The eatery at the Ted and Jean Scripps Marine Conservation and Technology Facility is serving a conscious outlook with a remarkable view.
Aiming to manifest a destiny as a go-to La Jolla restaurant, Destiny Coast opened June 20 at the Ted and Jean Scripps Marine Conservation and Technology Facility on La Jolla Shores Drive, just east of the Scripps Coastal Meander Trail.
Destiny Coast is open daily from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm for breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch. A sunset dinner menu and hours will launch Aug 6.
Originally envisioned as an event venue and named by a founding donor, Destiny Coast is a “community gathering place” for La Jollans, researchers, hikers, student and more, said owner John Crisafulli, a La Jolla resident and San Diego native who owns Behind the Scenes Hospitality and its companies including Behind the Scenes Catering & Events, Village Vino and Blue Wave Bistro.
The obvious draw of the eatery is its view of the entire La Jolla coastline, which is to be admired, as is its placement at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and UC San Diego and what those entities do “to preserve all of this,” Crisafulli said.
The menu is crafted by co-owner and Executive Chef Melissa Chickerneo, whose decade-plus culinary experience includes Michelin spaces.
Destiny Coast’s are fun and thoughtful, Crisafulli said, with fresh cinnamon rolls and locally-roasted coffee in the morning and approachable, sustainable meals throughout the day.
The food is not overdone, he said, but it’s done well, an elevated view on organic, fresh and local, incorporating sustainable, certified seafood approved by a collaboration with SIO.
There will also be a tandem project on the floor below, in a multi-million dollar kitchen designed to teach others how to select, prepare and present seafood, part of UCSD and Destiny Coast’s partnership to encourage people to think about “how we consume and use ocean and fish products,” Crisafulli said.
The wine list, curated by Crisafulli and co-owner and fellow restaurateur Steve Pagano, features selections to please any aficionado, Crisafulli said, along with those simply looking for a terrific glass of wine at the sunset by the firepit.
“There’s nothing you won’t find here,” he said.
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