HeArt of PB Restaurant Walk returns on Sept. 10

by Sierra Knoch

Garnet Avenue will come alive with culinary and artistic flair with the return of the HeArt of PB Restaurant Walk.

The 15th annual self-guided event, set for 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, will feature food samples from local restaurants and art displays along Garnet Avenue between Dawes and Lamont streets.

Tickets are $35 in advance or $40 on the day of the event, with all food included.

Organizers said they anticipate there will be more attendees, growing from the 300 participants in previous years, because the event continues to highlight Pacific Beach’s diverse dining scene and vibrant arts community.

More than 300 have attended HeArt of PB Restaurant Walk events in recent years to sample foods from restaurants along Garnet Avenue between Dawes and Lamont streets in Pacific Beach. (Bradley Schweit Photography courtesy of Discover PB)

“The HeArt of PB Restaurant Walk turns an ordinary evening into a community celebration — pairing delicious bites with local art and friendly faces,” said Vanessa Bernal, program manager for Discover Pacific Beach, the organization putting on the event. “It’s a way for neighbors to connect, discover new favorites and celebrate everything that makes Pacific Beach unique.”

“This is an event that’s been done … for about 15 years (therefore) we have tried to transform it,” said Sunny Lee, Discover PB’s executive director. “We do two restaurant walks every year (and) this one expands along Garnet. We are trying to incorporate art with this restaurant walk because there are so many opportunities to collaborate with these spaces and restaurants.”

The collaboration with local artists is a way to differentiate this restaurant walk from the Coastal Restaurant Walk that Discover PB held last May. It also helps people discover another side of PB, Lee said.

New additions this year include a 3D hologram exhibit by Peter Scheir that will be displayed at Kendall’s Kitchen.

According to Scheir, this will be a one-of-a-kind art display that includes “cool hologram gifts for all who attend.”

Scheir will be available to answer questions.

“(I) invite you to experience masterpieces from luminaries in the world of 3D display holography. This powerful exhibit combines cutting-edge technology with some of the world’s most well-known holograms, promising a visual journey unlike any other currently exhibited in the entire U.S.,” Scheir wrote in his exhibit’s description. “The only other recent major hologram exhibit was ‘Sculpting with Light’ at the Getty Center in LA last year where (I) was honored to have (my) hologram products showcased in their museum store.”

Another artistic addition is Sugoi! Tattoos Piercings, which will stay open late to offer flash tattoos.

A HeArt of PB Restaurant Walk attendee getting a food sample from Scuderie Italia. (Courtesy of Discover PB)

First-time participant Armonia Kitchen wants to introduce its healthy, inclusive menu to new customers.

“We want to share our food with people who may not know we’re here. A lot of people don’t know that we’re here,” said co-owner Karina Garfield. “This is how I like to eat at home.”

Garfield said she tries to provide a balanced assortment on her menu because “if you go with a group of friends they all have different needs, like plant based or dairy free, so I wanted to have a little bit of everything and just have healthy options.”

Returning favorites include Mr. Frostie, Broken Yolk Cafe, Cafe Athena, PB Fish Shop, SD Taproom, Tavern and Woodstock’s Pizza, alongside newcomers like Mission Bagel and Monday Morning, a non-alcoholic bottle shop. Restaurants offering vegetarian options will be marked on the event’s ticket map.

“Because Mr. Frostie has been an integral part of the PB community we love seeing families come out for the walk, so we always participate,” said Debbie Conka, co-owner of Mr. Frostie. “My husband and I (have) owned it since 1978. We’ve watched a lot of people grow up and bring their kids here now. It’s just a nice time.”