Grab a towel and leave your baggage at the door. Recently opened Kimpton Alma San Diego welcomes its newest dining destination – Leave of Absence – in the heart of the historic Gaslamp Quarter.
Spearheaded by the acclaimed Los Angeles-based chef-restaurateur Jason Neroni, Leave of Absence is located on the pool deck of the hotel and features a menu of craveable finger foods straight out of their stone, wood-fired oven.
In addition to being a lively, poolside restaurant and hangout, Leave of Absence will also serve as a venue for live musical performances, DJ sets, workout classes, and more.
Leave of Absence Menu
Pulling inspiration from San Diego’s laid-back vibe, Leave of Absence is where hotel guests and locals will sit back, relax and put their out-of-office auto-reply on.
The delectable dishes are the perfect companion to a day by the pool and its surrounding cabanas.
Chef-curated flatbreads, as well as burgers, roasted vegetables, and other tasty delights, are served straight from the wood-fired oven.
Refreshing salads and share plates, like marinated olives and a mezze plate with a choice of dips, are ideal for snacking in the sun.
The inaugural menu includes highlights such as:
- Papas Bravas with paprika, garlic aioli and almond romesco
- Mezze Plate with various dips (hummus with smoked paprika oil, avocado dip with pistachios and dill oil, and Straus yogurt with pomegranate molasses), served with fresh flatbread
- 5oz Smash Brisket Burger with smoked cheddar, bread & butter pickles and special sauce served on a pretzel bun with chips
- Flatbread with squash blossoms, fennel sausage, mozzarella, fontina, and pickled chilies
- Chicken Shawarma Meatballs served with tzatziki, tomato and parsley on garlic bread
- Hanger Steak Shishlik with muhammara, turmeric pickles, mint yogurt, and flatbread
Additionally, Leave of Absence will offer a selection of baked egg dishes for brunch, inspired by Chef Jason’s travels around the world, including:
- Eggs baked with bayonne ham, gruyere and black truffle béchamel served with sourdough toast
- Freshly baked frittata filled with local, seasonal vegetables and local ricotta
Beverage Program
Leave of Absence’s cocktail menu takes guests on a journey far away from any and all responsibilities.
Pulling inspiration from tropical destinations from Baja California Sur to Jamaica and Brazil, the cocktails are playful, delicious, and a blend of complementary flavors.
The Raspado is a Jamaican-inspired slushy spiked with mezcal; in the Taiji cocktail, Japanese influences are showcased in the form of a sparkling yuzu gin and ginger shochu tea; take a sip of the Belo and be instantly transported to Rio while sipping the cocktail’s combination of cachaça, falernum, pineapple, and coconut.
The cocktail menu will rotate seasonally, but at its heart will always be a paradisiacal getaway from the working world.
Leave of Absence San Diego Events
Opening right in time to enjoy the warm weather, Leave of Absence has a stacked lineup of events prepared to keep both visitors and locals entertained all summer long, starting with Weekend Wellness Wake-Ups.
Attendees can enjoy workout classes like yoga, Pilates, and water aerobics taught by local instructors on the pool deck.
After they work up a sweat, guests can enjoy a delicious brunch and complimentary mimosa, while listening to live music and DJ sets.
Free to make it an all-day affair, guests can then grab a chaise and lounge by the pool to soak up every last bit of San Diego sun.
To celebrate the opening of Leave of Absence in true Kimpton style, a Kimpton Off the Record concert will be held on Thursday, May 4th at 8 PM, featuring the popular all-female band, The Aces.
The Leave of Absence pool deck will be transformed into a beautiful stage for the indie-pop quartet, with San Diego’s downtown skyline serving as background, while attendees enjoy fresh, wood-fired bites and craft cocktails.
The annual concert series is part of Kimpton’s commitment to “events for good” and all ticket proceeds will be donated to community non-profit partners, including National Urban League.
Tickets are $30 and available via EventBrite.
Leave of Absence is located at 1047 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, California 92101, on the rooftop pool deck of Kimpton Alma San Diego.
In addition to Leave of Absence, Chef Neroni is also behind two other dining venues within the hotel: The Café at Hotel Alma – an all-day casual cafe with a French patisserie meets carefree Cali vibe – and The Desmond – an upscale, refined restaurant with dishes that highlight the best of San Diego.
For more information, please visit www.stayalma.com/san-diego-restaurant/leave-of-absence.