Sunset Happy Hour at The Glass Door

Remember when you were a kid and the best part of family dinner was playing with your food? Then you probably also remember being sent to your room and scolded that food is for eating, not playing.

That childhood memory is incredibly fresh for Brent Calley, but now the joke is on good old Mom – because playing with food is now his professional career. Chef Brent Calley’s favorite part of being in the kitchen is really interacting with cuisine and mixing and matching flavors to re-imagine classic dishes and create all new specialties. And the best part – he is no longer sent to his room, but rather granted control over The Porto Vista Hotel’s restaurant The Glass Door.

Roll your sleeves up and prepare to dive into a fall season full of new dining staples with Executive Chef Brent Calley. New at The Glass Door are reinvented Sunset Happy Hour and Dinner menus, complete with a sassy new lineup of irresistible cocktails and local craft beers.

The Glass Door truly is one of downtown’s best locations for happy hour in San Diego. Boasting an incredible view of Little Italy and the San Diego Harbor, your experience lights up as the sun goes down during Sunset Happy Hour at The Glass Door. As the sky is painted with vibrant blood orange and magenta shades, you’ll sink into a Ginger-Pear Smash cocktail, peruse the menu of foodie treats and instantly remember why you first fell head over heels with San Diego lifestyle. For more details and reservations please call 866.740.5270.

It’s Five ‘O Clock Somewhere! Last month we introduced you to The Glass Door’s sizzling hot new cocktail menu. But of course we don’t mind giving you a fresh reminder. The revamped cocktails feature premium ingredients, specialty spirits and freshly squeezed juices to create house crafted blends. Guests can enjoy fragrant and delicious libations including a sugar and spice Vanillapeno Margarito with Fortaleza Blanco, jalapeno, agave, and vanilla; a refreshing Blueberry Press with Absolut Berri-Acai, ginger and champagne; a sweet Blackberry Lick with blackberry, amaretto, mint and champagne; and bursting with complex flavors, the Ginger-Pear Smash mixed with Absolut Pears, berry, lemon and ginger is an absolute must-try.

Also new is a hyper-local menu of San Diego craft beers. Although a tap is coming soon, The Glass Door now offers bottle selections of local favorites, including Karl Strauss Endless Summer Light, Ballast Point Wahoo Wheat 22, Karl Strauss Red Trolley, Ballast Point Calico Amber, Ballast Point Yellowtail Pale Ale, and Karl Strauss Oktoberfest. If you’re more in the mood for wine, you’ll be pleased to know that no bottle on the extensive list exceeds $50. During Sunset Happy Hour The Glass Door offers $4 San Diego local brews, $5 cocktails, $5 select glasses of wine.

Perfect Epicurean Pairings: Sunset Happy Hour food menu features a vast variety of imaginative culinary dishes that are perfect for a light bite after work with friends. Some of my favorites include the French Dippers – Chef Calley’s take on sliders – with hanger steak, bleu cheese aioli, caramelized onions, baby arugula and au jus; Charcutare and Cheese Platter with brie, Humboldt fog, gorgonzola, parmesan, duck prosciutto, capicolla, Italian salami, sopressata and grilled baguette; Fried Baby Artichokes with creamy tarragon gremolata; Local Black Mussels with pernod, spinach, torpedo onions, shaved garlic and crème fraiche; and the to-die-for Bleu Cheese Tart – maytag with baby green salad and champagne vinaigrette. 

OK, I’ll Do One More! Many of the same small plates are featured on Chef Calley’s dinner menu, alongside new insta-favorites. A few notable entrees include Bacon Wrapped Lamb Loin with lentils, turnips, rutabagas, spinach and tomato; Crab Stuffed Scallops with saffron basmati rice, sautéed escarole and charred tomato vinaigrette; Chicken Two Ways with butternut squash gnocchi, fall harvest mushroom, roasted cipollinis and roasted chicken jus; and New York Steak with red wine demi glace, roasted vegetables and twice baked potato confit.

Still hungry? The Glass Door also recently introduced a new brunch menu! Get details here.

The name “The Glass Door” is truly representative of this scenic Little Italy restaurant and lounge. Located four floors up at the Porto Vista Hotel, The Glass Door offers a one of a kind view of San Diego's sparkling skyline and harbor. Whether enjoying Executive Chef Brent Calley’s cuisine within the glass doors or perched on the spacious outdoor deck, diners are bound to feel comfortable at this elegant establishment. Sunset Happy Hour at The Glass Door is a must-try! For more details and reservations please call 866.740.5270 or visit The Glass Door in Little Italy.