A New Diner Is Coming to Hillcrest
I was recently in Hillcrest grabbing ice cream at Handel's when I noticed something new going in across the street at The Hub Hillcrest: Josie's. I honestly didn't know anything about it at the time, but whenever I see a new restaurant getting ready to open in one of San Diego's neighborhoods, I'm always curious to find out what's coming. After doing a little research, Josie's sounds like it could be a pretty interesting addition to Hillcrest.
So, What Is Josie's?
Josie's is being described as a modern, all-day diner with Midwestern influences, and it's expected to open later this fall at 1270 Cleveland Avenue in The Hub Hillcrest. The concept comes from Jeff Fink and Matt Sieve, who are also behind Madi in Normal Heights and Sonny's in University Heights. Interestingly, this space was originally announced as a second location of Madi. Plans have since changed, and the team is bringing an entirely new concept to Hillcrest instead.
The Story Behind Josie's
This is probably the part that caught my attention the most. Josie's isn't just a random diner concept. It's inspired by Matt Sieve's upbringing in Minnesota and his family's long history in the restaurant business. The Sieve family has operated restaurants in Minnesota for generations. Travelers Inn in Alexandria eventually became a third-generation family restaurant, and Matt was one of five brothers who spent time working in the restaurant while growing up.
That family connection seems to be a big part of the inspiration behind Josie's. Recent reporting says Fink and Sieve want the restaurant to carry pieces of their families' legacies into the experience. I think that makes the concept a lot more interesting than simply opening another brunch spot.
What Will Be on the Menu?
This is where I'm going to wait and see. We know Josie's is planned as an all-day, Midwestern-inspired diner, but I haven't seen enough of the final menu yet to start telling you what you should order. And I'd rather be upfront about that than start guessing. Once the restaurant opens and the full menu is available, I'll come back and update this article with more details.
When Is Josie's Opening?
The current expectation is fall 2026, but I wouldn't circle a specific date on the calendar just yet. Recent reporting says the restaurant is expected later this fall. I'll update this page once an official opening date is announced.
Where Is Josie's?
Josie's · 1270 Cleveland Avenue · San Diego, CA 92103. It's located at The Hub Hillcrest, right in the middle of Hillcrest. And apparently the easiest way for me to discover new restaurants is to go get ice cream, because that's exactly how I found this one.
Will I Try It?
Definitely. I don't know enough about Josie's yet to tell you whether it's going to be great, but I like the story behind it and I'm curious to see what they do with the Midwestern diner concept. Once it opens, I'll stop in and give it a try. If it's worth recommending, I'll update this article with what I ordered and what I thought. For now, it's another new restaurant to keep an eye on in Hillcrest.
