Another week of post-lockdown life has brought us more curbside dining in San Diego, this time in the heart of downtown. The Gaslamp Quarter will debut its outdoor dining project this weekend, which shuts down traffic on parts of Fifth Avenue during certain hours so restaurants can extend their dining rooms, all under COVID-19 guidelines. Eater San Diego shares that story, plus other top news from our food and drink scene in these times of the coronavirus pandemic.
Downtown Starts Street-Side Dining This Weekend
Following Little Italy’s launch of dining al fresco, the Gaslamp Quarter will shut down a stretch of Fifth Avenue starting Thursday night to allow bars and restaurants to extend their outdoor spaces onto the sidewalks and pavement. Running Thursday through Saturday, the curbside dining program could continue until the end of the year and, eventually, include dozens of restaurants. A few of the eateries partaking in this initial phase of the project include downtown favorite like BarleyMash (Fifth Avenue at Market Street), Rustic Root, and Café Sevilla.
Employee at Little Italy Restaurant Tests Positive for COVID-19
Nolita Hall on India Street is the first restaurant in San Diego to officially disclose that a person on its staff has contracted the novel coronavirus. Owner Douglas Hamm announced that the eatery will be closed until June 30 and tells Eater that he will be paying for all employees to be tested for COVID-19 before the restaurant reopens.
Brian Malarkey Reboots Animae With Acclaimed Culinary Director
James Beard award-winning chef Nate Appleman has joined celeb chef Brian Malarkey's hospitality group and is working to revamp the menu at Animae, which is scheduled to reopen on July 22. Appleman's dishes will draw from different Asian cuisines and feature local produce and seafood.
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Il Dandy Changes Course in Bankers Hill
The owners of Il Dandy in Bankers Hill will reopen the restaurant next month as Civico by The Park, an extension of Civico 1845, their wildly-popular Little Italy restaurant. The menu, which includes dishes from Southern Italy as well as vegan offerings, will also feature pinsa, a traditional Roman style of pizza with an airy, cloud-like crust.
The Presley Is Coming to Liberty Station
Replacing the shuttered Fireside by The Patio is a new restaurant from Good Time Design, the local group that operates the Blind Burro and Moonshine Flats. Scheduled for a July opening, The Presley will serve an American menu in a redesigned space that offers mostly outdoor seating. The new restaurant comes as Liberty Station begins to reopen its dining, shopping, art galleries and promenades – and with more outdoor dining around the landmark, too.
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.
