Lumi by Akira Back opens after construction, pandemic delays

Spanish mackerel tiradito at Lumi by Akira Back restaurant.

July 7, 2020

5:21 AM

After months of delays caused by the pandemic and construction issues, the long-anticipated rooftop restaurant Lumi by Akira Back restaurant has opened at the historic 1887 Grand Pacific Hotel in downtown San Diego.

Opened by San Diego’s RMD hospitalty group, Lumi is the latest in a global collection of 16 eponymous restaurants from the South Korean-born Michelin-starred chef Akira Back.

The dining deck at Lumi by Akira Back in downtown San Diego

It specializes in innovative Japanese fare with Nikkei and Korean influences. The menu features sushi, nigiri and sashimi as well as specialties like corazon skewers, rock shrimp tempura, salmon ceviche, and Spanish mackerel tiradito.

RMD says Lumi serves the largest selection of top-tier whiskies in San Diego, as well as Back’s name-brand sake and and cocktails. Lumi is at 366 Fifth Ave. Visit lumirooftop.com.

Restaurants Eat | Drink

Pam Kragen

Pam Kragen is a feature writer who specializes in writing human interest, dining, theater and opera stories. She joined The San Diego Union-Tribune staff in October 2012 after 27 years at the North County Times, where she served as the Arts & Features Editor, as well as the paper’s longtime arts writer and theater/opera critic. She is the president and co-founder of the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from San Diego State University and completed fellowships in theater criticism at the University of Southern California and opera/classical music criticism at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. She reports from the U-T’s North County office in San Marcos.