Buon appetite! New Gino & Gianni’s Pizzeria by Mamma Mia in La Mesa offers artful and delicious dining experiences
By Heidi Hope December 2, 2025 (La Mesa) – Gino & Gianni’s Pizzeria by Mamma Mia, a new pizza restaurant in La Mesa, evokes Italian ambience from delicious food to images of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel paintings on the ceiling. As a huge pizza enthusiast, I appreciated the variety of pizzas on their menu. I savored […]
East County Eater: Happy Hour at Casa Gabriela features authentic Mexican cuisine, elevated
By Paul Levikow Photo, left: mural of talented chef Gabriela “Gaby” Lopez September 20, 2025 (La Mesa) – Casa Gabriela in the La Mesa Village has a first-rate, affordable Happy Hour that features unique, scrumptious food full of flavor, and a list of drink specials including both alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties. The food is not […]
EAST COUNTY EATER: PERFECTLY SMOKED MEATS AND MORE AT PAPALO SONORAN-STYLE BBQ IN LA MESA
By Mike Atkinson December 8, 2023 (La Mesa) – As a Texas BBQ aficionado, I’ve been anxious to try the newly-opened Papalo Sonoran-Style BBQ in La Mesa Village. Chef Drew Bent has a legendary pedigree, most recently the founding chef behind San Diego’s Michelin-recognized Lola 55 modern taqueria. I’m afraid La Mesa and East […]
A TASTE OF THAILAND: THAI THAI RESTAURANT IN SANTEE
On the road with the East County Eater Story and photos by Shiloh Ireland August 26, 2022 (Santee) — On the road and in Santee-Yesterday I returned to my favorite Thai restaurant. When I have Thai Cuisine, it has to be authentic, fresh and delicious. Thai Thai Restaurant is located at 10251-B, Mast Blvd; Santee. […]
CHEERS! HESS BREWING NOW OPEN IN ALPINE, ITS SIXTH LOCAL LOCATION
By Henri Migala April 12, 2022 (Alpine) — One of the greatest benefits of living in East County is to be able to enjoy our wide open and natural spaces. The best thing to come out of the pandemic is the move of restaurants to open outdoor eating and drinking areas. Couple this with one […]
EAST COUNTY EATER: THE ALL NEW PUB AT LAKE CUYAMACA
By Henri Migala March 6, 2022 (Julian) — If you live in San Diego, then you have probably enjoyed a country drive to the charming mountain town of Julian and perhaps stopped to have lunch at what used to be the Lake Cuyamaca Restaurant overlooking the lake. It’s now under new ownership and has been […]
EAST COUNTY EATER: BUSY B THAI CAFÉ– A TASTE OF THE FAR EAST IN EAST COUNTY
Story and photos by Henri Migala January 10, 2022 (El Cajon) — It seems that everywhere you look in East County, there is another culinary delight to discover. If you favor the flavors of the Far East, you must visit Busy B Thai Café, 330 Magnolia Ave, in El Cajon. I spent my childhood growing […]
RENOVATED AND REBRANDED, SAMMY’S IN LA MESA OFFERS CASUAL ELEGANCE AND FULL VARIETY OF FABULOUS FOODS
By Henri Migala, East County Eater Photos by Henri Migala, Miriam Raftery and Sammy’s November 27, 2021 (La Mesa) — Having been reviewing restaurants in East County for nearly two years now I have been reporting that East County has become the new gastronomic center of San Diego. Nowhere is this more evident than the […]
WEST COAST SMOKE AND TAP HOUSE HAS BEST YEAR EVER WITH NEW OWNERS
By Henri Migala, East County Eater October 26, 2021 (La Mesa) — East County is quickly becoming the new go-to place in San Diego for the best BBQ in town. One of the most delicious is West Coast Smoke and Tap House in La Mesa, where new owners defied all odds by taking over amid […]
EAST COUNTY EATER: LE BON BO-BEAU REOPENS IN LA MESA
By Henri Migala August 23, 2020 (La Mesa) – After being closed for several months, BO-beau in La Mesa has re-opened with reconfigured sitting areas that not only conform to mandated social distancing guidelines, but in an elegant way actually enhances the sense of intimacy for diners and patrons. A member of […]