Eatery for handcrafted cocktails & a creative menu of American dishes with some global flare. The recipient of the coveted Orchid & Onion award for Architecture, Kettner Exchange’s design pays homage to San Diego founding father William Kettner. The restaurant boasts two levels of indoor/outdoor drinking and dining, filled with subtle nods to the City’s great bay and nautical history. Corporate Executive Chef Brian Redzikowski’s rotating menu features some of the most innovative dishes in San Diego, from Tender Belly Farms suckling pig larb, to hamachi ceviche, foie gras French toast and Grilled quail char sui.
Hip, laid-back and a model of design, this indoor-outdoor space is at once many things. Inside, relax with a creative cocktail and bowl of lemon-Dijon popcorn while contemplating the entryway’s reflective blue-glass ceiling, the two-way fireplace and that nest of driftwood hanging from an upper floor. If in the mood for a clubbier scene, head to the rooftop cabana, complete with wet bars, TVs and self-service beer taps—just remember to reserve well in advance.
The menu presents dishes from around the globe, such as “ribbons” of bigeye tuna tangled with sliced avocado and much more in a flavorful makrut lime- and soy-marinade. Of course, those plump and tender duck meatballs are an instant classic, set over cheesy grits and smothered in tomato sauce.
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