Here's a look at new San Diego hotels, conference centers, restaurants, private rooms, and other spaces to open for events this fall. The new and renovated San Diego venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fund-raisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, teambuilding activities, conferences, meetings, and more.
In June, San Diego Marriott Marquis and Marina unveiled an expansion that includes a two-level stacked ballroom. Approximately $107 million was invested to increase the meeting and event space to 280,000 square feet, including two 36,000-square-foot ballrooms with a capacity for 3,700 guests each. The new space also has a 16-screen video wall system.
Tasting Room Del Mar, located in the heart of Del Mar’s bustling downtown, is a bar/restaurant that opened in June. The 2,400-square-foot-space encompasses indoor and outdoor seating, with a wraparound bar overlooking Camino Del Mar and bits of the ocean. The indoor dining area, which can seat 28 guests, is furnished with dark warm woods and a view of the kitchen. The adjoining patio can hold as many as 50 additional seated guests. Tasting Room Del Mar, which is open every day except Monday, has a menu selection of wine, beer, and American cuisine served as locally sourced small-plate selections that change with the season. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner Tuesday to Thursday and dinner Friday to Sunday.
Cucina Sorella, which opened in June in San Diego’s Kensington neighborhood, has a mix of cushy seating with a bar anchoring the center of the 3,500-square-foot space. This newest addition by Urban Kitchen Group holds 120 guests combined with additional patio seating. The restaurant, which is open every day except Monday, serves dinner and has California-inspired Italian cuisine.
The beer trend continues at Corner DraftHouse in the Bankers Hill neighborhood. Located on Laurel Street, views of Balboa Park are seen from the 3,000-square-foot gastropub with windows opening up to the street. A mix of individual tables, bar seating, and patio seating has capacity for 150 seated guests. The restaurant—which serves American cuisine—is open daily for lunch and dinner, and serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday.
Fine luxury movie-watching extended to Point Loma with the Lot Liberty Station, the second Lot location to open in the area, after the Lot in La Jolla. Open since May, the Liberty Station venue maxes out at 26,000 square feet, encompassing an American restaurant with a total of 160 seats as well as six screening rooms with a total of 400 seats. Each screening room comes equipped with state-of-the-art technology in video and sound, and has seats that can be fully reclined.
In July, the newly renovated Donut Bar in downtown San Diego unveiled a larger space and a beer menu. With room for 70 standing guests, the 1,500-square-foot donut eatery, which is open daily, now has an extended counter selling 20 local beers on tap. What remains of the previous space is an upstairs loft with casual seating and several counter-height tables overlooking the space below.
The spirit of Paris is alive and well in La Jolla with Le Petit Bistrot. Open since June, the cozy 1,700-square-foot French cafe has clean lines with understated blue and white decor and leather-clad banquets. Several patio doors open to seating overlooking downtown La Jolla. The combined seating capacity is 102 guests. Le Petit Bistrot is open daily for lunch and dinner, and serves breakfast on Saturday and Sunday.
Italian dining in Little Italy got a serious upgrade with Barbusa, which opened in July. At a sprawling 4,200 square feet, the restaurant has a mix of leather-bound banquets, private tables, and bar seating overlooking the open kitchen. Capacity for the restaurant, which is open daily for dinner, maxes at out at 130 seated diners.
Re-opened in June after undergoing a $2.5 million renovation, the Grill at Torrey Pines now has refurbished space focusing on the patio. The new dining area of the American restaurant includes an outdoor wood-burning rotisserie and fire pits with an overhead trellis overlooking the Torrey Pines golf course. Square footage remains at 4,000 square feet, with capacity for 100 seated diners plus 20 at the bar. The restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Carmel Valley is the home to Westroot Tavern, which has been open since June. The American bar/restaurant’s 7,000 square feet includes two patios and a second-floor mezzanine. The venue’s gold highlights take advantage of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Seating for 357 includes a mix of bar-height communal tables, booths, and bar seating. Westroot Tavern is open daily for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast is served on Saturday and Sunday.
