San Diego’s spring eating-and-drinking game is picking up speed, with a limited-time ramen pop-up taking over the Best of Cluck counter, rooftops and bars queuing up Padres-season plans, and a big, boozy stout finally making the leap from draft to cans. Between one-night festival menus, fresh happy-hour deals and pop-ups that will vanish almost as quickly as they arrive, there is plenty to slot into your weekend calendar.
Ramen pop-up lands at Best of Cluck
Funner Ramen is back as a short-run pop-up inside the Best of Cluck food area, serving tonkotsu, shoyu, yu and birria bowls alongside spring rolls, coconut shrimp and mango shakes. Harrah’s Resort Southern California lists the pop-up and its menu, and the concept is only expected to stick around for a limited stretch. Expect counter service and rotating availability while it is in residence.
Happy hours and dining refreshes
Roman Wolves in Little Italy has rolled out a Sunday through Thursday happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m., including 50% off its signature cheese-wheel pasta, according to the restaurant’s posted happy-hour details. Roman Wolves confirms the special on its happy-hour menu. The Haven Pizzeria on Adams Avenue has refreshed its dining room and is leaning into a seasonal lineup that includes a guava margarita, a burrata-and-beet salad and poblano shrimp pasta, with its site reflecting the updated menu direction.
Rooftops and ballpark plans
Borrego Rooftop Kitchen + Cocktails at Hotel Indigo is touting skyline views a block from Petco Park and is planning special events tied to opening day and the Padres season. The hotel’s site pitches Borrego as a rooftop destination with direct sightlines toward the ballpark, making it a natural pre-game stop. Nearby Gaslamp spots from El Chingón to Havana 1920 are also gearing up for game crowds with themed cocktails and watch-party programming.
One-night cherry-blossom menu at Cloak & Petal
Cloak & Petal is staging a one-night Cherry Blossom Festival menu on March 23, featuring a sakura roll, a salmon belly nigiri trio and cocktails like Spring in Ginza and the Cherry Blossom Highball. Doors open at 4 PM, with reservations available via OpenTable, according to the Times of San Diego. The dinner is set up as a hanami-inspired tasting rather than a permanent menu change, so reservations are recommended if you are aiming for the specialty plates.
Wreck Alley finally in cans
Karl Strauss’s Wreck Alley Imperial Stout, a 9% ABV imperial stout with dark chocolate, toffee and espresso notes, is now showing up in cans at local brewpubs and retail outlets. A retail listing notes that 16-ounce cans are available, and Untappd lists the stout’s ABV and tasting profile. If you have been waiting to bring Wreck Alley home by the pack, local brewpubs and bottle shops are the places to start looking.
Savannah Bananas weekend drinks
To sync up with the Savannah Bananas' weekend in San Diego, Hasta Mañana Cantina in the Gaslamp is pouring a Banana Old Fashioned and a Frozen Coconut Lime Margarita on March 21 and 22, along with $7 drafts during the weekend, according to the Times of San Diego. It is one of several themed drink lineups surfacing around town as baseball crowds return.
Have a tip about a new chef, menu or pop-up? Send a note to the Times of San Diego Eat Beat inbox at [email protected], and if you spot something we missed, ping us and we will follow up for readers. Small seasonal menus and pop-ups tend to change quickly, so expect limited runs and frequent rotation.
