Design, burger and cocktails shine in Starlite's reopening

• CH Projects led the renovation and hired the original design team to reinvent the vision of the original owners — veterans of the city's music and art scene, San Diego Magazine reports.

The vibe: The stunning design is Instagram-worthy, and the cocktails and gourmet dishes make it suited for a fancy date night, birthday dinner or girls night out.

What to expect: A massive, sparkling chandelier is the centerpiece of the sunken bar in the middle of a dark and futuristic space-like room with velvet seating along the cavernous rock walls.

• Walk past a sleek DJ booth and through to a bright, plant-filled patio with dining tables, a fire pit and more rocky features.
• A third area with loungy booths features disco ball walls, geode flooring and a waterfall.

Cocktails to try: The tropical Space Cadet stood out with coconut and black rum, lime, ginger, pineapple and cola tonic.

• The tangy, savory Broken Meanings is their take on a dirty gin martini with onion vermouth, a tarragon and fennel brine, and an onion garnish instead of an olive.
• The Dr. Fu Manchu cocktail is bright and fruity with gin, rum, grapefruit and pineapple.

Best bites: Start with the Asian-inspired, citrusy wagyu and yellowtail tartare scooped onto a crispy potato chip.

• Get the juicy burger with caramelized onions and melty gruyere, served with a heaping portion of fries for $17 if you're looking for a delicious deal.
• The caviar-topped mozzarella sticks were mind-blowing, according to a friend.

If you go: Starlite is open daily from 5pm-2am with reservations and limited space for walk-ins at the bar.

• It's right off the 5 with mostly street parking at 3175 India St.