Three years after its debut in La Jolla, Mermaids & Cowboys has closed and is being rebranded as Aldea, located at 1251 Prospect Street.
Michael Matthews and Brett Murphy opened the surf-and-turf restaurant in 2020, replacing Alfonso’s La Jolla after over 40 years. Mermaids & Cowboys closed this week, and now, the 3,200-square-foot space will be redesigned to become a new coastal seafood restaurant, according to SanDiegoVille. Customers can expect a Baja-inspired, indigenous coastal menu. The restaurant will be owned by La Jolla native Steve Horowitz, with John Villalba serving as executive chef.
Aldea is expected to open mid-to-late January 2024. When it opens, the restaurant will draw inspiration from regions across the West Coast, ranging from Mexico City to Carlsbad. Villalba, who previously worked at the famed Tavern on the Green in New York City’s Central Park, will create a menu that embraces global influence with a wide range of seafood-centric and other culinary delights. Horowitz envisions Aldea, which means “village” in Spanish, will become a neighborhood-driven destination in the heart of La Jolla.
Horowitz is a serial entrepeneur who has experience from multiple businesses in Southern California. On top of opening this new restaurant, he previously opened Buck’s Meat Market in La Jolla. Also in the area is Brand Impact, one of the largest corporate branding companies in SoCal, which he also owns and operates. Finally, Horowitz also owns the largest water polo club in La Jolla, La Jolla United. The entrepreneur should have no problem getting people in the doors of this new concept when it opens early next year.
