Golden light filters through the tall windows of the Grande Colonial La Jolla, where soft sea breezes hint that you’re just steps from the Pacific. Here, at NINE‑TEN Restaurant & Bar, elevated California cuisine meets coastal ease — the perfect merging of farm‑to‑table rigor and indulgent style.
Led by acclaimed Jason Knibb and pastry virtuoso Jose Alonzo III, NINE‑TEN has earned MICHELIN distinction for its clear, confident cuisine. Under Chef Knibb’s direction, seasonal ingredients take center stage — vegetable heirlooms, line‑caught fish, mushrooms plucked at peak. Pastry Chef Alonzo elevates dessert into design: shimmering citrus tartlets, airy chocolate vaults, edible petals that catch the candlelight just so.
The ambience is effortlessly stylish — banquettes of muted bone, terrazzo floors that reflect sunset tones, a bar where mixology plays out in crystal bottles and artisan ice. It’s a space that invites an “Insta‑just‑arrived” moment, and a lingering after‑dinner sip.
For a chic Southern California day‑trip or a weekend escape from Temecula, imagine this: a morning wine‑country drive, a stroll along La Jolla’s bluffs, then sunset dining in a room so beautiful it feels like the finale. The menu whispers “timeless” while the décor nods to now.
Begin with the sea‑urchin bisque or heirloom‑tomato salad, follow with the olive‑wood grilled halibut, and close with Alonzo’s signature pistachio dacquoise — paired with a crisp California sauvignon or a rich Rhône‑style red. Every dish is a snapshot, every moment an impression.
Because style isn’t only what you wear — it’s where you are, who you’re with, and how you choose to taste the world. At NINE‑TEN, you don’t just dine. You arrive in style.