Grilled Grapefruit

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.

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

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

• Fine dining restaurant
• Event catering services
• Private dining rooms
• Wedding catering
• Corporate catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Solana Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core 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

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Birch Aquarium at ScrippsminorOthersCommon 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 ForumminorOthersPreferred venue partner for catering events. Scripps Forum provides event space while Pamplemousse Grille supplies restaurant-quality cuisine and full event services.
• San Diego Polo FieldsminorOthersLocal venue partner for catering events. Pamplemousse Grille provides catering services for polo club events and gatherings.
• Rancho Santa Fe Garden ClubminorOthersVenue partnership for events at this garden venue. Pamplemousse provides full catering with their associated trusted vendors.
• The New Children's MuseumminorOthersVenue partner for museum events. Pamplemousse Grille supplies catering services for private events at this San Diego museum.
• Del Mar PowerhouseminorOthersVenue partnership for events at this historic Del Mar venue. Pamplemousse provides event catering and vendor coordination.
• ResycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorResy 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 ChocolatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPamplemousse 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.
• CoravincoreTechnology or IntegrationPamplemousse 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/PamplemousseSD
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pamplemousse-grille

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Grilled Grapefruit