A fresh addition to Bankers Hill is a new restaurant with a big emphasis on craft beer; with 70 taps focused on highlighting Southern California breweries, The Corner Drafthouse at the intersection of Laurel and Fifth is now open daily for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch as a West Coast-inspired gastropub featuring twists on comfort classics elevated with seasonal, high-quality ingredients.
The former French-influenced Hexagone has been transformed into a modern eatery with a new wrap-around patio; it's a sister restaurant to The Bier Garden of Encinitas, but for this edition, managing partner David Creviston joined forces with partner/executive chef Dan Sobek. This is Sobek's first project in San Diego, but he has cooked in kitchens all over the world — most notably in high-end hotels ranging from the Dorchester Hotel in London to The Waldorf Astoria and the Setai Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York City.
Though Sobek has a background in fine dining, he tells Eater that his menu for The Corner Drafthouse was crafted from dishes the chef himself likes to eat. He and chef de cuisine Mark Pultz (La Valencia) are cooking up crab cakes with Baja stone crab, local fish sandwiches with black truffle tartar and seasonal produce showcases including an heirloom tomato and watermelon salad. Their burgers, ranging from BBQ Bacon to a double stack with bacon, tempura onion rings and a fried egg, are made from a custom blend of Angus chuck and brisket. To appeal to neighborhood regulars, the restaurant plans to run frequent specials and offer a daily 4 to 7 p.m. happy hour that features $2 off appetizers and select beers. Beer is center stage, but the restaurant also offers a full bar with signature cocktails and wine.
