Still worth a taste 🍽

10 restaurants that opened in San Diego in 2022

This bar rang in 2022 in style. | Photo via Kingfisher

We left some things in 2022, but not these restaurants. Last year, San Diego saw many culinary debuts, and we had our plates full with dining options.

We’ve collected 10 great restaurants our city welcomed last year. This is just a sample of all the places that opened in 2022 — it’s not too late to try them all.

🫕 Kingfisher, Golden Hill

Last year was off to a tasty start when Kingfisher opened its doors in January to offer Southeast Asian flavors with an emphasis on Vietnamese cuisine. The restaurant certainly had a kingly year, receiving a spot in the Michelin Guide California and appearing on Bon Appétit’s “50 Best New Restaurants 2022.”

🍜 formoosa, Kearny Mesa

In late February, Steamy Piggy in the Convoy Asian Cultural District introduced formoosa — its sister restaurant. The menu offers Taiwanese-inspired dishes like soups, noodles, and beef rolls, and the eatery earned quite a buzz. It was Yelp’s second-most reviewed restaurant in the US last year.

🥧 HIGH-pie, Oceanside

In May, “Top Gun” fever returned to San Diego with the release of “Top Gun: Maverick,” but the month also welcomed a pie shop in the exact cottage that was used as Charlie’s house in the original film. Inside you’ll find pastries and memorabilia that will take your breath away.

Booths and decor in Mothership in South Park — We’ve landed in Mothership.

🍹 Mothership, South Park

In August, this bar launched with an interplanetary theme, tropical drinks, and a vegan menu. The cocktail lounge is the second project from Kory Stetina, owner of KINDRED, and it’s an immersive, out of this world experience. Every corner will make you feel like you’ve boarded a spaceship — even the bathrooms.

🔥 Hell’s Kitchen, Valley Center

San Diego’s culinary scene was hot as Hell in August, because that’s when Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen restaurant debuted at Harrah’s Resort Southern California. This is the chef’s third location in the US, featuring a menu of signature dishes — but you’ll want to make a reservation before you go to Hell.

DIG INTO 5 MORE RESTAURANTS

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Tuesday, Jan. 10

Adirondack Foraging Pack Workshop | Tuesday, Jan. 10 | 5-9 p.m. | San Diego Craft Collective, 2590 Truxtun Rd., Studio 106, San Diego | $300 | Learn the basics of basket weaving and wood forming — classes continue on Jan. 12, 17 + 19.
The Sound of Animals Fighting | Tuesday, Jan. 10 | 7 p.m. | The Observatory North Park, 2891 University Ave., San Diego | $32.50 | The rock supergroup performs live.
SDSU Aztecs vs. University of Nevada Wolf Pack | Tuesday, Jan. 10 | 8 p.m. | Viejas Arena, 5500 Canyon Crest Dr., San Diego | $15-$99 | Root for the local team at this men’s basketball game.

Wednesday, Jan. 11

San Diego’s Largest Networking Event | Wednesday, Jan. 11 | 3-6 p.m. | Maverick’s Beach Club, 860 Garnet Ave., San Diego | $40-$55 | Mix and mingle with fellow small business professionals who can give you insight into growing your business.
Double Peak Brewing Co. Trivia | Wednesday, Jan. 11| 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Double Peak Brewing Co., 1801 Diamond St. Ste. 101, San Marcos | Free | Answer questions, grab a pint, and win prizes.

Thursday, Jan. 12

Free Backyard Composting and Bokashi Basics Workshop | Thursday, Jan. 12 | 6-7 p.m. | Crown Hills Clubhouse, 1821 Victoria Park Terrace, Alpine | Free | Learn the basics of bokashi — a fermentation method used to compost food waste, including meat, dairy, and liquids.

Friday, Jan. 13

The Pettybreakers | Friday, Jan. 13 | 9-11 p.m. | Belly Up, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach | $22 | Freefall into this Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tribute act.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

A BIGGER SERVING OF EVENTS

What’s your best pickup line?

Do you think you have the best local pickup line? | Graphic by 6AM City

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we’ve got love on the brain.

To usher in the month of love, we want to hear the best pickup lines in the city. The pickup line must include the name of our beloved city, something that our city is known for, or a local landmark. It can be so sweet that it almost gives us a cavity.

We’ll use these pickup lines for something fun soon — keep your (heart) eyes peeled. 😍

So, let’s hear it…

DROP YOUR BEST LINE

Weather

60º | Rain and a chance of thunderstorms | 88% chance of rain
Keep those umbrellas handy, because there will be heavy rain today. According to the National Weather Service, most of San Diego County has a slight risk of flooding, while other areas — generally more inland — have a marginal risk. ☔ (National Weather Service)

Sunrise + Sunset

Rise: 6:51 a.m.
Set: 5 p.m.

Tide

Low: 4:19 a.m. + 5:41 p.m.
High: 10:26 a.m.
Water Temperature: 59º

Civic

For the first time since April 2020, PedWest at the San Ysidro Port of Entry reopened yesterday. The entrance allows people to cross into the US by foot, helping to reduce border crossing wait times, but will only be open daily 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Prior to its closure, it was open around the clock. 👟 (CBS 8)

Environment

Today, US Deputy Secretary of Energy David M. Turk will bolt into San Diego to meet with South 8 Technologies — a company focused on making electric vehicle batteries. Turk is expected to take a tour and make an announcement related to its role in advancing President Biden’s goal of clean energy development. 🔋
Green, organic waste bins continue to roll out to San Diego residents ahead of changes from Senate Bill 1383. The city will host two virtual and two in-person seminars covering the transition, with the first on Zoom tomorrow at 6 p.m. ♻️

Trending

Birch Aquarium shared egg-cellent news. For the first time ever inside its “Seadragons & Seahorses” habitat, one of its female Weedy Seadragons successfully transferred eggs to a male. While there’s no guarantee the eggs will hatch, the aquarium called it a milestone in its ongoing research of the rare species. 🌊

Real Estate

A crane stacked pre-built apartment modules in Stockton as San Diego begins to rely on a new method of quickly building more low-income housing. The prefabricated units come equipped with all the necessary amenities, and will be used to put together a 34-apartment complex with one and three-bedroom units. 🏗️(CBS 8)

Number

64.2º. That was the average temperature in San Diego County from December 2021 to November 2022, and we’re literally heating up. According to data from Stacker, the county had its eighth warmest year since 1895, which was 2.9º above the county’s yearly average (measured from 1901-2000). 🌡️ (Fox 5)

Ranked

If you’re goal is to get moving, San Diego has something for you. The city ranked No. 7 on WalletHub’s list of best US cities for an active lifestyle. The study compared 36 metrics across the nation’s 100 most populous cities including walkability, the cost of fitness memberships, and air quality. 💪 (WalletHub)

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Interact with the art 🎨

WNDR Museum redefines the museum experience in San Diego

Screen Shot 2023-01-09 at 7.59.20 AM.jpg

“InsideOut” by Leigh Satchwitz + flora&faunavisions. | Photo via Ken Schluchtmann

If you were hoping to get into art this year, WNDR Museum is bringing an immersive experience to downtown San Diego. The 15,000-sqft space makes its public debut tomorrow and features pieces from international artists, collectives, technologists, designers, and makers.

Guests will be able to engage with 20+ exhibits, all fusing art with technology to change your concept of a trip to the museum. Expect to dive into a VR installation created by OseanWorld, or visit the brand new “Inside Out” display by Leigh Satchwitz and flora&faunavisions where you step into a translucent garden house and weather a digitized storm.

The experience is open daily, but hours differ. Prices start at $32 for adults and $22 for children. It may be worth a revisit, because the museum will curate new installations throughout the year.

📍 422 Market St.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Michael.

Editor’s pick: Good (rainy) morning, San Diego. As we’re getting another soak, I know some of our beach communities saw flooding due to the waves last week. Over the weekend, I walked to Pacific Beach along the boardwalk that leads to Mission Beach. The paths were sandy, but residents and city crews were working to clean and repair the area — it’s truly wonderful to see our community come together to keep our spaces beautiful.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? The historic Balboa Park Carousel is closed for restoration — but it’ll come around again soon.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Monica Garske, Michael Beausoleil, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Julie Brown | Advertise with us.

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