Pepino, the long-awaited eatery and bakeshop from former Herb & Wood sous chef Sebastian Becerra, will host its grand opening Nov. 2 in La Jolla.
Marissa Williams, left, and Sebastian Becerra in Pepino, his Peruvian-inspired restaurant and bakeshop opening Nov. 2 in La Jolla. (Chris Tran)
Named after the Spanish word for cucumber, Pepino started out in Becerra’s La Jolla backyard as a pop-up concept during the pandemic. Its menu pays tribute to his family and their Peruvian heritage.
Joining Becerra in the kitchen as sous chef is Marissa Williams, who previously served as executive sous chef at Herb & Sea in Encinitas.
Pepino will offer breakfast and lunch service, Peruvian roast chicken, lunch items like a pan con chicharron sandwich and solterito salad. There will also be house-baked Peruvian-inspired pastries and sweets. Hours will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays-Mondays at 7556 Fay Ave., La Jolla. instagram.com/pepino_sd
Father and son restaurateurs Henry Yang, right, and son Ethan Yang. They are now operating the restaurants Zen Modern Asian Bistro and Glass Box Asian restaurants in the Sky Deck in Del Mar Highlands Town Center. (Zen Modern Asian Bistro)
Zen joins Sky Deck: Zen Modern Asian Bistro, which the Yang family opened in 2016 in Sabre Springs, has opened its second location in the Sky Deck restaurant collective in the Del Mar Highlands Town Center in Del Mar Heights. Owned by head chef Henry Yang and his two sons, executive chef Ethan Yang and co-owner Jonathan Yang, Zen serves Cantonese, Szechuan and Pan-Asian dishes. The new Zen outlet is located just a few doors down from Ethan Yang’s Glass Box Asian/sushi restaurant. Hours for the new Zen location are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays at 12841 El Camino Real, Suite 206, San Diego. zenmodernasian.com
Menu selections from Canvas Café + Lounge at the Carté Hotel in Little Italy. (Carté Hotel San Diego Downtown)
Canvas Café opens in Little Italy: Carté Hotel San Diego Downtown, a Little Italy hotel that recently refreshed its lobby, lounge and reception spaces, has opened a new all-day restaurant-bar in partnership with San Diego’s RMD hospitality group. Canvas Café + Lounge offers seasonal, ingredient-driven dishes including a tuna tostada, carrot hummus, blueberry radicchio salad and classic Wagyu cheese burger. RMD mixologist Nick Hirsch has designed the cocktail menu. Hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily at 401 W. Ash St., San Diego. cartehotel.com/dining/canvas-cafe-and-lounge
The entry way to Daffodil Cafe in La Jolla Commons. (Daffodil Cafe)
Daffodil blooms in UTC area: Daffodil Café, a new daytime concept from San Diego restaurateur Lauren Passero-Brookes, has opened in the La Jolla Commons business park area northeast of Westfield UTC shopping center. Passero-Brookes is the owner of Kensington Café and The Haven Pizzeria. Some of chef Sarah Palomares’ menu items are a breakfast sandwich, avocado toast, Belgian waffle, coconut chia pudding, smash burger, roasted veggie farro bowl and roasted chicken crunch salad. Daffodil also offers Talitha Coffee service, lunchtime catering options and grab-and-go snack items. Hours are 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. weekdays at 4747 Executive Drive, San Diego. eatatdaffodil.com.
Annaluna Chocolate’s almond hazelnut flower tablet chocolate bars will be among the items sold at Christophe Rull Patisserie’s chocolate pop-up sale Oct. 28-29 in San Marcos. (Annaluna Chocolate)
Chocolate pop-up in San Marcos: Newly opened Christophe Rull Patisserie in the North City development of San Marcos is hosting a gourmet chocolate pop-up event next week. Michelin-trained Rull, a World Chocolate Master finalist, is partnering with Michelin-trained chocolatier Annaluna Karkar of Annaluna Chocolate for the two-day event, where they’ll be making and selling a wide variety of specialty chocolate items. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. 251 N. City Drive, San Marcos. instagram.com/christopherullpro
Puesto drops seed oils from menu: San Diego’s Puesto Mexican-American restaurant chain announced Oct. 1 it has removed all seed oils from its menu. The decision follows the company’s move to serving only additive-free tequila and organic, non-GMO tortillas. Seed oils have been replaced on the menu by healthier alternatives such as avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil and RSPO-certified palm oil. Details at instagram.com/eatpuesto.
Victorian launches brunch: TheVictorian at Hill Street, a restaurant/bar that longtime Oceanside residents Emily and David Rassel this past summer in the 137-year-old Weitzel House in South Oceanside, introduced brunch service on Oct. 17. Served from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays-Sundays, the brunch menu created by “Hell’s Kitchen — Battle of the States” competitor Lisa Rivera features shrimp and grits, Victorian French toast, rosemary chicken and waffles, tuna Niçoise salad and more. 524 S. Coast Highway, Oceanside. instagram.com/victorianoceanside