El Encanto is planning a move from San Diego's South Bay to 933 4th Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter. Owner Isis Camarena told What Now that the Mexican breakfast restaurant and coffee shop is targeting a late September or early October opening, pending inspections.
The restaurant has operated from 1873 Palm Avenue, its original location near the border, where it developed a following, according to What Now.
A New Downtown Address
The new location is a mixed-use commercial space at 933 4th Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter. El Encanto plans to convert the space into its downtown restaurant.
The move remains subject to the inspections needed before the restaurant can open.
What approvals are still needed?
According to the San Diego Development Services Department, using a qualified professional certifier under the city's AB 671 restaurant plan-approval process does not eliminate required city inspections. The city continues to perform all inspections before a restaurant opens.
From Machaca to Mazapán Lattes
According to What Now, the downtown menu is expected to include Mexican breakfast staples such as machaca, chilaquiles, and pancake platters, along with horchata and mazapán lattes.
El Encanto also offers Crepes & Coffee nights several evenings a week, with sweet crepes and specialty drinks, according to What Now. The format could give the restaurant an evening role in addition to its breakfast service, although its performance downtown remains untested.
Betting on Downtown's Daytime Crowds
The relocation would place El Encanto among downtown hotels, offices, residences, and nightlife. Downtown San Diego has more than 37,000 residents, 81,000 workers, and 4,000 active businesses, while active storefronts rose 11% during the 2021-2022 fiscal year, according to figures attributed by Hoodline to CBS News and Downtown San Diego Partnership data.
What broader storefront data shows
The downtown figures cited above show growth in residents, workers, businesses, and active storefronts, but they do not provide a complete count of restaurant and retail openings, closures, or vacant spaces since the pandemic. As broader small-business context, the City of San Diego's Storefront Improvement Program completed 18 projects and provided $105,010 in incentives during fiscal 2024, leveraging $189,714 in private funds. Those citywide figures indicate ongoing investment in storefronts without establishing how many downtown spaces remain vacant.
The shift reflects El Encanto's move into downtown San Diego as the area continues to attract new commercial projects. Hoodline reported that Duecento, an Italian restaurant, is in development, with no opening date announced.
For now, El Encanto's timeline hinges on the inspections still ahead of it. If those clear as planned, the cafe will move its dining room into one of the Gaslamp's commercial buildings, a considerable leap for a restaurant that spent years building a following in the South Bay.
