Liberty Public Market, the food hall built inside a former Navy mess hall at Liberty Station in Point Loma, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this weekend.
Restaurant vendors will be offering $10 food and drink specials all day Saturday and Sunday. Participants include Olala Crepes, Pure Acai Bar, Nobelrags, Pasta Design, Bistro Europa, Talitha Coffee, Mini Donut Co, Mama Made, Parana Empanadas, Poko and Oki, Landini’s Pizzeria, Kai & Skye, Liberty Wing Co., Kebab Craft, Cecilia’s Taqueria, Wicked Maine Lobster, Berry Fresh, The Sushi Stand, You Should Read and Mia Sorella.
There will also be live music both days at two locations by The Seirs Brothers, Mystique Element of Soul and The Verge Band from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. There will also be a fall brewing tasting on the market’s main patio from 5-9 p.m. 2920 Historic Decatur Road, San Diego. libertypublicmarketsd.com/10th-anniversary/.
The crowd at the 2023 San Diego Beer News Awards, which returns for its 2026 edition on March 31 at Harland Brewing in Scripps Ranch. (San Diego Beer News)
San Diego Beer News Awards: San Diego Beer News will present its sixth-annual San Diego Beer News Awards on March 31. The Oscars-style ceremony, which last year drew more than 550 people, will feature awards in more than 30 categories. San Diego Beer News Founder & Executive Editor Brandon Hernández will host the awards with CBS 8 anchor Neda Iranpour. Among this year’s award presenters will be Peter Rowe, the U-T’s longtime beer columnist, who retired last year. This year’s ceremony will be held at Harland Brewing in Scripps Ranch. Harland worked with area brewers to produce six collaboration beers that will be available for sale at the event, both on tap and in mixed six-packs to go. Five of the collab beers were created with brewers from each of the five regions that San Diego Beer News gives out Best Brewery awards to. Harland brewed this year’s sixth beer with Hernández. The San Diego Beer News Awards are open to the public and admission is free of charge. There will also be a vendor expo, a DJ and food for sale. 5 to 9 p.m. March 31. 10115 Carrol Canyon Road, San Diego. For more details, visit sandiegobeer.news.
Kaitlyn Smith has been appointed as the new executive chef at Marisi restaurant in La Jolla. (Mandie Geller)
Marisi appoints new lead chef: Kaitlyn Smith has been appointed as the new executive chef of Marisi, an Italian hearth-driven restaurant in La Jolla Village. Most recently, Smith served as chef de cuisine at Wildland restaurant in Carlsbad. She has more than 10 years of experience working in seasonally-driven, Italian-influenced restaurants in the Los Angeles area, including Pitfire Artisan Pizza, Scopa Italian Roots and Rose Café. 1044 Wall St., La Jolla. marisilajolla.com
Birria ramen is one of the options on the menu of Funner Ramen, a pop-up at the Best of Cluck restaurant at Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center. (Harrah’s)
Harrah’s debuts Funner Ramen pop-up: Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center has launched a three-month pop-up ramen concept at its Best of Cluck quick-service restaurant. The menu for Funner Ramen, which will be available through the end of May, has six items: traditional tonkotsu and shoyu ramen bowls with choice of pork or chicken broth and protein, birria ramen, spring rolls, coconut shrimp and a mango shake. 777 S. Resort Drive, Valley Center. harrahssocal.com/dining
A house-made pasta dish at SONO, an Italian retaurant that opened March 14 in North Park. (SONO)
SONO restaurant opens in North Park: Ocean Mohamadi and Nino Cusimano, the husband-and-wife team behind the North Park brunch spot Flora, opened SONO, a modern Italian restaurant, just a few blocks away on March 14. Sono means “I am” in Italian. The restaurant serves antipasti, salads, housemade pastas, pizzas and entrées including Mediterranean branzino, fried pork chop and chicken skewers. There’s also a full cocktail program an a tableside focaccia bread service. Hours are 4 to 10 p.m. daily. 2835 University Ave., San Diego. sononorthpark.com/
Playa Kitchen opens in La Jolla: Clique Hospitality has opened Playa Kitchen, a quick service restaurant offering breakfast and lunch items, at the Torrey View Life Sciences campus in La Jolla. Open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays only, Playa Kitchen was built to service workers in the Torrey View complex, but it’s also open to the public. Besides coffee and smoothie drinks, Playa Kitchen ofers acai , seafood, chicken and veggie bowls, toasts, breakfast burritos, salads , burgers, sandwiches and wraps. 11011 El Camino Real, La Jolla. playakitchensd.com