Mister A's

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Six Decades Above San Diego

On May 17, 1965, businessman John Alessio opened the doors of Mister A's on the 12th floor of what is now the Manchester Financial Building in Bankers Hill. Gas was thirty-one cents a gallon, and Alessio's martinis were a dollar. Sixty years later, the restaurant is still there — dress code enforced, views undiminished — now celebrating a diamond anniversary that few San Diego institutions can match.

The story moved through several hands before arriving at its current chapter. In 1999, fine dining restaurateur Bertrand Hug, known for his Rancho Santa Fe staple Mille Fleurs, acquired the property, closed briefly for updates, and reopened it as Bertrand at Mister A's. Then in 2021, after more than two decades under Hug, ownership passed to Ryan Thorsen — a long-time employee who had worked his way from entry-level manager to director of operations over eleven years before becoming the owner. Thorsen's stewardship brought a careful renovation: the private Blue Room was restored to its original style, and the outdoor deck was reimagined with upscale lounge seating and an expanded bar program.

One detail from the early years has never changed: Alessio arranged to have Balboa Park's California Tower illuminated so his diners would have the most spectacular view in town. The tower has been lit every night since.

The Kitchen and the Cellar

Executive Chef Stephane Voitzwinkler leads a menu that moves confidently through classic American fine dining while drawing on local sourcing — J.R. Organics produce, Sage Hill garden greens and carrots, and Salt Spring Island mussels all appear across the lunch and bar menus. Dishes like Bluefin Tuna Crudo with sundried tomato gremolata and quail egg, Wagyu Beef Tartare with Yukon gold chips, and Georges Bank Scallops with morel mushroom and champagne butter reflect the kitchen's range. The bar menu adds its own pleasures: caviar tater tots, Octopus "Escargot Style" with garlic butter and house focaccia, and a Prime Beef French Dip that holds its own alongside the white-tablecloth options.

The wine program earned a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2023 — recognition that reflects the seriousness with which the cellar is maintained.

Atmosphere and Ritual

Mister A's runs on pleasurable routine. Keyboardist Edward Kornhauser plays most Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 5 to 8 pm; the City Lights Jazz Trio accompanies the Saturday Jazz Brunch. An aperitif menu is available Sunday through Thursday in the bar and lounge. A business casual dress code — collared shirts, no athleisure, no flip-flops — has been a house rule for nearly the entire sixty-year run, and the restaurant makes no apologies for it.

For a city that cycles through concepts quickly, Mister A's endures by doing the opposite of reinventing itself: it refines what it already is.