THE FUTURE FEELS LIKE DINING UNDER THE STARS.
What is Curbside San Diego?
An initiative of the Downtown San Diego Partnership and 12 other community, business, mobility, industry and environmental organizations, Curbside San Diego is a program to support Downtown’s ground floor eateries and retail stores as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing creative and flexible use of streets, sidewalks and parking for outdoor dining, seating and designated waiting areas. View our letter to the City here.
This innovative program will serve as a key part of Downtown’s economic recovery. The design and configuration of each Curbside San Diego location will be slightly different and responsive to each neighborhood’s unique needs. Click here for an overview of the Curbside San Diego program.
Curbside San Diego Pilot Locations
Over th past 18 months the Downtown San Diego Partnership has partnered with the City Center Business District, Columbia Community Foundation, Cortez Hill Active Residents Group, East Village Association, Gaslamp Quarter Association, and Little Italy Association to pilot the following Curbside San Diego locations in Downtown.
Locations Columbia District Columbia Street between B Street and C Street Monday – Sunday, All Day Launched in August 2020, Curbside Columbia uses one travel lane and one parking lane for outdoor seating adjacent to Karl Strauss Brewery and Brewpub. Brought to you by Cortez Achilles Coffee (703 Ash Street) Monday – Sunday, All Day. Launched in May 2020, the temporary curbside treatments at Achilles Coffee Roasters were the first example of how businesses could participate and implement quick-build COVID-19 response improvements through the new Curbside San Diego program. This pilot project was made possible through a joint partnership with Circulate San Diego, the Downtown San Diego Partnership, and the Cortez Hill Active Residents Group (CHARG). Funding was provided through the City of San Diego’s Neighborhood Parking Program which supports mobility solutions within community parking districts. Flamin’ Pho & Sushi (550 Cedar Street) Monday – Sunday, All Day. In August 2021 the Downtown San Diego Partnership in collaboration with the Cortez Hill Active REsidents Group unveiled the first parklet in Cortez. The pilot project is intended to identify creative and cost-effective solutions to designing and constructing parklets along the steep sloped streets of Cortez Hill. City Center E Street between Ninth Avenue and Tenth Avenue Monday – Sunday, All Day. In July 2021 Curbside City Center launched with the addition of two new parklets to the eclectic block of eateries and shops along E Street. The parklets provide for expanded pedestrian space and activity along this vibrant corridor. Gaslamp Quarter Fifth Avenue is closed to vehicles from L St. to Market St. on Wednesdays, and from L St. to F St. on Thursdays through Sundays. Wednesday – Friday: 3 p.m. – 11 p.m. Curbside Gaslamp closes Fifth Avenue to vehicle traffic to allow for restaurants to provide additional seating within a 10-foot wide space adjacent to the curb. Curbside Gaslamp launched June 2020. For the latest info visit the Gaslamp Quarter Association. Little Italy India Street from W. Beech to W. Grape Streets including W. Date and W. Fir Streets between Kettner Boulevard and Columbia Street Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays: 4-10 p.m. During 2020 streets in Little Italy were closed to vehicles every Friday and Saturday from 3-11 p.m. to offer open-air dining that helped restaurants alleviate the loss of indoor seating while also creating a safe 30-foot physical distancing promenade for visitors. Since the beginning of 2021 several restaurants along India Street have created new platforms to offer diners al fresco dining under the stars!
Saturday: 12 p.m. – 11 p.m.; Sunday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
(Final seating is 10 p.m daily)
In an effort to support businesses negatively impacted by the economic effects of COVID-19, the City of San Diego has launched the Temporary Outdoor Business Operation (TOBO) permitting program. TOBO permits enable businesses to set up dining, retail, and other business activities temporarily on the street, sidewalks or in parking lanes.
Apply for a Permit: City of San Diego – Temporary Outdoor Business Operation Permit
Apply fo a Grant: City of San Diego – Temporary Outdoor Business Operation Grant
City of San Diego Outdoor Dining and Retail Operations Safety Webinar - Jan. 26, 2021 A recording of the City of San Diego zoom webinar that provided updates and education for business owners with existing permits on the safety requirements when conducting outdoor dining and retail operations. Those wishing to re-watch the webinar or share it can access it using the passcode: 8Wq0%Mrh.
Fire Safety Please see the links below for important information regarding options for the use of heaters, and COVID19 indoor/outdoor definitions for the use of tents and temporary structures. A business may be required to obtain a permit by completing and submitting this Application for Single Event Permit from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department if they currently have, or propose to install, a tent or temporary structure covering more than 400 square feet. Attachments include:
Decks, Platforms, and Other Temporary Outdoor Business Operations The following options are available to help dining and retail outlets open or expand operations outdoors so they can cost-effectively maintain safety, health and distancing protocols.
Contact Us
If you are the owner of a ground floor restaurant or retail business in Downtown San Diego and are interested in learning more about how Curbside San Diego could benefit your business, please contact the Downtown San Diego Partnership by clicking here.
About the Downtown Partnership
As the principle voice and advocate for the continued prosperity of Downtown, the Downtown San Diego Partnership is confident that the reasons Downtown has been strong in the past – the reasons we have all chosen to live and work together in the first place – will continue to serve us well as we navigate this next chapter together. Learn more about our work to support the economic recovery of Downtown.
