Here's a look at new San Diego eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms, and other spaces for all types of spring entertaining and events. The new and renovated venues in the San Diego area are available for corporate parties, fund-raisers, outdoor events, business dinners, teambuilding activities, client entertaining, meetings, weddings, and more.
Editor's Note: On March 15, California Governor Gavin Newsom called for the temporary closing of all bars, and reduced capacity for restaurants, throughout the state due to COVID-19 concerns. At BizBash, we're still committed to bringing you ideas and inspiration for when events are back up and running. For our coverage of the coronavirus outbreak, visit bizbash.com/coronavirus.
Cardellino
Cardellino, the fourth outpost from Trust Restaurant Group, opened in Mission Hills in January. The 4,000-square-foot Italian-American eatery has a sidewalk patio and a menu of shared plates and pizzas. Within Cardellino is a 16-seat private dining room with audiovisual equipment. The dining room holds 60 for seated events or 90 for receptions. The patio holds 40 seated or 70 for receptions.
Photo: Isabel Subtil
NIMA
Opened in November 2019, NIMA is the café counterpart to Animae restaurant. It holds 85 guests reception style or 65 guests for seated events, where Pan-Asian-American cuisine comes from Animae’s kitchen. NIMA offers views of downtown San Diego’s skyline and design that includes lush greenery across the ceiling, minimalist natural stone elements, and a custom terrazzo floor. Huge windows bathe the space in sunshine by day and city lights by night.
Photo: Courtesy of NIMA/Katalyst PR
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad is set to break ground on a new ballroom this summer. Costa de la Luna will bring an additional 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space to the property, in addition to an event lawn. The new setup will have 14,000 divisible square feet of ballroom space, 4,000 square feet in pre-function space, two breakout rooms, and a dedicated valet entrance. The Luna ballroom’s maximum capacity will be 1,600 theater style or 1,400 for a reception. This addition will further grow Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s meeting space, as it will be located adjacent to the existing 18,000-square-foot Costa Del Sol ballroom.
Rendering: Courtesy of Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
Park Commons
The latest venture from Whisknladle Hospitality brings a private event space, food hall, and gathering hub to the Sorrento Valley work campus known as the Park. Spanning 10,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, Park Commons provides a variety of event space options. There’s room for 200 seated guests or 300 guests reception style, and it’s one of the few destinations in the area with full liquor license capabilities. Food comes from culinary director/partner Ryan Johnston and executive chef Joanna Rockwell, with five distinct concepts including Mexican, Middle Eastern, sandwiches, burgers, and healthier fare.
Photo: Courtesy of Park Commons
San Diego Mission Bay Resort
San Diego Mission Bay Resort’s grand opening in January 2020 debuted a $21 million property revamp. (It was formerly known as Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa.) Located on the Mission Bay Park waterfront, the 357-room property has more than 16,000 square feet of interior meeting and function space and 9,600 square feet of outdoor meeting space. There are 15 indoor meeting rooms in all. The largest space, the International Ballroom, holds 1,000 guests. Of the five outdoor event venues, the largest is Garden by the Bay, with 8,670 square feet.
Photo: Courtesy of San Diego Mission Bay Resort
Wood Yu
Opened in February 2019, Wood Yu is chef Brian Malarkey’s newest restaurant, serving a mashup of Baja-Asian street food. Design firm Gensler collaborated with Puffer Malarkey Collective's partner/owner Christopher Puffer to transform a former office lobby space into the new venue, located in Alexandria Real Estate Equities’ Torrey Ridge Science Center. The venue—which holds 160 seated guests—boasts lush greenery, a curving banquette that flows to the outdoor dining area, and a central bar, plus a large indoor-outdoor space. The outdoor space includes a natural amphitheater for events.
Photo: Courtesy of Wood Yu/Katalyst PR
Valentina
Located north of San Diego in Encinitas, Valentina—which opened in April 2019—is an intimate venue with room for 60. Food and wine is a major draw to this venue, where a rotating menu includes seasonal offerings and shareable options. Valentina also has an in-house sommelier and expansive wine list. Natural-wood common tables, string lights overhead, and a black-and-white floral mural pop in the otherwise monochromatic, industrial-inspired space.
Photo: Courtesy of Valentina/Alternative Strategies
Sandbox VR
In October 2019, Sandbox VR opened a San Diego location at Hillsdale Shopping Center; it’s one of four new Southern California locations for the immersive VR social experience, in which groups experience the action together. The San Diego location is fit for an event for 126 people. Each experience lasts one hour, including the time to get gear on and off; 24 people can play at once divided into four rooms, each of which holds six at a time.
Photo: Courtesy of Sandbox VR
The Cassara Carlsbad
The Cassara Carlsbad, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton property, officially opened in December 2019. The 90-room, fully redesigned property in Carlsbad has 2,800 square feet of meeting space. Buena Vista Conference Room offers 180 degrees of patio views of the Pacific Ocean; it holds as many as 100 guests for receptions. Batiquitos and Calvara Boardroom are each over 400 square feet with room for 20.
Rendering: Courtesy of the Cassara Carlsbad
Feast & Fareway
Located along the Coronado golf course, Feast & Fareway was completely overhauled in June 2019. It includes a restaurant and event venue with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the iconic Coronado bridge and a private beach only accessible by boat. The venue has seating for up to 325 guests. Groups may also book the bayfront lawn for an alfresco coastal atmosphere.
Photo: Courtesy of Feast & Fareway/Alternative Strategies
