San Diego restaurant owners, hospitality professionals, and industry partners gathered Thursday, August 27, for a What Now San Diego Accelerate networking event, offering an opportunity to connect with one another and exchange experiences and insights. Held at Dorothy’s Wine Bar, 789 W Harbor Dr. #122 in San Diego, the occasion was hosted by Marian Ebhamen, What Now Media Group’s Event Host.
The event drew 32 attendees representing 21 businesses. There were 22 restaurant and food-and-beverage attendees representing 13 businesses, along with 10 representatives from eight of What Now’s Partner companies.
Restaurant Attendees
Dorothy’s Wine Bar — 789 W Harbor Dr. #122, San Diego, CA 92101
Luis Rivera, owner, represented Dorothy’s Wine Bar, the venue that hosted the event. The waterfront wine bar is located at The Headquarters at Seaport and was developed as a neighborhood wine bar and gathering space, perfect for downtown San Diego.
Galu Cafe — 462 3rd Ave., Chula Vista, CA 91910
Owners Paulina Marquez and Francisco Marquez represented Galu Cafe, an independent cafe in Chula Vista that opened in 2024. The Marquezes are also preparing to open Lugā Cafe & Kitchen, a larger sister concept planned to open this fall in City Heights.
Made Wright Beer Co. — 136 S. Juniper St., Escondido, CA 92025
Jake Wright, co-owner, represented Made Wright Beer Co. The husband-and-wife-run brewery is developing its first location in Escondido, targeting a fall opening. There will be eight rotating taps and a community-driven atmosphere.
Chop Suey Lounge & Ginger Roots — 2877 University Ave., San Diego, CA 92104
Co-owner Jacquelyn Kelly and Thomas Bardin, investor, represented Chop Suey Lounge & Ginger Roots. The dual-concept project in North Park will combine a mid-century-inspired cocktail lounge with an intimate, reservation-only experience with an eight-seat chef’s table and private dining room.
Mac & Chick by Sublime — 777 Shadowridge Dr., Vista, CA 92081
Lauren Souter, general manager, and Owner James Limjoco represented Mac & Chick by Sublime. The fast-casual concept is preparing to open at Shadowridge Plaza in Vista, bringing a menu centered on macaroni and cheese, chicken and other comfort-food offerings.
Five Corners Coffee & Bakery Co. — 3407 First Ave., San Diego, CA 92103
Founder David Ferriot attended with head baker Sarah Salcedo and guests Mellisa Ferriot and George Merziotas, representing Five Corners Coffee & Bakery Co. The upcoming Bankers Hill venue will be a specialty coffee shop and scratch-made bakery.
Ferriot shared his thoughts about the gathering, saying, “The Whatnow San Diego networking event was an excellent opportunity to connect with local small business owners and entrepreneurs. I’m just a few weeks away from opening a new specialty coffee shop & scratch-made bakery, but the process started more than a year and a half ago. Sharing stories about the challenges, the ups and downs, and ultimately the excitement of launching a new brand was therapeutic!”
The Pad Thai Stand — 1136 Garnet Ave., San Diego, CA 92109
Owner Nattapon Ranma Thitathan represented The Pad Thai Stand. The venture has grown from a farmers market operation into a multi-location restaurant chain, with locations in Clairemont, Pacific Beach, and San Marcos.
Koobrew — 9030 Kenamar Dr., Suite 308, San Diego, CA 92121
Owner Koo Miyake and Manager Kaya Linn-Remmers attended, representing Koobrew. The craft beverage company, launched last fall, operates its tasting room on Miramar’s Brewery Igniter campus.
Pinsarella Market — 8131 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa, CA 91942
Marketing Director Alejandro Chacon represented Pinsarella Market. The concept is preparing to open its first location in October or November, and will combine a restaurant with a marketplace, allowing customers to dine in, order takeout, purchase prepared meals, and shop for ingredients.
Bag of Beans Cafe and Restaurant — 872 Eastlake Pkwy., Suite 310, Chula Vista, CA 91914
Operator Anthony Jose and Gerlyn Usi, operations manager, represented Bag of Beans Cafe and Restaurant. The coffee, breakfast, brunch spot, which has an Eastlake location, is expanding its presence into Chula Vista.
Barra Cruda Cevicheria / Alchmemy — 1983 Julian Ave., San Diego, CA 92113
Co-owner Eduardo “Eddy” Cortes represented Barra Cruda Cevicheria / Alchemy. Barra Cruda is a seafood-focused venture centered on ceviches, aguachiles, tostadas, and other Baja-inspired Mexican dishes, while Alchemy operates as an intimate modern Mexican restaurant and cocktail bar in Barrio Logan.
Sushi Bar Gaga — 634 14th St., San Diego, CA 92101
Owner Ayaka Ito and Erika Shiraishi, partner, represented Sushi Bar Gaga, an East Village concept. The bar features roughly 20 rotating sakes, Japanese-inspired small plates, and guided pairings designed around the interaction of sake, food, and glassware.
Onigilly Japanese Kitchen — 4545 La Jolla Village Dr., San Diego, CA 92122
Jayant Patel, manager, represented Onigilly Japanese Kitchen, a Bay Area-born fast-casual concept preparing to make its San Diego debut at Westfield UTC. Onigilly specializes in more than 30 varieties of Japanese rice balls, rice bowls, sides, and beverages.
Partner Attendees
Auris HR/Payroll
Territory Manager Jessica Nies-Burridge represented Auris HR/Payroll. Auris provides payroll and human-resources services for businesses, including tools for payroll processing, time and attendance, employee management, and other workforce needs.
DoorDash
David Rodry, SDR, and Fernando Valdez, Strategic Merchant Lead, represented DoorDash. The delivery and commerce platform provides restaurants with tools for online ordering, delivery, pickup, and customer acquisition, while its merchant services also include marketing and other restaurant-management tools.
Keurig Dr Pepper
JD Whetsel, Regional Account Executive, represented Keurig Dr Pepper. The beverage company owns and distributes a large portfolio of coffee, soft-drink, water, and other beverage brands across retail and foodservice channels. Its portfolio includes brands such as Dr Pepper, Canada Dry, CORE Hydration, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and others.
OpenTable
Aubree Salas, Account Executive, represented OpenTable. The restaurant technology company provides reservation and hospitality-management tools that allow restaurants to manage bookings, attract diners, and organize guest information.
Restaurant Technologies, Inc.
Michael Raspa, AE, represented Restaurant Technologies, Inc. The company provides automated cooking-oil management systems for commercial kitchens, including systems for fresh-oil delivery, used-oil removal, and oil filtration.
SLIQUE Media
President Thomas Pham represented SLIQUE Media. The marketing agency works with restaurant and hospitality businesses on services including social media, content creation, influencer marketing, branding, paid advertising, and video production.
Tagrisk LLC
CEO Larry Anaya and Frank Iniguez, Hospitality Insurance Specialist, represented Tagrisk LLC. The insurance brokerage specializes in commercial insurance, working with hospitality and restaurant operators to address property, liability, workers’ compensation, and other business insurance needs.
Terroir & Tactics
Founder Thomas Bardin represented Terroir & Tactics. The San Diego hospitality consulting company works with restaurant and hospitality operators on areas including operations, leadership, service standards, systems, and business performance.
What Now Media Group shares restaurant opening news in 33 cities across North America, breaking news, and provides timely insight into yet-to-open brick-and-mortar businesses. The platform shares news of thousands of openings across all 33 cities annually.
Stay tuned for future Accelerate events from What Now Media Group in 2026. For more details, see the Accelerate page here.
Click here for a complete list of our partners. To learn more about becoming a preferred partner, click here.
