Seaport Village celebrates over-the-water restaurant Shorebird opening

Better late than never for scratch restaurant Shorebird, which had a ribbon cutting to celebrate its delayed opening in Seaport Village.

Port of San Diego and Seaport Village officials joined Orange County-based Wild Thyme restaurant group founder Heinrich Stasiuk and director of culinary development Jay Bogsinske for the ceremony.

“I’ve been waiting for this very special moment to finally say, ‘Welcome to Shorebird,’” Stasiuk said.

Danielle Moore, chair at the port, also spoke. “Just as a shore bird returns to the places that sustain it, may we keep returning here to share meals, make memories and watch the tides change together,” she said.

Franchise first opened in 2020

This is the fourth location of Shorebird, which opened in Newport in 2020 and expanded to Sedona, Ariz., and Palm Desert. 

Beyond seafood and grilled meats, the restaurant is known for making everything from sauce to bread from scratch daily.

“Chef Jay can tell you there’s no cans. There’s no frozen product in this kitchen. I’ve seen him throw a can before, so we decided to just scratch the cans,” Stasiuk joked at Wednesday’s ribbon cutting.

The restaurant signed a 10-year lease with the Port of San Diego in 2021 with plans to open the following year. Stasiuk was drawn to the location of the former Pier Cafe, which served as the face of Seaport Village for decades.

He credited the port for working to get the project finished.

Moore acknowledged the perseverance and investment of Stasiuk’s team. She noted the project took coordination from the Coastal Commission, city of San Diego and San Diego County health agencies.

“We want this to be a thriving space, so our effort is to make sure that these businesses open very quickly. That way they can start earning money and we’ll see a percentage of that,” Moore said. “If there’s a delay, it’s usually something that’s beyond our control.”

Shorebird was expected to open in 2022 after $3 million in renovations. The delayed project went over budget, but Stasiuk remained committed to the indoor-outdoor restaurant, which seats 110.

“We’re looking to a long relationship, to be here for a long time at the Seaport Village,” Stasiuk said.

Some structural issues in the wooden building elevated above the water required additional construction, but the lagging permitting process was largely to blame for delays.

“Seaport Village is over 40 years old, and so the structures, they’re older. And when these new operators are coming in, and they’re taking down walls, they’re finding things that tend to delay the project,” said Alexa Paulus, a department manager in real estate at the port. “But it really comes down to permitting.

“That’s really a big reason why some of these projects take a lot longer to get done. But we do get them done, which is great. It just takes a little longer.”

Across from Shorebird, construction is still underway at Gladstones, the historic Malibu beachside restaurant, which signed a lease at the same time as Shorebird in 2021.

At Seaport’s other anchor location, sports bar Cork & Batter will take over space in the lighthouse later this year after a venture from Sam the Cooking Guy terminated its lease in 2022 before it could open.

Throughout the rest of the village, there have been several openings since the port took control in 2018.

Zytoun Gourmet Mediterranean, Raihan Cafe and miss match, a fashion boutique, are among recent entries.

Moore touted the increased gross revenue at Seaport Village from $45 million to $68 million since the port’s $11 million revitalization effort began. Plus, occupancy stands at 97% with 57 tenants.

“The village is alive with energy and activity,” Moore said.

The port’s more ambitious plans, including a mixed-use development from the 1HWY1 team, remain distant.

The only major things on the horizon for the village are the ships passing by, which can be seen with clarity from Shorebird’s patio and upstairs bar.