The 2026 San Diego Restaurant Stampede: 80+ Openings You Need To Know About

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. 

San Diego’s $30 Million Payout For Killing 16-Year-Old Konoa Wilson Is Among The Largest Police-Killing Settlements In U.S. History, But Who Really Pays For Police Violence?

The City of San Diego’s agreement to pay $30 million to the family of 16-year-old Konoa Steven Wilson is being described nationally as one of the largest settlements in a police killing in U.S. history, eclipsing even the $27 million Minneapolis paid to George Floyd’s family in 2021. But beyond the dollar figure, the case forces a harder question onto the city: what does it say about San Diego policing that taxpayers are now on the hook for tens of millions of dollars because an officer fired almost instantly at a terrified teenager running away from gunfire?

Topgolf’s Long-Promised San Diego Debut Still Years Away, If At All, As Downtown Project Inches Forward And Sorrento Valley Sits Stalled

Nearly a decade after Topgolf first announced its ambition to open in San Diego, the company’s highly anticipated local venues remain far from reality. New information from the Port of San Diego confirms that the flagship downtown location - planned as the anchor of a sweeping new “eatertainment” district on East Harbor Island - will not open until mid-2028 at the earliest, while the company’s second proposed site in Sorrento Valley has yet to begin construction and continues to operate as the existing Sorrento Canyon Golf Center.

San Diego's Nearest Ski & Snowboard Destinations To Hit The Snow During The Winter Months

Ski season has arrived! While San Diego's sun-soaked beaches might make snow seem like a distant dream, winter enthusiasts know that living in Southern California means you're just a short drive from some incredible ski resorts. Whether you're dusting off your gear for a quick day trip or planning a week-long mountain escape, there are plenty of options to satisfy your craving for snow.

Pacific Beach Landmark The French Gourmet To Close After 36 Years As Developer Moves Forward With High-Rise Vision

One of San Diego's most iconic culinary institutions is preparing to serve its final mille-feuille. After nearly four decades on Turquoise Street in Pacific Beach, The French Gourmet will permanently close at the beginning of 2026.

In The Michelin Maze: Why “Star,” “Bib,” And “Recommended” Are Not the Same - And Why the Distinction Matters

A San Diego restaurant recently advertised itself as a Michelin-starred establishment, a mistake that was quickly corrected but one that highlights a larger and increasingly common issue: the term “Michelin” is now used so broadly in restaurant marketing that many people, including diners and even restaurant teams, no longer understand the distinctions between the guide’s many levels of recognition. This brief mix-up serves as an entry point into a much bigger conversation about how Michelin’s branding has expanded, how confusion has grown alongside it, and why the meaning of a Michelin star has never been more important to protect.

San Diego Restaurants Closures & Downgrades This Week (November 28 - December 4) 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 28 - December 4, 2025.

San Diego Police Face Escalating Scrutiny As Newly Surfaced Video Shows Officers Kneeling On Man For Nearly Eight Minutes Before His Death Outside Star Bar In Gaslamp

Newly obtained surveillance video from the night 40-year-old Gabriel Jesus Garza died outside Star Bar in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter is intensifying public concern over the San Diego Police Department’s use-of-force practices. The footage shows officers handcuffing Garza, placing him face down on the sidewalk, and maintaining body-weight pressure on him for nearly eight minutes, well after he had stopped moving, until paramedics arrived and found him unresponsive without a pulse.

Rising San Diego-Based Influencer Confronts Renewed Scrutiny Over Fatal DUI Crash That Killed Poway Man

A San Diego beauty and lifestyle creator whose online fame has exploded over the past year is facing renewed scrutiny as the public learns of her involvement in a fatal DUI crash that killed a Poway man in 2022.

Roppongi Returns To La Jolla With A Bold New Vision Rooted In Its Iconic Past

Nearly a decade after its closure left a void in La Jolla’s dining landscape, Roppongi Restaurant and Lounge has officially returned to its original space on Prospect Street - and the revival is every bit as ambitious as the reputation it built over its original 17-year run. 

A Little Moore Café Revival Closes After Less Than A Year In Leucadia, Space Quietly Hits The Market

The revival of A Little Moore Café in San Diego's North County has already come to an abrupt end. Less than a year after reopening on North Coast Highway 101 in Leucadia, the breakfast spot has closed its doors and the fully built-out restaurant is now listed for sale.

South Bay San Diego's Victorino’s Pizzeria And The Taco Fiend Team Up To Give Away 1,000 Free Pizza Slices In Holiday Community Event

Victorino’s Pizzeria and viral content creator The Taco Fiend are joining forces this holiday season for a massive community giveaway: 1,000 free pizza slices, handed out all day long on December 18 in San Diego’s South Bay.

Former Nobu Chef To Bring Momo Sando & Omakase To San Diego's Mira Mesa

A new Japanese concept from a former Nobu chef is opening in San Diego next month as Momo Sando & Omakase prepares to take over the former Kumo space in Mira Mesa. 

TED Talks Selects San Diego As Its New Global Home Beginning In 2027

TED, the powerhouse behind the world’s most recognizable thought-leadership conference, has chosen San Diego as the permanent home for its flagship annual gathering beginning in 2027 - a move that positions the region at the center of a rapidly evolving global conversation about technology, creativity, and cross-border innovation. The relocation ends more than a decade in Vancouver and marks a symbolic return to the organization’s California origins.

How San Diego’s Safety Net Failed Arabella McCormack And Why Taxpayers Are Now Paying The Price | San Diego Agencies & Rock Church Face $21.5M In Settlements Over Starvation Death Of 11-Year-Old

A new lawsuit reveals widespread systemic failures from the City of San Diego, Rock Church, and many others behind the starvation death of 11-year-old Arabella McCormack, amid $21.5M in settlements.

Ono Hawaiian BBQ Now Confirms Six Location Expansion Into San Diego County

Ono Hawaiian BBQ is officially planting deep roots in San Diego County, with the fast growing chain now confirming a six location rollout across the region. The company, which specializes in Hawaiian inspired plate lunches and island comfort food, has already locked in four restaurant sites and is working on two more.

Harley Gray Kitchen & Bar To Close After 12 Years In San Diego’s Mission Hills As La Puerta Owners Prepare New Neighborhood Restaurant

After 12 years as a Mission Hills mainstay, Harley Gray Kitchen & Bar is preparing for its final service as the property transitions to new ownership under the husband-and-wife team behind San Diego's popular La Puerta Mexican Restaurant.

Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken Quietly Opens First, And Only, California Location In San Diego

The first California outpost of Big Chicken, the fast-casual fried chicken concept founded by NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal, is officially open in San Diego - but there’s a catch: you’ll need special access to get in.

Penny’s Pantry Brings Old-School Italian Holiday Cookies To San Diego, One Small-Batch Order At A Time

San Diego has no shortage of bakeries, but a new micro-operation is quietly winning hearts across the county with something harder to find: true East Coast Italian cookies made the old-fashioned way. Penny’s Pantry, a custom-order micro-bakery run by longtime San Diegan and Connecticut native, is quickly becoming a word-of-mouth holiday favorite for anyone craving authentic pignoli cookies, rainbow cookies, or nostalgic Italian sweets that rarely make an appearance this far west.