Chris Miller's bank building on El Tordo had a corner conference room that rarely got used. This summer it became Rancho Sandwich and Creamery, a counter under the clock tower selling breakfast burritos, Boar's Head sandwiches on O'Brien's bread and soft-serve. Miller had never worked in the food business. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that permits alone took a year and involved six county and state agencies, plus a new plumbing system. By the end of the soft opening, Miller said more than 100 people a day were coming in, with no advertising beyond a sign and a bunch of balloons.
That shop is one of several casual, everyday places that opened in the village over the past year. Their timing turns out to matter. Nick & G's, the village's best-known dining room, closed in mid-October for a full redesign and plans to reopen in November. Until then, the newer places are the ones covering a full day in the village, from an 8 a.m. bagel to a midnight close on Saturday.
The Clock Tower Corner Now Serves Breakfast
Rancho Sandwich and Creamery sits at 6110 El Tordo, at the corner of El Tordo and La Granada. The Union-Tribune described it as a "much-needed grab-and-go breakfast and lunch option," and the menu fits that description. Breakfast brings avocado toast, a breakfast burrito, muffins and bagels. Lunch is sandwiches and wraps sealed with an "RSC" sticker, and several are named for Miller's daughters, among them Anne Marie's Vegetarian, Chloe's Chicken Chipotle and AK's Special with pastrami and provolone.
The room has a tile floor and murals by Carmel Valley's Hanna's Murals, including one that reads "Ice cream fixes everything." Hours are Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"We wanted it to feel like Rancho… fresh but traditional."
Miller gave that line to the Union-Tribune when describing the build-out. Friends and family helped finish the space using materials left over from building the family's home on Via de Fortuna.
The corner is set to get busier. Across the street, the new Rancho Santa Fe Pharmacy building at 6105 El Tordo was under construction as of June 2026.
One Address on Paseo Delicias Now Covers Most of the Day
A block away, 6024 Paseo Delicias has changed more than any other single address in the village. Jennifer Fields took over the former Rancho Santa Fe Bistro space on November 1, 2025, and opened Paseo there that month. The Union-Tribune's profile of the new restaurant gives the address as Suite C. Paseo calls itself a California bistro, and its menu runs from Brandt beef to sushi, fresh pasta, seafood and seasonal dishes.
Fields then opened Paseo Pizza and Gelato next door in Unit D, with a grand-opening weekend on September 25 and 26. It offers 18 signature pies plus build-your-own. The namesake Paseo pie is topped with Grande mozzarella, imported burrata, crispy prosciutto, arugula and a balsamic drizzle. Gelato flavors rotate, and the shop makes its own craft beer.
Hours at the address:
- Paseo: opens at 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday and is closed Sunday. The dining room stays open until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. The kitchen closes at 9 p.m. on weeknights and 9:45 p.m. on weekends.
- Paseo Pizza and Gelato: open seven days a week, noon to 9 p.m., with online ordering at paseopizzarsf.com.
- Make Me Up RSF: a beauty bar in Suite I of the same building, which opened softly in August and held its grand opening on August 27.
Paseo's weekend hours give the village a midnight close on Fridays and Saturdays. Paseo Pizza and Gelato is open on Sundays, when the bistro next door is closed.
Why This Fall Leans on the Newer Places
Nick & G's occupies one of the village's landmark buildings, a 1920s Lilian Rice design at the corner of Paseo Delicias and La Granada that was originally the home of the Millar family, one of Rancho Santa Fe's earliest. The Union-Tribune's account traces the building's restaurant history. It was Delicias for 24 years, then briefly Ponsaty's, before Sandra DiCicco-Bonar of the Grand Restaurant Group opened Nick & G's in 2017 and named it for her children, Nicolas and Gianina.
The restaurant closed in mid-October, on the eve of its 10-year anniversary, and plans to reopen in November. Chef and partner Alex Carballo is leading the redesign, which he developed with Rachael Lorraine Harris and Michael Soriano. The new room takes its cue from the Amalfi Coast, with yellows, oranges and blues. A large olive tree will stand at the center of the dining room, surrounded by new custom banquettes. A new wine cellar will open a view through to a lighter bar and lounge, and diners will be able to see into the kitchen. The plans also add private event and patio spaces. The menu shifts to California-Italian, with handmade pastas, pizzas and seasonal shared plates.
"You should feel like you're taken away someplace else," Carballo told the Union-Tribune. Gianina Pickens, the "G" in the name and chief operating officer of Grand Restaurant Group, described the update as a way to "honor what our guests have always loved" while starting a new chapter.
The newcomers cover the weeks in between. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, the clock tower corner handles breakfast and lunch. From late morning on, the bistro serves a sit-down meal, and Paseo Pizza and Gelato covers family dinners all week, Sunday included. On Fridays and Saturdays, Paseo stays open until midnight. A year ago, before Paseo took over the bistro space and before the sandwich counter or pizza shop opened, none of these places existed.
Down San Dieguito Road, a French Room Takes Over
The other new address this fall is outside the village core. Parc RSF set October 13 as its opening date at Del Rayo Village, 16081 San Dieguito Road, Suite G1A. The space housed Dolce Pano e Vino for 15 years, and the Union-Tribune reported that Minassian took it over on July 1, 2025.
The owner is Garo Minassian, who trained in Florence and is a sommelier. He spent 25 years as owner of Scalini's in Del Mar and Harry's Bar in La Jolla, then opened Parc Bistro. Parc RSF is Parc Bistro's sister restaurant, with Executive Chef Benjamin Navarro. The menu pairs classic French dishes with modern versions, and the restaurant says it sources ingredients as locally as possible.
The Paseo Delicias openings fill everyday hours, and Parc RSF is built for a longer evening out. Its own site describes it as a place for "elegant evenings, celebratory late nights, and memorable meals." With Nick & G's closed for now, it is the newest option nearby for a dressier dinner.
On the Community Calendar
Two community events are coming up as the season turns:
- Harvest Festival, Saturday, October 31: According to the Union-Tribune's October events roundup, Horizon Church hosts its annual festival from 5 to 9 p.m. at 6365 El Apajo.
- The Rancho Santa Fe Stroll, December: The Union-Tribune reported that last year's Stroll ran from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 4, with caroling through the village and a 5 p.m. tree lighting at The Inn.
On the night of the Harvest Festival, a Saturday, Paseo Pizza and Gelato is open until 9 and Paseo's dining room until midnight, both a short drive from El Apajo.
If a new storefront on Paseo Delicias or El Tordo has you thinking about what the village's next chapter means for your own property, Pete Middleton and the Middleton Team follow these blocks closely. We're glad to talk through how these changes around the village relate to your home.
