Los Angeles-Based Sushi Chain Coming To San Diego

SAN DIEGO, CA — A popular Los Angeles-based sushi chain is coming to San Diego.

Sugarfish will open its doors in spring 2026 in San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood. The location at 2100 Kettner Blvd. will be the company's first restaurant outside of Los Angeles, Orange County and New York.

"We're so excited to bring Sugarfish to San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood," co-founder Lele Massimini said. "We don't open another restaurant just to open one — we do it because growth enables us to source better fish and gives our guests a better bite of sushi."

The Sushi Nozawa Group was founded in 2008 and is behind Sugarfish, Nozawa Bar and KazuNori.

Sugarfish embodies the food and philosophy of sushi chef Kazunori Nozawa and his son, co-founder Tom Nozawa. The restaurant serves "the Nozawa-style of sushi," a term the company uses for food that "centers on simplicity, precision, and an unwavering commitment to quality."

The restaurant's menu is anchored by its four "Trust Me" set menus in an omakase style featuring "the highest quality fish sourced from around the world, crisp nori, and warm, loosely-packed rice."

"Our guests know the difference between good sushi and great sushi — that's been the key to our success," co-founder Tom Nozawa said. "The quality of the fish and the simplicity say it all."

The design of the Little Italy restaurant draws inspiration from the California ranch-style homes of building designer Cliff May. The 40-seat restaurant will feature natural concrete floors, exposed structural columns and large windows that frame sunsets over the harbor, according to the company. Architect Robert Tsurimoto Kirsten of A-RTK designed the project.