Chef Gabriela Lopez recently celebrated the second anniversary of her namesake restaurant in the heart of La Mesa, Casa Gabriela. Fondly known as Chef Gaby, the Cohn Restaurant Group brought her to open Casa Gabriela in January 2023 after serving as the executive chef at La Doña in Ocean Beach. The menu features many of her family’s recipes and is inspired by Baja seafood and her family’s roots in Guadalajara.
Living in Del Cerro, Lopez grew up in Tijuana watching her mother and grandmother in the kitchen and knew she wanted to be a chef. The menu features many of her family’s recipes and is inspired by Baja seafood and her family’s roots in Guadalajara.
“I think I have wanted to be a chef since I was born. But I became a mom when I was 17, so I put my plans on hold. I now have four kids. So, I worked during the day cleaning houses. I did all kinds of jobs [while going to culinary school at night]. I have been a chef for 23 years. I did a lot of catering. Then when I became a chef, I did big events, consulting other restaurants. I did consulting for about 15 years, then after that we opened La Doña about 10 years ago, and two years ago I opened Casa Gabriela,” she said. “My biggest fan and biggest inspiration is my grandmother. My mother too, she is a great cook, but my grandmother was somebody who I admire because that was a woman who could do anything with almost nothing. Even if it is only chiles and potatoes, she could create something amazing out of that.”
Lopez said Casa Gabriela has various offerings for its clientele, other than its dinner menu.
“We have a brunch. It is a little bit different than the usual brunch from my perspective with my own choices, and we offer Happy Hour during business days and on the weekend,” she said.
Weekend Brunch at Casa Gabriela is on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Happy Hour is Tuesday through Sunday from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. The restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday from 3:30 – 9 p.m. Casa Gabriela is located at 8384 La Mesa Boulevard and is closed on Mondays.
Lopez said she was excited and surprised with the La Mesa community supporting her restaurant.
“They accepted my cuisine very well. And I am having more than La Mesa. I have many people coming from North County because I was a private chef in North County. A lot of people are coming. I used to be well-known for vegan food in my other restaurant. But in Casa I do not have the same vegan food and crew. I have some vegetarian items, but not vegan, but they still manage to come here and try it. But, La Mesa, for sure, has received my cuisine with a very open heart,” she said.
Lopez said she wants the community to know that she puts her heart and soul into everything that she does.
“I do not mind if I spend long hours at work because all I want people to do is taste the authenticity, what is real and makes good cuisine. It is more than burritos and tacos. There are a lot of flavors involved. I am very proud of my team working with me by my side, and we make everything fresh for them,” she said.
For more information, visit www.casagabrielalamesa.com.
