The Lilian Rice building at Paseo Delicias and La Granada dates to the 1920s. It was first the home of the Millar family, one of Rancho Santa Fe's earliest families. Later it held Delicias for 24 years and, briefly, Ponsaty's. Since 2017 it has been Nick & G's. According to the Rancho Santa Fe Review's report in the San Diego Union-Tribune, the restaurant plans to close in mid-October for a complete renovation and menu refresh and to reopen in November.
That leaves the Village's best-known dinner room dark during the fullest civic month on its calendar. The Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club is marking its 100th anniversary, and the Village Church congregation is marking its 70th. The Historical Society, the Library, and The Inn each have a dated event before Halloween. Almost all of that programming happens in the morning, the afternoon, or early evening. Two places that opened this year are also open now: a pizza and gelato room on Paseo Delicias and a breakfast-and-lunch counter on El Tordo. October in the Village fits around those hours.
What Nick & G's Plans to Return With
The Union-Tribune describes the project as a complete renovation of the dining room, bar, patio, and courtyard, along with a menu refresh. Chef and partner Alex Carballo, who was chef at The Crosby Club when it first opened, is leading it with Gianina Pickens, the "G" of the restaurant's name and chief operating officer of Grand Restaurant Group. Here is what the restaurant has described:
- The look: Amalfi Coast colors in shades of yellow, orange, and blue. A large olive tree will stand at the center of the dining room, surrounded by new custom banquettes and tables.
- The sightlines: Diners will be able to look through a new wine cellar to a lighter bar and lounge, and into the kitchen.
- The outdoor spaces: A planted patio under a new wave-shaped shade canopy. The back courtyard gets a garden treatment with water features.
- The menu: A smaller list of coastal Italian-American dishes built on handmade pasta, seafood, and local produce. Some current favorites will stay.
Carballo plans to use the closure for wine pairing, hiring, and service training. The November reopening is the restaurant's target, not a confirmed date. The restaurant says it will post updates at nickandgs.com.
The Village Has More Places to Eat Than It Did a Year Ago
In the same interview, Carballo listed the dining options in what he called the Village's revitalization. The list includes Paseo and the new Paseo Pizza & Gelato, the new Rancho Sandwich and Creamery, Mille Fleurs, Lilian's and the café at The Inn, Thyme in the Ranch, Caffe Positano, and Rancho Roasters. "I like the energy when there's more…it gives people a little more variety and a reason to go into Rancho Santa Fe, and we're in the heart of it," he told the Rancho Santa Fe Review.
Two of the newest places on that list will carry the most of October.
Paseo Pizza and Gelato is at 6024 Paseo Delicias, Unit D. Jennifer Fields owns it. She opened the neighboring Paseo last fall in the former Rancho Santa Fe Bistro space. Paseo Pizza held its grand opening Sept. 25 and 26. The menu has 18 signature pies plus build-your-own options, and the house pie is the Paseo, with Grande mozzarella, imported burrata, crispy prosciutto, and arugula. Gelato flavors rotate, and the restaurant brews its own craft beer. When it opened, the Union-Tribune reported hours of noon to 9 p.m., seven days a week.
Rancho Sandwich and Creamery is at 6110 El Tordo, at the corner of El Tordo and La Granada under the clock tower. Owner Chris Miller turned an underused conference room in the bank building he owns into the shop. The Rancho Santa Fe Review reported that permits from six county and state agencies took a year and required a new plumbing system. The shop serves breakfast, sandwiches, and soft serve. The top seller in its first weeks was the East County Native, turkey with provolone, bacon, and avocado on a French roll. A pineapple Dole Whip flavor was selling out every couple of days. The June report listed hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Those were opening-month hours, so they may have changed since.
Between them, the two cover 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on six days a week, and Paseo Pizza covers noon to 9 on Sundays. Those hours line up with when the month's events happen.
The October Calendar, by the Clock
Nearly every dated Village event this month starts before a typical dinner seating. The one evening event that runs past dinnertime serves its own food.
| Date | Event | Where | Start | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue., Oct. 13 | Garden Club centennial oak planting, then potluck | North Village Park, 17025 Avenida de Acacias; potluck at the Secret Garden | 3 p.m. | Open to all |
| Sat., Oct. 17 | Watercolor class with Margot Wallace | Rancho Santa Fe Library | 10:30 a.m. | Registration required |
| Sun., Oct. 18 | Village Church 70th-anniversary concert | 6225 Paseo Delicias | 4 p.m. | Free; free-will offering |
| Thu., Oct. 22 | Elizabeth St.John author event, Library Guild fundraiser | Rancho Santa Fe Library | 10:30 a.m. | $30, includes book |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Historical Society Fandango Street Party | La Flecha House, 6036 La Flecha | 5 p.m. | $35 members, $45 nonmembers, $20 ages 12 and under, $50 at the door |
| Thu., Oct. 29 | Inn After Dark, adults only | The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe | 6 p.m. | Complimentary entry |
The two anniversaries
The Garden Club is marking its 100th year by planting a California oak with the RSF Association at North Village Park, next to the Lilian Rice statue, between El Tordo and Linea Del Cielo. The Union-Tribune notes that everyone is invited. A potluck follows at the Secret Garden at about 3:45 p.m., and the club will provide drinks, plates, and cutlery. Dishes can be dropped at the Secret Garden between 2:30 and 2:45 p.m. on the way to the park. Rancho Sandwich and Creamery is a short walk from the park, and it was still within its reported hours when the drop-off window closed.
Five days later, the Village Church concert marks the congregation's 70th anniversary. The adult and children's choirs, the bell choir, and the contemporary band will all perform. The program includes newly commissioned music, earlier commissions by composers including Joseph Martin and Brandon Waddles, and anthems and hymns from the church's 70 years. Seating is open and no ticket is required. The concert starts at 4 p.m. and is down Paseo Delicias from Paseo Pizza, which on a Sunday is the one place among the new openings with reported evening hours.
The two evenings
The Fandango at La Flecha House includes a full taco bar, margaritas, wine and beer, and live music by Harmony Grove Band. The ticket price covers dinner. Advance tickets cost $10 to $15 less than the $50 door price, as the Union-Tribune's listing shows.
Inn After Dark is the month's one late-evening event. For one night, The Inn will theme its lobby, Bing's Bar, the Café, and the Vintage Rooms. Perry will play live music, and there will be a costume contest with getaway packages to Napa, Las Vegas, or Newport Beach as prizes. Cocktails are sold separately, including The Vampire's Kiss with Solento Reposado and El Silencio Mezcal. The Union-Tribune reports that The Inn suggests reserving dinner at Lilian's before the night ends. With Nick & G's expected to be closed by then, Lilian's and Mille Fleurs are the full-service dinner rooms still on Carballo's Village list.
Two Saturdays, Planned on Foot
Here are two Saturdays built from the calendar and the hours reported so far.
Saturday, Oct. 17
- Watercolor class at the Library, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at 17040 Avenida de Acacias. The class covers fall and Halloween scenes, and supplies are provided. Space is limited, so registration goes through the branch at 858-756-2512.
- Lunch at Rancho Sandwich and Creamery on El Tordo, which had Saturday hours in its June report.
- Gelato at Paseo Pizza later in the afternoon. It is open until 9 p.m. if the afternoon turns into dinner.
Saturday, Oct. 24
- A late lunch at Rancho Sandwich and Creamery before its reported 4 p.m. close.
- The Fandango at La Flecha House from 5 to 8 p.m., where dinner is the taco bar.
Into November
The anniversary calendar runs past October. The Rancho Santa Fe Art Guild's "Cityscape Scenes" exhibit is hanging at the Library, with a reception on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 5:30 p.m. that includes refreshments and music. The Garden Club's event calendar lists a members' Holiday Brunch at the Secret Garden on Thursday, Nov. 19. The speaker's program is "An Expert Arborist's Guide to Healthy Trees & Plants." The calendar also lists a members-only wreath-making workshop in December, without a date yet.
If the November target holds, Nick & G's will reopen during those weeks with its olive tree, a smaller menu, and a garden courtyard behind the Lilian Rice building. The restaurant has said it wants to keep hosting live music, special dinners, and community events after it reopens.
If you follow the Village closely and want to talk through which of these changes affect the blocks around Paseo Delicias, El Tordo, and Avenida de Acacias, Luxury Coast Group Barry Estates is happy to compare notes. Schedule a Private Consultation.
