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With beautiful year-round weather, a stunning coastline, the largest wooden pier on the west coast, a quaint New England-style harbor and world-class surf, Oceanside certainly has a lot to offer. In addition to the city’s vibrant history and iconic landmarks, O’side continues to innovate and welcome new and exciting businesses and experiences throughout its diverse neighborhoods. With the addition of new dining options, lodging accommodations and family-friendly activities, you’re not going to want to miss out on all that Oceanside has to offer! Inside the historic Brick Hotel, Q&A Restaurant and Oyster Bar is bringing NOLA vibes to Oceanside. Named after executive chef Quinnton Austin, they serve chargrilled oysters and other New Orleans eats.

A few blocks from the beach is a beauty of a boutique hotel called The Brick Hotel, built on the bones of an 1888 hardware store and showcasing the lovingly restored brick facade after which it’s named. Enjoy a cocktail at Frankie’s Cocktail Lounge, or visit the Stone Brewing Tap Room for some of San Diego’s favorite brews. Additional options for food and beverages are expected to open soon, including executive chef Quinnton Austin’s namesake Q&A Restaurant & Oyster Bar, serving chargrilled oysters and other NOLA-inspired eats (and eventually, a separate menu of food offerings to both Frankies and Stone Tap Room).

As we head into warmer weather, things are heating up in the San Diego restaurant scene. 2022 has already brought a flurry of new arrivals, offering everything from fancy Chinese hot pot to old school steaks, modern Vietnamese cuisine, and Korean fried chicken, but this upcoming spring and summer promises to bring even more high-profile projects to fruition. With all the uncertainty that still surrounds the restaurant industry, these debut dates are a moving target, but for now, here’s a selection of truly exciting new openings to look forward to in San Diego.

After recently unfurling CocoCabana, a tropical cocktail bar, across the rooftop of the Brick Hotel, Grind & Prosper Hospitality (CocoMaya, Miss B’s Coconut Club) has opened another dining establishment on the ground floor of the building, adjacent to the hotel’s lobby. Named after culinary director Quinnton “Q” Austin, the new Q&A Restaurant and Oyster Bar is a North County extension of Louisiana Purchase in North Park, where Austin, who trained at the Culinary Institute of New Orleans and spent 15 years cooking in Louisiana, first shared his perspective on Southern cuisine.

Culinary director Quinnton Austin’s namesake Q&A Restaurant & Oyster Bar, an outpost of his wildly popular North Park restaurant, Louisiana Purchase, opened this summer in the recently renovated Brick Hotel. Arguably the most extensive oyster menu in San Diego County, you’ll find Gulf Coast oysters from the Louisiana coast, East Coast varieties from the Virginia coast and West Coast selections from Sequim Bay in northwestern Washington.

Q&A is the namesake restaurant of Chef Quinnton “Q” Austin, culinary director of Grind and Prosper Hospitality Group, which is known for its unique concepts such as Park 101 in Carlsbad and Coco Maya in San Diego. Chef Austin trained at the Culinary Institute of New Orleans and spent 15 years cooking in Louisiana, so this new concept showcases his experience and love for this cuisine.

The Brick has two mouthwatering options for dining but you'll want to pace yourself. On the ground floor, there is the Q&A Restaurant and Oyster Bar, a classic New Orleans restaurant where reservations are recommended.

I should also note that Q&A is part of the Brick Hotel, Frankie’s Oceanside cocktail bar and CocoCabana, a rooftop tropical cocktail bar, all from Grind & Prosper Hospitality. Q&A is derived from culinary director Quinnton “Q” Austin and is the North County extension of the Louisiana Purchase in North Park.

His restaurants, Louisiana Purchase in North Park and Q&A Restaurant and Oyster Bar in Oceanside, take diners on culinary trips to New Orleans and the creole and cajun food Austin grew up with.

But the Q&A bar below is where I start things off — by trying an oyster for the very first time. Bar Manager Tony Prosper welcomes me inside and suggests the drink Diamonds & Pearls, calling it their twist on a New Orleans classic cocktail known as the Ramos Gin Fizz.

So we’ve conjured up five reasons to check out the new Q&A Restaurant and Oyster Bar, which is situated in Oceanside’s boutique Brick Hotel! This buzzy ground-floor hot spot will transport you right to the heart of the French Quarter with Creole cuisine and a charming antique ambiance.