Sea Monster, a new Hawaiian- and Japanese-style cafe, is preparing to open in San Diego’s Mission Valley at 6110 Friars Road.
The cafe is expected to open by the end of 2026, although an exact opening date has not been announced, according to San Diego Magazine. Owner Pinyada “Ada” Primpray tells What Now San Diego that the restaurant will be open daily for lunch and dinner, focusing on fresh poke bowls, salad rolls, and matcha. Food will be available for takeout, with very limited seating for customers who want to eat at the cafe.
Sea Monster will be Primpray’s first restaurant as an owner after 15 years of experience in the restaurant industry. She has worked in restaurants in Kauai, Chicago, New York, and San Diego, and says the idea for Sea Monster took shape following a solo trip to Italy. The name is an homage to her friend’s restaurant, Big Monster Sushi & Thai in Hawaii.
Fresh poke bowls will be the main focus, with options including locally caught bluefin tuna, hamachi, and salmon. The poke will be served California style, with sauces added when the order is prepared rather than marinating the fish. Planned toppings will include edamame, green onion, and uni, while fresh salad rolls will feature vegetables and seafood such as salmon, shrimp, and imitation crab.
Primpray has brought on Wasu Gibb Palipote, head chef from Sushisamba in Los Angeles, to develop the menu and sauces. Planned signature sauces include ink wasabi, larb sauce, basil creamy sauce, and sesame vinegar, all made in-house. Primpray also plans to introduce a new signature sauce every couple of months, created exclusively for Sea Monster by Palipote.
The cafe will also have a matcha program with six variations planned for opening, with the option to expand the selection later. Primpray says she would like to eventually offer mango sticky rice and grow Sea Monster into a lifestyle brand beyond the restaurant. The concept will also feature Smoo, a monster mascot that aspires to grow bigger and bigger.
“I live in San Diego, and I see the energy and type of people that visit Mission Valley, and I feel like it’s exactly the type of audience that Sea Monster will be tailored to: the healthy, active lifestyle. Between my product, the energy, and Smoo, I feel we have something here that will keep the customers coming back for more.”
