Little Italy is getting a new coffee spot this summer, and it’s coming from one of the neighborhood’s most respected kitchens. Cloak & Petal – the MICHELIN Guide-recognized Japanese-inspired restaurant on India Street – is opening Black Mizu Café inside its space, and it’s shaping up to be one of the more exciting additions to the neighborhood in a while.

Designed to Linger In

The café takes up 1,000 square feet with 25 to 30 seats, plus extended seating into the Cloak & Petal dining room. It’s all indoors, but front windows that open outward give the space an open-air feel – the kind of spot that works equally well for a quiet solo coffee or a slow morning with nowhere to be.

Local Beans, Japanese Comfort Food, and ASA Baked Goods

Black Mizu will source beans from two local roasters – North Park’s Torque Coffee and Rancho Bernardo’s Compa Coffee Roasters – and the drink menu leans into Cloak & Petal’s Japanese identity with signatures like Cherry Blossom Matcha, Honey Yuzu Sparkling Matcha, and White Miso Caramel Latte.

The food menu from Executive Chef Robert Cassidy is the kind of morning spread worth building a routine around. Breakfast Bao with spam, chashu pork belly, or katsu chicken, a Breakfast Eggroll, Edamame Hummus Toast, and Tamago Sando – all complemented by baked goods from downtown’s ASA Bakery & Cafe. A brunch menu is expected to follow next spring.

In the evenings, the space shifts into a chef’s table and private dining experience for Cloak & Petal – a nice dual life for a well-designed room.

Japandi Aesthetics and a San Diego Soul

Managing Partner Cesar Vallin, a San Diego native who opened Cloak & Petal in 2017, describes Black Mizu as “built on ritual, consistency, and hospitality rooted in respect.” The design direction is Japandi – blending Japanese minimalism with warm Scandinavian simplicity – developed with Jennifer Guerin of JG Color Studios.

See you there!

A Japanese-inspired café rooted in craft and community, right in the heart of Little Italy – Black Mizu is one to watch this summer.

📆 Opening late August, early September | Daily 6:30 AM – 2 PM | Thursday – Saturday until 9 PM
📍 1953 India St, San Diego
ℹ️ Follow along Instagram for updates

See you there, San Diego!

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego is hosting two international soccer friendly matches at Snapdragon Stadium this weekend, giving local businesses a major economic boost as fans from around the world descend on the city ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

McGregors Bar and Grill is among the businesses capitalizing on the excitement, offering watch parties and preparing for larger-than-usual crowds drawn by some of international soccer’s biggest names.

Managing Partner Ian Linekin said the energy around the matches has been building steadily.

“We started early. We had a great crowd for the pregame for the Australia-Switzerland game. It’s been good,” Linekin said.

To meet the surge in demand, Linekin and his staff have been stocking up on supplies.

“We just order more food, we order more beer, we order more, more vodka and bourbon,” Linekin said.

The crowds are not limited to local fans. Linekin said international supporters have been making McGregors a destination as well.

“It was somebody in Australia… put together a flyer, found our logo, and planned a pregame party for this morning here,” Linekin said.

With the two friendly matches at Snapdragon Stadium serving as a preview of World Cup excitement, Linekin said he expects the atmosphere inside the bar to match the energy on the pitch.

“There’s gonna be, there’s gonna be chanting, there’s gonna be towels waved overhead, and yeah, it’s, it’s gonna be, be something to see,” Linekin said.

Beyond the food and drinks, McGregors has built its reputation on the overall experience it provides guests — something Linekin said has kept customers coming back for decades.

“That’s why we’ve been here for 30 years. We take care of people and we provide a fun, clean, safe place to come and enjoy yourself,” Linekin said.

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