San Diego's dining scene is about to get a significant upgrade with the highly anticipated opening of ultraluxe Steak 48 within the Del Mar Highlands Town Center on Friday, October 13. Filling the former Searsucker space, as well as a former sushi spot and pilates studio, this swanky eatery will offer a remarkable dining experience to seafood and steak aficionados.
Steak 48, a creation of the Mastro family of Mastro's Steakhouse fame, currently operates in Houston, Chicago, and other top-tier locations. With a history dating back to 2013, Mastro brothers Jeffrey and Michael, alongside their father Dennis Mastro and business partner Scott Troilo, have established a strong reputation for their brand. They sold their well-known steakhouse chain, Mastro's Steakhouse, to Landry's before launching Steak 48 and are also behind the seafood-focused Ocean 48. After the San Diego location opening, there are plans for an Ocean 48 in Newport Beach early next year, La Jolla.com reports.
The 12,500-square-foot space will accommodate 350 guests across nine dining rooms, including four that can be converted into private dining areas, giving it an air of exclusivity. With unobstructed views of the enormous kitchen, the San Diego location will feature an in-house butchery known for 28-day, wet-aged prime steaks, A5 wagyu, and other cuts such as filet mignons and tomahawks, which can be topped with selections like burrata, crab cakes, or lobster.
Diners can expect premium seafood options such as chicken-fried lobster tails, Alaskan king crab, and rock shrimp mac & cheese, with starters including lobster escargots and shrimp deviled eggs to whet their appetites. In addition, customizable shellfish towers and exquisite desserts prepared daily by a dedicated pastry staff will ensure the Steak 48 San Diego experience is unlike any other in the area, Eater San Diego explains.
For wine enthusiasts, the restaurant offers a wine collection that houses over 3,000 different bottles, with options like a $150 glass from Napa Valley's Fortunate Son Wines. This level of luxury extends to the ambiance as well, with Steak 48 locations known for a strict dress code and a $100 minimum order per person requirement.
With the Mastro brothers partially based in Southern California, Jeffrey being a homeowner in Coronado and Michael a homeowner in San Juan Capistrano, the possibility for more of their brands coming to the area remains in the cards. Oliver Badgio, chief branding officer for the steakhouse empire, mentioned in another Eater San Diego article that they would love to open an Ocean 48 in San Diego, hinting at an array of upscale dining choices for local foodies to look forward to.
