{"id":520476,"date":"2026-01-16T13:48:30","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T13:48:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/520476\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T13:48:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T13:48:30","slug":"san-diegos-week-of-big-flavor-smart-deals-taco-challenges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/520476\/","title":{"rendered":"San Diego\u2019s week of big flavor, smart deals & taco challenges"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The House Burget at Cellar Hand. (Photo courtesy of Kimberly Motos)<\/p>\n

San Diego diners, this week is full of reasons to get out and eat \u2014 from Parisian pastries to midweek prix fixe deals, family-style rotisserie chicken, and a high-energy taco challenge. Here\u2019s what\u2019s been happening around town:<\/p>\n

Caf\u00e9 Madeleine \u2014 Downtown Grand Opened (Jan. 12)
<\/strong>San Diego\u2019s beloved minority woman-owned caf\u00e9 officially opened its downtown location at 202 C Street inside the County Administrative Building. Guests enjoyed complimentary specialty drinks, fresh pastries, and curated breakfast and lunch items, along with a ribbon-cutting at 9 a.m. The warm, neighborhood-forward charm of Caf\u00e9 Madeleine<\/strong> was on full display for locals and visitors alike.<\/p>\n

Cellar Hand \u2014 $50 Bar Dinner & $10 Wine Flight (Wednesdays & Thursdays)<\/strong>
Hillcrest\u2019s award-winning wine bar Cellar Hand<\/strong> makes midweek dining approachable and affordable. Guests can enjoy three courses for $50, with an optional $10 rotating wine flight. Weekly rotating menu highlights include Manti Dumplings, Roast Chicken, and the House Burger \u2014 all Mediterranean-inspired and hyper-local.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Roast Chicken at Cellar Hand. (Photo courtesy of Kimberly Motos)<\/p>\n

Lana \u2014 $38 Prix Fixe (Tuesdays)<\/strong>
This prix fixe menu at Lana<\/strong> pairs value with elevated flavors. Starters include Butternut Squash Soup or Chopped Salad, mains feature Spicy Chorizo or Roasted Mushroom Pizza, Organic Half Chicken, or Mushroom Tagliatelle, and desserts include Key Lime Pie or Triple Chocolate Skillet Cookie. A perfect way to enjoy fine dining midweek without splurging.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The interior at Lana. (Photo courtesy of Lana)<\/p>\n

Rustic Root \u2014 Half-Priced Wine Wednesday & Girl Dinner (Solana Beach & Gaslamp)<\/strong>
Half-priced reserve wines and $4 desserts every Wednesday, or the Friday Girl Dinner in Gaslamp for $29 \u2014 Caesar salad, fries, pasta, and a martini for a full night out without breaking the bank at Rustic Root.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The inside bar at Rustic Root. (Photo courtesy of Rustic Root)<\/p>\n

Puesto \u2014 Taco Tuesday, Girl Dinner Wednesday, Perfect Thursdays<\/strong>
Weekday specials at Puesto <\/strong>deliver both flavor and value: 50% off tacos on Tuesdays, $40 midweek Girl Dinner on Wednesdays, and half-priced margaritas on Thursdays. Bold Mexican-American flavors meet smart dining.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Girl Dinner plates at Pueto. (Photo courtey of Puesto)<\/p>\n

The Crack Shack Pacific Beach \u2014 Rotisserie Family Meal ($45, feeds 4\u20136)<\/strong>
Take home a 3.5 lb. Jidori chicken with Baja Chop salad, six mini biscuits, and lemony schmaltz. Perfect for a family meal that\u2019s big on flavor and easy on the wallet, all at The Crack Shack in Pacific Beach.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Rotisserie Chicken. (Photo courtesy of The Crack Shack Pacific Beach)<\/p>\n

El Chingon \u2014 National Fish Taco Day Eating Challenge (Jan. 25)<\/strong>
Think you can tackle five Jorge\u2019s Taco de Pescado tacos the fastest at El Chignon<\/strong>? The high-energy challenge kicks off at 6 p.m. (check-in 5:30 p.m.) at 560 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp. Registration is free via Eventbrite, and spectators can enjoy the full menu and specialty cocktails.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Taco de Pescado at El Chignon. (Photo courtesy of EL Chgnn)<\/p>\n

California Pizza Kitchen \u2014 Smart Swaps Menu<\/strong>
CPK<\/strong> is helping diners kick off the new year with healthier twists on fan-favorite dishes. The new Smart Swaps menu transforms nine classics into protein-packed, plant-forward, or lower-calorie options, all crafted to keep flavor front and center. Highlights include Avocado Club Egg Rolls as lettuce wraps (64g protein), Cedar Plank Salmon with Piccata Sauce (73g protein), Piccata with Cauliflower Steak (10g fiber), and Kung Pao Spaghetti now with zucchini ribbons (42% fewer calories).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Smart Swaps at CPK. (Photo courtesy of CPK)<\/p>\n

The launch pairs CPK with fitness duo Denise and Katie Austin, who showcase how easy it is to make smart, flavorful choices that fit a busy, health-conscious lifestyle. Smart Swaps are available for dine-in, carryout, or delivery at all participating U.S. locations for the same price as the original menu items. For more info and the full menu: cpk.com\/smartswaps<\/a><\/p>\n

Chick-fil-A \u2014 80th Anniversary \u2018Newstalgia\u2019 Celebration<\/strong>
Chick-fil-A<\/strong> is celebrating 80 years with a year-long \u201cNewstalgia\u201d campaign, blending retro favorites with fun new twists. Guests can collect four retro Classic Cups, with 3,000 lucky Golden Fan Cup winners earning free Chick-fil-A for a year. Two new beverages join the menu: Frosted Sodas (icedream blended with fountain soda) and Floats (layered soda and ice cream). Retro packaging adds a nostalgic flair to every order, making this celebration a sweet sip of the past and present.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Collect all four Retro Classic Cups (Photo courtesty ot Chick-fil-A)<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re catching up on past openings, planning a midweek meal, or aiming for taco glory, San Diego\u2019s culinary scene has something for every appetite this week.<\/p>\n

Punch Bowl Social<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>(Photo courtesy of Walkabout)<\/p>\n

Walkabout<\/a>\u00a0is hosting the Super Social at East Village\u2019s\u00a0Punch Bowl Social<\/a>\u00a0for users of the app on Monday, Jan. 19, from 6 \u2013 9 p.m. Walkabout is free to download and join, and it aims to get neighbors to connect and for them to connect with local businesses. The second floor of Punch Bowl Social has been reserved exclusively for the event, and the evening for Walkabout users includes complimentary bowling, ping pong, karaoke, trivia, beer pong, and 50% off select food and drinks.<\/p>\n

Got restaurant news? Hired a new chef? Doing a remodel? New menu? Specialty dish that needs recognition. Drop me a line at DebbieS@timesofsandiego.com, you might be featured in an upcoming Eat Beat column.<\/strong><\/p>\n

READ NEXT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The House Burget at Cellar Hand. (Photo courtesy of Kimberly Motos) San Diego diners, this week is full…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":520477,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5134],"tags":[5229,17925,1582,276,231801,231802,27814,208190,163745,113165,231803,39975,209209,231804,201806,212399,209610,3549,7264,85004,231805,13963,231806,67,586,132,5230,68,2969,9963],"class_list":{"0":"post-520476","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-diego","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-burgers","10":"tag-ca","11":"tag-california","12":"tag-cellar-hand","13":"tag-chick-fil-a-80th-anniversary-newstalgia-celebration","14":"tag-chicken","15":"tag-cpk","16":"tag-eat-beat","17":"tag-el-chingon","18":"tag-gaslamo","19":"tag-happy-hour","20":"tag-january-2026","21":"tag-lana","22":"tag-prix-fixe","23":"tag-puesto","24":"tag-rustic-root","25":"tag-san-diego","26":"tag-sandiego","27":"tag-solana-beach","28":"tag-taco-tuesday","29":"tag-tacos","30":"tag-the-crack-shack-pacific-beach","31":"tag-united-states","32":"tag-united-states-of-america","33":"tag-unitedstates","34":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","35":"tag-us","36":"tag-usa","37":"tag-wine"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115905096227189658","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/520476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=520476"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/520476\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/520477"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=520476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=520476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=520476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}