After nearly a decade in the making and a $15 million investment, Cohn Restaurant Group on Monday opened its Coasterra restaurant and event venue on Harbor Island.
“We’ve spent the past nine years developing Coasterra with the intention of building a truly iconic San Diego restaurant and event space. The most common reaction upon walking through the front door is, ‘Wow!’– and that’s exactly what we were going for,“ said David Cohn, founder of the restaurant group.
Executive Chefs Deborah Scott and John Gray are introducing a menu of regional Mexican cuisine with a focus on unexpected flavor combinations and an emphasis on local, fresh, seasonal ingredients.
Sharable starters include ordering from the tableside guacamole cart, and signature dishes include the Mar y Tierra, a savory blend of beef short rib, Oaxacan mole, lobster risotto cake, and charred asparagus.
The bar features more than 70 labels of agave spirits including high-end tequila and artisanal mezcal, and a wine list with an emphasis on Latin American and Baja varietals. A total of 16 local and Mexican craft beers are on tap.
Designed by the late architect Graham Downes and continued by his team, the restaurant’s mid-century modern design incorporates views of the San Diego skyline and harbor from every vantage point. Most of the restaurant seating is outdoors on a waterfront patio where guests are shaded by a unique photovoltaic glass terrace which provides a third of the energy for the restaurant.
Along with the restaurant, Coasterra offers an event center for weddings, business banquets and special occasions. The banquet room seats more than 300 people, and an outdoor floating event deck can accommodates up to 500 people.
The new restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.
