San Diego Magazine's Happy Half Hour

#356 This week on Happy Half Hour, Randy Smerik, co-founder of Solare Ristorante, shares how he walked away from the high-stakes world of tech and big data to run one of San Diego’s best Italian spots with his two sons. Randy dishes on the trials of building a restaurant in Liberty Station—back when it was just a collection of chain stores—and how Solare has since become a Michelin-recognized favorite, known for its 3,500-bottle Italian wine cellar, top-tier service, and Executive Chef Denise Grande’s regionally inspired cuisine. To follow Solare click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

In this episode, Happy Half Hour sits down with Jon Sloan, Culinary Director of San Diego's renowned Juniper & Ivy, and its beloved offshoot, The Crack Shack. As Juniper & Ivy celebrates its 10th anniversary, Sloan shares the journey from building out a Little Italy warehouse to becoming a cornerstone of San Diego’s dining scene and his unwavering commitment to sustainability, hyper-local sourcing, and culinary “morals.” From building a passionate team to launching The Crack Shack and bringing in a new executive chef for the next era, Sloan reveals the evolving vision that continues to make Juniper & Ivy a must-visit. To follow Juniper & Ivy click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#354 San Diego is the city tuna built, and two local experts—photographer Chris Rov Costa and coastal specialist Theresa Talley—are shining a light on its storied fishing past and sustainable future in their new book, San Diego Seafood: Then and Now. The book, still in its IndieGoGo phase of life after being fully produced, captures San Diego’s transformation from its days as the “tuna capital of the world” to its current role as a hub for sustainable fishing practices. Chris and Theresa blend personal stories, historical insights, and forward-thinking solutions into a rich exploration of the region’s seafood culture and they’re our guests on today’s episode of Happy Half Hour. To follow Chris Rov Costa click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#353 If you’ve ever been to a San Diego event, chances are you’ve run into Corbin O’Reilly, the bearded dynamo behind Tap Truck. Rocking his signature work onesie, Corbin brings serious vibes to every scene he graces—whether he's pouring craft brews from his retrofitted truck or dancing in the corner with effortless cool. Corbin is the guy you want at your party, and he's built an empire around that energy. As co-founder of Tap Truck (and also Corbin’s Q in Rolando), he’s grown from a single converted vehicle into a fleet of more than 60 U.S. trucks and overseas, serving beers at weddings, festivals, and everything in between. To follow Tap Truck click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#352 Dang Brother Pizza isn’t just a food truck—it’s a spectacle with pizzaiolos slinging top-tier pies from vintage fire trucks. Over a decade ago, San Diegan Kevin Spenla stumbled upon a vintage fire truck on eBay, built it into a pizza oven with zero experience, and launched the business at a bike race, feeding 20,000 cyclists in his first week. Now with a fleet of fire truck pizza ovens and the wild Pizza Camp experience (complete with a rooftop beer garden), Dang Brother combines the thrill of novelty with legitimately good pizza, proving that great food and a memorable vibe make a winning combo for this veteran-owned business. To follow Dang Brother Pizza click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#351 This week on Happy Half Hour, we return to a past conversation with special guest, Chef Travis Swikard. Travis opened one of the city’s most anticipated restaurants, Callie, in the East Village. After working in New York City with acclaimed French chef Daniel Boulud for over a decade, Swikard set out to get back to local, fresh ingredients and a place to raise his two kids. To follow Travis Swikard click HERE. To follow Callie click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#350 In this week’s Happy Half Hour, Amanda Palomino, a Chopped winner and Hell’s Kitchen alum, tells us about the mission of Kitchens for Good, a nonprofit that not only combats food waste but also provides culinary training for San Diego residents facing barriers to employment. Palomino shares how every part of food has value, as seen in the preparations for the upcoming WASTED event—a tastemaker festival where chefs create upscale dishes using food that would otherwise be discarded. We talk about how Kitchens for Good helps students find pride in cooking and a sense of belonging, something she aims to pass on to every apprentice who walks through its doors. To follow Kitchens for Good click HERE. To follow chef Amanda Palomino click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#349 It’s Del Mar Wine + Food Festival week. On this episode, we talk about the news of Mister A’s massive new $15 million project coming to San Diego, the expansion of favorite SD husband-and-wife bakers Le Parfait Paris, our “burger of the year” Rosemarie’s getting a second location… and we revisit a favorite interview with SoCal’s star chef, Eric Greenspan, formally known as “the cheese guy.” After time at El Bulli and working with Alain Ducasse, Eric found himself facing Bobby Flay on Iron Chef, and opening his own LA restaurant called The Foundry, which famed food critic Jonathan Gold named one of his “Essential 99” restaurants you needed to try in the city. There, this chef with the huge pedigree ironically became known for his spins on grilled cheese sandwiches. A cookbook followed, and now New School American Cheese—a line of American cheese made how a chef who worked with Ducasse would make it. Eric will be back with New School at Del Mar Wine + Food on October 5-6 (click link for tickets). To follow New School click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#348 This week on Happy Half Hour, Tommy and Daneyel Walker of The Mental Bar serve more than just coffee—they tell us about the cultural haven they built in Encanto. Their hallmark is comfort food and signature drinks like "Sexual Chocolate," a cold brew mixed with strawberry lemonade, and other drinks with adaptogens. When floods devastated the area, The Mental Bar became a community lifeline, offering resources and support. For the Walkers, this isn’t just a café; it's a passion project aimed at creating the "third space" they never had growing up, where everyone can connect and thrive. To follow The Mental Bar click HERE.

Discover more at San Diego Magazine HERE.

#347 In this week’s episode, we dive into the history of San Diego’s iconic Bali Hai, a restaurant that’s been a cornerstone of San Diego’s tiki culture for 70 years. Our guests are the Baumanns, the family who’s been running the show since the beginning, pouring more Mai Tais than anyone in town—and making sure you don’t have more than two in one sitting. (For real, they’ll cut you off.) To follow Bali Hai click HERE.

Discover more at San Diego Magazine HERE