San Diego, CA

Roma Norte Brings Standout Cocktails and Mexico City Chic to San Diego

Published

2 years ago

July 30, 2024

Roma Norte Brings Standout Cocktails and Mexico City Chic to San Diego

The downtown nightlife scene is getting a boost with the arrival of Roma Norte, a sophisticated cocktail bar that transports a touch of Mexico City to the Headquarters at Seaport where it’s located across from Puesto. The space, and its food and drink menu, clearly pay homage to its namesake neighborhood in Mexico’s capital, known as a bustling culinary and arts district with world-class cocktail culture.

At 2,000-square-feet with a capacity for 60 guests, Roma Norte’s dark, moody interior, illuminated by the backlit bar, creates an intimate yet social atmosphere. Under a canopy of soft lights and greenery, bar-height tables encourage mingling while cozy two-tops flank the walls.

The bar’s interior.

Kimberly Motos

Led by vice president of bar and spirits Beau du Bois (Marisi, Meadowood) and director of bar logistics Derek Cram (Puesto, PDT), with chef Erik Aronow (Puesto, Destroyer) providing a menu of Mexico City-style bites, Roma Norte aims to be a beacon for both locals and travelers.

Forging unforgettable experiences through exceptional drinks and unparalleled service, du Bois and his team are confident their bar will become a fixture for those seeking something beyond the Gaslamp’s offerings.

Gentleman leaning against a planter. — Beau du Bois.

With over 70 cocktails, Roma Norte’s menu showcases both creativity and precision. The habanero margarita is vapor-infused with habaneros to capture the chili pepper’s floral essence without the heat, a process that takes 30 minutes to distill a single drink. It comes with a dropper of capsaicin shrub, allowing guests to customize the drink to their preferred spice level.

And the deceptively simple Sex on the Beach involves a multi-day process of melding and clarifying ingredients, then force carbonating the mixture before layering it over cranberry juice and Dell’Etna Pesca, a high-quality peach liqueur.

Two pink cocktails being handed to the person with the camera. — Drinks at the Bar.

“Talented chefs take every opportunity to layer in additional depths of flavor as well as improve the texture and appearance of their dishes. We take the same approach with our cocktail program. If we can make a drink better with a longer process, we will” states Cram.

“At Roma Norte, we’re executing the most ambitious cocktail program we’ve ever created,” explains Cram. “Not only is the menu much larger than at Puesto and Marisi, but virtually every cocktail has one or more labor-intensive sub-recipes. Scaling up these prep-intensive drinks has been challenging.”

Non-alcoholic options are crafted with equal care. Unimpressed with current NA offerings, the Roma Norte team makes many in-house, like the NA mezcal with tea and eucalyptus. The Nadachelada features alcohol-free Corona with a house-clarified michelada mix.

The staff is comprised of trained bartenders, so some of the city’s rising bar stars like Alyssa Ellis (Animae) may be serving your cocktail or the one making it. “We all have a hand in creating, preparing, and delivering our technique-driven, elevated, cocktails, and we can all speak to them passionately, as we walk you through our menu,” explains assistant general manager Edwin Vergara.

Teacup of cocktail with a fresh fig. — Fig Leaf Old Fashioned.

Open until 2 a.m., Roma Norte plans to cater to a diverse crowd, from industry professionals to nearby hotel guests. “It’s a place, like The Lion Share,” adds Vergara, “where you can enjoy a cocktail after a night out on the town or where you can start off with a cocktail before dinner.”

Clear drink with light foam and lime. — Clarified Rum and Coke.

“Now that Roma Norte is open, we have a long way to go,” says du Bois. “Planting our flag and being open until 2 a.m. is going to require patience and unmatched hospitality. The good news is, we have such an incredibly dedicated bar team that understands the assignment.”

789 W Harbor Drive Unit 155, San Diego, CA 92101

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Related Topics:at bar Cocktail diego eater Featured front page headquarters norte openings opens roma san seaport the

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San Diego, CA

City considering cutting funding to resource center for those experiencing homelessness

Published

9 hours ago

April 20, 2026

Press Room

City considering cutting funding to resource center for those experiencing homelessness

Last week Mayor Todd Gloria released the budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal budget. Protected homeless services is among his top priorities mentioned in the proposal. However, some of the reductions he’s proposing could impact thousands of San Diegans experiencing homelessness.

Located on 17^th and K Street, the Neil Good Day Center offers an array of services to nearly seven thousand people experiencing homelessness. The services include giving them a place to shower and do laundry, and connecting them to a case manager, among others.

“These are critical services that are helping people off the streets, but really better their lives and their health and their employment situation as well,” Deacon Vargas with Father Joe’s Villages said.

Deacon Jim Vargas heads Father Joe’s Villages, which runs the center. He said through their prevention and diversion strategies, they’ve managed to keep nearly one thousand individuals from falling into homelessness.

“So by helping them pay rent, or helping them with their utilities, or helping them to reunite with family,” Vargas said.

Right now, the city allocates at least $850,000 per year to the Neil Good Day Center, according to Vargas.

But the future and funding for these services are in limbo because of Mayor Todd Gloria’s proposed budget cuts.

“The impact to those whom we’ve been serving the Daily Center would be very severe,” Deacon Vargas said.

In a statement to NBC 7, Mayor Todd Gloria said in part, “We must find more efficient and cost-effective ways to address this crisis and prioritize funding for programs that provide shelter beds and maximize resources to programs that place people into permanent housing.”

Since it’s still at a proposal stage, Deacon Vargas said it’s unclear how the city will decide to move forward.

However, Deacon Vargas said services would be significantly reduced because they would be forced to operate solely on a budget of about half a million dollars they receive from philanthropy.

“The hours would be cut. Some days would be cut. We would have showers that might be impacted because they’re given seven days a week and we’d close two days a week, then the showers would be five days a week, the case management,” Deacon Vargas said.

Deacon Vargas is certain of one thing.

He would like to continue offering services at the Day Center, even if the city goes through with the funding cuts.

“As we work with individuals at the Day Center and at Father Joe’s Villages, the community becomes healthier as a result of it,” Deacon Vargas said.

The budget also recommends additional cuts to homeless services, but does not give specifics as to where those cuts would be.

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San Diego, CA

Game 21: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Angels

Published

21 hours ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

Game 21: San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Angels

San Diego Padres (14-7) at Los Angeles Angels (11-11), April 19, 2026, 1:07 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Angel Stadium – Anaheim, Calif.

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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San Diego, CA

Solans, Luna, Guilavogui help RSL beat slumping San Diego, extend unbeaten streak to 6 games :: WRALSportsFan.com

Published

1 day ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

Solans, Luna, Guilavogui help RSL beat slumping San Diego, extend unbeaten streak to 6 games :: WRALSportsFan.com

By The Associated Press

SANDY, Utah — SANDY, Utah (AP) — Sergi Solans had two goals and an assist, Diego Luna added a goal and two assists, and Real Salt Lake beat San Diego FC 4-2 on Saturday night to extend its unbeaten streak to six games.

Morgan Guilavogui scored his first goal in MLS and had an assist for Real Salt Lake (5-1-1). The 28-year-old designated player has five goal contributions in his first six career games.

RSL hasn’t lost since a 1-0 defeat at Vancouver in the season opener.

San Diego (3-3-2) has lost three in a row and is winless in five straight.

Luna opened the scoring in the fifth minute when he re-directed a misplayed pass by Duran Ferree, San Diego’s 19-year-old goalkeeper, into the net.

Moments later, Solans headed home a perfectly-placed cross played by Luna from outside the right corner of the 18-yard box to the back post to make it 2-0. Solans, a 23-year-old forward, flicked a header from the center of the area inside the right post and past the outstretched arm of Ferree to make it 3-1 in the 37th minute.

Guilavogui slammed home a first-touch shot to give RSL a three-goal lead in the 45th.

Marcus Ingvartsen scored a goal in the 14th minute and Anders Dreyer converted from the penalty spot in the 66th for San Diego.

Ingvartsen has five goals and an assist this season and has 10 goal contributions (seven goals, three assists) in 16 career MLS appearances.

Rafael Cabral had three saves for RSL.

Ferree finished with five saves.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

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