Our trip through San Diego’s historic Little Italy used to consist of a stroll down well-maintained India Street, with perhaps a diversion to The Waterfront on Kettner or Pappalecco for gelato on Cedar. No more! We’ve found a veritable gem in the heart of Little Italy – The Glass Door Restaurant and Lounge – with some of the best views in the city.
The Glass Door is located on the fourth floor of the modern Porto Vista Hotel at Columbia and Fir Streets. The décor inside the long interior bar area is funky and modern, with loads of vintage Moroccan lanterns, replete with amber-tinted glass, hanging from the ceilings. (Take a moment to visually inspect the to-die-for bar, made entirely of gorgeous colored glass.) The hostesses and bartenders are nearly always friendly – we’ve taken many visitors here and haven’t been disappointed with the level of service! – and the menu is best described as new American bistro fare with Asian, Moroccan, and European influences. Do yourself a favor and try the frites in black truffle oil and sprinkled with sea salt – delish! We also recommend the Blue Jidori, a salad of organic field greens with crumbled bleu cheese and a flavorful roasted Jidori chicken breast; also of note if the mac n’ cheese, which consists of three types of cheese with Andouille sausage. To complement your meal, we suggest the Sweet Tea, a delicious concoction made with sweet tea-infused vodka. And do stop by during The Glass Door’s Sunset Happy Hour, where many small plates (including kobe sliders, spring rolls, and more) sell for $6 apiece, and select drinks (think sangria, wine, mojitos, margaritas, and Cabo Wabo margaritas) are a mere $4. Sign us up!
And the arguably best part about the space is the west wall, which boasts floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors (and permits entry onto The Glass Door’s fabulous patio, where there literally isn’t a bad seat in the house). Even the jaded San Diegan can’t help from thinking (again) how lucky we are to live in America’s most beautiful city.
The Glass Door Restaurant
1835 Columbia Street, San Diego, CA 92101 (Little Italy)
(619) 544-0164
www.theglassdoorsd.com
