Harold and Dorothy Hoersch opened a 14-stool lunch counter called the Juniper Café on a corner in San Diego’s Bankers Hill neighborhood in May 1944. Dorothy had previously worked as a secretary at Consolidated Aircraft and had no restaurant experience. Within two years the café had outgrown its space and moved to 2271 First Avenue, eventually becoming the Melody Grill, then Dorothy’s Oven, then Hob Nob Hill around 1970. Sara and Tommy Haygood took ownership in 1956 and George and Louise Decker purchased it in 1967. George’s daughter Teresa Breckenridge ran it from 1988 until selling it in 2025 after 37 years of stewardship. Hob Nob Hill appeared in Season 5, Episode 8 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Just Like Yesterday,” which aired January 26, 2009. Guy Fieri found old-fashioned chicken and dumplings, corned beef, house-baked pies, and the kind of American diner cooking that Dorothy Hoersch’s original vision — high-quality food at reasonable prices with warm service — still described accurately more than 60 years later. New ownership took over in 2025 with plans to reopen after renovations.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Hob Nob Hill
City: San Diego, California
Cuisine: American / Diner
DDD Season: 5
DDD Episode: 8
Episode Title: Just Like Yesterday
Original Air Date: January 26, 2009
Address: 2271 First Ave., San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619-239-8176
Website: https://www.hobnobhill.com/
Status: Open (under new ownership as of 2025; verify current status before visiting)
About Hob Nob Hill
Hob Nob Hill has been a San Diego institution for over 80 years, earning the loyalty of judges, politicians, attorneys, and neighborhood regulars who all shared the same dining room. The restaurant’s classic Mid-Century diner design made it a popular filming location — Remember the Titans, Anchorman 2, and Clint Eastwood’s Trouble with the Curve among the productions that used the space. The Lemon Icebox Pie was voted one of the five best pies in the USA by Life Magazine and one of the Top 100 Foods in the World by Saveur in 2012. Tania Warchol retired in 2025 after 32 years of ownership and sold to the Black Swan Hospitality group, which plans to continue operating the restaurant while preserving its historical identity.
What to Eat at Hob Nob Hill
The Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings is the dish the DDD segment specifically highlighted. The Corned Beef is the other signature, slow-cooked and consistently praised. The Lemon Icebox Pie is the dessert that earned national recognition and is non-negotiable. The Skillet Country Ham, Braised Lamb Shank, and Roast Turkey are the Sunday-style entrées that reflect the diner’s approach to American comfort cooking. The Home-Baked Pies across multiple varieties are worth checking the daily rotation for.
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Plan Your Visit
Check the website or call ahead to confirm current hours and status before visiting, as the restaurant went through an ownership transition in 2025.
Address: 2271 First Ave., San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619-239-8176
Website: https://www.hobnobhill.com/
Status: Open (under new ownership — verify before visiting)
Triple D Essentials
Stream the Just Like Yesterday episode on Amazon. San Diego has a solid Triple D catalog — More Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives maps out the full run.
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Hob Nob Hill appeared in Season 5, Episode 8 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Just Like Yesterday,” originally aired January 26, 2009. The restaurant has been a San Diego institution since 1944.