Por Frank Sabatini Jr.

Sample the latest and greatest craft beers from more than 70 local breweries at the fourth annual Winter Brew Fest, which will be held 7 — 10 p.m. on Feb. 19 and 20 in the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park.

The tasting event originated a decade ago in Denver by RightOn Productions before expanding into San Diego’s teaming craft beer scene. Breweries taking part this year include Ballast Point, Thorn St. Brewery, Alesmith, Goose Island, Legacy Brewing Company y Green Flash.

The event will also feature live music. Tickets are $40 in advance via the website, and $50 at the door (cash only). A portion of the proceeds will benefit the San Diego Mountain Biking Association and Outdoor Outreach. sandiegobrewfest.com. 2131 Plaza Panamericana.

North Park resident Matthew Lyons is breaking ground in a section of the former North Park Post Office for a late-spring opening of Tribute Pizza, his first brick-and-mortar venture after conducting pop-up pizzerias throughout the neighborhood for the past two years. He has also served as a consulting chef for various pizzerias in San Diego and helped open one in Nairobi, Kenya.

Tribute will occupy 3,000 square feet within the building and feature pizzas he describes as “neo-Neapolitan style” that take three to four minutes to cook in a wood-fire oven. The menu will extend also to salads, appetizers, a few protein entrees, house-made charcuterie, and desserts. 3077 North Park Way. tributepizza.com.

A six-course modern-Italian dinner constructed mainly with local ingredients and paired to wines is planned for the Feb. 28 launch of 00 Supper Club, which was conceived by restaurant insiders Elliott Townsend and his girlfriend, Kelly Smith, who both work at Juniper & Ivy; and Mark Broadfoot, the bar manager at Galaxy Taco.

“We don’t have the funds to open an actual restaurant, but we want to show what can be possible for eating and drinking in this great city if we did,” said Townsend, who will utilize his North Park home for serving the meal to 15 patrons. “We’ll have more guests per dinner if we start branching out to other venues. And the cost for now per person is a donation of any amount,” he said.

The supper club is named after the type of fine flour (“00”) used for making pasta and pizza dough. For reservations and information about subsequent dinners, contact Townsend via email at: [email protected].

Local designers and architects are busy preparing One Door North on 30th Street for a March-April opening. The 5,000-square-foot space, which formerly housed Mosaic Wine Bar, was taken over last year by Fred Piehl and his wife, Tammy. The couple owns and operates La cabra humeante next door. Their new restaurant will focus on seasonal, farm-fresh fare served within a playful atmosphere that aims to capture the great outdoors with dramatic forest imagery, communal picnic tables, and safari-like canvas tents lit by chandeliers. 3422 30th St. onedoornorth.com.

Replacing Sally & Henry’s Doghouse Bar and Grill in Hillcrest is Spitz, a hip eatery spotlighting Mediterranean street food. The concept is the brainchild of college buddies Bryce Rademan and Robert Wicklund, who launched their first location several years ago in Los Angeles after Rademan spent a semester in Spain. They’ve since opened other outlets in the region. The menu features everything from crispy garbanzo beans and “street cart” French fries to a colorful variety of doner-inspired wraps and sandwiches made with beef, lamb, chicken or falafel. A full bar and patio will be incorporated into the operation, which will serve lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. 3515 Fifth Ave. eatatspitz.com.

Barbara Hurst, owner of Oggi’s Restaurant and Brewhouse in Mission Valley, tells Mission Valley News that the eatery’s award-winning brewer, John Wilson, has created an Imperial IPA that was named Station 45 in honor of the restaurant’s newest neighbors, the firefighters now residing in their new firehouse across from Qualcomm Stadium. Oggi’s offers 13 other in-house brewed craft beers as well. Wilson, by the way, is one of the earlier brewers in San Diego County. Fenton Marketplace, 2245 Fenton Pkwy. Suite 101. missionvalley.oggis.com.

French cheeses will be in abundance at a free two-day tasting event in front of macy's en Valle de la moda mall, from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Feb. 19 and 20. Presented by The Cheeses of Europe, an organization financed by the European Union that promotes French cheeses in the U.S., samples will include brie, Camembert de Nomandie, Fromager d’Affinois and more than 25 other types available for sale. Green Flash Brewing Company will augment the event with beer pairings. 7007 Fashion Valley Road. thecheesesofeurope.com.

Bully’s East in Mission Valley celebrated its 45th anniversary on Feb. 5 with a party at the restaurant and sports bar. Bully’s East was named Best Steak House, Best Business Brunch and Best Happy Hour in the 2015 Best of Mission Valley News awards. 2401 Camino Del Rio South, 619-291-2665. bullyseastsd.com.

Fanaticos de P.F. Chang’s will have a chance at winning free meals at the restaurant chain for a year if they find certain trees on or near the grounds at each location hiding vibrant red envelopes that might contain the grand prize. Only five of them will be awarded nationwide, although other envelopes can potentially hold certificates for one-time free entrees or added points toward the company’s “preferred club” program. The promotion is being held randomly throughout the month of February at all outlets in celebration of the Chinese New Year, which began Feb. 8. In addition, the company will donate $1 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America from purchases of select entrees on a limited-time menu. Fashion Valley mall, 7077 Friars Road. pfchangs.com.

de Rubio has announced that it will begin using only “all-natural” chicken raised without antibiotics as well as nitrate-free bacon across its entire menu at all locations beginning this spring. As part of its “Made with a Mission” effort, the 33-year-old chain is also intent on removing artificial flavors and colorings contained in some of the foods (flour tortillas, fire-roasted corn and a few desserts) while exploring sources for sustainable fish and hormone-free beef. Those changes are slated for late 2017. Fashion Valley mall, 7077 Friars Road; and 2075 Camino de la Reina. rubios.com.

Unlike so many other designated food and drink “holidays” that go largely unnoticed, a number of restaurant and bar owners throughout San Diego are rising to the occasion for National Margarita Day, which this year falls on Feb. 22.

The cocktail’s genesis remains disputed. Some say it traces back to a Tijuana bar in the late 1930s; others claim Dallas socialite Margarita Sames invented the drink at her vacation home in Acapulco a decade later. Whatever the case, a few Downtown establishments are paying tribute in the weeks ahead.

En Don Chido in the Gaslamp Quarter, the drink is receiving a South American twist with the use of Kaapa Pisco Rum instead of customary tequila. At the nearby Commons Bar, jalapenos, fresh lime, and cilantro are among the ingredients comprising the “skinny scorpion” margaritas. And over at Sally’s Seafood on the Water en el Manchester Grand Hyatt, expect to see tropical margaritas constructed with mango puree, gold tequila, Cointreau, and house-made margarita mix.

As of February, Seasons 52 en The Headquarters at Seaport has begun serving Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., with a menu featuring brick-oven brioche French toast, baked eggs in sweet pepper sauce, eggs Benedict, and smoked salmon flatbread. The brunch is available so far only at this location within San Diego County. 789 W. Harbor Drive, 619-702-0052.

Revered for its Tuscan-style cuisine, Acqua Al 2 in the Gaslamp Quarter has closed its doors after operating in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter since 2000. The restaurant, headed by Chef Martin Gonzalez, became the sister operation to the original namesake establishment in Florence, where Gonzalez spent time training. Word has it that he will return to his roots in Mexican food with a possible new venture yet to be announced. 322 Fifth Ave.

Little Italy’s hotspot for Latin American cuisine, Sirena Gourmet Latin Seafood, has temporarily closed its doors for a re-branding that includes a new name, Sirena Cocina Latina. The restaurant is expected to reopen within the first week of February with a brighter color palette, new design features, and a full liquor license. In addition, Chef Jaime Chavez has revised the menu with “accessible” dishes stamped with Chilean, Peruvian and Mexican influences. 1901 Columbia St., 619-564-8970.

—Frank Sabatini Jr se puede alcanzar en [email protected].