Alchemy
- 1503 30th Street, San Diego, CA 92102 | Directions
- 619-255-0616
- http://www.alchemysandiego.com/
Arty décor and playful international grazing plates and seasonal entrées make eating fun. Cooking and service are adept. But with no reservations for small parties and noise-amplifying architecture, eat early on weeknights to avoid waits and din at this neighborhood favorite. Moderate.
Hours: Dinner daily, 5–11 p.m. (bar 4 p.m.–midnight or later); Saturday–Sunday brunch, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Prices: Grazes and side dishes $5–$9; soups and salads $6–$16; entrées $13–$25; desserts $6–$8.
Cuisine & Beverages: Free-range internation cuisine emphasizing local farm products and sustainable proteins, with many tapas, few entrées. Long wine list, often steep but lots by the glass. Numerous craft beers, cocktails made from scratch.
Pick hits: Elote (grilled corn with huitlacoche and cotija cheese); jerk chicken; stuffed squash blossoms; piquillos rellenos. Possible good bets: Lyonnaise salad, smoked tomato bisque, grass-fed rib-eye or burger with parmesan fries.
Need to know: Vegetarian dinners Wednesdays ($25), plus many vegetarian/vegan choices daily. Suckling pig group dinner for 8–10 (order two days ahead), $38 per person. Dinner with Six Strangers (for one or two) at communal table, once a month (next is October 20; call for details), $48 per person including everything. Hip music (country, blues, etc.), but room gets loud when full, usually around 8:00 p.m.
Upcoming Events
30th on 30th
Wednesday, May 30, 5:00 p.m.
30th on 30th
Saturday, June 30, 5:00 p.m.
30th on 30th
Monday, July 30, 5:00 p.m.
30th on 30th
Thursday, August 30, 5:00 p.m.
Related links
- Review: "Muted Magic" · Oct. 4, 2011
- "Alchemy's New Street Food Menu" · July 14, 2011
- What the Chef Eats · Feb. 3, 2010
- Review: "Free-Range Grazing" · Sept. 16, 2009
Happy hour specials
| Monday | 4-6pm: $2 off wells, including Skyy, Seagram's, Jim Beam, Sauza Gold, $2 off wines/glass, draft. |
| Tuesday | 4-6pm: $2 off wells, including Skyy, Seagram's, Jim Beam, Sauza Gold, $2 off wines/glass, draft. |
| Wednesday | 4-6pm: $2 off wells, including Skyy, Seagram's, Jim Beam, Sauza Gold, $2 off wines/glass, draft. |
| Thursday | 4-6pm: $2 off wells, including Skyy, Seagram's, Jim Beam, Sauza Gold, $2 off wines/glass, draft. |
| Friday | 4-6pm: $2 off wells, including Skyy, Seagram's, Jim Beam, Sauza Gold, $2 off wines/glass, draft. |
Business hours
| Sunday | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Monday | 4 p.m. to midnight |
| Tuesday | 4 p.m. to midnight |
| Wednesday | 4 p.m. to midnight |
| Thursday | 4 p.m. to midnight |
| Friday | 4 p.m. to midnight |
| Saturday | 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
Kitchen hours
The kitchen is always open during business hours.
Restaurant details
| Cuisine | Brunch, California Cuisine, Grazing, Vegetarian |
| Price range of entrées | $13 - $20 |
| Delivery | No |
| Outdoor seating | No |
| Party room | No |
| Reservations accepted | Yes |
| Kids menu | No |
| Occasional live music | No |
| Vegetarian friendly | Yes |
| Payment Options | Accepts credit cards |
Comments
Jane B. March 23, 1:23 p.m.
Alchemy
After months and months of watching the construction of Alchemy, we were very excited to eat our first meal there. Went on a Friday night, and it was packed. Very loud. (Think we'll try a weekday next time and hope it's a little quieter!)
Everything I ordered was stellar: beet salad, pork with pears and sweet potato mash, cranberry bread pudding for dessert (A MUST-HAVE DESSERT!). Our friends both ordered the chicken and they raved about it. If a restaurant can do great things with chicken, they get a lot of points in my book. Howev, my husband sent back his sous vide halibut for being overcooked. They were very apologetic about it -- brought him another and didn't charge us for it. But then they charged us for two beet salads, when we only had one. :(
The menu isn't super extensive, but everything on it seems to be very high quality, obtained locally. And the price points are right on...very reasonable. I believe they really care about what they're doing. Every brand-new restaurant has a few kinks to work out, and this one is no exception (i.e., the wine list wasn't back from the printers yet). But overall, what a welcome addition to the neighborhood!
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