Juniper and Ivy

The story

Juniper and Ivy, San Diego | Californian Cooking on Kettner Blvd.

Juniper and Ivy serves Californian cooking at 2228 Kettner Blvd. in San Diego, and the Michelin Guide listed it as Recommended in 2026. The kitchen is led by Executive Chef Alex Penkin.

The Kitchen and Its Daily Menu

Penkin has been part of the team from the start and cooks alongside Chef de Cuisine Khine Moore. The menu changes with whatever local farmers and fishermen bring in each morning. Unfamiliar ingredients tend to arrive in nostalgic, comforting forms, while familiar ones get a fresh technique.

Dishes to Share

Plates are built for passing around the table. A recent Christmas Eve menu listed Hokkaido scallop with black garlic chili crisp and miso beurre blanc, and foraged mushroom agnolotti with chanterelle and rosemary brown butter. That kind of pairing shows how the Californian kitchen mixes local produce with wider flavors.

The Warehouse and the Wine List

Owner Michael Rosen opened the restaurant in 2014, in an abandoned warehouse on the northern edge of Little Italy. Today it has a big open kitchen, a chef's counter, a spacious bar and a covered patio. The wine list earned a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2025, and the sommeliers are on hand to pair it with the menu.