{"id":207468,"date":"2026-03-06T15:11:21","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T15:11:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/207468\/"},"modified":"2026-03-06T15:11:21","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T15:11:21","slug":"san-diego-springs-to-life-with-cocktails-coffee-culinary-events","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/207468\/","title":{"rendered":"San Diego springs to life with cocktails, coffee & culinary events"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Roppongi Restaurant & Lounge\u2019s Polynesian Crab Stack (Photo courtesy of Roppongi Restaurant & Lounge\/ James Tran)<\/p>\n

San Diego\u2019s food scene is shaking off winter and embracing spring with fresh flavors, bold drinks, and creative menus that reflect the city\u2019s buzzy energy. Rooftop sips, late-night dining, caffeine fixes, and even a reimagined fast-food classic make this week\u2019s Eat Beat<\/a> a celebration of eats worth exploring.<\/p>\n

Roppongi, La Jolla<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Roppongi Restaurant & Lounge Tea Ceremony.( (Photo courtesy of Roppongi Restaurant & Lounge\/ James Tran)<\/p>\n

Ropangi at 875 Prospect Street serves up half\u2011priced small plates daily during happy hour, including Polynesian Crab Stack with mango and avocado, Hamachi tacos with Asian guacamole, and crisp chicken egg rolls. With contemporary Asian flair and a lively vibe, it\u2019s an easy stop for post\u2011work eats.<\/p>\n

Panini Kabob Grill Opens Near Petco Park<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Grand opening at Panini Kabob Grill. (Photo courtesy of Panini Kabob Grill) <\/p>\n

Panini Kabob Grill has opened a new downtown San Diego location at 201 Park Boulevard in the Park 12 building, steps from Petco Park and the Gaslamp Quarter. The restaurant marks the brand\u2019s 31st location and its sixth in San Diego, placing the Mediterranean eatery in the heart of a busy residential and entertainment district popular with Padres fans and downtown residents.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Lots of plates are available at Panini Kabob Grill. (Photo courtesy of Panini Kabob Grill) <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Tzatziki\u00a0appetizer. (Photo courtesy of Panini Kabob Grill) <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Chicken Kabob and Veggies. (Photo courtesy of Panini Kabob Grill)<\/p>\n

Founded by Mike Rafipoor, Panini Kabob Grill is known for its \u201cscratch kitchen\u201d approach, with dishes prepared to order using fresh ingredients delivered regularly to each restaurant. The menu centers on Mediterranean staples such as charbroiled chicken, beef koobideh, salmon, lamb, and shrimp kabobs, along with paninis, wraps, salads, pastas, and house-made appetizers like hummus and tzatziki. Vegetarian options include falafel, vegetable kabobs, and tofu.<\/p>\n

The restaurant offers indoor seating, a bar area, and a large patio, with menu prices ranging from appetizers at around $3.99 to kabob entr\u00e9es at $26.99. The location is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.<\/p>\n

Borrego Rooftop Kitchen + Cocktails, Gaslamp<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Borrego Carne Asada Tacos. (Photo courtesy of Borrego Rooftop Kitchen + Cocktails)<\/p>\n

Perched atop Hotel Indigo, Borrego pairs Baja\u2011inspired dishes with craft cocktails and skyline views. The new happy hour offers \u20ac\u00e0 la carte carne asada tacos, chips and salsa, fries, draft beer, and Modelo specials, perfect for lingering into the evening.<\/p>\n

Havana 1920 & El Ching\u00f3n, Gaslamp<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Havana 1920 Birria Empanada. (Photo courtesy of GBOD Hospitality Group)<\/p>\n

Cuban\u2011inspired bites and bright cocktails define Havana 1920\u2019s weekday happy hour, where croquetas, papas rellenas, and empanadas pair with daiquiris, mojitoss and shareable sangrias. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Havana 1920 Daiquiris and Mojitos. (Photo Courtesy of GBOD Hospitality Group)<\/p>\n

Next door, El Ching\u00f3n layers bold, flavorful bites \u2014 nachos, rolled tacos, and spicy elote \u2014 with house margaritas and tequila specials for a playful, punchy experience.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>El Chingon_Bad Ass Margarita. (Photo courtesy of GBOD Hospitality Group)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>El Chingon Birria Tacos. (Photo courtesy of GBOD Hospitality Group)<\/p>\n

Monello & Bencotto Italian Kitchen, Little Italy<\/p>\n

Bencotto keeps happy hour flowing all day with Raspadura cheese, calamari fritti, pizzas and house\u2011made tagliatelle, alongside spritzes and signature cocktails. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Bencotto Italian Kitchen Old Fashioned. (Photo courtesy of GBOD Hospitality Group)<\/p>\n

Bencotto\u2019s Aperitivo hour showcases Parmigiano snacking plates, crispy risotto balls, ls and baked meatballs, perfectly paired with Italian wines and a classic Aperol Spritz.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Bencotto Italian Kitchen Sour (Photo courtesy of GBOD Hospitality Group)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Monello Cheese Wheel Pasta (Photo courtesy of GBOD Hospitality Group)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Monello Picante Pizza (Courtesy of GBOD Hospitality Group)<\/p>\n

Dunkin\u2019 Zero & Banana\u2011Inspired Sips<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Banana Lineup (Photo courtesy of Dunkin\u2019<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Dunkin\u2019 Zero Sugar Energy Drinks Lineup ((Photo courtesy of Dunkin\u2019)<\/p>\n

Dunkin\u2019 introduces Dunkin\u2019 Zero, a zero\u2011sugar energy drink in six fruit\u2011forward flavors. Meanwhile, banana takes center stage across espresso, cold brew, and matcha drinks \u2014 including Banana Puddin\u2019 Cloud Latte and Bananarama Matcha \u2014 with $3 medium Dunkin\u2019 Zero drinks for Rewards members after 1\u202fp.m. through March\u202f18.<\/p>\n

The Marine Room: Late Night Menu<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Marine Room. (Photo courtesy of The Marine Room)<\/p>\n

Oceanfront fine dining at The Marine Room expands into Thursday evenings with a curated Late Night Menu featuring Ocean Trout Tartare, Thai Curry Soup, Beef Cheek Ragu, and Local Bluefin Tataki. Cocktails like the Late Night Wake Up and detailed wine selections make seaside dinners feel special any night of the week.<\/p>\n

Hasta Ma\u00f1ana Cantina: Whiskey Wednesdays<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Hasta Ma\u00f1ana, Cantina interior. (Photo courtesy of Hasta Ma\u00f1ana Cantina)<\/p>\n

Whiskey and wine specials light up midweek at Gaslamp\u2019s Whiskey Wednesdays. Classic pours and creative cocktails \u2014 think the Desperado, Country Girl, and Cowboy Cruiser \u2014 pair with Western\u2011inspired bites in an upbeat atmosphere.<\/p>\n

Coffee & Breakfast to Spring Forward
San Diego\u2019s coffee scene is rising with the sun:<\/p>\n

Treehouse \u2013 The Can\u2011Do, Sorrento Valley: Cafe Moto brews, mochas, teas, and energizing morning bites like the Breakfast Egg Sando and Avocado Toast.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Can-Do Coffee Spread at The Treehouse. (Photo courtesy of Ron Cadiz)<\/p>\n

Extraordinary Desserts, Little Italy & Banker Hill: Handcrafted coffees, tea,s and decadent pastries like scones, croissants, ts, and Danish.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>ExtraordinaryDesserts Croissants & Buns (Photo courtesy of ExtraordinaryDesserts)<\/p>\n

The Invigatorium, East Village: Modern Times Coffee, breakfast, lunch, and playful cocktails beneath eccentric deco,r including Post\u2011it dinosaur murals.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The Invigatorium interior. (Photo courtesy of The Invigatorium)<\/p>\n

Lucky\u2019s Lunch Counter, Downtown Ballpark District: Classic drip coffee and breakfast favorites, with free morning coffee alongside early bites.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Lucky\u2019s LunchCounterBreakfastBurrito. (Photo courtesy of Good Time Design)<\/p>\n

Harland Brewing, South Park: Mostra Coffee alongside pastries, hearty breakfast sandwiches, and burritos.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Harland SouthPark Coffee Pour. (Photo courtesy of Harland Brewing Co.)<\/p>\n

Burger King Elevates the Whopper
Even fast\u2011food classics are getting a spring refresh. Burger King has refined its iconic Whopper \u2014 better\u2011tasting buns, fresh toppings, and flame\u2011grilled beef served in a branded box \u2014 all based on guest feedback. Free of artificial colors, flavors,s and preservatives, the updated Whopper aims for a more consistent, elevated bite without changing what fans love.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Burger King Whopper. (Photo courtesy of Burger King)<\/p>\n

San Diego\u2019s kitchens, bars, and caf\u00e9s are filling your feed and your appetite with drinks and dishes that reflect the season\u2019s warmth, creativity,y and flavor. Eat Beat will keep you in the loop on what\u2019s worth tasting, sipping, and sharing as the city springs forward.<\/p>\n

Do you have any restaurant news? A new chef? New location? Special menu? If so, drop me a line at Debbiesklar@cox.net, and you could be included in a future\u00a0Eat Beat.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Roppongi Restaurant & Lounge\u2019s Polynesian Crab Stack (Photo courtesy of Roppongi Restaurant & Lounge\/ James Tran) San Diego\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":207469,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[17386,92298,74,76,75,33622],"class_list":["post-207468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-diego","tag-eat-beat","tag-march-2026","tag-san-diego","tag-san-diego-headlines","tag-san-diego-news","tag-venues"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=207468"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207468\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/207469"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=207468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=207468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=207468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}