#364 This week, Troy and Jackie talk to the crew behind the groundbreaking Sessions by the Bay, California's first legal Amsterdam-style cannabis café opening in February in National City. Owners Alex Ayon, Pearl Ayon have created a 5,000-square-foot lounge featuring lush Moroccan-inspired interiors, immersive art installations, and indulgent food from chef Jorge Bendesky's nearby Kimball Coastal Eatery. With dishes like brisket-blend burgers, house-made rice waffles topped with ahi tuna, and micro-dosed infused mocktails, Ayon and Bendesky detail how Sessions intends to blend culinary creativity with cannabis culture, adding a whole new element to San Diego's dining scene. We also chat San Diego's latest food buzz, from Lucha Libre Taco Shop closing its North Park location to a bagel renaissance sweeping the city with spots like Desperado, New Wave, and Marigold. To follow Sessions By The Bay click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine.

#363 To kick off 2025, Troy and Jackie sit down with Aaron and Lauren Crossland—Oceanside local and food anthropologist duo behind north county's newest arrival, Merenda Wine Bar & Retail Shop. Lauren talks about what she's learned getting her phD in studying the cultural pathways of food, and Aaron gives his take on how O'Side has evolved. Designed by Bells & Whistles (Starlite, Jeune et Jolie), their wine shop/restaurant/third space is named after a chapter in the book of famed rogue food writer Patience Gray—and they enlisted beverage director Heidi Greenwood (Junper & Ivy, etc.) to pair wines with dishes like grilled duck and rockfish carpaccio from chef Xavier De La Cruz. To follow Merenda click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#362 To round out the final HHH of the year, Troy and Jackie sit down with SDM's award-winning food-news writer, Beth Demmon, to wrap up the year's biggest moments in San Diego's restaurant, food, and drink culture. They give praise to their favorite dishes and most notable openings, while talking through some challenges for San Diego's culinary scene—from star Mexican chef Drew Deckman's arrival in North Park to Middle Eastern food getting a wild, elaborate home at Leila, and the revival of food culture in Coronado and La Jolla. waking up. Troy makes an announcement about his role at SDM, making his way back into the food scene in a big way. To folllow Beth Demmon click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#361 This week on Happy Half Hour, we're diving fork-first into the 87-year legacy of San Diego's beloved Chicken Pie Shop. Owners Bob and Lisa Townsend join us to dish on how they've kept the comfort food institution alive—whole chickens and turkeys, scratch-made everything, and fried chicken so good it took six months to perfect. They share tales of Pi Day chaos during COVID, balancing tradition with modern tweaks, and their recent move to acquire San Diego Brewing Company. Plus, we talk local faves like chili Colorado at Cantina Mayahuel and New York slices at A Brooklyn Pizzeria. To follow Chicken Pie Shop click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

This week on Happy Half Hour, Troy and Jackie sit down with Shane Hardin, the third-generation co-owner of Hodad's, Ocean Beach's iconic, nationally famous burger spot. From the early days when his grandparents ran a small beachside stand to national fame on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, Hodad's has been a constant in San Diego's food scene for over 55 years. Shane reflects on his family's legacy, his beloved father's larger-than-life personality, and the challenges of inheriting a beloved institution at just 23 years old and maintaining its authenticity despite massive success. We chat about the company's commitment to hiring locals who need a second chance and its expansion into craft beer with Hodad's Brewing Company. We also talk news: North Park gets two new concepts from Sisters Pizza, Seaport Village welcomes Broady's House of Flavors, and Kinme Omakase in Banker's Hill lands Yelp's #4 spot nationwide. To follow Hodad's click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

This week's Happy Half Hour is a tale of food, community, and grit. Drew Vick, co-owner of Monarch Del Mar, takes us through his incredible journey of opening one of North County's most transformative restaurants in the middle of the pandemic—complete with personal tragedy, a 75-year-old arm-wrestling for a half-million-dollar investment, and bringing a once-doomed Del Mar rooftop to life. We also cover Canelo Alvarez's U.S. taco debut with El Pastor Del Rica in Chula Vista, the triumphant reopening of Convoy dim sum legend China Max post-fire, and San Diego's holiday dining scene—from igloos at Lake San Marcos to Brad Wise's festive lunches at Fort Oak. To follow Monarch click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

Thompson Heritage Ranch isn't just a farm; rancher Tyrell Thompson runs a cattle farm that's an evolution in how we think about meat. Nestled in Ramona, this regenerative ranch is the brainchild of Thompson, a Midwestern transplant with a passion for sustainable, humane livestock practices. With organic, GMO-free feed and a focus on biodiversity, Thompson's pork and newly added Piedmontese beef have become the darlings of top San Diego kitchens like Cellar Hand and Herb & Sea. It's not just about taste—though the flavor is unmatched—it's about creating a future where what we eat is better for us and the planet, too. To follow Thompson Heritage Ranch click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

Chef Marcos Seville, the chef at the helm of the revamped Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina and its signature restaurant Rumorosa, joined The Happy Half Hour podcast to talk Thanksgiving, culinary tips, Baja-inspired cuisine and restaurant's November-long Friendsgiving menu that supports the Berry Good Food Foundation. To follow the Sheraton SD Hotel & Marina click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#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