Grilled Grapefruit
Pamplemousse Grille is a privately owned fine dining restaurant and full-service catering operation in Solana Beach, California, serving affluent diners, corporate clients, and wedding celebrants in San Diego County with French-inspired cuisine curated by Chef/Owner Jeffrey Strauss since 1996.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersSolana Beach, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Grilled Grapefruit does
Pamplemousse Grille is a privately held, founder-owned fine dining restaurant established in 1996 by Executive Chef/Owner Jeffrey Strauss, operating from a single location at 514 Via De La Valle #100 in Solana Beach, California. The restaurant serves an upscale clientele through on-site dining (Tuesday-Sunday evenings, Monday closed), private dining rooms (the Wine/Conference Room for up to 12 guests and the Cow Palace for up to 45 guests), and a full-service catering operation covering San Diego County for groups of 10 to 1,000 guests. The core menu features French-inspired American cuisine with premium proteins (Japanese A5 Wagyu, prime steaks, Strauss veal chop, Berkshire pork) priced from $31 to $220 per entrée, supported by an extensive 1,500+ bottle wine program utilizing Coravin preservation technology for by-the-glass service of high-end labels.
The business generates revenue across four streams: on-site fine dining (à la carte menu and specialty cocktails), private dining room rentals with custom menus, off-site catering for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations, and retail sales of Coravin wine preservation systems ($299 per unit) and Le Petit Mousse artisanal chocolate caramels. The catering operation extends to full event design including AV/lighting, décor, floral, valet, photography, and concierge services, with established venue partnerships at premier San Diego locations including Birch Aquarium, Scripps Forum, Del Mar Powerhouse, and Rancho Santa Fe Garden Club. Distribution is principally direct-to-consumer via the Resy reservation platform, phone bookings, and a to-go ordering channel; the business also maintains a low-key digital presence with email newsletter and social media for customer retention.
The competitive positioning is anchored in Chef Strauss's personal brand and culinary reputation, built over a 25+ year career that included serving U.S. presidents, foreign royalty, and entertainment industry elite during his prior tenure at Glorious Food in New York. The restaurant has been recognized as Zagat #1 in San Diego for three consecutive years and has received multiple San Diego Magazine awards. The customer base spans affluent individual diners, corporate clients (Disney Studios, Tiffany & Co., 20th Century Fox, Neiman Marcus, Hermes, Gucci, Amblin Entertainment), and wedding/life-event celebrants. The operation employs 11-50 staff and operates without institutional investors, private equity backing, or parent company structure.
Grilled Grapefruit firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Grilled Grapefruit
- Legal name
- Pamplemousse Grille
- Website
- https://pgrille.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pamplemousse Grille is a privately owned fine dining restaurant and full-service catering operation in Solana Beach, California, serving affluent diners, corporate clients, and wedding celebrants in San Diego County with French-inspired cuisine curated by Chef/Owner Jeffrey Strauss since 1996.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Grilled Grapefruit industry classification
Industry- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320), Caterers (72232), Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Food Services and Drinking Places (722)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fine Dining Restaurants (THAFACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants (THAFACAK), Chef’s Table & Tasting Menu Restaurants (THAFACAG)
Keywords
Where Grilled Grapefruit is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Solana Beach
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Grilled Grapefruit business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- On-Site Fine Dining: Full-service restaurant dining featuring upscale American cuisine with French influences. Revenue from menu-priced entrees ranging from $31-$220, extensive wine program with 1,500+ bottle collection, and specialty cocktails.
- Catering Services: Off-site and on-site event catering for weddings, corporate events, and private dining. Catering for 10-1,000 guests with full event design capabilities including AV/lighting, décor, floral, valet, photography, and concierge services.
- Retail Products: Retail sales of Coravin wine preservation systems ($299), argon gas canisters, and Le Petit Mousse artisanal chocolate caramels. On-site retail and online sales for wine accessories.
- Private Dining: Revenue from private dining room rentals (Wine/Conference Room up to 12 guests, Cow Palace up to 45 guests) with customized menus and wine pairings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Happy Hour Menu (Tuesday-Friday 4:30-6 PM) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dinner Menu - Starters |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dinner Menu - Entrees |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Grille Selections - Premium Cuts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Desserts |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Corkage and Service Fees |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Coravin Wine System |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Specialty Cocktails |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Grilled Grapefruit product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pamplemousse Grille operates an upscale fine dining restaurant in Solana Beach, California, offering French-inspired à la carte cuisine, an extensive 1,500+ bottle wine program, and specialty cocktails. Beyond on-site dining, the restaurant provides full-service catering for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations of 10–1,000 guests, complemented by private dining room rentals and retail sales of Coravin wine systems and Le Petit Mousse artisanal chocolates.
Product overview
Pamplemousse Grille operates as a single-location upscale fine dining restaurant (established 1996) in Solana Beach, California, offering French-inspired cuisine under Chef/Owner Jeffrey Strauss. The restaurant's portfolio includes the core fine dining experience featuring prix fixe and à la carte menus with premium items (Wagyu beef, lobster, caviar), complemented by five supporting products: Le Petit Mousse artisanal chocolates (standalone retail product), comprehensive catering services for weddings and corporate events serving up to 1,000 guests, private dining rooms for intimate gatherings, a Coravin-based wine-by-the-glass program, and specialty cocktail offerings. The restaurant maintains an extensive wine collection of approximately 1,500 bottles accumulated over 21 years.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Zagat Rated #1 Restaurant in San Diego for three consecutive years
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Grilled Grapefruit
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Grilled Grapefruit technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Grilled Grapefruit partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- The Birch Aquarium at ScrippsminorCommon local venue partner for off-site catering events. Pamplemousse Grille provides full catering services including food, event design, and coordination at this Scripps Institution of Oceanography venue.
- Scripps ForumminorPreferred venue partner for catering events. Scripps Forum provides event space while Pamplemousse Grille supplies restaurant-quality cuisine and full event services.
- San Diego Polo FieldsminorLocal venue partner for catering events. Pamplemousse Grille provides catering services for polo club events and gatherings.
- Rancho Santa Fe Garden ClubminorVenue partnership for events at this garden venue. Pamplemousse provides full catering with their associated trusted vendors.
- The New Children's MuseumminorVenue partner for museum events. Pamplemousse Grille supplies catering services for private events at this San Diego museum.
- Del Mar PowerhouseminorVenue partnership for events at this historic Del Mar venue. Pamplemousse provides event catering and vendor coordination.
- ResycoreResy is the primary reservation platform for Pamplemousse Grille. Customers book tables through Resy's platform which drives significant volume of reservations and customer acquisition.
- Le Petit Mousse ChocolatescorePamplemousse presents Le Petit Mousse artisanal chocolate caramels. These are sold at the restaurant and linked as a partner product (lpmchocolates.com). Pamplemousse promotes these as their chocolate offering.
- CoravincorePamplemousse Grille is a retail seller of Coravin wine preservation systems ($299) and argon gas canisters. The restaurant also uses Coravin to offer premium wines by the glass (e.g., Caymus Special Select 2010, Quilceda Creek 2007). The restaurant features Coravin technology as a differentiator.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Grilled Grapefruit competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Born & Raised: High-end steakhouse and lounge in San Diego's Little Italy featuring premium cuts and craft cocktails; overlaps with Pamplemousse on premium entree pricing, bar program, and special-occasion clientele.
- Stake Chophouse: Modern upscale steakhouse in San Diego offering premium cuts and an extensive wine program; comparable on price point, beverage depth, and high-end dining experience.
- The Marine Room: Iconic oceanfront fine dining restaurant in La Jolla, San Diego; comparable on upscale coastal positioning, prix fixe/seasonal menus, and special-occasion customer base in the same metro.
- Mister A's: Long-standing upscale fine dining restaurant in San Diego serving French-influenced American cuisine with panoramic views; comparable single-location, high-check, special-occasion positioning in the same metro.
- Cafe Japengo: Long-running upscale Asian-fusion fine dining restaurant in San Diego; comparable on chef-driven menu, premium pricing, and special-occasion positioning in the same market.
- Festivities Catering: Established San Diego catering operator serving weddings, corporate galas, and private events; overlaps with Pamplemousse on event scale, venue partnerships, and luxury clientele.
- Addison Restaurant: Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant in San Diego County offering a tasting-menu-driven experience with a celebrity chef at the helm; directly comparable on premium positioning, chef-led brand, and local luxury market.
- Coast Catering: San Diego-based full-service catering company specializing in weddings and corporate events; directly comparable on catering product offering and target event segments (weddings, corporate, private).
- Georges at the Cove: La Jolla institution with multiple dining tiers and a long operating history; comparable as an established single-owner-group fine dining operator serving affluent San Diego diners across multiple on-site experiences.
- Whisknladle: Chef-driven San Diego restaurant emphasizing seasonal, locally-sourced cuisine and an award-winning wine program; comparable on chef-led brand, premium positioning, and special-occasion dining.
Market position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Grilled Grapefruit social profiles
Digital presenceGrilled Grapefruit financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Grilled Grapefruit leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Grilled Grapefruit funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Grilled Grapefruit M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Grilled Grapefruit
What does Grilled Grapefruit do?
Pamplemousse Grille operates an upscale fine dining restaurant in Solana Beach, California, offering French-inspired à la carte cuisine, an extensive 1,500+ bottle wine program, and specialty cocktails. Beyond on-site dining, the restaurant provides full-service catering for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations of 10–1,000 guests, complemented by private dining room rentals and retail sales of Coravin wine systems and Le Petit Mousse artisanal chocolates.
Is Grilled Grapefruit a public or private company?
Grilled Grapefruit is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Grilled Grapefruit founded?
Grilled Grapefruit was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Grilled Grapefruit based?
Grilled Grapefruit is headquartered in Solana Beach, United States, in the North America region.
How does Grilled Grapefruit make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. On-Site Fine Dining is the primary driver. The others are catering Services, retail Products and private Dining.
Who are Grilled Grapefruit's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Born & Raised, Stake Chophouse, The Marine Room, Mister A's, Cafe Japengo, Festivities Catering, Addison Restaurant, Coast Catering, Georges at the Cove and Whisknladle.
Does Grilled Grapefruit have an API?
No public API is recorded for Grilled Grapefruit.
What industry is Grilled Grapefruit in?
Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAA, Fine Dining Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAFACAK, Special Occasion & Destination Restaurants. Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.