Joya Kitchen, Draft Republic, Go Go Amigo leads list of new San Diego restaurant openings
Joya Kitchen, a weekdays-only organic foods café and happy hour spot, opened Feb. 17 in the The Boardwalk at Science Center Drive in La Jolla.
Owned by Clique Hospitality — which operates the Lionfish and Serēa restaurants in San Diego — Joya Kitchen was created to serve both the public and workers in the three-building Boardwalk lab complex near UC San Diego. The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch items from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, as well as a happy hour menu served with drinks from 3 to 6 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays.
The menu, created by chefs JoJo Ruiz and Ryan Bullock, features coffee drinks, fresh-pressed juices, smoothies and acai and breakfast bowls in the morning hours. Lunch items include soups, salad, sandwiches, wraps, protein bowls, tacos and plated entrees. There’s also a grab-and-go counter for pre-made snacks, salads and pastries. Clique Hospitality founder Andy Masi said the restaurant’s goal is to serve healthful food because it’s located in a concentrated area of health, science and biotechnology firms.
Joya Kitchen is at 10275 Science Center Drive, San Diego. Visit joyakitchensd.com
Draft Republic opens in San Marcos
Cohn Restaurant Group has opened a second location of Draft Republic in the former Urge Gastropub & Common House in San Marcos, which shuttered during the pandemic. Cohn Restaurant Group co-founder David Cohn said the 21,000-square-foot restaurant-brewery in the North City development near Cal State San Marcos underwent a complete remodel before Draft Republic moved in.
Cohn opened its first Draft Republic in La Jolla in 2014 and its second in Carlsbad in 2017. The La Jolla location closed last fall.
The “eatertainment” complex, which opened Wednesday at 255 Redel Road, features an eight-lane bowling alley, retro arcade, video wall, extensive patio area, bar with 36 beers on tap and an onsite brewery that will be operated by Rouleur Brewing Co. of Carlsbad. Visit draftrepublicsanmarcos.com.
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Go Go Amigo opens at Liberty Station
Go Go Amigo, a festive indoor-outdoor Mexican restaurant and cantina, opened last week in the former El Jardin restaurant space at Liberty Station.
The new restaurant is owned by Good Time Design, the San Diego hospitality company that operates Moonshine Beach in Pacific Beach and The Presley at Liberty Station. The company has radically remodeled the former El Jardin patio area, filling in the former onsite produce garden to expand outdoor seating and installing new walkways, fire features, overhead lights and counter seating.
The Mexican-inspired fusion menu at Go Go Amigo is overseen by executive chef Todd Nash. Specialties include stuffed chile relleno, rockfish and pulp aguachile, queso fresco, tacos, soups, salads and desserts. The cocktail menu includes a large variety of margaritas, beers and wine. The restaurant will host Taco Tuesday specials, and on Thursdays-Sundays, lunch service and happy hours will be offered.
Go Go Amigo is at 2885 Perry Road, San Diego. Visit gogoamigosd.com.
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