Valentine's Day in San Diego | A Round Up of Local Specials in Honor of Love !

February 7, 2014

With all the candy hearts, rose specials and abundance of red and pink, it’s hard to forget that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.  SanDiegoVille wants to make planning your romantic outing easy so we've listed specials from all around town - from hotel stays, to delicious dinners, to unique and fun date ideas. With spectacular scenery, sun-drenched beaches, world-class restaurants and luxury resorts, San Diego is the ideal destination for romance this Valentine's Day.

2nd Annual Winter Brew Fest Celebrates Craft Beer at the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park | February 22

February 5, 2014

Has the mild San Diego winter brought you down? Do you frequently wish you were shoveling your driveway? Do you long for the days of icy steps and layers of clothing? Well let's all drink some beer, forget our lack of seasons and embrace our beautiful city! The 2nd Annual Winter Brew Fest returns to San Diego to take place the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park on Saturday, February 22.  A celebration of craft beer from San Diego and beyond, guests will get the chance to sample the best craft brews, including limited releases, all while enjoying live music by Soda Pants and Headshine, as well as a special menu of sandwiches and more from Balboa's on-site cafe.

Creative Cookie Company - The Cravory - Set to Open in Point Loma Just In Time for Valentine's Day

February 4, 2014

The Cookie Monster would lose his sh!t over The Cravory.  Already having a reputation for cooking up some of the most creative cookies in San Diego, The Cravory has finally announced the opening date for the first brick and mortar location at 3960 W. Point Loma Blvd. The cult cookie company that has been selling their wild cookie flavors online since 2009, but the first cookie shop, designed by Michael Soriano, will open on Valentine's Day, next Friday, February 14, and every person that comes to the store on the opening will receive a free cookie with purchase.

Battle of the Chefs Bands Rocks the Roof Off Belly Up Tavern to Benefit the Center for Community Solutions

Josh Koppelman  & Sam The Cooking Guy

February 3, 2014

On Monday, January 27, San Diego's culinary industry joined together at Belly Up Tavern to rally as fellow restaurant industry insiders rocked the roof off for a packed house.  Hosted by Sam 'The Cooking Guy' Zien and Josh Koppelman of DiningOutSD, Battle of the Chef Bands is an annual fundraiser where bands made up of restaurant employees and chefs compete battle of the bands style to benefit the domestic violence awareness efforts of the esteemed Center for Community Solutions.  

ALTITUDE Sky Lounge’s Newest Addition, City Sights, is Now Open to Public | West Coast’s highest rooftop lounge now boasts nearly 360-degree views from 22 stories up

A first look at City Sights

February 2, 2014

Following several months of anticipation, ALTITUDE Sky Lounge has announced that City Sights, an addition to the popular rooftop bar, has opened its doors to the public. As a result, the West Coast’s highest open air rooftop lounge now enjoys nearly 360-degree views of downtown San Diego and the San Diego Bay, making the ALTITUDE Sky Lounge an even more impressive social scene for tourists and locals seeking stunning vistas and elevated drinks. Construction was completed in late December 2013.

Party Like the Wolf of Wall Street for $50,000 at FLUXX Nightclub

February 1, 2014

In celebration of Oscar-nominated ‘Best Picture’ Wolf of Wall Street, the award-winning FLUXX Nightclub invites partygoers to experience a decadent and lavish lifestyle like Jordan Belfort, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, with its special Wolf of Wall Street Party Package.

Get Lucky During Chinese New Year with the Grand Opening of Lucky Liu's

January 30, 2014

Lucky Liu’s, an authentic Chinese restaurant, opens a half a block from the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum just in time for the Chinese New Year! Lucky Liu’s soft opening on January 20, proved that downtown San Diego was seeking its first authentic Chinese restaurant paired with a relaxed, upscale setting. To honor the year of the horse, Lucky Liu’s will be celebrating the 32nd Annual San Diego Chinese New Year Food and Cultural Fair on Third Ave and J Street in downtown San Diego. The event takes place on Saturday, February 8 and Sunday February 9, 2014, with live performances and cultural displays. Lucky Liu’s will be providing free samples and chances to win prizes from 11am - 5pm to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year with the San Diego community.

Can You Beat the Pancake Monster? Celebrate Brian's 24's 5 Year Anniversary With A Food Eating Challenge to Benefit San Diego Humane Society

January 29, 2014

Brian’s 24, the only 24-hour restaurant in downtown San Diego, is celebrating their 5 year anniversary on Thursday, February 6. This family-run restaurant is honoring their father who passed in 2010.  His children (current owners/operators, Brian and Andrea) jokingly say “Dad always loved the dogs more than us!” To mark the occasion, they’re doing the Pancake Monster Challenge ($29.99 to enter – free if you finish) from 6am-noon with all proceeds going to benefit the San Diego Humane Society.

All February Chefs Battle for Taco Glory at The Blind Burro

January 27, 2014

Throughout February, The Blind Burro in San Diego's East Village will pit some of the area's best chefs against one another for a taco throwdown tournament unlike any other.  Top San Diego & Tijuana chefs will face off every Taco Tuesday in February from 6 - 8PM to compete for the title of BEST TACO. Patrons are invited to try each one and cast a vote for whose taco was best!

Karl Strauss Celebrates 25 Years of Crafting the San Diego Beer Scene with Changing of the Barrels Event | Saturday, Feb. 8

January 25, 2014

Karl Strauss Brewing Company is celebrating 25 years of crafting the local San Diego beer scene. The company opened San Diego’s first craft brewery on February 2, 1989 and more than two decades later it continues to pioneer with its innovative beers, cask offerings, and West Coast Pub Fare. Karl Strauss is celebrating this milestone anniversary with its annual Changing of the Barrels event on Saturday, February 8, from 6-9pm. Guests are invited to experience the company’s new tasting room and beer garden at the main brewery in Pacific Beach. The event will feature 20 award-winning and limited edition beers on tap, brewery tours, food, live music by Brothers Grim, commemorative glassware, and a souvenir bottle of 25th Anniversary Barrel-Aged Doppelbock.

Vote for San Diego in Food & Wine Magazine's First-Ever America's Favorite Food Cities Survey

January 24, 2014

For the first time FOOD & WINE Magazine invites the public to vote in the America’s Favorite Food Cities Survey! San Diego was chosen by FOOD & WINE’s editors as one of 40 contenders vying for these honors. Now through April 30, the public can vote on which city has the best-looking chefs, the most adventurous eaters, and more. Vote for San Diego at foodandwine.com/articles/americas-favorite-food-cities.

  

Fig Tree Café | Liberty Station's Latest Incarnation of Quintessentially Californian Cuisine

January 23, 2014

By Ryan Bridge | SanDiegoVille Contributor

Over the last couple of years I have found myself returning to Liberty Station time and again, and it seems like every time I make the trip another great restaurant has miraculously sprung up. It began in 2011 with Slater’s 50/50 – the idea of eating a burger with a patty made up of half ground beef and half ground bacon truly awakened my inner carnivore. Then, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens opened in May 2013, and I considered myself lucky to be within a short drive to a number of unique Stone brews and growler fills. This weekend I made my way back to Liberty Station to enjoy a wonderful brunch at the recently opened expansion of Fig Tree Café, and I'm happy to say that I’ve found yet another reason to return to the former Naval Base.

Chef Javier Plascencia's Romesco Mexiterranean Bistro | 'Baja Med Cuisine' Translates to 'Amazing'

January 21, 2014

'Baja Mediterranean' or 'Baja Med,' for short, has become an increasingly broad term (much like 'Mediterranean') to describe the modern, high-end, culturally diverse cuisine, prepared from locally sourced ingredients, coming from chefs of Baja California, Mexico. Although many a chef has adopted the term to label their individual concoctions of Mexican and Mediterranean influences and ingredients, it's Chef Javier Plascencia and his family that are centrally responsible for the term's manifestation. The man has reached legend status in Tijuana and Baja, especially among in-the-know foodies and those within 'the industry,' and his double-digit restaurants are known as some of Mexico's best. Romesco Mexiterranean is Javier's only American-based establishment, located in Bonita, just a 15 minute drive south of downtown San Diego.  This unassuming corner unit in Bonita Shopping Center has been a San Diego dining destination since opening in 2006, and for those seeking elevated and inspired cuisine from one of the region's most renown chef's, this is his closest spot.

Karl Strauss Collaborates with UC San Diego Extension to Offer Scholarships for Local Brewers

January 15, 2014

Karl Strauss Brewing Company is proud to support the next generation of local brewers by joining forces with UC San Diego Extension. Karl Strauss is celebrating 25 years of crafting the San Diego beer scene by offering two scholarships to UC San Diego Extension’s Brewing certificate program in 2014. “When we started the industry here in San Diego 25 years ago, we had no idea the craft beer culture would expand into what it’s become today,” says Matt Rattner, President, Karl Strauss Brewing Company. “We are looking forward to helping a new crop of San Diego brewers get their start with this amazing program at UC San Diego Extension.”