Jaime Osuna has been expanding the Swami’s Cafe empire throughout San Diego County ever since founding the brand in 1998. Now, the restaurateur will embark on a new venture called Nautica at 3794 30th Street.
Swami’s Cafe first opened across Highway 101 from Swami’s Beach, a popular surfing destination in South Encinitas. The cafe is known to specialize in healthy, fresh meals like acai bowls and green salads. A typical Swami’s menu also offers brunch classics like waffles and omelets, as well as gastropub-esque dinner options like burgers and pork chops.
Osuna told What Now San Diego that North Park locals can expect a new concept altogether with Nautica, which will focus more on Mexican food, seafood and drinks than his other local outposts.
“When we started Swami’s on 101, customers told me to come to La Mesa, so we came to La Mesa,” Osuna told KUSI in 2017. “I don’t choose the locations just because I want to open one in Hillcrest. No, people come and tell me to open a place there. What makes me happy is when people come to the restaurant and say thank you for being here.”
Osuna’s new North Park restaurant will fill the space left by Waypoint last Fall. While the location was temporarily leased by Eppig Brewing, SanDiegoVille.com reported that they ultimately decided against opening there due to on-site dining restrictions.
Nautica is set to open by the summer, Osuna said Monday.
