Inspired by California Pizza Kitchen, veteran restaurateur Sami Ladeki began his own restaurant empire in 1989 with the opening of his first Sammy's Woodfired Pizza in downtown La Jolla. The company expanded to 21 locations across Southern California and Nevada, but recent years have seen many of these pizza restaurants closed or replaced by Ladeki's newer, morning-focused concept, Toasted Gastrobrunch.
Ladeki is now in the process of reviving his once-popular Roppongi restaurant, which he first opened in La Jolla in 1998 but due to rising rents was closed in 2015. He has taken back Roppongi's original space on Prospect Street and aims to reopen a modernized version of the Japanese-fusion concept in 2025. A smaller location of Roppongi will also install next to the Toasted Gastrobrunch outpost within the Pier South $28 million boutique hotel in Imperial Beach.
Named after the nightlife district of Tokyo, Japan, that is popular with expats, Roppongi will undergo a renovation by Stephanie Parisi, who designed the original version. The interior will have a modern Japanes-inspired ambiance with an onsite sushi bar and outdoor patio seating. From the menu, expect Asian fare with French-style execution, including a tapas bar meets sushi lounge menu and a full bar. Menu favorites, like the Signature Crab Stack and Japanese Hot Rock, will join a lineup of new dishes.
Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar is anticipated to open in summer 2025 at 875 Prospect Street in San Diego's La Jolla.
Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar is anticipated to open in summer 2025 at 875 Prospect Street in San Diego's La Jolla.
