A Beach Bungalow Bar and Restaurant Is Heading to Pacific Beach Pier

Touching down near Crystal Pier, replacing the 10-year-old Fat Fish Cantinagrill, is a new restaurant with roots in Hermosa Beach. Owner Greg Newman, who operates a number of establishments up and down the SoCal coast, says the restaurant will reflect the surfer-fuel spirit of his Hermosa Beach pierside restaurant Tower12 . Newman says he’s still deliberating on a name for the Pacific Beach restaurant but it’ll serve a menu similar to Tower12’s, which ranges from halibut aguachile and Waldorf salad with smoked chicken to burgers, sandwiches, and wood-fired pizzas.

Newman says he’s been looking to expand to San Diego for 20 years, and for the last decade he and Next Wave Commercial’s Paul Ahern have had their sights set on this specific Mission Boulevard location. As luck would have it, Ahern’s real estate partner Nate Benedetto picked up the listing for the 5,500-square-foot building and the deal was signed before the property went to market.

Tower12

Being an out-of-town operator, Newman acknowledges that he needs to earn some local cred; while Tower12 revolves around the surf, skate, and music scene of LA’s South Bay, Newman is doing research to make sure that this location will reflect the history and culture of Pacific Beach community. Designed like a sprawling beach bungalow, with several interconnected dining areas and a wraparound patio, the restaurant is due in mid-to-late 2022. Now that he’s got a place in town, Newman says he’d like to bring more of his restaurants, particularly his upscale Mexican spots Palmilla and Esperanza, to the San Diego area.

Tower12

• All Coming Attractions [ESD]