On Thursday, May 15, the massive Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center will open its doors in Chula Vista with 1,600 rooms and 36 acres of offerings. A Marriott Bonvoy resort, Gaylord Pacific features 12 different dining and drinking outlets, ranging from quick service to fine dining.
The resort will host an open house for the public Friday through Sunday. Eleven of the 12 restaurants are open for dining. The 12th restaurant, Marzul Coastal Cuisine, won’t open until next fall. All of the restaurant’s menus were created by resort executive chef Jakob Esko, a native of Sweden with 30 years of culinary experience, including extensive work at Marriott resorts and at Michelin-starred restaurants.
Here’s an overview of the resort’s 12 dining concepts at 1000 H St., Chula Vista. Restaurant reservations can be made on the resort’s website at marriott.com/en-us/hotels/sange-gaylord-pacific-resort-and-convention-center/dining.
Old Hickory Steakhouse: This surf-and-turf-themed elevated dining restaurant serves a variety or stages, which are dry-aged in-house. There’s also a wide variety of seafood options, including a seafood tower laden with shellfish, ceviche and crudo and there are vegetarian offerings like grilled maitake mushrooms, as well as a wine program.
Trēō Kitchen + Bar: This all-day restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, will offer seasonal menus that highlight locally grown, ranched and caught ingredients.
Growlers Sports Bar & Taproom: Surely one of the county’s largest sports bars, Growlers will feature a 75-ft. screen showing live sports game that can be watched from an elevated viewing deck. The gastropub-style menu features elevated hot dog dishes, a Snake River Farms Wagyu beef burger, chili nachos and a large beer menu.
Oeste Bar: Located in the hotel’s atrium, Oeste is a bar specializing in cocktails that celebrate Mexican flavors and heritage and a large selection of tequilas.
Mariner’s Bar: Located near the hotel’s main entry, this cozy bar features a fireplace and a menu of Southern California-style zesty cocktails.
PCH Café & Market: Named after California Pacific Coast Highway, PCH is a quick-service, grab-and-go café serving specialty coffee drinks, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads, protein snack boxes and more.
Cask & Crown: San Diego County’s newest speakeasy is hidden inside Growler’s Sports Bar. The food menu include 1920s-themed appetizers like mushrooms stuffed with bacon and balsamic onion cheddar, truffle popcorn, mini Wellingtons and more.
Taiyō: This restaurant offers dine-in and takeout sushi options.
Shallow End Grill: This poolside restaurant offers a menu of dishes suited for children to adults. Dishes include a TJ Dog with pico de gallo, caramelized onions and peppers, guacamole and cilantro jalapeno crema, French fries topped wit bacon, onions and queso, and a banana split dessert. The drink menu includes locally brewed beer and craft cocktails.
Sunny’s: This is also a poolside eatery, serving Baja-inspired dishes like fish tacos, sea bass ceviche and tropically themed cocktails.
Cocoa Bean: This quick-service coffee bar also serves fresh bakery items.
Marzul Coastal Cuisine: Opening in the fall, Marzul is a Baja-inspired fine dining restaurant that will be located west of the pool area with a view of San Diego Bay.
Nobu opens at Hotel del: On May 7, Nobu Del Coronado opened at the Hotel del Coronado. It’s the second San Diego location of the internationally renowned Japanese restaurant chain founded by chef Nobu Matsuhisa. The ocean-facing 156-seat restaurant, which includes an eight-seat sushi bar and 12-seat pagoda bar, serves signature dishes such as black cod with iso squid pasta and A5 Wagyu steak, as well as locally inspired dishes including lobster truffle tempura and beef kushiyaki skewers. 1500 Orange Ave. Coronado. hoteldel.com/dine/nobu
Slice House by Tony Gemignani arrives: Slice House by Tony Gemignani, a San Francisco-born fast-casual pizzeria chain founded by the 13-time world pizza champion, will open its first San Diego County location on Saturday in Little Italy. Local franchisee Shayan Rajabi will be serving the company’s menu of New York, Sicilian, Grandma and Detroit-style pizzas, both whole and by the slice, along with pasta, wings, salads, craft beer, wines and soft drinks. Saturday’s opening celebration begins at 11 a.m. The first 50 paying customers will receive a free Slice House baseball hat and a raffle ticket to win free pizza for a year. 2100 Kettner Blvd., San Diego. instagram.com/slicehousesd
