Despite Massive Acclaim, James Beard Award–Nominated Roma Norte Ends Its Run
When the Mexico City–inspired cocktail bar Roma Norte opened last July, it aimed to be a game-changer in San Diego’s drinks space. And for its time, it was, landing a semifinalist slot at the 2025 James Beard Awards for Best Bar and a spot as our critic’s pick for Best Bar, to boot. But Roma Norte director (and Puesto and Marisi’s vice president of bar and spirits) Beau du Bois is candid about reality: Awards and talent don’t always equal dollars.
For whatever reason—foot traffic or lack thereof, mercury retrograding, whatever—the last day for that Nitro Punch is August 30.
“It’s very heartbreaking,” du Bois admits. “We’ve been banging the drum for a year … but just in general, culturally, we couldn’t drum up the nightlife that any cocktail bar needs to be successful.”
Beau du Bois
The concept felt bold from the start: bringing ultra-high level tools and techniques behind the bar to create a space where every guest, regardless of expertise, could observe, learn, and enjoy dazzling cocktails like a Maduro Highball.
But Roma Norte wasn’t created in a void. Du Bois says Marisi helped launch the proof of concept and is now a technique-driven bar in its own right. Likewise, Puesto is one of the only multi-location restaurant groups offering a clarified margarita—something that few places have the equipment or expertise to pull off.
“That’s because of the learnings from Roma Norte,” he says.
That butterfly effect will be felt throughout San Diego’s bar scene, which now faces an abundance of very well-trained bartenders. Du Bois says in Roma Norte’s one year of operation, his team retained nearly the entire original staff. “I didn’t have a mentor in this industry,” he says. “It’s incredible to share this knowledge and approach to cocktail-making with people, so that they don’t have to fumble in the dark.”
He’s adamant that this is a permanent closure (“this isn’t ‘we’re moving’ or ‘we’ll be back,’” since Puesto is taking over the space for private dining and special events), but he adds that, in another location, perhaps at another time, Roma Norte could find the success it aimed for.
“The precision in which we’re making cocktails at Roma Norte is the most precision I’ve seen at a cocktail bar in the United States,” du Bois says.
Du Bois has no regrets—just some advice: “If you find something special in your city, go to it as often as you can.”
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