Hungry? San Diego’s “Taste of” events continue this month, shining a spotlight on neighborhood gems that make our city’s culinary scene sizzle. Don’t miss these.
Taste of Little Italy| Tuesday, June 17 + Wednesday, June 18, 4-8 p.m. | $71 | This two-day shindig will showcase food and drinks spanning the neighborhood’s 48 blocks. When you check in at Piazza della Famiglia, you’ll receive a “Taste Passport” to track your palate’s progress.
Taste of Adams Avenue| Sunday, June 29, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | $50+ | This gastronomic trek along uptown SD’s beloved thoroughfare will include 40 restaurants, coffeehouses, bakeries, pubs, breweries, and wine bars.
Taste of San Diego East| Monday, June 23, 5-8 p.m. | $45+ | The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce hosts this event every summer in Hotel Circle to shine the spotlight on La Mesa’s food scene. This year, it’ll go down at the Legacy Resort Hotel & Spa.
Del Mar Village Summer Solstice 2025 | 5-8 p.m. | Powerhouse Park & Beach | $150+ | This culinary event presented by the Del Mar Village Association will usher in summer with food from Del Mar’s finest chefs, drinks, music, and ocean views.
Friday, June 13
Maxwell | 7:30 p.m. | San Diego County Fair | $97+ | The Grammy-winning soul singer headlines one of the first shows of the fair’s 2025 Toyota Summer Concert Series — it’s gonna be “Sumthin’ Sumthin’.”
Saturday, June 14
Juneteenth Celebration 2025 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Chollas Lake | Free | This community celebration will feature local vendors, food, family-friendly activities, music, poetry, and spoken word.
City Heights Street Food Festival | 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | University Avenue + 37th Street | Free | Street food, local vendors, artists, live music, and a beer garden await at this celebration of the food and diversity found in City Heights.
2025 San Diego Brew Fest | 12-4 p.m. | Liberty Station NTC Park | $62+ | Unlimited craft beer tastings, food trucks, and music? We’re in.
Island Vibe Music Festival 2025 | 12-7 p.m. | Embarcadero Marina Park North | $50+ | This fest features performers High Watah, Anuhea, Siaosi, Bo Napoleon and dancers from across the Pacific Islands, plus a vendor village with merch, art, and lots of food.
San Diego Made: LIVE! | 4-10 p.m. | San Diego Made Factory | Free | This celebration of local artists, makers, and community will include art, music, and creative hands-on activities.
Sunday, June 15
Concacaf Gold Cup: Haiti vs. Saudi Arabia + Costa Rica vs. Suriname | Sunday, June 15 | 5:15 p.m. | Snapdragon Stadium | $50+ | This international celebration of soccer, sportsmanship, and culture brings the action to SD with two back-to-back matches on our home turf.
Tuesday, June 17
OMD | Tuesday, June 17 + Wednesday, June 18 | 8 p.m. | Balboa Theatre | $133+ | The English electronic band — aka Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark — is best known for their iconic hit “If You Leave” from “Pretty in Pink” (Team Blane or Team Duckie?).
City Council approved a new $43.60 monthly trash pickup fee that will impact 200,000+ single-family homeowners starting Tuesday, July 1. The fee will appear on property tax bills and rise over the next four years. Local leaders say the fee could help SD free up $80 million in the budget. (CBS 8)
Development
Real estate developer J Street plans to transform downtown San Diego’s 25-story Tower 80 office building into a Hyatt Place + Hyatt House hotel. The dual-branded, $250 million property will feature 560 guest rooms and a rooftop cocktail bar. Construction will begin in early 2026 and should wrap up in 2028.
Seasonal
Heading to the San Diego County Fair this season? Brush up on everything you need to know before you go and check out the concert lineup. New this year: daily $15 value meals across more than 35 food stands that include an entree, side and/or a drink + 50% off on some meals on Fridays.
Feel Good
Long live Lucky. Thanks to a petition spearheaded by Tribute Pizza, the 3800-block of Grim Avenue in North Park will be renamed “Lucky Lane” on Saturday, June 28. The new signs will honor the late Wong “Lucky” Chong, the beloved owner of the longtime, one-man breakfast diner Lucky’s Golden Phenix.
Health
UC San Diego celebrated the grand opening yesterday of the Andrew & Erna Viterbi Family Vision Research Center on Campus Point Drive. The 5-story, 100,000-sqft facility is housed within the Shiley Eye Institute and will lead the way on treating + curing eye diseases causing vision loss.
Open
Dark Horse Coffee Roasters opened its newest location this week — this time on Park Boulevard in Hillcrest. The shop offers the brand’s classic drink menu, plus Hawaiian breakfast burritos. It’s open daily, 6:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Legacy
Former La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid — who served six terms as mayor from 1990 to 2014 — died on June 10. The US Marine Corps veteran also served on the City Council from 1981 to 1990. The city credits him for “championing smart growth” and revitalizing downtown. (City News Service via NBC 7)
Arts
Music lovers, take note. Piano company Steinway & Sons will bring its “Steinways of the Stars” tour to San Diego Wednesday, June 25-Sunday, June 29. Music enthusiasts ages 18+ will be able to play pianos used by artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Jacob Collier — sign up to tickle the ivories.
Theater
Five more shows were added to Broadway San Diego’s 48th season lineup: “Les Misérables,” “Sasha Velour: The Big Reveal Live Show,” “Dungeons & Dragons,” “Mannheim Steamroller Christmas,” and “The Simon & Garfunkel Story.” The season kicks off this September and runs through August 2026 — tickets will be available soon.
Sports
The Padres faced the Dodgers this week with some bumps along the way. Also, how are those wild card standings looking? Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes of the San Diego Padreswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Real Estate
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Playing with Fire goes down at The Grill at Torrey Pines and features Executive Chef Kelli Crosson + Chef de Cuisine Ryan Dzierzawski as they pair up with SD’s hottest chefs for a wood-fired grilling session on the patio. We checked out the first event of the season this week — feast your eyes on it.
New sheets at a great discount. Get 70% off these cooling bamboo blend waffle hem sheets, with a queen set only costing $28.99. The 1800 thread count sheets are hypoallergenic, machine washable, and crafted from bamboo-derived fabric that keeps you cool in summer.
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The time has come. Tijuana’s iconic, Michelin Guide-recognized Tacos El Franc — seen on Netflix’s “Taco Chronicles” — opened its first US location yesterday at Westfield Plaza Bonita in National City.
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