History

Old California Restaurant Row has served San Marcos and surrounding County of San Diego residents since 1978. Born from San Marcos’ prime central location in North County, the impetus to create a unique and diverse dining destination was conceptualized and developed by Jim and Vera Eubank and family. What started as a fruit stand featuring produce from surrounding farms, evolved into the Old California Restaurant Row which once hosted a movie theatre, market shops and a diverse outdoor food court where chain and local restaurants alike thrived.

Jim took inspiration from California history, even bringing in river rock from the Pala Indian Reservation and salvaging 100-year-old lumber and timber beams from vintage buildings. Old California Restaurant Row’s architecture follows a mission style and pays homage to California’s historic ranchos. Its external materials include aged stucco, clay tile roof, brick, stone, and handmade tiles purchased in Mexico by Jim himself.

Preserving Old California Restaurant Row history

Elements from The Old California Restaurant Row will be preserved and incorporated into the Project design to create an old meets new aesthetic that celebrates the history of the site.

Our goal is to use materials that reference featured elements on former Old California Restaurant Row buildings. The architecture and landscaping palette will take inspiration from the former design elements.

The color scheme draws from the cream stucco, tan and brown adobe brick, gray stone, and wooden beam accents of the Old California Restaurant Row. It then takes these motifs and pairs them with cool and muted grays of various shades to give the Specific Plan area a fresh modern perspective.

Want to share your story?

We would love to know your history at Restaurant Row. If you are interested in submitting a short story or video recording about your time spent at San Marcos Restaurant Row, please email us at outreach@smrestaurantrow.com.