Zuma, a London-born contemporary Japanese restaurant chain with 34 locations worldwide, will open its 35th location and first West Coast venue, on Monday in the Guild Hotel in downtown San Diego. The 6,630-square-foot restaurant will seat 221 guests.
Zuma was founded in Knightsbridge, London, in 2002 by chef Rainer Becker, who was inspired to creat the izakaya-style dining concept after working for six years in Tokyo, Japan. The upscale Zuma restaurants are known for having three kitchens, the main kitchen where plated entrées and shareable plates are prepared, a sushi counter and a robata grill.
Diners enjoy a variety of sushi rolls at Zuma, the London-born contemporary Japanese restaurant chain opening its first West Coast location Aug. 10 at San Diego’s Guild Hotel. (Boston roasted lobster) from the Japanese restaurant Zuma. (Rusne Draz)
Zuma was the first of five restaurant concepts created by Becker and Arjun Waney under the Azumi Restaurant Group umbrella in London. Nick Fielding, vice president of Azumi Restaurant Group, talked about Azumi’s decision to open its newest Zumain San Diego’s Guild Hotel.
The Guild Hotel was a standout partner because it shares many of the values that define Zuma,” Fielding said in a statement to the Union-Tribune. “It’s a beautifully restored landmark location that combines history with contemporary luxury, creating an experience that feels authentic, sophisticated, and distinctly ‘San Diego.’
Wagyu tataki with daikon sprouts at Zuma, the London-born contemporary Japanese restaurant chain opening its first West Coast location Aug. 10 at San Diego’s Guild Hotel. (Boston roasted lobster) from the Japanese restaurant Zuma. (Rusne Draz)
“From the beginning, we felt there was a shared vision. Both brands focus on delivering an exceptional guest experience combining energy and hospitality rather than simply providing a place to dine or stay. We wanted to create a destination where guests could enjoy world-class cuisine in an environment that reflects the city’s spirit and heritage and The Guild was the ideal setting for that.”
The new location is at 500 W. Broadway. Hours will be 5 to 10:30 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 5 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. zumarestaurant.com/en/san-diego
Tommy V’s moves to new spot: Tommy V’s Urban Kitchen & Bar has moved to a new location just across the street from its longtime space in the Bressi Ranch Village Center at 2659 Gateway Road, Suite 101. Owners signed a 10-year lease with Location Matters for the former Giaola Italian Kitchen location nearby in The Square at Bressi Ranch at 2668 Gateway Road, Suite 180, which is about 200 yards north of the former location. The new space has 3,000 square feet indoors and a 930-square-foot patio. The 6-year-old Giaola restaurant closed in mid-February. instagram.com/tommyvscarlsbad
The future home of Kitchens for Good’s Culinary Impact Center at Fourth Avenue and Juniper Street in San Diego’s Bankers Hill. (Kitchens for Good)
Restaurant training program earns grant: Kitchens for Good, a San Diego nonprofit that provides training to disadvantaged individuals for jobs in the food service industry, has received a two-year, $50,000 grant from the Jacque Pépin Foundation.
Founded in 2014, Kitchens for Good (KFG) provides state-certified culinary apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, preparing 400 justice-involved adults, opportunity youth, and low-income residents each year for careers in the region’s hospitality industry. In 2027, KFG plans to open its 29,000-square-foot Culinary Impact Center at 2250 Fourth Ave. in Bankers Hill. The building was purchased so the organization can consolidate its operations in a single, transit-accessible space, expand training and open a Market Café that will be open to the public.
The Pépin Foundation grant will go toward the support the launch, stabilization and scaling of the Market Café. The French-born chef Pépin has lived in the U.S. since 1959 and has had a storied career in New York City’s restaurant scene. He started his foundation with a goal of funding culinary training, particularly to adults with barriers to employment.