Fire pits add to the ambience at Moray’s bar at Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa.
Moray’s. Located at the Catamaran Resort
Hotel and Spa, the bar is worth visiting for
its lush outdoor setting alone. With tiki
torches, fire pit tables and views of the bay,
the space is a relaxing drinking spot that
captures the vacation experience. One pop-
ular menu choice is the Moray’s Mai Tai,
a quintessential beach beverage made with
Captain Morgan white rum, apricot brandy,
orange and pineapple juices, grenadine and
a float of Myers’s dark rum. Shareable food
is also available with options from the cold
bar such as sesame white sea bass ceviche and
king crab legs with lemon-ginger mayo. Hot
options like flatbread pizzas are also offered.
Just a short jaunt from Mission Bay, the
Pacific Beach Shore Club provides pan-
oramic views of the ocean from any seat in
the house. Known for capturing the iconic
surf culture of San Diego, the destination is
a casual spot where drinkers can find respite
from the sun by trying a cocktail like Cool
as a Cucumber, made with vodka, melon
liqueur, agave mix, mint, cucumber and soda,
or Mango Tango, which combines Malibu
Mango and Malibu Pineapple rum, agave
mix, grapefruit soda and bitters. The bar also
offers traditional Mexican fare for breakfast,
lunch and dinner as well as late-night plates
including nachos, tacos and chicken wings.
CITY SIPS
Beachside may feel like the right side in San
Diego, but the buzzing downtown also plays
host to diverse drinking locales with ample
views, ambience and libations.
One of the city’s most famous and estab-
lished spots to grab a drink and see the
skyline’s sparkling lights meeting the vast
blue of the bay is Mister A’s. Situated on the
12th floor of the Fifth & Laurel building in
the Bankers Hill neighborhood, the location
boasts an outdoor patio that catches refreshing
breezes. The bar’s upscale atmosphere offers
an elegant retreat among San Diego’s mostly
laid-back culture. While it’s hard to go wrong
with a classic Manhattan or Old-Fashioned,
the cocktail menu also sports more adven-
turous drinks like The Herbivore, made with
barrel-aged gin, house-made hibiscus-lemon-
grass tonic, artichoke liqueur and rosemary. To
get a lay of the land while sipping on a craft
cocktail, Mister A’s is tough to beat.
In the neighboring district of Little Italy
sits a bar that mixes modern design with a
classically cool feel and a dash of historic
homage. Named after William Kettner, a
well-liked Democratic Congressman who
represented San Diego in the early 1900s,
Kettner Exchange serves American cuisine
and handcrafted cocktails. On the patio,
patrons can settle in at a booth, table or large
cabana, for those wanting a more private
experience. The space is ideal for lounging
in the sun while indulging in a glass of vino,
craft brew or cocktail such as the Quicker
Fix, prepared with white rum, St-Germain,
grapefruit, lime and Peychaud’s Bitters.
Farther south, next to San Diego’s lively
Gaslamp Quarter, the East Village district
plays host to a hidden gem of the city.
Fairweather is an outdoor rooftop bar that
allows drinkers access to a home run view—
Petco Park is easily visible from the stylish
lounge. Perched above Park at the Park (a
large lawn just outside of the ballpark, per-
fect for watching the Padres from afar on
game day), Fairweather offers classic tropical
cocktails like mai tais, pina coladas, mojitos
and more. But the menu also features the
lounge’s signature selection of delightful
drinks like the Monkey’s Junk, which mixes
coconut, bananas and cacao-infused rum. For
those who crave a bite with their tasty bev-
erage, sandwiches can be ordered from Rare
Form, the restaurant and delicatessen located
below the bar. With myriad handcrafted
cocktails and San Diego sunshine to spare,
Fairweather hits it out of the park. n
Fairweather rooftop bar serves up views of Petco Park along with the cocktails.
17