San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood has welcomed Born & Raised, an ornate new steakhouse concept housed in a former drug store and soda shop from the 1930s. Locally based designer Paul Basile of Basile Studio conceived the restaurant’s midcentury-meets-Art Deco theme.
More than a mile of dark green, powdercoated hot rolled steel tubing comprises the scrim wrapping the façade. Oversized brass, beveled glass windows, and warm neon light further punctuate the exterior, while an Art Deco-style entryway welcome guests. A futuristic walnut veneer showcases multidimensional curves and the top, black powdercoated brass paneling with diamond-shaped etching reveals the metal beneath.
Seating between 200 and 250 guests, the main 5,000-square-foot dining room is appointed with oversized, custom camel leather booths accented with imported Italian green marble-topped tables detailed with brass. Art Deco-style fluted glass sconces line the walls, while vintage globe pendant and antique sconces further illuminate the warm environment. Custom parquet flooring inlayed with terrazzo and brass spans the dining room, while the warm ceiling is comprised of walnut veneer sourced from a single tree grown in Northern California. The space also hosts a 40-square-foot dry aging room and a 45-seat cocktail bar also clad with green Italian marble.
Born & Raised is crowned with a 2,700-square-foot rooftop space accessible via a suspended steel staircase clad with vacuum-formed curved walnut veneer and solid walnut trimming. The midcentury-style garden atmosphere is appointed with black velvet booths detailed with plaid and cane wicker. The oversized bar, cut from Italian green marble, is designed with an inverted bullnose edge, mirrored ceilings, teak and holly paneling, and a flowering steel trellis. The lounge space features custom copper fireplaces and panoramic views of downtown San Diego.
