San Diego County’s move into the state’s purple tier means big changes – again – for local restaurants. Indoor dining is once again out, and outdoor dining is (still) in. Eater San Diego breaks down that story and also shares other top news of the week from our food and drink scene.
San Diego County Restaurant Must Pause Indoor Service
This week, with COVID-19 cases rising, San Diego County fell back into California's most stringent tier, the purple or widespread tier. The state-mandated restrictions will impact local restaurants, which must comply and cease indoor dining by Saturday morning. Outdoor seating as well as takeout and delivery are still allowed. The purple tier will impact San Diego restaurants in this way for at least three weeks. In the red tier -- the level the county was on before this -- indoor dining was allowed at 25% capacity. With cooler temps, the shift to purple and move back to all-outdoor dining may complicate things for local eateries already struggling to make ends meet in the middle of the pandemic. We talk a bit about this on our Scene in San Diego podcast.
Downtown Bar Finds Sweet Spot in Middle of Pandemic
On the latest Scene in San Diego podcast, the co-owner of Metl Bar & Restaurant shares how the Gaslamp bar has pivoted to survive the downturn, creating a line of boozy ice creams that have spawned Metl Cocktail Creamery. The frozen treats have become a lifeline during difficult times and could be the future of the business. Listen to our podcast here or below:
Listen/subscribe to the Scene in San Diego podcast to get the latest local lifestyle stories and news from our local food and drink scene. As we continue to adjust to life (back and forth, back and forth) in these times of the coronavirus pandemic, the way we enjoy our city has changed. We’ll keep you up to speed on how those changes impact the things you love to do in our city. Tap here to find Scene in San Diego wherever you listen to podcasts.
Outdoor Barbecue Joint and Craft Distillery Enter Barrio Logan
Thorn Brewing Co. is now sharing its 40,000-square-foot space in Barrio Logan with several new businesses. Scheduled to debut next week is Sideyard BBQ by HottMess, an all-outdoor eatery specializing in Texas-style barbecue. It'll be joined by ReBru, a distillery that uses surplus beer as the basis for its spirits as well as a cocktail bar, with a woodfired pizzeria to follow.
Local Ramen Noodle Company Changes Direction
Family-owned Fuji Ramen, which has operated a ramen noodle factory in Chula Vista for over 30 years, has shifted from exclusively working with Southern California eateries to selling directly to the public. Seeking to boost business, the company is now offering fresh ramen noodles at local farmer's markets and at drop-off points in Mira Mesa and Chula Vista.
The Scene
More stories from The Scene, your source for what's happening in America's Finest City
Black-Owned Vegan Cookie Company Opens First Storefront
Buoyed by support from the Black Lives Matter movement, Maya's Cookies has become the top Black-owned and woman-owned vegan cookie company in the U.S. Previously a fixture at local farmer's markets, the company has expanded to launch its first retail shop in Grantville with the aim of taking its business to the national stage.
Candice Woo is the founding editor of Eater San Diego, a leading source for news about San Diego’s restaurant and bar scene. Keep up with the latest Eater San Diego content via Facebook or Twitter, and sign up for Eater San Diego’s newsletter here.
