ferry Landing

Coronado residents are raising alarms over a man frequently seen wearing a full Grinch suit around the island - an eccentric presence some say has crossed into aggressive or unsettling behavior in recent weeks. The individual, described as bearded and often dressed head-to-toe in bright green fleece, has been spotted around the Ferry Landing, Orange Avenue, and various parks, prompting a wave of community discussion and calls for caution.

Coco Fuego Set To Ignite San Diego As Grind & Prosper Hospitality Takes Over Former Backyard Kitchen & Tap Space In Pacific Beach

Grind & Prosper Hospitality (Miss B's Coconut Club, Coco Maya, Louisiana Purchase) is taking over the former Backyard Kitchen & Tap space in San Diego's Pacific Beach to open Coco Fuego, a stylish a Caribbean-inspired restaurant and bar.

Beloved Whistle Stop Bartender, Artist, And Community Beacon Jfre Coad Has Passed Away

The Whistle Stop Bar and the wider San Diego creative community are mourning the loss of Jfre Coad - a longtime bartender, artist, musician, and unmistakable fixture of South Park’s cultural heartbeat - who passed away peacefully at home on November 19 at the age of 56.

Meet The Taco Fiend: The San Diego Food Reviewer Taking Over The Internet One Tortilla-Encased Creation At A Time

San Diego has a new food-world star, and he isn’t a chef, restaurateur, or TV personality. He’s a camera-toting content creator known only as The Taco Fiend, and he has become one of the most influential voices in Mexican street food.

San Diego-Born Mike’s Red Tacos Working To Replicate Dave’s Hot Chicken Playbook

Something big is cooking behind the scenes at Mike’s Red Tacos. The wildly popular San Diego birria brand, known for its crimson-dipped tacos and viral Crunchstack, is now reportedly teaming up with key players from Dave’s Hot Chicken - including franchise partners and even some of the Los Angeles chain’s founding investors - to lay the groundwork for a nationwide franchise rollout. 

Galápagos Tortoise “Gramma” Dies At San Diego Zoo After Nearly a Century on Display - Marking Another Devastating Loss In A Tumultuous Year For New Zoo Leadership

San Diego Zoo has lost one of the most iconic animals in its 109-year history. Gramma, the ancient Galápagos tortoise who spent nearly a century at the Zoo and was affectionately known as the “Queen of the Zoo,” died Thursday at what experts believe was the astonishing age of up to 141 years. Her death marks the end of an era - and deepens what has already been one of the most emotionally and operationally challenging years in recent memory for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

Residents Say Ocean Beach Pier Is Being Looted And Tagged As City of San Diego’s Replacement Plan Sluggishly Crawls Forward

More than two years after the Ocean Beach Pier was locked behind gates and declared too damaged to repair, frustrated residents say the shuttered landmark is slipping into ruin in plain sight - and that people are now picking it apart. 

San Diego Restaurants Closures & Downgrades This Week (November 14 - November 20) 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 November 14 - 20, 2025.

Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over San Diego Gaslamp Quarter Rooftop Killing Pulls Back The Curtain On Theatre Box’s Hollywood Landlords, Liquor License Collapse And Eviction Fight

The young daughter of a Navy veteran killed this summer inside the Theater Box complex in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter has filed a wrongful death lawsuit accusing the owners and operators of Cielo Rooftop Lounge, Mr. Tempo Cantina, and the building itself of failing to provide basic security in a venue they allegedly knew was dangerous. Newly obtained public records and correspondence now raise broader questions about who actually controls the troubled property and how it has been managed.

Hacked Road Signs In San Diego's North County Hijacked With Explicit And Hate-Filled Messages, Alarming Residents And Forcing Citywide Reset

Electronic road signs installed across Encinitas to promote traffic safety following recent high-profile accidents were hijacked this week in a disturbing wave of tampering that caused the signs to display profanity, explicit imagery, and at least one antisemitic message. The sabotage has forced the city to shut down or reset multiple message boards, triggered a law-enforcement investigation, and raised serious concerns about driver distraction and basic equipment security.

La Playa Taco Shop Owner Detained By ICE And Facing Possible Deportation, Leaving San Diego Community Rallying For His Return

The longtime owner of La Playa Taco Shop, a well-known and decades-old Mexican restaurant in San Diego's Pacific Beach, has been detained by federal immigration authorities and is facing possible deportation, prompting a widespread community response and raising concerns about the future of the family-run institution.

Bica Expands Its Creative Footprint With Cinema Crudité And Other Community-Driven Events in San Diego's Normal Heights

Bica, the Mediterranean-leaning café on Adams Avenue in Normal Heights, has quickly evolved from a casual daytime spot into one of the most quietly influential gathering places in San Diego. Now, the restaurant is deepening its community focus with a series of “Cinema Crudité” screenings that pair films with playful curated bites.

On Las Cuatro Milpas, Receipts, And The Cost Of Being First

Over a year ago, on October 21, 2024, we reported that Las Cuatro Milpas had plans to sell and close in 2025 after speaking with employees (one being an owner) who said as much. The story spread with lightning speed, then the family denied it, social media erupted, and a chorus of commentators - some well-meaning, some opportunistic - declared our reporting “fake.” SanDiegoVille was mocked, blocked, brigaded, threatened and told to sit down.

San Diego's Serpentine Cider Shutters Original Miramar Tasting Room - Future Of Company Uncertain

Serpentine Cider has closed its flagship Miramar tasting room and restaurant “until further notice,” the company announced, raising new questions about the future of the once-prominent San Diego cidery. 

Mark Wahlberg’s Flecha Cantina Opens In San Diego, Taking Over A Former Miguel’s Cantina Space After Record-Breaking Flip

Mark Wahlberg’s growing Mexican restaurant venture, Flecha Cantina, quietly hosted its soft opening in San Diego’s 4S Ranch - just two weeks after Miguel’s Cocina served its final plate after over a decade in the same space. The turnaround was so fast and the renovation so minimal that regulars may find themselves checking whether they walked into the right restaurant. Miguel’s sign came down, a Flecha sign went up, and Wahlberg’s team appears to have called it a day.

Fleurette, Chef Travis Swikard’s Côte d’Azur-Inspired Restaurant, Set To Open Next Month In San Diego's UTC

Chef Travis Swikard, the Michelin-recognized talent behind East Village’s acclaimed restaurant Callie, has formally announced the opening date of his long-anticipated second concept, Fleurette. The Southern French–influenced restaurant will debut December 10 in San Diego’s University City, with reservations now live.