Zuma launched in London in 2002 and has since expanded to select destinations around the world. That includes Hong Kong, Dubai, and Madrid as well as New York and Miami. In August, the brand opened its sixth restaurant in the United States, and its first in California, with its debut in downtown San Diego.
Zuma San Diego measures 12,000 square feet and seats around 220 guests. It features indoor and outdoor dining space, with a garden terrace, a wraparound bar, and a dedicated DJ booth.
Zuma restaurants are strategically located in cities where guests visit as much for the atmosphere as the food. San Diego was chosen for its coastal energy and cosmopolitan sensibilities, and because it has a high concentration of trend-seeking residents as well as visitors from around the world.
“That balance aligns perfectly with Zuma’s approach of creating restaurants whose priority is to become part of the local community while also serving as destinations for international travelers,” Nick Fielding, senior vice president of Azumi Restaurant Group, said.
The restaurant incorporates some local California elements into the design. | Zuma
“We felt San Diego represented an exciting opportunity,” he said. “The city has continued to evolve as a culinary destination, and we believe there is room for a globally recognized contemporary Japanese concept that delivers not only outstanding cuisine but also a vibrant atmosphere and memorable hospitality.”
The Zuma menu is about 85% consistent across the globe, with a sushi counter, a robata grill, and signature izakaya dishes. But the San Diego location features some distinct local design flair. It’s inspired by the Baja California landscape and California’s flora and fauna, with large-scale stone elements, natural textures, and custom details like timber screens that nod to Balboa Park.
Zuma’s menu includes robata items like pork belly with yuzu mustard miso, chicken with spring onion, and jumbo tiger prawn with yuzu pepper. There’s a wide assortment of nigiri, sashimi, and sushi rolls, and other dishes like a 32-ounce wagyu tomahawk steak, miso-marinated black cod wrapped in hoba leaf, and a rice hot pot with wild mushrooms, vegetables, and truffle.
Signature dishes include miso-marinated black cod. | Rusne Draz
The bar features more than 40 varieties of sakes, plus Japanese whiskies and other spirits. Signature cocktails include the Burning History (Japanese whisky, scotch, yuzu, honey, ginger, and egg white), which is smoked over a barrel stave, and a paloma made with tequila, clarified yuzu-hibiscus cordial, grapefruit Himalayan salt solution, and soda water.
Zuma is continuing to expand and will debut new restaurants in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and the Caribbean island of Saint-Barth before the end of the year.
Zuma also operates a series of seasonal and pop-up venues in hotspot destinations, including Bodrum, Turkey; Phuket, Thailand; and Mykonos, Greece.
And after nearly 25 years of serving contemporary Japanese food, Zuma will soon make its debut in Japan.
The company just announced a new pop-up in Niseko that will open December 1. It’s in the heart of Hirafu ski resort, just minutes from the slopes. It’s meant to transition from an energetic après-ski hangout into a high-end dinner experience, with room for 141 guests and private dining space.
