In the current dining landscape, San Diego restaurants face challenges like the rising cost of goods, labor shortages, and evolving customer expectations. Everything from longtime city institutions to newer places unable to find their footing can succumb to a combination of obstacles, although San Diego restaurateurs and chefs remain resilient — just check out Eater’s hot new restaurants map for proof. This column keeps track of all the closures you may have missed.
San Diego, CA
San Diego continues to swelter under late-winter heat wave
What to Know
- An extreme heat warning is in effect from 10 a.m. Wednesday until 8 p.m. Saturday for the deserts.
- A heat advisory is in effect from 10 a.m. Wednesday until 8 p.m. Friday for the coast and mountains.
- Into the weekend, temperatures across the county will be 20 to 30 degrees above normal for this time of year, according to meteorologists.
An intense heat wave is expected to linger throughout parts of San Diego County and Southern California for the next few days into the weekend, forecasters said Wednesday.
The unseasonable hot spell poses potential health hazards and sets a series of records for March temperatures, according to the National Weather Service.
An NWS extreme-heat warning will be in effect from 10 a.m. Wednesday through 8 p.m. Saturday for local desert communities, with temperatures of 104 to 112 degrees likely — and possibly a couple degrees higher on Thursday and Friday, with nighttime only lows falling into the mid-70s.
Into the weekend, temperatures across the county will be 20 to 30 degrees above normal for this time of year, according to meteorologists.
A less severe heat advisory will be in effect from 10 a.m. Wednesday through 8 p.m. Friday for the area mountains, with highs in the 90s possible below 4,500 feet and into the 80s at higher elevations. A heat advisory will remain in effect until 8 p.m. Friday for coastal areas, where highs could reach into the 90s, and the inland valleys, where temperatures in the triple digits are possible.
A slight cooling should move in over the weekend into early next week, with higher coastal humidity spreading inland. Even with the cooling, high temperatures for next Tuesday will range from around 5 to 10 degrees above average near the coast to 12 to 18 degrees above average for inland areas.
“Widespread moderate or greater Heat Risk will continue into the weekend except near the immediate coast and in the higher elevations in the mountains,” the NWS said.
Temperature records broken or tied on Tuesday (March 17)
Temperatures on Tuesday (St. Patrick’s Day) at San Diego International Airport raised the mercury to 89 degrees, cementing it as the warmest day of the year thus far, according to Meteorologist Greg Bledsoe.
Compared to other March 17 temperatures the NWS keeps on record, several areas around San Diego County broke their records for heat on Tuesday (with one tie). See those below:
- Chula Vista (93) broke its record from 1978
- Ramona (95) broke its record from 2004
- Alpine (96) broke its record from 1978
- El Cajon (97) broke its record from 1978
- Palomar Mountain (79) broke its record from 1972
- Campo (89) tied its record from 2007
Also on Tuesday, Ocotillo Wells was the hottest spot in the entire county at 102 degrees! While the desert is expected to be sweltering, San Pasqual was the hottest spot not in the desert at 99 degrees.
How to keep cool amid heat waves:
Cal/OSHA, for its part, urged employers to take precautions to protect workers as temperatures rise.
“This is one of the first heat waves of the year, with temperatures rising above the seasonal average,” officials with the state agency asserted in a prepared statement. “Employees may not yet be acclimatized to high heat and may need additional breaks and interventions when they adapt to the conditions. Cal/OSHA reminds employers to be vigilant, especially with newer employees, and ensure that employees have shade, water and rest breaks to prevent heat illness.”
County officials offered tips on how people and their families can stay safe:
- Drinking plenty of fluids
- Stay out of the sun
- Wear light, loose-fitting clothing
- Avoid using the oven to cook
- Limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening
- Take refuge in air- conditioned spaces if possible
- Check in on potentially at-risk friends, relatives and neighbors
How to help someone with heatstroke or heat exhaustion:
First and foremost, if you find someone who is suffering from symptoms of heatstroke or heat exhaustion — dizziness, nausea, confusion, headache — call 9-1-1 and start cooling them. DO NOT give them fluids to drink. A person with heatstroke may not be able to swallow. Fluids could run down their trachea into their lungs and make it hard for them to breathe.
After calling 9-1-1, start cooling the person by moving them into the shade, spraying them with cool water and fanning. Place them in a cool shower if they are alert, monitor their body temperatures and continue cooling them.
Del Mar— Cucina Enoteca closed its doors in mid-March after nearly 12 years in the Flower Hill Promenade. In a statement shared with Eater, Urban Kitchen Group owner Tracy Borkum attributed the closure to “substantially increased property taxes.” The hospitality group’s other restaurants, including Cucina Urbana, Artifact and Craft Café at Mingei Museum, The Kitchen at MCASD, Gold Finch, and Morena Provisions, remain open while Cucina Enoteca searches for a new location in North County.
Carmel Valley— Taiwanese shaved ice dessert shop Icekimo shuttered its location in the Del Mar Highlands Town Center. “It was a great location, but the operating expenses were too high. Such a tough time for many businesses,” says owner Robert Yang. Icekimo also shuttered its Eastlake outpost. The flagship location in the Convoy District remains open. In April, a new Icekimo food truck will be available for booking via Instagram.
Kearny Mesa— Sizzling House and Noodles closed its doors after being open for just two years in the Convoy District. One of the first restaurants to open in Plaza del Sol, which was damaged in a 2020 fire, the Asian restaurant served seared marinated proteins on hot platters. Mr. Lin, the restaurant’s owner, tells Eater he sold the business to Urban Matcha, a tea shop that’s expanding from Las Vegas. While he still owns Tasty Pot in Mira Mesa, he hasn’t decided if he’ll open another restaurant. “We’re going to wait to see what the economy does,” Lin says.
North Park— After operating for more than three years at a corner spot in North Park, Patisserie Melanie has closed its doors, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. At the bakery, owner and Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef Melanie Dunn served croissants, kouign-amann, and quiches that she learned to make in Paris while transitioning from a career as a high school teacher to pastry chef.
Sorrento Valley— Decade-old Chinese restaurant Ma-Dasao closed its doors and rebranded as Shanghai Cuisine; the restaurant’s ownership remains unchanged. Shanghai Cuisine offers all-you-can-eat deals and weekday lunch combos, along with dim sum, in a cafeteria-style setting. Select dishes from the previous Ma-Dasao menu, such as Taiwanese beef noodle soup, are also available.
University Town Center— Rick Bayless’s Mexican restaurant, Red O’s, chose not to renew its lease in the complex across the street from Westfield UTC Mall, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. The other three Red O outposts in Newport Beach, Westlake Village, and Santa Monica remain open. Plans to tear down the buildings to create new apartment complexes are expected to begin this spring.
Oceanside— After 18 years of serving morning buns, bear claws, and sweet and savory croissants in Oceanside, Petite Madeleine closed its doors on March 15. The bakery announced its closure with a statement shared on Instagram.
Gaslamp Quarter— San Diego Dining Group steakhouse Butcher’s Cut shuttered its doors in January after nearly six years. Romanissimo, operated by the same hospitality group as Butcher’s Cut, took over the space. The Roman trattoria first opened in early 2025 at a neighboring Gaslamp Quarter location with a menu of pastas made in-house, burrata caprese, and bone-in rib-eye.
East County News Service
April 29, 2026 (San Diego County) — The U.S. Postal Service will carry more than just mail Saturday, May 9 during the 34th annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
Recognized as the largest single-day food collection effort in the United States, the event mobilizes the National Association of Letter Carriers and the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank in replenishing local food pantry shelves before summer.
The drive comes at a pivotal moment for the region.
As the school year draws to a close, many children lose access to the daily free or reduced-price meal programs offered by school districts. The summer gap, combined with the sustained pressure of high local living costs, has kept the demand for food assistance at near-record levels.
Last year, the community’s response was massive, with residents donating nearly 127,000 pounds of food along local mail routes.
The logistics of the drive are designed for maximum convenience. To donate, San Diego County residents are asked to place a sturdy bag containing non-perishable food items next to their mailbox before their letter carrier arrives on Saturday.
Letter carriers will collect these donations and take them to local hubs where volunteers and Food Bank staff will sort the haul. The food is then moved to the Food Bank’s primary warehouse in the Miramar area before being distributed to more than 450 nonprofit partners. (Partners including soup kitchens, shelters, and faith-based pantries across the county.)
The Food Bank and more
The San Diego Food Bank has been a fixture of the community since 1977, growing from a small grassroots operation into the county’s primary hunger-relief engine. While the organization rescues millions of pounds of fresh produce and retail leftovers annually, the Stamp Out Hunger drive provides shelf-stable items essential for long-term food security.
Organizers have identified several “most-needed” items that provide the highest nutritional value for families in crisis. These include canned meats and fish, such as tuna and chicken; canned vegetables and fruits; and canned soups, and stews. High-demand pantry staples like oatmeal, boxes of cereal, rice and jars of peanut butter are also high on the priority list.
While the letter carriers handle the heavy lifting on the routes, a massive volunteer effort will be underway at several key processing locations across the city. Between 3 and 6 p.m., teams will be stationed at the Encanto, Grantville and Scripps Ranch post offices, as well as the Food Bank’s main Miramar Warehouse, to manage the influx of goods.
For the NALC, this drive represents a decades-long commitment to the communities they walk every day. By leveraging the existing infrastructure of the postal service, the drive reaches neighborhoods that might otherwise be disconnected from traditional donation centers.
For more information, visit sandiegofoodbank.org/stamp-out-hunger.
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A man who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting another man in Hillcrest was sentenced Wednesday to eight years in state prison.
Michael William Howard, 41, must also register as a sex offender for the July 13 attack.
At the time of his arrest, the San Diego Police Department said its special events team on duty in Balboa Park during last year’s San Diego Pride Festival spotted Howard walking in the area and took him into custody.
Police said he “matched the description of a wanted violent sexual predator who had been targeting the LGBTQ+ community” and “was wanted in connection with multiple cases involving the sexual assault of men in the Hillcrest area.”
However, the crime Howard pleaded guilty to pertains to one victim, and court records do not indicate he is facing any other criminal cases in San Diego County.
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