Assorted cookies. | Schmackary’s NYC-based Schmackary’s is expanding to the West Coast Locals will soon get to sample a viral dessert that played a prominent part in season three of Hulu’s ‘Only Murders in the Building’ — most memorably in the scene where Paul Rudd’s character ruefully gobbles a cookie decorated with the logo of the cursed ‘Death Rattle’ production. Name-dropped throughout the show, Schmackary’s is a real-life, East Coast-based cookie company that’s establishing a hub here in San Diego. Founded by aspiring actor Zachary Schmahl in his Hell’s Kitchen apartment, Schmackary’s ope ..read more

Mini pan-fried buns, or thumb buns, served over a drink tumbler. | Dumpling Bar Dumpling Bar is from the team behind the revamp of China Max A new dumpling restaurant is opening in the Encinitas Village Shopping Center where it will soon join other restaurants like the Cottage Encinitas and Isabelle Brien’s French Pastry Cafe. Dumpling Bar is backed by the team behind Taste of Hong Kong, Kanpai BBQ, and the resurrected China Max, which is slated to reopen later this year. Customers will able to see the dumplings being handmade in the restaurant’s open kitchen, with varieties that will include ..read more

Pizzas and other dishes. | Slice House Six outposts of Slice House by Tony Gemignani are opening in the San Diego area A spinoff of one of San Francisco’s most famous pizza palaces that is currently on a franchising tear in California and beyond includes more than a handful of locations in the San Diego area. Slice House is a fast-casual chain spawned by acclaimed pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani, who operates the foundational Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in North Beach — an essential Bay Area pizzeria — is a 13-time world pizza champion who owns dozens of restaurants across the country. The author of seve ..read more

The Lafayette Hotel’s lobby. | Matt Kisiday Plus news on a chef benefit dinner and new spots for dumplings, doughnuts, and pizza The Lafayette Hotel & Club, the historic hotel turned maximalist fantasy that reopened last summer after a 31-million-dollar restoration and transformation by CH Projects (Born & Raised, Young Blood) and design partner Post Company, has been named the 2024 New Hotel of the Year by Esquire Magazine. Home to multiple bars and restaurants, the property is already an Eater award-winner for Best Night Out with more options for a choose-your-own-adventure experienc ..read more

A plate of fried chicken and waffles. | Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles Construction of its Barrio Logan restaurant is back on We’ve all been here before, but after eight long years of waiting it’s looking like Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles might actually be on its way to opening right here in San Diego. After pausing construction on its site in Barrio Logan at the end of 2022, the legendary soul food establishment has restarted work on its National Avenue property in earnest. Eater has been following this story since February 2016, after officially confirming the rumor that ..read more

The new site opening in mid-May. | Izola Croissant specialist Izola is coming back in a big way A well-loved bakery born in an East Village loft is reopening in mid-May in a much larger space. Izola has found a permanent location just a few blocks from its original spot on 13th Street, where the cottage business got its start during the pandemic by lowering baked goods out of a third-floor window. Following its June 2020 debut, the bakery quickly became a sensation, using ingredients like Normandy butter and Valrhona Grand Cru dark chocolate to create its acclaimed croissants and sourdough bre ..read more

China Max’s storefront mid-construction. | Candice Woo The return of the legendary restaurant will pay homage to its past while aiming to elevate Chinese cuisine in the area More details have been revealed regarding the rebirth of China Max, which is currently slated to reopen by August 2024. While the long-standing restaurant, destroyed in a devasting fire in 2020, featured dim sum daily until 3 p.m., its next iteration will return with made-to-order dim sum offered from the morning through dinner service along with a menu of dishes that present an elevated take on Chinese cuisine. The new ow ..read more

Mussels at Sea & Sky. | Bhadri Kubendran Where you can look forward to eating and drinking 2024 is already shaping up to be a potential banner year for San Diego restaurants and bars, with the first quarter bringing several exciting high-profile openings. As the weather slowly warms, there’s still plenty to look forward to over the next few months of the spring season. Some long-awaited establishments are primed to finally make their debut, including breakout endeavors by acclaimed chefs and fresh offerings from established culinary teams. Sea & Sky Opening: April James Beard Award-nom ..read more

Array of Vietnamese dishes, including pho noodles, egg rolls, shrimp spring rolls, and chili tamarind wings. | Viet Nom Restaurant. Viet Nom is the latest restaurant from the team behind Steamy Piggy and Flama Llama. A new Vietnamese restaurant has touched down in the University City area at the Renaissance Town Centre shopping plaza. Called Viet Nom, its menu centers around pho dishes and is the sixth establishment overall for SDB Restaurant Group, which also operates Convoy’s Steamy Piggy and Flama Llama. Owner Frankin Chou tells Eater, “We wanted to create a small, modern Vietnamese pho sho ..read more

The three new rums. | Club Kokomo Spirits The family-owned company is also releasing a new line of premium rums produced by local distiller Geoff Longenecker of Seven Caves Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and co-founder of the Beach Boys, singer-songwriter Mike Love, is expanding the product line for his San Diego-based Club Kokomo Spirits while planning to open a new distillery hub in Miramar that’ll give visitors more opportunities to interact with the brand. Love’s connection to San Diego has spanned decades, starting in 1966 when the Beach Boys shot the cover photo for its seminal album ‘Pet S ..read more