Zuma chooses San Diego for its first California location
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The bar at the middle. Photo: Courtesy of Zuma
The luxury Japanese restaurant Zuma is coming to San Diego.
Why it matters: Zuma has spread to high-end cities throughout the world, and picked San Diego as its first California location because of locals' appreciation of fine dining, vice president of operations Nick Fielding told Axios.
- It's another sign of the blossoming local food scene, which recently earned recognition from Conde Nast Traveler and Robb Report.
Driving the news: Zuma opened this week inside The Guild Hotel on Broadway downtown.
- It's the sixth U.S. location for the brand, which started in London in 2002.
What they're saying: Zuma's opening proves San Diego has made it to the dining world stage, San Diego Magazine food critic Beth Demmon wrote this week.
The feeling is apparently mutual.
- "There's something about this city where the locals are incredibly well versed in food and culture," Fielding said. "It's not flashy, it's a very understated kind of wealth here, and they get luxury."
Then there's the food. Zuma is known for signature dishes including miso black cod, spicy peat tenderloin and meats cooked on the robata grill.
- Robata uses slow-burning Japanese charcoal that is odorless and flavors the meat, Fielding said.
- Plus sushi using some locally sourced fish.
- "The uni comes literally right off the pier, the waterfront here," he said.
The bar has more than 40 kinds of sake, plus Japanese whiskey and other cocktails.
Inside the room: The restaurant was designed around its grand entrance on Columbia Street that creates an indoor-outdoor feeling, Fielding said.
- The design was inspired by San Diego's ocean and rugged coastline, using a blue color scheme and a lot of granite, he said.
- "We built this beautiful, dramatic wood tunnel that leads into the terrace, and the first thing you see is this stunning terrace that has all this foliage," he said.
By the numbers: The restaurant spans 12,000 square feet and seats around 220 guests.
- It's centered around a grill surrounded by a wraparound bar.
- It also has a DJ booth, though Fielding promises a music director makes sure they "don't go off on wild club-like tangents."
Yes, but: It isn't cheap, with sushi rolls in the $20 range and signature dishes north of $50.
- Still, Fielding is confident San Diego was the right choice for their next expansion.
- "The energy of the city is unmatched," he said.