#361 This week on Happy Half Hour, we’re diving fork-first into the 87-year legacy of San Diego’s beloved Chicken Pie Shop. Owners Bob and Lisa Townsend join us to dish on how they’ve kept the comfort food institution alive—whole chickens and turkeys, scratch-made everything, and fried chicken so good it took six months to perfect. They share tales of Pi Day chaos during COVID, balancing tradition with modern tweaks, and their recent move to acquire San Diego Brewing Company. Plus, we talk local faves like chili Colorado at Cantina Mayahuel and New York slices at A Brooklyn Pizzeria. To follow Chicken Pie Shop click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

This week on Happy Half Hour, Troy and Jackie sit down with Shane Hardin, the third-generation co-owner of Hodad’s, Ocean Beach’s iconic, nationally famous burger spot. From the early days when his grandparents ran a small beachside stand to national fame on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, Hodad’s has been a constant in San Diego’s food scene for over 55 years. Shane reflects on his family’s legacy, his beloved father’s larger-than-life personality, and the challenges of inheriting a beloved institution at just 23 years old and maintaining its authenticity despite massive success. We chat about the company's commitment to hiring locals who need a second chance and its expansion into craft beer with Hodad’s Brewing Company. We also talk news: North Park gets two new concepts from Sisters Pizza, Seaport Village welcomes Broady’s House of Flavors, and Kinme Omakase in Banker’s Hill lands Yelp’s #4 spot nationwide. To follow Hodad's click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

This week’s Happy Half Hour is a tale of food, community, and grit. Drew Vick, co-owner of Monarch Del Mar, takes us through his incredible journey of opening one of North County’s most transformative restaurants in the middle of the pandemic—complete with personal tragedy, a 75-year-old arm-wrestling for a half-million-dollar investment, and bringing a once-doomed Del Mar rooftop to life. We also cover Canelo Alvarez’s U.S. taco debut with El Pastor Del Rica in Chula Vista, the triumphant reopening of Convoy dim sum legend China Max post-fire, and San Diego’s holiday dining scene—from igloos at Lake San Marcos to Brad Wise’s festive lunches at Fort Oak. To follow Monarch click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

Thompson Heritage Ranch isn’t just a farm; rancher Tyrell Thompson runs a cattle farm that’s an evolution in how we think about meat. Nestled in Ramona, this regenerative ranch is the brainchild of Thompson, a Midwestern transplant with a passion for sustainable, humane livestock practices. With organic, GMO-free feed and a focus on biodiversity, Thompson’s pork and newly added Piedmontese beef have become the darlings of top San Diego kitchens like Cellar Hand and Herb & Sea. It's not just about taste—though the flavor is unmatched—it’s about creating a future where what we eat is better for us and the planet, too. To follow Thompson Heritage Ranch click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

Chef Marcos Seville, the chef at the helm of the revamped Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina and its signature restaurant Rumorosa, joined The Happy Half Hour podcast to talk Thanksgiving, culinary tips, Baja-inspired cuisine and restaurant’s November-long Friendsgiving menu that supports the Berry Good Food Foundation. To follow the Sheraton SD Hotel & Marina click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#356 This week on Happy Half Hour, Randy Smerik, co-founder of Solare Ristorante, shares how he walked away from the high-stakes world of tech and big data to run one of San Diego’s best Italian spots with his two sons. Randy dishes on the trials of building a restaurant in Liberty Station—back when it was just a collection of chain stores—and how Solare has since become a Michelin-recognized favorite, known for its 3,500-bottle Italian wine cellar, top-tier service, and Executive Chef Denise Grande’s regionally inspired cuisine. To follow Solare click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

In this episode, Happy Half Hour sits down with Jon Sloan, Culinary Director of San Diego's renowned Juniper & Ivy, and its beloved offshoot, The Crack Shack. As Juniper & Ivy celebrates its 10th anniversary, Sloan shares the journey from building out a Little Italy warehouse to becoming a cornerstone of San Diego’s dining scene and his unwavering commitment to sustainability, hyper-local sourcing, and culinary “morals.” From building a passionate team to launching The Crack Shack and bringing in a new executive chef for the next era, Sloan reveals the evolving vision that continues to make Juniper & Ivy a must-visit. To follow Juniper & Ivy click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#354 San Diego is the city tuna built, and two local experts—photographer Chris Rov Costa and coastal specialist Theresa Talley—are shining a light on its storied fishing past and sustainable future in their new book, San Diego Seafood: Then and Now. The book, still in its IndieGoGo phase of life after being fully produced, captures San Diego’s transformation from its days as the “tuna capital of the world” to its current role as a hub for sustainable fishing practices. Chris and Theresa blend personal stories, historical insights, and forward-thinking solutions into a rich exploration of the region’s seafood culture and they’re our guests on today’s episode of Happy Half Hour. To follow Chris Rov Costa click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#353 If you’ve ever been to a San Diego event, chances are you’ve run into Corbin O’Reilly, the bearded dynamo behind Tap Truck. Rocking his signature work onesie, Corbin brings serious vibes to every scene he graces—whether he's pouring craft brews from his retrofitted truck or dancing in the corner with effortless cool. Corbin is the guy you want at your party, and he's built an empire around that energy. As co-founder of Tap Truck (and also Corbin’s Q in Rolando), he’s grown from a single converted vehicle into a fleet of more than 60 U.S. trucks and overseas, serving beers at weddings, festivals, and everything in between. To follow Tap Truck click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#352 Dang Brother Pizza isn’t just a food truck—it’s a spectacle with pizzaiolos slinging top-tier pies from vintage fire trucks. Over a decade ago, San Diegan Kevin Spenla stumbled upon a vintage fire truck on eBay, built it into a pizza oven with zero experience, and launched the business at a bike race, feeding 20,000 cyclists in his first week. Now with a fleet of fire truck pizza ovens and the wild Pizza Camp experience (complete with a rooftop beer garden), Dang Brother combines the thrill of novelty with legitimately good pizza, proving that great food and a memorable vibe make a winning combo for this veteran-owned business. To follow Dang Brother Pizza click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine

#351 This week on Happy Half Hour, we return to a past conversation with special guest, Chef Travis Swikard. Travis opened one of the city’s most anticipated restaurants, Callie, in the East Village. After working in New York City with acclaimed French chef Daniel Boulud for over a decade, Swikard set out to get back to local, fresh ingredients and a place to raise his two kids. To follow Travis Swikard click HERE. To follow Callie click HERE. Discover more at San Diego Magazine