Onigilly is preparing to open its first San Diego restaurant at Westfield UTC, following its recent soft opening, as the Japanese rice-ball chain works toward a longer-term goal of establishing five locations across the county.
Founded by Koji Kanematsu in San Francisco, Onigilly began as a food cart in 2008 before opening its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in 2012. The concept centers on onigiri, Japanese rice snacks wrapped in seaweed and filled with ingredients such as salmon, chicken and shrimp.
The Westfield UTC restaurant will be the company’s ninth location overall and its third franchise. The location is operated by father-and-son franchise partners Aki and Kenji Ito. Its menu will feature more than 30 varieties of onigiri, alongside items such as chicken karaage, poke bowls and edamame.
The restaurant is scheduled to officially open November 14. The San Diego opening is also part of a broader local expansion goal.
In an October 29 interview with San Diego Magazine, Kanematsu said the company hopes to establish at least five locations in the county, identifying Fashion Valley, Mission Hills, Chula Vista and Bonita as potential markets. In a follow-up with What Now San Diego, Kenji Ito said those areas remain possibilities, but no additional sites are confirmed. He added that the company is currently focused on the UTC opening.
What Now San Diego previously reported in November 2025 that the father-and-son franchise partners planned to open at least one more location in the county within the following one to two years. At the time, Kanematsu was also scouting other sites in the area.
Beyond San Diego, Kanematsu told San Diego Magazine that Onigilly plans to expand across California and into other markets nationwide, with a target of opening more than 20 locations over the next two years.
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